NHTSA Complaint #11093337 — 2015 BUICK ENCORE

ON 4/25/18 WAS TRAVELING A COUPLE OF HOURS OUT OF TOWN FOR A MEETING. WHILE ACCELERATING (UP AN INCLINE) FROM A HWY WORK ZONE OF 50 MPH, I TEMPORARILY LOST: ALL DIAL READINGS, POWER STEERING AND ENGINE SOUNDED STUCK IN A LOWER GEAR. A FEW SECONDS LATER, REGAINED EVERYTHING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND ON STAR PINGED TRANSMISSION ERROR/ TAKE IN FOR SERVICE WITHIN 1 DAY. DEALERSHIP RECEIVED U0073 CODE AND IDENTIFIED 2 LEAKS FROM AIR CONDITIONER. THEY SUSPECTED THE LEAKS WERE AFFECTING THE SENSORS. ON 5/5/18, WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, JUST 1 MILE FROM LEAVING HOME - THE SAME THING HAPPENED AS ABOVE + TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON TEMPORARILY WITH POWER STEERING LIGHT. UPON PULLING OFF THE ROAD, TURNING THE CAR OFF, SITTING A MINUTE AND RESTARTING, EVERYTHING CAME BACK AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT. THE DEALERSHIP (WHO HAVE FABULOUS CUSTOMER SERVICE) IDENTIFIED A DIFFERENT SET OF CODES AND ENDED UP REPLACING "THE BRAINS" OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. ON 5/9/18, DRIVING 35 MPH DOWN A SLIGHT DECLINE- AGAIN LOST ALL DIAL GAUGES, POWER STEERING, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO BE STUCK IN LOW GEAR. THIS CONDITION CONTINUED FOR A NUMBER OF MINUTES. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT ON A HILL (NO FUN TO COAX THE CAR UP), TURNED THE CAR OFF, TURNED IT ON, AND STILL POWER STEERING, TRANSMISSION AND GAUGES AREN'T WORKING RIGHT. SINCE HOME WAS 1 MILE AWAY, I HEADED THAT DIRECTION AND AFTER 1/2 MILE EVERYTHING RESOLVED + CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BACK ON. THE DRIVE THAT NIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP WAS SPECIAL. 50% OF THE TIME THE POWER STEERING WAS ON AND OFF ALONG WITH INABILITY TO ACCELERATE, ESPECIALLY UP HILL. THIS TIME 5 DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL CODES WERE IDENTIFIED. SO FAR, DEALERSHIP HAS RECHARGED THE BATTERY AND ARE DRIVING THE HECK OUT OF IT TO SEE IF MORE CODES POP UP. THEY DO NOT YET FEEL IT'S FIXED. WAS THERE A BAD BATCH OF 2015 ENCORES?