Electrical System. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports2 fire reports6 injury reports

What owners actually said

124 reports

Mileage unknown · Nov 28, 2023

Steering

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Power steering failed when driving. I had another passenger with me and when avoiding a pothole in the road, the car went crazy and it took all I could to control the vehicle and NOT crash into anyone or another car! I am having nightmares of what could have happened to me and my passenger. On the next day, I tried to start my vehicle and the steeling wheel was locked. I had it towed to VIP near me. They did a diagnosis on my vehicle and claim that I need a new steeling column and the circuit board. They did further research and found that the 2015 Buick Encores have had a recall on the steering. They then mentioned that there was nothing more they could do and they advised me NOT to drive the vehicle as it was UNSAFE. I then had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The dealer (Jacks Chevrolet) claims that my car's VIN isn't included in the recall. My question is if my vehicle demonstrates the same characteristics, WHY isn't it part of the recall? My car is UNSAFE to drive! Jack’s Chevrolet in Saco performed a diagnosis, and the issue was with the battery. From what the contact was told, the power steering is electric, and the battery had tested bad (bad cell). And they stated the power steering is working properly. The contact stated after one event of driving the vehicle after the repair, the vehicle is again demonstrating an unreasonable risk to safety. The steering wheel is locked, and the steering is uncontrolled.

NHTSA ODI #11557260

Mileage unknown · Nov 28, 2023

Air BagsSuspension

1. Both rear springs have broken within 1 year of each other. There were no accidents or any kind or off road driving. These are Expensive to fix. 2. Driver side airbag light is on. No idea why. Afraid to drive this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11557217

Mileage unknown · Nov 11, 2023

EngineFuel/propulsion SystemSuspension

It’s it’s firing and shaking, and I have kept up on the oil changes. It’s a lot of money

NHTSA ODI #11554626

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2023

Engine

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It seems like the 2015 Buick Encores are having a lot of the same issues. I do not see a recall for any of these issues. 1. loss of power when trying to accelerate. This has almost caused an accident for me. I had plenty of time to pull out, but my car wouldn't speed up. Thankfully the car coming up noticed I was having issues and slowed down. This also may affect the performance and fuel efficiency of the vehicle. No warning lights came on. It eventually corrected itself and I was able to accelerate. This has been an ongoing issue. Nobody seems to know what is causing this or how to fix it. 2. I start my car and put it into gear, and it shakes like it wants to stall. I quickly put it back into park and wait a few minutes before putting it back into gear. It also does this while I am waiting at lights at intersections. That is very concerning because if i stall mid intersection this could cause and accident and or injury to me or other motorists. No lights appear when this happens. Again, nobody knows why it does this or how to correct it. 3. Back of my car stared chipping paint for no reason. There was no trauma to cause this to occur. Apparently, this is another common issue with this car. I've read that there have been lawsuits against the company for using paint similar to what this is doing. 3. I had to replace my engine under two years of having it. It was still under warranty at the time, but I hadn't had the car very long at all.

NHTSA ODI #11549826

60,000 miles · Aug 17, 2023

Steering

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The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and pulling into the driveway, the vehicle decelerated independently with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the "Power Steering Fault" message was displayed, and the steering wheel became firm. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence and the vehicle shutoff and failed to restart. The contact was able to jumpstart the vehicle. The contact replaced the battery but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, but no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that the failure had persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V146000 (Steering) and advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 60,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI #11539112

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2023

EnginePower Train

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The turbocharger on my car is failing and had a verified check engine light code PO299. The car is a 2015 with low miles, only 53k. This is an obvious manufacturer defect/defective product with an estimated cost of $1500.00 to replace, according to an ASE independent auto shop I use for all my vehicles. The car is unfortunately not under any warranty anymore, to my knowledge. There is no recall on this part but online on Buick forums and other credible sites, you will find owners of the same exact car reporting independently, the same failing part issues. I am the second owner of this car and bought it used in 2021 from Carmax. Since then, I have spent $$$ to fix random necessary repairs that are defects of the car but not on recall. Recently, the ac went out and that was over $500 alone. Prior to that an 02 sensor and sparkplug went out, etc. I want GM to reimburse me for the repair cost of the failing turbocharger on this low mileage vehicle as it is without a doubt, a manufacturer defect needing repair to prevent the engine from failure and a total loss! I contacted a GM/Buick agent and formal complaint and request for reimbursement. I am now waiting for up to two days for a "senior agent," to contact me back and discuss further options, if any. Until then, I am without a car with two kids at home and this defect is unsafe and a financial burden to me and my family. This is a known issue on this vehicle model and should be covered under a recall from GM!

NHTSA ODI #11532768

50,000 miles · Apr 12, 2023

Steering

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The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering assist and became firm. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle started operating normally. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V146000 (Steering). The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA ODI #11516683

Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 2023

Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

The cooling system malfunctions. Repaired six times in a year. Overheats. Coolant issues.

NHTSA ODI #11512934

Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2023

Engine

The PVC valve was frozen and leaked oil everywhere. I was told by a mechanic at my dealership that it is a known issue. They want $3000 to install a heater unit.

NHTSA ODI #11505584

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 2022

Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

My car started surging when I was sitting at a traffic light and as I was crossing abridge The check engine light came on - 2 codes - transmission module 0700 and module 0073

NHTSA ODI #11499335

Official recalls

17V437000 · Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE ; Seat Belts:pretensioner

Jul 10, 2017

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Seat Belts:pretensioner

Consequence: 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. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Consequence: 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.

Air Bags:frontal

Consequence: 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.

16V651000 · Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE ; Seat Belts:pretensioner

Sep 8, 2016

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Seat Belts:pretensioner

Consequence: 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. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Consequence: 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. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

Air Bags:frontal

Consequence: 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. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

15V162000 · Equipment:other:labels

Mar 20, 2015

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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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 at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15166.

15V146000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

Mar 13, 2015

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15168.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.