2014 Buick ENCORE: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BUICK ENCORE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO TURN WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO NOT BE ABLE TO START. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO OCASSIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER HOWEVER IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200. DRRK

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10588643 at NHTSA ↗

INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING IN BRIGHT DAYLIGHT, WHILE WEARING SUNGLASSES, IS INSUFFICIENT. IN ORDER TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER EITHER ON THE ANALOG DIAL OR ON THE SMALL DIGITAL DISPLAY WHILE DRIVING, REQUIRES THE REMOVAL OF THE SUNGLASSES, TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD, AND PEER INTO THE PANEL IN ORDER TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER. THE GAS AND TEMPERATURE GAUGES ARE NOT VISIBLE AT ALL. ADJUSTING THE INTENSITY SWITCH HAS NO EFFECT DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE LOCAL BUICK SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS BUICK HEADQUARTERS. TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 425 miles reported. Look up ODI 10606632 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN NOVEMBER 2013. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP 6 TIMES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MARCH FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. AT SLOW SPEEDS (BETWEEN 1 AND 25 MPH) WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR RELEASED A WHISTLING, WHIRRING, AND GRINDING SOUND GENERATES FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. (THE NOISE STARTED 4 MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR.) THE NOISE IS SO LOUD THAT IS CAN BE HEARD OVER A RADIO SET AT SOUND LEVEL 18 AND DISRUPTS CONVERSATION IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE EAR PIERCING NOISE T…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10615607 at NHTSA ↗

REAR VIEW CAMERA SYSTEM: WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE DURING LIGHT HOURS THE DISPLAY IS USELESS. THE LIGHT SENSOR TAKES FROM ONE MINUTE TO FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE THE DISPLAY GOES BRIGHT. SINCE MY DRIVEWAY CROSSES A SIDEWALK THE DISPLAY IS USELESS IN THAT SITUATION AND A SAFETY HAZZARD. THE DEALER ADVISED ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. THE LIGHT SENSOR IS MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE DASHBOARD, SO IT HAS A CLEAR VIEW OF LIGHT CONDITIONS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10649716 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER OWNING MY 2014 BUICK ENCORE FOR ONLY 64 DAYS I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD THE CAR JUMPED AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER WHO TESTED THE BATTERY AND THE BATTERY FAILED, SO THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY. TODAY, WHICH IS MOTHER'S DAY I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE BATTERY IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND NO LIGHTS OR ANYTHING WOULD LIGHT UP. SO AFTER HAVING A NEW BATTERY IN MY BUICK ENCORE FOR ONLY 69 DAYS I AM LEFT WITH ANOTHER TRIP TO THE DEALER TO SORT OUT SOME PROBLEM IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO FIND OUT WHAT…

Owner-reported narrative. 14,986 miles reported. Look up ODI 10715554 at NHTSA ↗

WE HAD OUR 2014 BUICK ENCORE 8 MONTHS AND IT RAN GREAT UNTIL IT SAT IDLE FOR 10 DAYS. THEN, IT FAILED TO START. THE BATTERY WAS DEAD . WE CHARGED THE BATTERY AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO REPORTED NOTHING WRONG. THEY ADVISED IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED IN. AFTER SITTING IDLE FOR ABOUT 12 DAYS THE END OF JUNE, SAME PROBLEM. VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP (BY OUR AAA COVERAGE) WHO AGAIN REPORTED NO PROBLEMS. GM AUTHORIZED THE DEALERSHIP TO RELEASE THE VEHICLE TO US WITHOUT FIXING THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 10,064 miles reported. Look up ODI 10744905 at NHTSA ↗

THE BUICK ENCORE HAS 15,000 MILES ON IT, THE LAST 2,000 MILES OR SO THE ENGINE HESITATES ANY SPEEDS. IT DOES NOT STALL BUT IT KEEPS HESITATING. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE, THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED

Owner-reported narrative. 13,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10779505 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BUICK ENCORE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE BLIND SPOT DETECTOR FAILED TO OPERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 02/19/16*LJ UPDATED 02/25/16.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10787694 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2014-07-02 (July 2, 2014)

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 oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.

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 at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.

Reported: 2014-07-23 (July 23, 2014)

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 condition such as a crash.

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 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14340.

Reported: 2016-09-08 (September 8, 2016)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2017-07-10 (July 10, 2017)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.