2015 Buick Encore Complaints
Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA
124
Total
6
Crashes
2
Fires
7
Injuries
0
Deaths
Most Reported Components
Owner Complaint Reports
Showing 25 of 124 reports, crash, fire and injury reports first, then the most recently filed. The full set is on NHTSA.gov.
ENGINE — Filed 06/26/2026
Weber road auto service replaced the engine using county PRC and out-of-pocket funds, and the newly installed used engine has an active engine oil cooler leak, creating an immediate vehicle fire and sudden engine stalling hazard. Also there’s a leak at the ac compressor, condenser and coupler valves. This was discovered by Buckeye Auto Service. No repairs have been made as first shop keeps brushing me off.
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 05/12/2025
The turbo in my vehicle has a check engine light come on and than the engine does no act right. The repair shop that looked at car stated that the manufacture knows this is a known issue and they have not made a recall as several cars my year range has this going on. If this is a known issue why is there no recall. I worked had for my car and I can not afford the repair of a know issues with the turbo as it cost a lot and I should not have to cover this as it is apparent this is a manufacture defect that is known. It puts me as risk as the car is not preforming properly and it jumps and does not go properly when it has the issue arise. I will get hit for not going after I come to a stop and will not accelerate properly. This issue appeared 2 months after I purchased the car and I took it to a shop who told me he has tried to contact Buick to cover the repairs for others and gets no where. I think that the manufacture knows and will not repair something that is not the owners fault but there shafty part and they know this as it was a recall in other years of my vehicle.
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 05/30/2026
Transmission wouldn't shift out of 2nd gear and wouldnt shift into reverse. Has no power steering or power brakes
AIR BAGS — Filed 03/31/2026
The seatbelt systems light has come on in my 2015 Buick Encore.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 09/15/2024
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The contact became aware of oil underneath the vehicle on the driveway, resulting in a complete loss of power. The vehicle leaked oil and lost the vehicle lost power twice. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle and determined that the mass air flow sensor had failed. The MAF sensor was replaced twice, the Oxygen sensors were replaced three times, and the turbocharger was replaced once. The failures persisted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
ENGINE — Filed 08/10/2025
check engine light came onforP0299 code and heard that there's a lot of vehicles with turbos having this problem
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — Filed 06/30/2025
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the steering wheel seized. The traction control warning light and the power steering warning light was illuminated, and the message to “Contact Dealer for Service” was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that one of the wiring harnesses connected with the CPU had failed. The wiring harness in the CPU was replaced. After the repair, while driving 60 MPH, the failure reoccurred and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V146000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
ENGINE — Filed 01/27/2025
Leaking oil from oil coolant pipe under car and timing chain or belt gasket blowing oil.i have seen on Google in 2016 a stop update on 2015 had issue with the s02ame problem.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 11/26/2024
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle, before the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
STRUCTURE — Filed 11/01/2022
The painting on my 2015 Buick Encore started peeling about 2 years ago and has continued to worsen, and I am concerned about the longevity and overall appearance of my vehicle. As a loyal customer, I expect the paint job to last for a reasonable amount of time, and I believe this issue should be addressed by the manufacturer. I would like to request that Buick fixes this issue free of charge. I understand that my vehicle is no longer under warranty. This is particularly concerning as the peeling paint is affecting the resale value of my car, and I would like to maintain its value as much as possible. I understand that paint issues can occur, and I appreciate that this is not necessarily a reflection on the overall quality of the vehicle. However, I am requesting that Buick take responsibility for this issue and repair the paint free of charge. I believe that the paint peeling issue is covered under the vehicle's warranty, and I hope that I am hopeful that Buick will make every effort to keep this cost to a minimum and to ensure that I am not left out of pocket for a problem that is beyond my control.
STEERING — Filed 11/01/2024
While driving the dash signal came on stating that the power steering unit had gone off. The car was being driven without power steering. The message state to get serviced immediately. There was a recall for this problem but research states that my vin number did not show my car was part of this recall. WELL, IT IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AS OTHERS. Please advise as to how I can get this fixed by the dealership under a recall #15168/15U14600. There is only 18,000 miles on this car, YES eighteen thousand. This recall needs to include my vehicle. Please respond immediately.
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — Filed 07/29/2024
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that the vehicle was sputtering and jerking while attempting to accelerate while driving at various speeds, and while the vehicle was idling. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was informed about the failure and confirmed there were no recalls on the VIN. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 86,600.
STEERING — Filed 08/05/2024
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The contact stopped the vehicle and added coolant and drove to the residence. The contact stated that the next day while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became abnormally stiff, making it difficult to maneuver the vehicle. Additionally, the radio and instrument panel became inoperable. The message "Check Power Steering Unit" was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V146000 (Steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 108,172.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 06/06/2024
My check engine light came on so I took it to a repair shop. They put it on their Diagnostic System Check Computer and the code #PO299 came up. After further inspection and investigation, the failed part is the Turbocharger- A1140104N. This vehicle's, vin number, model year and mileage qualifies it for warranty replacement and labor for the faulty part. However, because it is a Buick and not a Chevy the dealership is not authorizing the repair, even though it is the exact same system and part that is being replaced in the Chevy models. Without this part functioning properly, it affects performance and the car's ability to accelerate when needed which makes it a hazard to drive if you should need to accelerate quickly.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — Filed 06/20/2024
tilt steering wheel usage is causing wires in steering culumb to break
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 12/16/2021
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the power steering assist warning light illuminated and the steering wheel was locked. Additionally, a burning odor was detected, and the tachometer was inoperable while driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.
SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE — Filed 08/29/2021
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while their son was driving at approximately 30 mph when they suddenly heard a booming sound from underneath the body of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle then suddenly gear towards the right and the driver had lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle then crashed into another nearby vehicle which caused the vehicle to flip upside down. The air bags did deploy. A police incident report was filed. There were injuries to their hands, shoulders and back that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed however had not been decided to be deemed totaled as of yet. The contact stated that when a family member who was a licensed contractor in welding examined the vehicle they noticed the axle may have not been welded with appropriate material due to noticing that the material welding axle itself had deteriorated and began to detach from the axle. The contact was concerned that the failure could have resulted in a fatality had the driver been driving at higher speeds. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.
AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — Filed 11/04/2020
A CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF MY WIFE. SHE STRUCK THE OTHER VEHICLE IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK. THIS CAUSED HER INJURIES. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN A 35 MPH ZONE AND ON A 4 LANE ROAD.
SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 05/25/2018
ON 5/25/18, ABS FAILED WHEN BRAKES APPLIED AT AROUND 30 MPH LEADING TO A REAR END CRASH ON WET RAINY ROAD AT A ROUNDABOUT AT JACARANDA BOULEVARD AND EAST VENICE AVENUE, VENICE, FL.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 03/06/2018
THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN AN UNHEATED GARAGE FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS. I STARTED IT, PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND PUT IT IN GEAR (R). THE CAR LUNGED BACK AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE. TO AVOID HITTING A VEHICLE BEHIND IT IN THE DRIVEWAY, I SHIFTED TO DRIVE (D) AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY STARTED FORWARD STILL AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE BRAKES DID NOT SLOW THE CAR DOWN. I BUMPED THE FRONT WALL OF THE GARAGE AND AGAIN SHIFTED INTO R. THE CAR STARTED MOVING BACK AGAIN AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND THE CAR BEGAN SLOWING AND CAME TO A STOP AFTER BUMPING THE VEHICLE ABOUT 20 FEET BEHIND IT. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THE WHOLE TIME. I CHECKED FOR OBSTRUCTIONS AROUND THE BRAKE PEDAL AND FOUND NONE. AFTERWARD, WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN, IT DROVE NORMALLY WITHOUT TROUBLE. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE CAR AS A RESULT OF EITHER COLLISION BUT THE GARAGE WALL SUFFERED SOME MINOR DAMAGE.
STRUCTURE — Filed 06/15/2017
WE HAD JUST LEFT THE GROCERY STORE, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, AND LESS THAN A MILE INTO OUR TRIP HOME SOMETHING FAILED BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL OF THE CAR THAT CAUSED HOT LIQUID (COOLANT?) TO POUR ONTO MY LOWER LEG AND FOOT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT FOOT WELL. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY BEEN RUNNING FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND THE COOLANT WASN'T AT ITS FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURE, SO THE BURN WAS NO WORSE THAN A COFFEE SPILL AND DIDN'T CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY. IF THE VEHICLE HAD FULLY WARMED UP AND THE COOLANT WAS 200+ DEGREES, I WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNED VERY BADLY. I JUST WANT GM TO KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENED SO THAT MAYBE THEY CAN PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE TO PREVENT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SEVERELY BURNED .
AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 06/01/2017
MY CAR WAS IN MOTION GOING APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH WHEN IT HIT A STATIONARY VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO HIT MY BRAKES BUT STILL HIT THE CAR IN ALMOST FULL FORCE, HEAD ON. BOTH MY CAR AND THE CAR I HIT ARE TOTALED, AND I WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPUTAL AFTER, BUT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF.
POWER TRAIN — Filed 05/22/2017
1. THE VEHICLE ROLL BACKWARDS IN UNPREDICTABLE WAYS EVEN ON SMALL INCLINES WHEN FOOT IS TAKEN OFF THE BRAKES. AT TIMES VEHICLE WILL GO FORWARD AND AT OTHER TIMES IT WILL ROLL BACK ON THE EXACT SLOPE. WE WERE TOLD BY BUICK DEALERS THAT THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT SEE THIS AS AN ISSUE. HOWEVER, BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN STARTLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN WAYS THAT WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. WE CONSIDER OURSELVES TO BE VERY SAFE DRIVERS AN HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 20 YEARS IN THE US WITH NO ACCIDENT CLAIMS. NONE OF THE VEHICLES WE HAVE OWNED OR DRIVEN HAD BEEN THIS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WE HAVE COME CLOSE TO HITTING STOPPED VEHICLES BEHIND US AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS. 2. IN ADDITION, REAR VISIBILITY THROUGH THE SMALL WINDOWS IS CHALLENGING WHICH IS FURTHER OBSTRUCTED BY COLUMNS. 3. ALSO, REAR VISIBILITY THROUGH THE REAR VIEW CAMERA IS POOR UNDER NORMAL DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS DUE TO THE POOR RESOLUTION. AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE POINTS, IT'S VERY UNNERVING WHEN ONE IS CAUGHT ON THE DRIVER SEAT WITH THE VEHICLE MOVING BACKWARDS UNEXPECTEDLY. FINALLY, THE INEVITABLE HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE MET WITH AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF THIS. THE VEHICLE WHICH USUALLY GOES FORWARD WITH FEET OFF ACCELERATOR ON A MILD SLOPED DRIVEWAY IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE, ROLLED BACKWARDS IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE. THE STARTLED DRIVER ERRED ON THE SIDE OF SAFETY BY PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO MOVE THE VEHICLE FORWARD SINCE THERE WERE CHILDREN PLAYING AROUND. HOWEVER, WITH LIMITED ROOM TO MANEUVER, THE VEHICLE ENDED UP HITTING OUR GARAGE DOOR. THE REPAIR HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT $6000 +. $1500 FOR THE GARAGE DOOR. WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE VEHICLE OPERATIONAL DESIGN. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR DRIVING. WE HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE INCIDENT IN 20 YEARS OF DRIVING WITH ANY OF THE CARS WE OWNED OR RENTED.
VISIBILITY — Filed 02/01/2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 BUICK ENCORE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TINT ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND TWO FRONT WINDOWS DID NOT PREVENT EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THE SUNLIGHT BURNED THE CONTACT'S ARMS AND PRODUCED BLISTERS WHILE SHE WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 0.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 05/02/2016
MY 2015 BUICK ENCORE CAUGHT FIRE IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN MY WIFE RETURNED HOME FROM TOWN. IT WAS PARKED AND SHE HAD JUST EXITED THE VEHICLE AND WALKED TO THE BACK TO ATTEMPT TO GET GROCERIES OUT. SHE SMELLED SMOKE AND LOOKED THROUGH THE CAR TOWARD THE WINDSHIELD AND COULD SEE FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD.
About This Data
Complaints are filed by vehicle owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They represent individual consumer experiences and do not necessarily indicate a widespread defect.
View on NHTSA.gov