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2023 Buick Encore problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
48%
11 of 23 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

48% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2023 Buick Encore are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 61% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 4 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 41%).

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 2023 Buick Encore have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 11 of 23 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Buick Encore concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (48%), and the largest group is filed under engine (6). For comparison, the 2022 scores 66%. 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
11
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
27
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
0
0 crashes · 3 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE6 · 22%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6 · 22%
STEERING5 · 19%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM5 · 19%
SERVICE BRAKES5 · 19%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM3 · 11%

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 2023 Buick Encore

What one owner reported

ENGINE12/31/20243 INJURED
The contact owned a 2023 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in park and shifting into the Drive position, the accelerator pedal was lightly depressed when the vehicle violently accelerated forward. No warning light illuminated. The vehicle struck several trees and crashed into an unknown concre…

One of 11 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Checking one particular 2023 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 2023 Buick Encore

Does the 2023 Buick Encore have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 11 of 23 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Buick Encore concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (48%). 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 2023 Buick Encore?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns on the 2023 Buick Encore.

Which Buick Encore years are better?

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

Should I buy a 2023 Buick Encore?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2023 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.