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Buick · NHTSA safety record

2016 Buick Encore

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

79

Complaints

6

Crashes

1

Fires

14

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2016 Buick Encore have filed 79 safety complaints with NHTSA between July 2016 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 40 of them (51%). The typical failure was reported at 32,251 miles, the median across the 41 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

17V437000 · July 10, 2017

The defect
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.
The 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.
The 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.

General Motors LLC · up to 40,683 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

16V651000 · September 8, 2016

The defect
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.
The 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.
The 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.

General Motors LLC · up to 3,640,162 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 79.

ENGINE 40 51%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 13 16%
POWER TRAIN 11 14%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8 10%
AIR BAGS 7 9%
STEERING 5 6%
SEAT BELTS 4 5%
STRUCTURE 4 5%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 3 4%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 4%
WHEELS 3 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 12.

2016 2019 2026
2016 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

6 injured · crash · towed · 29,686 miles

I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT ON A CITY STREET WHEN A CAR GOING OVER 60 MPH HIT THE CAR BEHIND ME THAT WAS WAITING FOR THE SAME LIGHT, WITH SUCH FORCE IT TOOK OUT MY DRIVERS SIDE REAR END AND WAS THEN PUSHED ONTO THE MEDIUM AND INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE 2ND IMPACT TO MY VEHICLE WAS THE SPEEDING CAR WHO THEN HIT ME AND EMBEDDED ITSELF INTO MY REAR END. AT THIS TIME WAS THE 3RD IMPACT WHEN I WAS PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAITING FOR THE SAME LIGHT. THE 4TH IMPACT IS WHEN I HIT THE CAR IN LANE TO THE RIGHT OF ME CAUSING LITTLE DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND THEIRS. BEING HIT ON EVERY CORNER AND REAR, MY CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND YET NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint 11297030. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

4 injured · crash · towed · 9,557 miles

THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 35 - 40 MPH. THERE WAS A GLANCING SIDE IMPACT TO THE DRIVERS DOOR, AND ALL AIRBAG CURTAINS DEPLOYED. CAUSING BRUISING, BURNS, SPRAIN, AND A CONCUSSION. THE IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE WAS MINIMAL. THE AIRBAG MODULE HAD BEEN FLASHED ALREADY. THE NEW MODULES ARE ON BACK-ORDER AND MAY BE SEVERAL MONTHS/INDEFINITE BEFORE IT CAN BE REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint 10925516. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 24,500 miles

TAMARA RECALL: THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS AND SEATBELT PRETENSIONERS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING A CRASH TO BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR OF MY VEHICLE. ALL SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DURING THE CRASH. I WAS STOPPED BEHIND A VEHICLE AT A RED LIGHT WHEN A DRUNKEN DRIVER SLAMMED INTO MY 2016 BUICK ENCORE. MY VEHICLE WAS PROPELLED FORWARD INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE SHOULDER HARNESS OF MY SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK TO RESTRAIN ME AND MY FRONTAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY CAR HAD NO OPEN RECALLS ON IT. I DID THE 2016 RECALL CORRECTION BUT I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING NOTIFIED OF THE SECOND RECALL. MY CARS SERVICE HAS BEEN EXCLUSIVELY AT A BUICK DEALERSHIP AND DON'T RECALL EVER BEING TOLD OR RECEIVING ANY DOCUMENTATION

NHTSA complaint 11079497, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 34,000 miles

HAD ACCIDENT, WHERE I WAS HIT FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE, AFTER THAT IMPACT I WAS STRUCK IN THE REAR, WHICH TOTALED THE CAR. ME AND A PASSAGE WAS TOSSED AROUND LIKE RAG DOLLS. THE SEAT BELT ON THE PASSAGE SIDE DID NOT HOLD IN PLACE CAUSING HER HEAD TO STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD TWICE, NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FROM SIDE FRONT BACK NONE WHICH WOULD OF KEPT HER AND I FROM BEING TOSSED AROUND, THIS NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO SOMEONES ATTENTION, AND A RECALL WE WAS LOOKING WE BOTH HAVE INJURIES, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ADVISE TO WHY THIS VEHICLE WAS NEVER RECALLED AND CHECKED???? NOW ME AND MY PASSAGE HAS A ROAD OF RECOVERY DUE TO THE AIRBAGS AND SEAT BELTS

NHTSA complaint 11384768. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
We noticed the paint bubbling on one of her doors on the car and took it to the dealership who took no accountability. Now the car is peeling in the back and we’ve also noticed the same car, same model and make on the road with the same paint peeling issues that there’s no formal recall as of yet and we are not getting any resolution with GM.

NHTSA complaint 11753920. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Ignition switch getting very hot

NHTSA complaint 11750168. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
power steering failure while driving at highway speeds. In traffic had a warning come on power steering fault. Then wheel was hard to turn. Had to use strength to steer car home approx. 25 miles. Took to dealer they had car for 3 days before repair done. For $1800 repair bill. Said it was a circuit card in the steering system that was the problem. 2015 years had a recall but not 2016 . But the failure from the 2015 is the same with the 2016 year. GM contacted and they deny claim to get repair cost refunded.

NHTSA complaint 11719555. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Turbo exhibits exact same symptoms of 17-18 encore recall for the turbo. I frequently get the p0299 code the car becomes sluggish and hesitates to take off from a stop when this code comes on making this car dangerous to drive. This issue has almost caused multiple accidents because the car is so under powered that its hard to get the car across traffic without being hit. I have been having this issue for several years and no one has been able to tell me why the car does this.

NHTSA complaint 11715060. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
On my way home in December 2025, my car started to sputter and make noises. All of a sudden the car started going about 10-15 miles. I almost go hit by several vehicles, because they had to put on brakes, I was trying to go up then down a hilly road. I finally was able to get to an Auto Advance Shop, I had to tow the car to Honda then to Buick for a diagnostic test. It had been over a month and I can’t get information in writing what the diagnostic test results are. I’ve had to rent a vehicle for over a month, even though I have a Lifetime Warranty on my power train and motor. I have submitted all my service and repair paperwork to John Miles Buick Conyers Georgia, the GM and Service

NHTSA complaint 11711624, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I was stopped at a traffic light and began moving forward to make a turn into traffic. As I activated my turn signal and started to proceed through the intersection, the vehicle suddenly stalled and shut off without warning, causing an immediate loss of power while the vehicle was in motion. Another vehicle was entering the intersection at the same time, creating a near-collision situation. I was forced to restart the vehicle in traffic. The incident occurred within less than 250 miles of purchasing the vehicle. The vehicle had recently received an oil change and inspection. No warning lights or messages were observed prior to the stall. This event created a serious safety risk.

NHTSA complaint 11709530. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Buick Encore

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2020 19 2 —
2019 84 2 1
2018 74 0 —
2017 89 2 —
2015 124 4 —
2014 60 4 —
2013 52 6 —

Other 2016 Buick models

Enclave 140 Verano 59 Lacrosse 46 Regal 41 Cascada 21 Envision 19

Every Buick on this site — 60 vehicles, 172 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst