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2013 Buick Encore GX

Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

52 owner complaints · 6 recalls · data verified July 12, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Cautionwillitcar.com

Why caution?

6 recall campaigns (3 safety-critical). Confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.

Engine problems dominate (40% of complaints).

Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.

Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.

Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)100
Severity (30%)91
Recall load (20%)58
Trend (10%)100

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20132023

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2013 Buick Encore GX, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k mi

Also reported (mileage varies): Engine (21) · Electrical system (8) · Transmission & drivetrain (7) · Speed control (6)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Engine

40%

21 complaints

TURBO WENT OUT TWICE WITHIN 3 MONTHS. ALSO I WAITED FOR 6 WEEKS ON A BACK ORDERED PART. SO MUCH SERVICE WORK... PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM THIS CAR IS A LEMON. THE PAINT LI…

Electrical system

15%

8 complaints

IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC GETTING READY TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE RACED CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE AND SLAM INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER CAR CAUSIN…

Transmission & drivetrain

13%

7 complaints

The turbo charger is underboost and can explode the engine with oil flying everywhere

Speed control

12%

6 complaints

CONTACT WAS DRIVING A 2013 BUICK ENCORE (~58,000 MILES) IN A LARGE PARKING LOT WHEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN DECELERATION, THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP AND TRACTION OFF LI…

Recalls (6)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Electrical System · 16V502000

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Seat Belts · 14V488000

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to March 1, 2013, and model year 2013 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to May 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the driver and passenger lap belt pretensioner cables may not lock in a retracted position, allowing the seat belts to extend when pulled upon.

Risk: If the seat belts do not remain locked in the retracted position when under load, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front the driver's and the passenger's lap belt pretensioners, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. GM sent interim notifications on October 7, 2014 and will send a second notification when remedy parts are available. The recall began on November 20, 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14171.

Seats · 14V446000

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.

Risk: A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.

Fix: 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.

Equipment · 14V417000

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.

Risk: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.

Fix: 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.

Air Bags · 14V298000

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured April 10, 2013, to May 8, 2013, and Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured December 30, 2012, to March 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, an improper weld on the passenger side front air bag inflator may result in the air bag not deploying.

Risk: If the air bag does not to deploy in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the front passenger.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14211.

Steering · 13V105000

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured between December 9, 2012 and December 28, 2012, and equipped with a heated steering wheel. The steering wheel fastener may not have been properly installed. This could cause the steering wheel to come loose or separate from the steering column.

Risk: If the steering wheel separates from the steering column while driving, the ability to steer could be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and make any necessary repairs on the steering wheel. These services will be provided at no charge to the customer. The safety recall began on May 21, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300. This is General Motors campaign number 13098.

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

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Free NHTSA VIN check

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What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2013 Buick Encore GX as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.