Buick Encore Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 585 NHTSA complaints, the Buick Encore years to avoid are 2019 — the worst logged up to 1.6× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 52 | 32 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2014 | 60 | 43 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2015 | 123 | 88 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2016 | 77 | 60 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2017 | 87 | 62 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2018 | 71 | 53 | 0 | SOLID |
| 2019 | 79 | 58 | 2 | AVOID |
| 2020 | 19 | 13 | 2 | BEST |
| 2021 | 9 | 8 | 0 | N/A |
| 2022 | 8 | 5 | 0 | N/A |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Buick Encore. Full methodology.
Common Buick Encore problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Buick Encore are engine, steering, electrical. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Engine stalling and power loss
· Buick Encore 2015–2021Corroborated by 15 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 118 engine complaints across 2015–2021.
Power steering failure or loss of assist
· Buick Encore 2015–2020Corroborated by 13 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 33 steering complaints across 2015–2020, typically 20,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $1,800.
Electrical system malfunction
· Buick Encore 2019–2020Corroborated by 5 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 14 electrical complaints across 2019–2020.
Why these years stand out
2019 Buick Encore: 79 owner complaints on federal record, 58 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Buick Encore.
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FAQ
What years of the Buick Encore should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Buick Encore years to avoid are 2019 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Buick Encore?
The 2020 Buick Encore shows the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Buick Encore verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Buick Encore's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Buick Encore before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Buick Encore reliable?
The Buick Encore's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 585 NHTSA owner complaints, 2019 rates "avoid", while 2020 shows the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Buick Encore?
The most-reported problem area for the Buick Encore is engine, followed by steering and electrical. Confirmed failures include engine stalling and power loss, power steering failure or loss of assist, electrical system malfunction. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Buick Encore across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Buick Encore, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.