Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
New York safety inspections
Share of first inspections failed on safety, by model year. Older cars fail more as miles build up, so compare each year with the average car of the same year. Best against its own year: 2022.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections, initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 Encore | 8 | 0 |
| 2021 Encore | 9 | 0 |
| 2020 Encore | 19 | 2 |
| 2019 Encore | 88 | 2 |
| 2018 Encore | 74 | 0 |
| 2017 Encore | 90 | 2 |
| 2016 Encore | 80 | 2 |
| 2015 Encore | 124 | 4 |
| 2014 Encore | 60 | 4 |
| 2013 Encore | 52 | 6 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Engine223
- Electrical system88
- Power train77
- Unknown or other74
- Air bags70
- Fuel/propulsion system62
- Service brakes59
- Steering48
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 290 Encore vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 169 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3 | 3 |
| 2021 | 10 | 8 |
| 2020 | 21 | 15 |
| 2019 | 61 | 34 |
| 2018 | 41 | 22 |
| 2017 | 42 | 24 |
| 2016 | 30 | 14 |
| 2015 | 39 | 21 |
| 2014 | 28 | 21 |
| 2013 | 15 | 7 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
Crash-test ratings by year
NHTSA 5-star results for 10 model-year variants; 10 of 10 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Year | Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2022 Buick Encore SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.9 % |
| 2021 | 2021 Buick Encore SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.9 % |
| 2020 | 2020 Buick Encore SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.9 % |
| 2019 | 2019 Buick Encore SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.9 % |
| 2018 | 2018 Buick Encore SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.9 % |
| 2017 | 2017 Buick Encore SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.9 % |
| 2016 | 2016 Buick Encore SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.9 % |
| 2015 | 2015 Buick Encore SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.9 % |
| 2014 | 2014 Buick Encore SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.9 % |
| 2013 | 2013 Buick Encore SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 17.9 % |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption by year
Official Canadian test results for 10 model years, best variant per year. Combined consumption ranges from 7.8–8.7 L/100 km.
| Year | Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Encore · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.7 | 7.3 | 8.6 |
| 2021 | Encore (SIDI) · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.7 | 7.3 | 8.6 |
| 2020 | Encore · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.4 | 7.8 | 8.7 |
| 2019 | Encore (SIDI with Stop/Start) · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 8.9 | 7.5 | 8.3 |
| 2018 | Encore (SIDI with Stop/Start) · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 8.6 | 7.1 | 7.9 |
| 2017 | Encore (LE2 Engine) · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 8.6 | 7.1 | 7.9 |
| 2016 | Encore Sport Touring · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 8.5 | 6.9 | 7.8 |
| 2015 | Encore · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.5 | 7.2 | 8.5 |
| 2014 | Encore · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.5 | 7.2 | 8.5 |
| 2013 | Encore · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.5 | 7.2 | 8.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
In the United Kingdom
1 Encore cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | — |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
New registrations in Europe
1 new Buick Encore cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2022 and 2022, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2022 the largest markets were Spain (1).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 126 (WLTP) |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Recalls
13 campaigns cover the Encore; the latest 12 are below.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Encore GX and 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The rear attachment bolts of one or both front seats may not have been installed.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Buick Encore, Chevrolet Spark, Traverse, and Trax vehicles. The Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) on these vehicle may not have been turned off of "manufacturing mode," preventing the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 26, 2014, to February 9, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Trax vehicles manufactured October 13, 2014, to February 3, 2015. The affected vehicles have tire placards that do not provide the rim size information for the front or rear wheels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims and Motor Home/Recreation Vehicle Trailer Load Carrying Capacity Information for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less."
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured November 27, 2014, to February 24, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Trax vehicles manufactured November 18, 2014, to February 17, 2015. The steering column assembly housing may contact the power steering printed circuit board causing the circuit board to wear.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to March 1, 2013, and model year 2013 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to May 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the driver and passenger lap belt pretensioner cables may not lock in a retracted position, allowing the seat belts to extend when pulled upon.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high load condition such as a crash.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured April 10, 2013, to May 8, 2013, and Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured December 30, 2012, to March 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, an improper weld on the passenger side front air bag inflator may result in the air bag not deploying.
NHTSA recalls