The 2019 Buick Encore is associated with 84 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 13 reports (15% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 4 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.4l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 26 to 28 MPG combined.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 84 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Engine (13 / 15%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 9 crash / 1 fire / 6 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 26–28 MPG (4 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| Encore | 1.4L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 26 MPG | 31 MPG | 28 MPG | — | $2,200 / yr |
| Encore | 1.4L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 MPG | 30 MPG | 27 MPG | — | $2,300 / yr |
| Encore AWD | 1.4L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 25 MPG | 30 MPG | 27 MPG | — | $2,300 / yr |
| Encore AWD | 1.4L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 24 MPG | 29 MPG | 26 MPG | — | $2,350 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| SUV FWD | | | | | 19.8% |
| SUV AWD | | | | | 17.9% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2019 Buick Encore models.
View complete 2019 Buick Encore crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2019 Buick Encore problems & component breakdown (36 categories) →
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Defect Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Affected Component: AIR BAGS
Defect Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Buick Encore, Chevrolet Spark, Traverse, and Trax vehicles. The Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) on these vehicle may not have been turned off of "manufacturing mode," preventing the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM module to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. 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 18365.
View all 2019 Buick Encore recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →