Most common 2020 Buick Encore GX problems
Share of the 70 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Buick Encore GX complaints by model year
2020 Buick Encore GX recalls (2)
Equipment › Mechanical › Accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift › Stand
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Buick Encore GX and 2021-2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The emergency jack, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owner's manual, can fracture while in use.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the jack, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owner of the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 26, 2021.
Service brakes
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CT4, CT5 and XT4, 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX vehicles. Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may cause an interruption of communication between the sensor and the brake boost system.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2020.
What 2020 Buick Encore GX owners say
Brakes all 21 →
The contact owns a 2020 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated that while attempting to stop, the brake pedal was depressed and it traveled to the floorboard causing the brakes to fail to stop the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was able to be driven to the contact residence however, the brakes failed again. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact was unaware if a diagnostic test was performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse on several occasions, the brake was depressed and there was an abnormal foghorn sound coming from the driver's side rear wheel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was taken to the residence where the rear driver's side wheel was removed. The caliper was removed, and the contact became aware that piston inside the caliper had fractured in half. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2020 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted into park(P); however, the "Shift to Park" message was displayed. The contact was unable to turn off the vehicle and drove to the residence. The message was no longer displayed after the contact parked the vehicle at the residence. The failure recurred on multiple occasions. The dealer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that an unstated part in the gear shifter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,643.
Electrical system
For the past several months, my 2020 Buick Encore has been giving me a message to shift to park even though I placed my vehicle to park. This then does not allow my car to shut off, because it believes I am still in drive. I tried making an appointment with the dealership a month ago and their earliest availability was today, 12/10/2024. I took my Buick in, and they wrote me and stated that they figured out the issue and the shifter control would need to be replaced and was not covered under my powertrain warranty. I see this has been an issue on several Buicks and I even found the service notification Buick sent out for this specific issue. This is a definite safety issue since I cannot turn my vehicle off because it does not believe I am actually in park. This needs to be recalled for these vehicles since Buick is aware of the issue. …
While driving my 2020 Buick Encore GX, the vehicle experienced a sudden and dangerous loss of acceleration, immediately dropping into 'Reduced Engine power' limp mode in active traffic, but no other car was Infront or behind my car. A diagnostic scan revealed Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P2138, which triggered the computer's safety override system to cut engine throttle. The official dealer repair invoice confirms a manufacturing and assembly defect covered under GM Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) #07-06-04-019G. The technician located water intrusion Panel/Body Harness Connector X112. The root cause was an improperly seated weather seal from the factory, which allowed moisture to short-circuit the accelerator pedal sensor voltage lines. …
2020 Buick Encore GX engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3L 3-cyl turbo | CVT | FWD | 30 / 32 / 31 |
| 1.3L 3-cyl turbo | 9-speed automatic | AWD | 26 / 29 / 28 |
| 1.2L 3-cyl turbo | CVT | FWD | 26 / 30 / 28 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Buick Encore GX a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the Encore GX to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 70 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Buick Encore GX?
The brakes — 21 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about foundation components › disc › caliper. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (18) and electrical system (16).
How many recalls does the 2020 Buick Encore GX have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2020 Buick Encore GX, the most recent from June 10, 2021 (stand). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Buick Encore GX?
Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024. See the full Buick Encore GX years comparison.
At what mileage do 2020 Buick Encore GX problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 1,000 miles; 83% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.