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Buick Encore Recalls — All NHTSA Recall Campaigns

13 recall campaigns on record across 5 model years of the Buick Encore. Data sourced directly from NHTSA and updated daily.

13
Recall Campaigns
437
Owner Complaints
62
Reported Injuries
3
Reported Deaths
5 affected model years46 crash-involved complaintsMost recalled year: 2013

Affected Model Years

R = recalls · C = complaints. Click a year to see the full problems report.

Recall Breakdown by Component Category

Airbag4 campaigns (31%)
Seat/Restraints3 campaigns (23%)
Steering2 campaigns (15%)
Engine1 campaign (8%)
Electrical1 campaign (8%)
Other1 campaign (8%)
Transmission1 campaign (8%)

Most Common Owner Complaint Areas — Buick Encore

ENGINE
107
POWER TRAIN
40
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
39
AIR BAGS
37
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
33
SERVICE BRAKES
29
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
26
STEERING
24
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
13
VISIBILITY/WIPER
12

Based on 437 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across all model years. 3 deaths and 62 injuries reported.

All Buick Encore Recall Campaigns

#16V5020002013 Buick EncoreEngine
Issued: May 7, 2016

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

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, 201

Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer se

#14V2980002013 Buick EncoreAirbag
Issued: Jun 6, 2014

AIR BAGS

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

Risk: If the air bag does not to deploy in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7

#14V4170002013 Buick EncoreElectrical
Issued: Feb 7, 2014

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

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 201

Risk: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owner

#14V4460002013 Buick EncoreSeat/Restraints
Issued: Invalid Date

SEATS

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 af

Risk: A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may co

#14V4880002013 Buick EncoreSeat/Restraints
Issued: Aug 8, 2014

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

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 m

Risk: If the seat belts do not remain locked in the retracted position when under load, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front the driver's and the passenger's lap belt pretensioners, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. GM sent interim notifications o

#13V1050002013 Buick EncoreSteering
Issued: Invalid Date

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured between December 9, 2012 and December 28, 2012, and equipped with a heated steering wheel. The steering wheel fastener may not have been properly installed. This could cause the steering wheel to come loose or s

Risk: If the steering wheel separates from the steering column while driving, the ability to steer could be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and make any necessary repairs on the steering wheel. These services will be provided at no charge to the customer. The safety recall bega

#20V5370002020 Buick EncoreSeat/Restraints
Issued: Mar 9, 2020

SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

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.

Risk: If an occupied front seat is missing the rear attachment bolts, it may move during a crash, increasing risk of injury to the occupant.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect seat attachments for both front seats and install attachment bolts as needed, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact Che

#17V4370002014 Buick EncoreAirbag
Issued: Oct 7, 2017

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

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, Subur

Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. Th

#16V6510002014 Buick EncoreAirbag
Issued: Aug 9, 2016

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

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 Poli

Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. Th

#15V1620002015 Buick EncoreOther
Issued: Invalid Date

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

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 inform

Risk: If the label is missing front and rear rim size information, the owner may replace the rims with ones that are an incorrect size, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and will send owners a corrected label, free of charge. The recall April 29, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, and Chevrolet customer service

#15V1460002015 Buick EncoreSteering
Issued: Invalid Date

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

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

Risk: The circuit board wear may cause a sudden loss of electric power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the steering column assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 24, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1

#18V7740002019 Buick EncoreAirbag
Issued: Jan 11, 2018

AIR BAGS

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.

Risk: If the air bags do not deploy in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM module to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 a

#20V6680002019 Buick EncoreTransmission
Issued: Invalid Date

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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. Th

Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the p

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contac

Recalls by Component

1Engine Recalls

#16V502000MY 2013

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

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

4Airbag Recalls

#14V298000MY 2013

AIR BAGS

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 3

#17V437000MY 2014

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

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,

#16V651000MY 2014

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

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, C

#18V774000MY 2019

AIR BAGS

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 bee

1Electrical Recalls

#14V417000MY 2013

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

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 manufact

2Steering Recalls

#13V105000MY 2013

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured between December 9, 2012 and December 28, 2012, and equipped with a heated steering wheel. T

#15V146000MY 2015

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

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 manufactur

Buick Encore Recall — Frequently Asked Questions

How many recalls does the Buick Encore have?
The Buick Encore has 13 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database, spanning model years 2013 through 2020.
Is my Encore under recall?
Recall applicability depends on your specific VIN — not just the model year. Some recalls cover only certain production date ranges or trim levels. Enter your 17-digit VIN at VinCheckEngine or NHTSA.gov for an exact answer.
What is the most recalled Encore year?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2013 Buick Encore has the highest recall campaign count (6 campaigns). However, the total count of campaigns is not the same as the number of defects — some campaigns are issued as expansions of earlier recalls.
Does a Encore recall mean my car is unsafe to drive?
Not necessarily. Recalls range from critical safety hazards — where NHTSA advises against driving — to minor inconveniences like a label error. Check the consequence field of each recall to understand the severity. If your specific VIN is subject to an open recall, contact an authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Who pays for recall repairs on a Encore?
The manufacturer is legally required to pay for all recall repairs under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer, regardless of whether you are the original owner or whether the vehicle is out of warranty.

Check Your Specific Buick Encore for Open Recalls

Model-level recall data tells you what campaigns exist. A VIN-specific check tells you exactly which ones apply to your vehicle — based on production date, serial number, and configuration.

Free VIN Check — Check My Encore