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2014 Buick Encore problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
60%
32 of 53 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

60% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2014 Buick Encore are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 81% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 7 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 53%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2014 Buick Encore have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 32 of 53 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Buick Encore concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (60%), and the largest group is filed under engine (25). For comparison, the 2013 scores 62% and the 2015 scores 41%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
32
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
60
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
3 crashes · 3 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE25 · 42%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13 · 22%
POWER TRAIN9 · 15%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM8 · 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6 · 10%
AIR BAGS5 · 8%

The years either side

2010
no data
2011
no data
2012
no data
2013
62%
28 of 52
2014
60%
32 of 60
2015
41%
42 of 124
2016
74%
52 of 80
2017
64%
46 of 89
2018
68%
42 of 74
2019
64%
49 of 86
2020
49%
41 of 89
2021
61%
36 of 62
2022
66%
25 of 40
2023
48%
11 of 27

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2014 Buick Encore

What one owner reported

SEATS,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM10/17/2025
The car only has 54700 I am orginal owner. Drivers seat does not work, Catalytic converter, GM Service Bulletin #43210. Ask if your VIN is affected or if they’ve seen similar failures in 2014 models. This car is a lemon.

One of 32 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 Buick Encore?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2014 Buick Encore, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: frontal17V437000 · Jul 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…
air bags: frontal16V651000 · Sep 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…
seats14V446000 · Jul 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…
equipment: electrical14V417000 · Jul 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,…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2014 Buick Encore? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2014 Buick Encore

Does the 2014 Buick Encore have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 32 of 53 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Buick Encore concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (60%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 Buick Encore?

No. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2014 Buick Encore, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Buick Encore years are better?

Among the Buick Encore years we track, the 2015 (41%), the 2023 (48%) and the 2020 (49%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2014 (60%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2014 Buick Encore?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2014 Buick Encore has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.