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Buick · NHTSA safety record

2020 Buick Encore GX

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

Owners have filed 70 safety complaints about the 2020 Buick Encore GX with the US government. Of those, 5 describe a crash, 3 people were injured and no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering equipment and the brakes.

The most complained-about system is the brakes, named in 19 complaints, 27% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 1,487 miles, the median across the 23 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers October 2020 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

70 complaints on file

70

Complaints

5

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

3

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

Complaints fell 40% year on year: 12 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 20 in the twelve before.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
SERVICE BRAKES 19 · 27%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 19 · 27%
POWER TRAIN 18 · 26%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16 · 23%
ENGINE 14 · 20%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 6 · 9%
STEERING 4 · 6%
AIR BAGS 3 · 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 3 · 4%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 · 3%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 · 3%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 2 · 3%
0 8 15

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 70.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2024 at 15.

16 12 8 4
20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2020 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2020 Buick ENCORE GX, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 17.9% 18.5%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT:STAND

21V440000 · June 10, 2021

The defect
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Buick Encore GX and 2021-2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The emergency jack, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owner's manual, can fracture while in use.
The risk
A fractured jack can cause the vehicle to collapse, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the jack, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owner of the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 26, 2021. A second notice will be mailed once remedy parts become available. 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 A212335470.

General Motors, LLC · up to 135,400 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES

20V588000 · September 24, 2020

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CT4, CT5 and XT4, 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX vehicles. Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may cause an interruption of communication between the sensor and the brake boost system.
The risk
If communication with the sensor is interrupted, the electronic brake boost assist could be lost. Extra pedal force will be required to slow and stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202307260.

General Motors LLC · up to 3,677 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 BUICK ENCORE GX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS AT A STAND STILL AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHEN SHE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING HER TO SHOOT FORWARD AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A HEAD FRACTURE WHEN SHE WAS IMPACTED AND HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER DID SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION AT A NEAR HOSPITAL. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT VEHICLE'S DRIVER DID SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR UNKNOWN INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED LOCAL DEALER CARLISLE CHEVROLET BUICK GMC CADILLAC (1701

NHTSA complaint 11375090, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · crash · towed

I was traveling to school when my breaks didn’t work I tried them twice and I crashed into another vehicle. And the month or march I took it into to Buick for break issues and they said everything was fine.

NHTSA complaint 11656817. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

crash · towed · 113 miles

2/3/2021 I WAS DRIVING WITH MY DAUGHTER TODAY. SHE WAS DRIVING AND WE WERE APPROACHING A LEFT HAND TURN AT AN INTERSECTION. WE HAD A GREEN LIGHT AND I COULD SEE THAT HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. SHE STARTED THE TURN WITH HER FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND THE STEERING WASN'T RESPONDING. WE HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AGO AND HAS LESS THAN 115 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint 11394553. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

crash · towed · 45,000 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated that while attempting to stop, the brake pedal was depressed and it traveled to the floorboard causing the brakes to fail to stop the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was able to be driven to the contact residence however, the brakes failed again. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact was unaware if a diagnostic test was performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.

NHTSA complaint 11455501. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving my 2020 Buick Encore GX, the vehicle experienced a sudden and dangerous loss of acceleration, immediately dropping into 'Reduced Engine power' limp mode in active traffic, but no other car was Infront or behind my car. A diagnostic scan revealed Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P2138, which triggered the computer's safety override system to cut engine throttle. The official dealer repair invoice confirms a manufacturing and assembly defect covered under GM Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) #07-06-04-019G. The technician located water intrusion Panel/Body Harness Connector X112. The root cause was an improperly seated weather seal from the factory, which allowed moisture to

NHTSA complaint 11767180, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
There was no service engine warning light on my dashboard. Pending codes in the pictures below popped up on my diagnostics tool less than 24 hours after buying the vehicle from an Audi Dealer. The engine went into limp mode as you can see from the picture below that shows Engine Power is Reduced. After researching these error codes, I was made aware that this is a common issue on this vehicle ad is should be a recall as it states the engine failure is a very serious issue, especially if it occurs while driving. This could cause fatal accidents.

NHTSA complaint 11764192. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
While reversing, the vehicle suddenly jumped/jerked unexpectedly. Another vehicle was parked close behind me, and I was afraid my vehicle was going to jump into it because the movement was sudden and difficult to control. On another occasion, while traveling approximately 20 mph through a longer curve, the vehicle suddenly jumped/jerked again and I was concerned I could lose control of the vehicle or strike another vehicle. The vehicle has also intermittently shuddered/jumped during normal driving and acceleration. At times the engine RPM increases without the vehicle accelerating normally. The problem is intermittent and may stop and then happen again. This makes the vehicle’s acceleration

NHTSA complaint 11762916, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The cluster display shows "shift to park" even while vehicle is stopped, gear shift in park position, and engine is off.

NHTSA complaint 11760579. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I am submitting this complaint regarding several serious mechanical and electrical issues with my 2020 Buick Encore GX that raise significant concerns about the vehicle's reliability and safety. Most concerning, I was recently informed by the dealership that my vehicle requires another transmission replacement, despite having the transmission replaced in 2024. I was also advised that I would need to pay for an additional diagnostic inspection because technicians discovered oil leaking through the lines, which appears to have contaminated engine components. According to the dealership, metal particles have been found within the engine, causing it to malfunction. They have stated that they

NHTSA complaint 11752226, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Transmission would not connect with the engine. La Fontaine dealership in Saint Clair. Said I need a new transmission cost $14,000. It has 59823 miles under the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint 11745442. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Buick Encore GX

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 15 1 —
2024 31 2 —
2022 32 1 —
2021 53 2 —

Other 2020 Buick models

Enclave 59 Encore 19

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Buick on this site — 63 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

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