Buick Encore Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 71% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine, with 215 complaints, typically at 5.5 years.

Buick Encore years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Buick Encore — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2022	1.6	8	5	too new
2021	1.13	9	8	too new
2020	1.38	18	13	yes
2019	2.13	85	40	yes
2018	1.69	71	42	yes
2017	1.68	84	50	yes
2016	1.77	78	44	yes
2015	1.86	117	63	yes
2014	1.37	52	38	yes
2013	1.4	42	30	yes

ROWS 10·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2015 Encore asks a median $6,500, against $7,999 for a 2016, the next model year: about 19% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 4 Buick Encore years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2015, 2016, 2018; the three worth hunting are 2017, 2018, 2016.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Buick Encore — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	50	8.9%	covered
1 year	59	19.4%	covered
2 years	54	29%	covered
3 years	56	39%	you pay
4 years	62	50%	you pay
5 years	63	61.2%	you pay
6 years	62	72.2%	you pay
7 years	60	82.9%	you pay
8 years	40	90%	you pay
9 years	35	96.3%	you pay
10 years	13	98.6%	you pay
11 years	8	100%	you pay

ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 29% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 71% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 51% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Buick Encore, the early trouble is Unknown Or Other and Air Bags — reported at around 3.5 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Engine at 5.5 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Buick Encore — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Engine	215	5.5 yrs	5	5
Electrical System	83	4.1 yrs	2	1
Power Train	73	4.9 yrs	5	1
Unknown Or Other	71	3.5 yrs	6	1
Air Bags	66	4 yrs	31	1
Fuel/propulsion System	58	5.7 yrs	—	—
Service Brakes	57	3 yrs	11	—
Steering	43	5.5 yrs	2	1

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Encore's vehicle class. Per production run, the Honda Pilot draws 3.9, the Ford Escape 8.92 and the GMC Terrain 2.44, against 1.7 for the Encore. That is the fewest complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Buick Encore — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Encore	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Honda Pilot	9,359	197	2003–2026
Ford Escape	28,602	227	2001–2026
GMC Terrain	3,172	45	2009–2026
Volkswagen Tiguan	2,278	69	2009–2026
Volkswagen Atlas	1,993	77	2018–2026
Jeep Compass	3,990	47	2006–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Buick Encore

Recalls42 campaigns Fuel economy31 mpg best Common problems602 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space24 cu ft Used prices1,563 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2013–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Buick Encore reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.7 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which Encore years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2015, 2016, 2018. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2017, 2018, 2016. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Encore problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Engine, typically at 5.5 years, followed by Electrical System.

Will the warranty cover Encore problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 29% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 51% of the complaints here.

Is the Encore more reliable than the Honda Pilot?

Yes: 1.7 complaints per production run for the Encore against 3.9 for the Honda Pilot.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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