2013 BUICK ENCORE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
4/5
Safety Rating
70
Owner Complaints
6
Recalls
93
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2013 BUICK ENCORE
The 2013 BUICK ENCORE has received a total of 70 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 7 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM), SEAT BELTS:FRONT. 93 technical service bulletins have been issued by General Motors, LLC for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine (21 complaints), Power Train (7 complaints), and Electrical System (6 complaints).
Recalls for the 2013 BUICK ENCORE
NHTSA has recorded 7 recalls for the 2013 BUICK ENCORE, potentially affecting up to 192,050 vehicles.
Recall 16V502000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
| 8,367 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain...
Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782....
View full details →Recall 16V502000 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
| 8,367 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain...
Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782....
View full details →Recall 14V488000 — SEAT BELTS:FRONT
| 48,114 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to March 1, 2013, and model year 2013 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to May 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the driver and passenger lap belt pretensioner cables may not lock in a retracted position, allowing the seat belts to...
Consequence: If the seat belts do not remain locked in the retracted position when under load, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front the driver's and the passenger's lap belt pretensioners, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. GM sent interim notifications on October 7, 2014 and will send a second notification...
View full details →Recall 14V417000 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
| 2,990 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix...
Consequence: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service...
View full details →Recall 14V446000 — SEATS
| 124,007 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high load...
Consequence: A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300...
View full details →Recall 14V298000 — AIR BAGS
| 61 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured April 10, 2013, to May 8, 2013, and Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured December 30, 2012, to March 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, an improper weld on the passenger side front air bag inflator may result in the air bag not deploying.
Consequence: If the air bag does not to deploy in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for...
View full details →Recall 13V105000 — STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
| 144 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured between December 9, 2012 and December 28, 2012, and equipped with a heated steering wheel. The steering wheel fastener may not have been properly installed. This could cause the steering wheel to come loose or separate from the steering column.
Consequence: If the steering wheel separates from the steering column while driving, the ability to steer could be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and make any necessary repairs on the steering wheel. These services will be provided at no charge to the customer. The safety recall began on May 21, 2013. Owners may contact...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2013 BUICK ENCORE
70 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2013 BUICK ENCORE. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipmentelectricalnavigational Systemglobal Positioning System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulicantilocktraction Controlelectronic Limited Slip | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
My car had problems with overheating. I check my oil and coolant levels. My car show check engine light so I took it to mechanics to get check. The invoice states possible blown head gaskets. I research online similar complaints with other Buick Encore 2013. I just this car March 2023 has about 89000. I am making payments.
The check engine light came and took the car to O'Reillys and was informed it had low turbo boost code took car to the dealership and they indeed confirmed that was the issue and that it would be over $3000.00 to fix!!! I bought this car 4 months ago and this seems to be an issue with a few other owners as well Buick needs to recall this part!!! If not fixed it may cause deceleration or overheat and start to burn into the manifold of the exhaust. No other parties have looked at the car except the dealership. only lamp that came on was the check engine light and it was sometimes go off and then come back on.
The check engine light came and took the car to O'Reillys and was informed it had low turbo boost code took car to the dealership and they indeed confirmed that was the issue and that it would be over $3000.00 to fix!!! I bought this car 4 months ago and this seems to be an issue with a few other owners as well Buick needs to recall this part!!! If not fixed it may cause deceleration or overheat and start to burn into the manifold of the exhaust. No other parties have looked at the car except the dealership. only lamp that came on was the check engine light and it was sometimes go off and then come back on.
The turbo charger is underboost and can explode the engine with oil flying everywhere
TURBO WENT OUT TWICE WITHIN 3 MONTHS. ALSO I WAITED FOR 6 WEEKS ON A BACK ORDERED PART. SO MUCH SERVICE WORK... PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM THIS CAR IS A LEMON. THE PAINT LITERALLY FELL OFF THE MIRRORS WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR.
Safety Rating for the 2013 BUICK ENCORE
The 2013 BUICK ENCORE received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2013 BUICK ENCORE
General Motors, LLC has issued 93 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2013 BUICK ENCORE. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
PIT4261J — TIRES:SIDEWALL
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles with tire sidewall irregularities. This is a visual condition that will not affect durability, reliability or performance of the tires. Dealer should communicate to the customer that slight sidewall indentations are a common characteristic of radial tire construction.
PIC5611H — BACK OVER PREVENTION
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the rear view camera options on the vehicles equipped with rear view camera. The rear view camera brightness can be adjusted on some models while the transmission is in reverse and using the Menu or Select button. To turn off...
19NA057 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
This Technical bulletin provides a procedure for dealers/technicians to correct a condition of Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated, DTC P0420 Set.
18NA331 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin provides a procedure to reprogram the ECM to correct a condition of MIL On, DTC P0420 Set.
16-NA-231 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
This informational bulletin provides information on the radio display dim while backing out of a dark area in the daylight, or while driving into bright sun which is a normal function and is being communicated to the customer.
16-NA-405 — ENGINE
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to install a PCV heater and a front fascia blocker to correct the turbo charger system from freezing causing cold weather performance issues.
PIC6250A — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a check engine light. Technician will find Diagnostic Trouble Code P0446. Technician will need to replace the Evaporative Emissions System canister if spider nesting in the fresh air inlet port.
PIP5240A — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have a Malfunction Indicator Lamp on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0171 and or P1101 set. Technician will need to inspect the Air Cleaner Housing Identification Code. If the Hydro Carbon Absorber is missing, or the...
16NA351 — LANE DEPARTURE
This informational bulletin provides information on lane departure warning not alerting intermittently due to the Lane Departure Warning (LDW) alert is intentionally inhibited to avoid unnecessary alerts due to intentional lane changes or in case of curve cutting. This is considered a normal operation and no parts should be replaced.
GCUS-9-2824 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
25160 01 - Special Coverage. The vehicle may hesitate and go into reduced engine power mode; i.e. driver information center message ?ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED,? malfunction indicator lamp, and reduced acceleration while driving. If this condition occurs within the stated terms, dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) and...
Showing 10 of 93 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2013 BUICK ENCORE
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the BUICK ENCORE
- 2013 BUICK ENCORE (current)
- 2014 BUICK ENCORE — 92 complaints
- 2015 BUICK ENCORE — 185 complaints
- 2016 BUICK ENCORE — 118 complaints
- 2017 BUICK ENCORE — 120 complaints
- 2018 BUICK ENCORE — 100 complaints
Other BUICK Models
- BUICK LESABRE — 4,864 total complaints
- BUICK REGAL — 4,444 total complaints
- BUICK ENCLAVE — 3,194 total complaints
- BUICK LACROSSE — 2,882 total complaints
- BUICK CENTURY — 2,393 total complaints
- BUICK PARK AVENUE — 1,880 total complaints
- BUICK RENDEZVOUS — 1,795 total complaints
- BUICK LUCERNE — 1,322 total complaints