What breaks most · 2013 to 2019 model years
Buick Encore problems by year
Owners have filed 169 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Buick Encore across model years 2013 to 2019. Three years stand out: 2015 for electrical system complaints, 2013 for engine complaints and 2014 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 2017 and 2016.
- Years to check closely: 2015, 2013, 2014
- Fewest complaints: 2017, 2016
- Complaints on file
- 1692013 to 2019, all trims
- Worst year
- 201550 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 203 fires · 18 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 14kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 20Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | 4 | 6 | Engine (17) | |
| 26 | 2 | 4 | Electrical system (6) | |
| 50 | 4 | 4 | Electrical system (11) | |
| 20 | 4 | 2 | Engine (6) | |
| 15 | 3 | 2 | Engine (7) | |
| 8 | 3 | 0 | Air bags (2) | |
| 3 | 0 | 2 | Engine (1) |
What fails on the 2015 Buick Encore
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 22% |
11 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2015 Buick Encore |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 20% |
10 | 2 | Shop brakes parts for the 2015 Buick Encore |
| Unknown or other | 18% |
9 | 1 | — |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 16% |
8 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2015 Buick Encore |
| Air bags | 14% |
7 | 1 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 12% |
6 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2015 Buick Encore |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 8% |
4 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2015 Buick Encore |
| Wipers and visibilityWiper motors and blades | 6% |
3 | 0 | Shop all wipers and visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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The display screen goes black during the day light hrs. Then comes back on sometime later. So you can't see the radio stations.
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The engine oil cooler is leaking. The front driver axle shaft seal is leaking. The car is running too lean the check engine light is on. I replaced the air filter and clean fuel injectors and the car is sputtering and the check engine light is still on. The car sputters when stationary as well as moving.
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Took car to dealer ship 5 times for squeeking wheels when applying brake, complained about braking not feeling correct/locking up and they only switched the tires around so i wouldn't hear it on my side,,,really!! Its still there now on the other side..i give up. I die i blame them.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Buick Encore years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2015, 2013, 2014 carry the most filings on the Buick Encore. The 2015 alone has 50 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Buick Encore problem?
On the 2015 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 11 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Buick Encore problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Buick Encore complaints that include mileage is about 14,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.