Electrical complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Imthe original owner and purchased the car new 4 years ago. At 89,000 miles, the check engine light came on indicating codes for emission controls not working efficiently. Later additional codes indicated problems with the fuel evaporator. The car started having problems every time I filled up the gas tank it would stall, hesitate and have problems starting shortly after the fill up. Problem also occurred if I let the fuel level run down to 1 gallon when the reserve indicator light came on the fuel tank. So now I fill up when I reach a quarter tank. Steady driving for at least 10 minutes would clear the problem temporarily. Car hesitates, stalls and misfires when going uphill, steep hills and also when coming to full stop Such as a red light. Later additional problem of car hesitating and misfiring during acceleration. I have replaced the spark plugs and ignition coil. …
I was driving on the interstate and the vehicle was in cruise control. It acted as it was accelerating and then the cruise control quit and I lost speed. I regained speed and then it lurched again; the cruise control again went off. When I applied the brake to pull to the side of the road, the engine started to throttle up and accelerate, I had to brake harder to come to a full stop.
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The windshield wipers stop and or turn on intermittently. They have stopped in the middle of a rainstorm on more than one occasion and they have turned on while just driving normally without any of the controls being touched. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My safety is put at risk anytime I am driving my vehicle in the rain (it rains heavily and a lot where I live). My visibility has been suddenly reduced to zero during highway travel requiring me to put on my hazard lights and attempt to pull off to the side of the road if I dare to try crossing lanes without being able to see. 3. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? …
I have been calling Autonations for months now since my car started driving funny. I was first told it was a head gasket that needed replacement however using my vin number the engine that's currently inside the vehicle is not the one that matches with what pulls up using the vin number. Than the antifreeze leaks out, the oil leaks out and one day the car started smoking on the freeway with my children and I inside. It just stopped and haven't been working ever since. I literally just got messed out of money because I purchased this vehicle a year ago not knowing it was a recall and this is one of the recalls now I am completely screwed over without a car and my money!! Now I'm being told I have to pay because this car was sold to me already over the mileage limit to be fixed for free!!
Twice I was driving my car going about 35-45 mikes an hour. My car started to shake along with a loud humming sound. I lost my power steering and brakes. The over drive light was flashing both on the right under radio and on the dash. The RPMs started racing as well one time for sure. I was able to get to the side of the road and hit the emergency brake at the same time put it into park. I was so scared. I waited a few minutes turned it back on and drove around a parking lot before I ventured home.The second time I was close to home and drove it home 10 miles an hour. Since then I am extremely scared to drive my car. Being a nurse I NEED MY CAR. I took it to Sterling Buick in Venice. They ran a diagnostic test and it showed nothing. They drove it and of course it did not do it. There suggestion was for me to trade it in. They charged me and sent me on my way. …
I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a repeated dangerous defect in my 2018 Buick Encore. The vehicle intermittently locks up while driving without warning. When this happens: brakes become unresponsive or lock steering becomes difficult or locks gas pedal does not respond dashboard warning lights activate vehicle systems malfunction vehicle may not shut off normally This defect has occurred multiple times and creates a serious crash risk. The vehicle has now undergone three repair attempts at an authorized Buick dealership. During the second repair attempt, dealership staff personally experienced the same malfunction while test driving the vehicle. …
Vehicle has been in and out of shop since Feb 2022 for 'limp mode' disabled due to faulty booster or something. Vehicles leave driver stranded unable to accelerate or maneuver vehicle to avoid a collision. I'm told this is a well known problem for both this vehicle and the chevy cruze although no recalls are out for this huge safety issue. Somebody is seriously going to get injured if driver is unable to move car to safety when it just dies on the highway or road. All documentation is available for the excessive repairs that don't resolve the issue the correction only last from 24 hours to 2 weeks before the light comes on again and car dies.
This vehicle has a keyless ignition system. Twice my wife accidentally turned off the vehicle, once at a stop, the other time on a freeway at 70 MPH. She was unaware the vehicle could be started in neutral thinking she needed to be in park. The vehicle continued coasting allowing her to move to the side of the freeway. There she was able to put the vehicle in park, press on the brake and restart the car. She did not realize the vehicle engine was off until she.pressed on the gas to maintain speed. She panicked and turned to me as an engineer with 40 years in the automotive industry. I kept her calm and instructed her what to do. Only when we were on the side of the road did we determine she had accidentally turned off the engine when tuning the radio. With no warning or indication the engine was off the results could have been catastrophic. …
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system › Ignition
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.
Remedy: 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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Buick Encore years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2015 (30), 2014 (13), 2019 (10), 2016 (9) and 2018 (9) model years. Electrical complaints make up 24% of all complaints for the 2015.
Is there a recall for Buick Encore electrical problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 16V-502 (ignition, Jul 5, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Buick Encore electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 25,000 miles; 72% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the instrument cluster/panel (3 mentions), followed by the ignition (1).
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.