2016 Buick Encore Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Encore years
- More complaints than other years 4th of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Buick Encore. That ranks 4th out of 10 Encore model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (41 complaints, 51%), typically at around 47,995 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 1 fire, 14 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 80owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 Buick Encore problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 41 | 51% | 47,995 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 13 | 16% | 6,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 15% | 53,540 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 11% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 8 | 10% | 31,750 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 7 | 9% | 29,686 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 6% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 5% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 5% | 29,750 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 4% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 4% | 47,989 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 4% | 25,250 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 3% | 6,400 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 3% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 3% | 17,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 5,489 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Buick Encore recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:pretensioner; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: 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.
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.
Fix: 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.
Seat belts:pretensioner; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: 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.
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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Sequential powertrain and turbocharger failure on 1.4L Ecotec engine following $5,700 in prior engine repairs. Vehicle experienced sudden loss of motive power. Component is covered under GM Special Coverage/warranty. Authorized GM dealer (Mike Haggerty Buick GMC) and General Motors have engaged in…
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 weâve also noticed the same car, same model and make on the road with the same paint peeling issues that thereâs no formal recall as of…
Ignition switch getting very hot
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…
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…
Other Buick Encore years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Encore | 8 | 0 |
| 2021 Encore | 9 | 0 |
| 2020 Encore | 19 | 2 |
| 2019 Encore | 87 | 2 |
| 2018 Encore | 74 | 0 |
| 2017 Encore | 89 | 2 |
| 2016 | 80 | 2 |
| 2015 Encore | 124 | 4 |
| 2014 Encore | 60 | 4 |
| 2013 Encore | 52 | 6 |
See all Buick Encore problems by year, every Buick model, or the Buick VIN decoder.
Similar Buick models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Buick Encore?
Owners most often report engine, fuel/propulsion system, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 41 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Buick Encore?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 Buick Encore a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Encore model years, the 2016 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.