- The 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.
- The 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.
- The 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.
Vehicle safety record
2015 Buick Encore Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 124 complaints about the 2015 Buick Encore with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (32) and the electrical system (30). Those complaints describe 6 crashes, 2 fires and 7 injuries. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in July 2017 for the frontal. For comparison, the 2014 has 60 and the 2016 has 81.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Encore year, for its age
#99 most complained-about 2015 vehicle
- Complaints
- 124
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes
- 6
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 7
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2015 Buick Encore problems
Share of all 124 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2015 Buick Encore recalls 4
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The 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.
- The 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.
- The 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.
- The problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 26, 2014, to February 9, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Trax vehicles manufactured October 13, 2014, to February 3, 2015. The affected vehicles have tire placards that do not provide the rim size information for the front or rear wheels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims and Motor Home/Recreation Vehicle Trailer Load Carrying Capacity Information for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less."
- The risk
- If the label is missing front and rear rim size information, the owner may replace the rims with ones that are an incorrect size, increasing the risk of crash.
- The fix
- GM will notify owners, and will send owners a corrected label, free of charge. The recall April 29, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15166.
- The problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured November 27, 2014, to February 24, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Trax vehicles manufactured November 18, 2014, to February 17, 2015. The steering column assembly housing may contact the power steering printed circuit board causing the circuit board to wear.
- The risk
- The circuit board wear may cause a sudden loss of electric power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the steering column assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 24, 2015. 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 15168.
What owners say
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124 complaints about the 2015 Buick Encore
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 5.
Weber road auto service replaced the engine using county PRC and out-of-pocket funds, and the newly installed used engine has an active engine oil cooler leak, creating an immediate vehicle fire and sudden engine stalling hazard. Also there's a leak at the ac compressor, condenser and coupler valves. This was discovered by Buckeye Auto Service. No repairs have been made as first shop keeps brushing me off.
The turbo in my vehicle has a check engine light come on and than the engine does no act right. The repair shop that looked at car stated that the manufacture knows this is a known issue and they have not made a recall as several cars my year range has this going on. If this is a known issue why is there no recall. I worked had for my car and I can not afford the repair of a know issues with the turbo as it cost a lot and I should not have to cover this as it is apparent this is a manufacture defect that is known....
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It puts me as risk as the car is not preforming properly and it jumps and does not go properly when it has the issue arise. I will get hit for not going after I come to a stop and will not accelerate properly. This issue appeared 2 months after I purchased the car and I took it to a shop who told me he has tried to contact Buick to cover the repairs for others and gets no where. I think that the manufacture knows and will not repair something that is not the owners fault but there shafty part and they know this as it was a recall in other years of my vehicle.
Transmission wouldn't shift out of 2nd gear and wouldnt shift into reverse. Has no power steering or power brakes
The seatbelt systems light has come on in my 2015 Buick Encore.
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The contact became aware of oil underneath the vehicle on the driveway, resulting in a complete loss of power. The vehicle leaked oil and lost the vehicle lost power twice. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle and determined that the mass air flow sensor had failed. The MAF sensor was replaced twice, the Oxygen sensors were replaced three times, and the turbocharger was replaced once. The failures persisted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
check engine light came onforP0299 code and heard that there's a lot of vehicles with turbos having this problem
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the steering wheel seized. The traction control warning light and the power steering warning light was illuminated, and the message to "Contact Dealer for Service" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that one of the wiring harnesses connected with the CPU had failed. The wiring...
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harness in the CPU was replaced. After the repair, while driving 60 MPH, the failure reoccurred and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V146000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
Leaking oil from oil coolant pipe under car and timing chain or belt gasket blowing oil.i have seen on Google in 2016 a stop update on 2015 had issue with the s02ame problem.
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle, before the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The painting on my 2015 Buick Encore started peeling about 2 years ago and has continued to worsen, and I am concerned about the longevity and overall appearance of my vehicle. As a loyal customer, I expect the paint job to last for a reasonable amount of time, and I believe this issue should be addressed by the manufacturer. I would like to request that Buick fixes this issue free of charge. I understand that my vehicle is no longer under warranty. This is particularly concerning as the peeling paint is affecting...
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the resale value of my car, and I would like to maintain its value as much as possible. I understand that paint issues can occur, and I appreciate that this is not necessarily a reflection on the overall quality of the vehicle. However, I am requesting that Buick take responsibility for this issue and repair the paint free of charge. I believe that the paint peeling issue is covered under the vehicle's warranty, and I hope that I am hopeful that Buick will make every effort to keep this cost to a minimum and to ensure that I am not left out of pocket for a problem that is beyond my control.
While driving the dash signal came on stating that the power steering unit had gone off. The car was being driven without power steering. The message state to get serviced immediately. There was a recall for this problem but research states that my vin number did not show my car was part of this recall. WELL, IT IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AS OTHERS. Please advise as to how I can get this fixed by the dealership under a recall #15168/15U14600. There is only 18,000 miles on this car, YES eighteen thousand. This recall needs to include my vehicle. Please respond immediately.
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that the vehicle was sputtering and jerking while attempting to accelerate while driving at various speeds, and while the vehicle was idling. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was informed about the failure and confirmed there were no recalls on the VIN. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 86,600.
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The contact stopped the vehicle and added coolant and drove to the residence. The contact stated that the next day while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became abnormally stiff, making it difficult to maneuver the vehicle. Additionally, the radio and instrument panel became inoperable. The message "Check Power Steering Unit" was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or...
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repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V146000 (Steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 108,172.
My check engine light came on so I took it to a repair shop. They put it on their Diagnostic System Check Computer and the code #PO299 came up. After further inspection and investigation, the failed part is the Turbocharger- A1140104N. This vehicle's, vin number, model year and mileage qualifies it for warranty replacement and labor for the faulty part. However, because it is a Buick and not a Chevy the dealership is not authorizing the repair, even though it is the exact same system and part that is being replaced...
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in the Chevy models. Without this part functioning properly, it affects performance and the car's ability to accelerate when needed which makes it a hazard to drive if you should need to accelerate quickly.
tilt steering wheel usage is causing wires in steering culumb to break
My key gets stuck in the egnition, my machanic said it is specific to this make and model car.
I was driving at 65 when the power assist on my steering stopped and i was forced off the road. The check engine light was on and the word STEERING appeared on the dash It duplicates the description in recall 15168 but there is no recall listed for my VIN number The dealer also stated the same issue regarding the VIN
Massive coolant leak. Been happening on and off since I bought the car in nov2019. Taken to several shops and have had replacement done and it goes right back to leaking. This time the shop believes it's leaking into the engine itself.
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized with the electronic power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a gas station temporarily. The dealer was contacted and suggested the contact call the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V146000 (Steering) as a possible solution; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,326.
While at a stoplight, my buick encore's power steering just stopped working. I was only able to turn the steering wheel with great effort. The car would not go in reverse, although when pressing on the accelerator in reverse, the engine would rev. Shifting from drive to reverse also caused the car to jolt. The car is available for inspection. This has happened previously in fall of 2021, and the same exact thing happened, but this time while I was driving through an intersection. I was unable to steer and ran into...
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a curb. My safety and safety of others was put at risk because I could have hit another driver or pedestrian The car has been inspected by a Triple A approved mechanic twice (once in 2021 and once now), and they have not found any problems with the car. The power steering and traction lights came on on my dashboard.
Power steering failed when driving. I had another passenger with me and when avoiding a pothole in the road, the car went crazy and it took all I could to control the vehicle and NOT crash into anyone or another car! I am having nightmares of what could have happened to me and my passenger. On the next day, I tried to start my vehicle and the steeling wheel was locked. I had it towed to VIP near me. They did a diagnosis on my vehicle and claim that I need a new steeling column and the circuit board. They did...
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further research and found that the 2015 Buick Encores have had a recall on the steering. They then mentioned that there was nothing more they could do and they advised me NOT to drive the vehicle as it was UNSAFE. I then had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The dealer (Jacks Chevrolet) claims that my car's VIN isn't included in the recall. My question is if my vehicle demonstrates the same characteristics, WHY isn't it part of the recall? My car is UNSAFE to drive! Jack's Chevrolet in Saco performed a diagnosis, and the issue was with the battery. From what the contact was told, the power steering is electric, and the battery had tested bad (bad cell). And they stated the power steering is working properly. The contact stated after one event of driving the vehicle after the repair, the vehicle is again demonstrating an unreasonable risk to safety. The steering wheel is locked, and the steering is uncontrolled.
1. Both rear springs have broken within 1 year of each other. There were no accidents or any kind or off road driving. These are Expensive to fix. 2. Driver side airbag light is on. No idea why. Afraid to drive this vehicle.
It's it's firing and shaking, and I have kept up on the oil changes. It's a lot of money
It seems like the 2015 Buick Encores are having a lot of the same issues. I do not see a recall for any of these issues. 1. loss of power when trying to accelerate. This has almost caused an accident for me. I had plenty of time to pull out, but my car wouldn't speed up. Thankfully the car coming up noticed I was having issues and slowed down. This also may affect the performance and fuel efficiency of the vehicle. No warning lights came on. It eventually corrected itself and I was able to accelerate. This has...
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been an ongoing issue. Nobody seems to know what is causing this or how to fix it. 2. I start my car and put it into gear, and it shakes like it wants to stall. I quickly put it back into park and wait a few minutes before putting it back into gear. It also does this while I am waiting at lights at intersections. That is very concerning because if i stall mid intersection this could cause and accident and or injury to me or other motorists. No lights appear when this happens. Again, nobody knows why it does this or how to correct it. 3. Back of my car stared chipping paint for no reason. There was no trauma to cause this to occur. Apparently, this is another common issue with this car. I've read that there have been lawsuits against the company for using paint similar to what this is doing. 3. I had to replace my engine under two years of having it. It was still under warranty at the time, but I hadn't had the car very long at all.
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and pulling into the driveway, the vehicle decelerated independently with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the "Power Steering Fault" message was displayed, and the steering wheel became firm. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence and the vehicle shutoff and failed to restart. The contact was able to jumpstart the vehicle. The contact replaced the battery but the failure reoccurred. The...
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vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, but no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that the failure had persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V146000 (Steering) and advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 60,000. The VIN was not available.
Buick Encore: every year compared
All Encore years2015 Buick Encore vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Buick Encore | 124 | 4 | D | |
| 2015 Kia Soul | 909 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2015 Jeep Renegade | 512 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek | 100 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2015 Subaru Crosstrek | 0 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 2015 Chevrolet Trax | 0 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2015 Buick Enclave | 171 | 5 | C | Compare |
| 2015 Buick Verano | 59 | 0 | B | Compare |
| 2015 Buick Lacrosse | 44 | 3 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2015 Buick Encore
Does the 2015 Buick Encore have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2015 Buick Encore: frontal (July 2017); frontal (September 2016); labels (March 2015); electric power assist system (March 2015). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Buick Encore?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (32), electrical system (30), steering (27).
How many complaints has the 2015 Buick Encore had?
124 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on June 4, 2015 and the latest on July 29, 2026. Of these, 6 describe a crash and 2 a fire, and together they report 7 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2015 Buick Encore a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 33 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Buick Encore year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Buick Encore years have the most complaints?
2015 (124), 2017 (90), 2019 (88). See every Buick Encore year compared.
What should I do if my 2015 Buick Encore has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data