2015 Buick ENCORE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
124 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
33,200 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2015 model year. Data snapshot: . 80 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 30 of 124 complaints (24.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 33 | 26.6% |
| Braking behavior | 24 | 19.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 12 | 9.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 11 | 8.9% |
| Engine operation | 8 | 6.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 30 |
| Engine | 29 |
| Steering | 27 |
| Service Brakes | 20 |
| Air Bags | 16 |
| Unknown Or Other | 15 |
| Power Train | 11 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 |
Electrical System: 30; Engine: 29; Steering: 27; Service Brakes: 20; Air Bags: 16; Unknown Or Other: 15; Power Train: 11; Fuel/Propulsion System: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 34 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 16 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 17 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 9 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 34; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 9; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (34). 44 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 17 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2015: 9; 2016: 9; 2017: 15; 2018: 12; 2019: 17; 2020: 14; 2021: 12; 2022: 7; 2023: 9; 2024: 12; 2025: 4; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 33 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 24 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10764675 · 2015-09-17 (September 17, 2015)
DRIVING ABOUT 45-50 MPH AND THE CAR SUDDENLY TURNED OFF. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND ALL THE ELECTRICAL POWER TURNED OFF, AND THE DASH BOARD SCREEN WAS BLACK. I THEN TURN THE IGNITION KEY OFF AND RESTARTED THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MAIN DRIVING ROAD.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10764675 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10778389 · 2015-09-29 (September 29, 2015)
DRIVING ALONG AT APPROX. 55 MPH ON A MAIN HIWAY SLOWED TO APPROX. 40 MPH TO MAKE A TURN, WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STOPPED OPERATING. EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN, NO STEERING, NO BRAKES. ON STAR DID NOT RESPOND, CAR WAS DISABLED ABOUT 5-7 MINUTES, TRIED TO START SEVERAL TIME WITH THE KEY. SERIOUS ISSUE, HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER, FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND NO CODES WERE OBTAINED FROM THE COMPUTER SYSTEM!
Owner-reported narrative. 2,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10778389 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10723516 · 2015-06-04 (June 4, 2015)
NEW BUICK 2015 ENCORE 1. APPYING BRAKES WHEN BACKING OUT OF GARAGE CREATES A SHRILL SQUEAL. 2. WHEN SLOWING FOR THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE STREET, APPLYING BRAKES MAKES A MOANING SOUND AND SLIGHT VIBRATION. 3. WHEN I APPLY BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AT ABOUT 5 MPH SUCH AS STOPPING AT AN INTERSECTION, THE BRAKES 'GRAB' RATHER THAN SLOWING SMOOTHLY. ALL PROBLEMS HAPPEN IN THE MORNING AFTER THE CAR HAS SET OVERNIGHT, AND THEY USUALLY GO AWAY AFTER DRIVING ENOUGH TO USE THE BRAKES A NUMBER OF TIMES. LAST WEEK I DROVE IN A H…
Owner-reported narrative. 87 miles reported. Look up ODI 10723516 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10745133 · 2015-07-30 (July 30, 2015)
ALMOST EVERY DAY THE 1 ST & 2 ND TIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE & IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE GRABBING. ON MY CAR IT SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE.MY CAR PARKS IN THE GARAGE. 1 ST TIME DEALER SAID THERE WAS A BIT OF RUST ON THE CALIPERS THEY CLEANED THEM UP..NEXT MORNING SAME THING..2 ND TIME BACK TO DEALER THEY SAID IT'S PROBABLY CONDENSATION & IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THAT WAY..MY RESPONSE WAS THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE & I WILL CONTINUE TO BRING MY CAR BACK TILL ITS FIXED.THEY LATER TOLD ME THERE WAS A SERVICE BULL…
Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 10745133 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10761516 · 2015-09-04 (September 4, 2015)
WHILE BRAKING TO STOP FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A BUSY 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT ROAD, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. I SHIFTED INTO PARK TO RESTART IT. ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS DEAD EXCEPT POWER SEATS AND DOOR LOCKS. ENGINE WOULD NOT START AND NO OTHER ELECTRICAL RELATED EQUIPMENT WORKED INCLUDING ENGINE, GEAR SHIFT, INSTRUMENT PANEL, RADIO, LIGHTS,TURN SIGNALS, AND EMERGENCY LIGHTS. TWO SAFETY ISSUES BECAUSE THE CAR COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED: 1). COULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK TO PUSH CAR OFF THE ROAD. NONE OF THE 4 LADIES IN THE CAR COULD GET…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10761516 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10781784 · 2015-10-13 (October 13, 2015)
1. WHILE STOPPED ON AN INCLINE, EVEN A SMALL INCLINE, THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS 6-12" WHEN MOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE TO ACCELERATOR (THE VEHICLE HAS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). WE HAVE COME CLOSE TO HITTING TWO VEHICLES BEHIND US WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE SLID BACKWARDS. 2. BECAUSE OF DESIGN, THERE ARE COLUMNS REDUCING VISIBILITY THROUGH AN ALREADY SMALL REAR WINDOW. THE PROVIDED REAR VIEW CAMERA HAS ALMOST NO RESOLUTION AND UNDER MOST NORMAL LIGHTING CONDITIONS IS TOTALLY USELESS,. THE RESULT IS THERE IS NO WAY TO SEE WHAT …
Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10781784 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10969481 · 2017-03-30 (March 30, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 BUICK ENCORE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE GAUGES FLUCTUATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE GROUND CABLE AND THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REWIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOUR TIMES: THREE WHEN THEIR DAUGHTER OPERATED THE VEHICLE AND ONCE WHILE THE CO…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10969481 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11111500 · 2018-07-16 (July 16, 2018)
WHILE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE ON WE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. LUCKILY IT OCCURRED AS WE WERE PULLING AWAY FROM THE DRIVEWAY, WE ATTEMPTED TO RE-ENGINE THE VEHICLE TO NO AVAIL. EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED AWAY.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11111500 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10873442 · 2016-06-09 (June 9, 2016)
HAD AN OIL CHANGE AT DEALER (TYPICAL 15,000 MILE CHECK). ON THE RETURN TRIP TO HOME, ENGINE STARTED TO MISS, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM BACK OF CAR LIKE OIL WAS BEING BURNED AND THE ENGINE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON AND THE CAR WAS STOPPED. CALLED DEALER WHO HAD CAR TOWED TO THEIR LOCATION. WHILE WAITING FOR TOW, I CHECKED OIL LEVEL (IT WAS OVER FILLED BY AT LEAST A QUART (MAYBE MORE), DIP STICK WAS NOT SEATED PROPERLY TO CHECK OIL LEVEL. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVE ARRIVED AND HOOKED THE CAR UP TO TOW, HE INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE BOLT THAT …
Owner-reported narrative. 13,560 miles reported. Look up ODI 10873442 at NHTSA ↗