2017 Buick ENCORE
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2017 Buick ENCORE has 132 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.3x the segment average of 105. The most common issue is engine problems (31% of all complaints), specifically: aprx 6am tuesday july 18, 2017, aprx 5:45 am, with no key fob in my wife's or my possession and no one within 30 feet of the care parked in the garage, the 2017 buick encore started on its own. the car was stationary and parked in the garage since aprx 7:00 pm monday evening the 17th. hearing a nois. There are 2 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.
132
Total Complaints
2
Recalls Issued
5/5
Safety Stars
1.3x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
ENGINE
41 complaints- • APRX 6AM TUESDAY JULY 18, 2017, APRX 5:45 AM, WITH NO KEY FOB IN MY WIFE'S OR MY POSSESSION AND NO ONE WITHIN 30 FEET OF THE CARE PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE 2017 BUICK ENCORE STARTED ON ITS OWN. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED IN THE GARAGE SINCE APRX 7:00 PM MONDAY EVENING THE 17TH. HEARING A NOIS
- • CAR WAS PARKED ON LEVEL GROUND OUTSIDE HOME. ATV ACCIDENTALLY RAN INTO REAR BUMPER OF CAR (HAD MOVED APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET). CAR ROLLED AWAY AND ENDED UP ROLLING DOWN A SMALL HILL, JUMPING A DITCH AND RESTING ON ANOTHER HILL. CAR MOVED APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET PRIOR TO COMING TO A STOP. WHEELS WERE NO
- • 5 MONTH AFTER I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR I WAS GOING 35 MPH DOWN A REGULAR STREET WHEN THE CAR STOP THEN WHEN I WANT TO MOVE AGAIN THE ACCELERATOR BUT THEN THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHERE THE ENGINE HAD SMOKE COMING OUT OF IT. THE DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS A BIG HOLE IN THE ENGINE. AFTER THEY REPAI
“APRX 6AM TUESDAY JULY 18, 2017, APRX 5:45 AM, WITH NO KEY FOB IN MY WIFE'S OR MY POSSESSION AND NO ONE WITHIN 30 FEET OF THE CARE PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE 2017 BUICK ENCORE STARTED ON ITS OWN. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED IN THE GARAGE SINCE APRX 7:00 PM MONDAY EVENING THE 17TH. HEARING A NOIS”
— NHTSA complaint filing
When Problems Appear on the 2017 Buick ENCORE
Based on 68 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 33K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.
ENGINE
BRAKES
SEATS/RESTRAINTS
OTHER
VISIBILITY
AIR BAGS
Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.
Recalls (2)
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 and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
Low theft risk
Low theft rates typically correlate with lower comprehensive-coverage insurance premiums.
Source: NICB Hot Wheels 2025 report + HLDI theft loss studies. Model-year ranking; not all years of this model have identical risk.
Fuel Cost Calculator for 2017 Buick ENCORE
Live EIA pricesBased on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.
5-Year Gas Price History
EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → todaySource: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2017 Buick ENCORE
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Buick New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Buick. If you're buying a used 2017 ENCORE, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Buick dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 132 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: APRX 6AM TUESDAY JULY 18, 2017, APRX 5:45 AM, WITH NO KEY FOB IN MY WIFE'S OR MY POSSESSION AND NO ONE WITHIN 30 FEET OF THE CARE PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE 2017 BUICK ENCORE STARTED ON ITS OWN. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED IN THE GARAGE SINCE APRX 7:00 PM MONDAY EVENING THE 17TH. HEARING A NOIS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: APRX 6AM TUESDAY JULY 18, 2017, APRX 5:45 AM, WITH NO KEY FOB IN MY WIFE'S OR MY POSSESSION AND NO ONE WITHIN 30 FEET OF THE CARE PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE 2017 BUICK ENCORE STARTED ON ITS OWN. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED IN THE GARAGE SINCE APRX 7:00 PM MONDAY EVENING THE 17TH. HEARING A NOIS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐AIR BAGS: I HAD JUST LEASED THIS CAR, DROVE LESS THAN 2 MILES FROM HOME WHEN MY BRAKES FAILED. I APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP, IT SLOWED TO 14 MPH - KEPT MOVING UNTIL I SLAMMED INTO TRUCK APPROX 3-400' AHEAD OF ME, HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP. PRETENSIONER FAILED - DRIVER SEATBELT COLLAP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: I WAS DROPPING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL. I WAS IN LINE OF DROP OFF. I STOPPED MY CAR PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND REMOVED MY FOOT FROM BRAKE. SUDDENLY I NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS MOVING JUST LIKE IN THE SPEED OF NEUTAL. I PUSHED THE BRAKES HARD BECAUSE MY CAR WAS ABOUT TO HIT THE CAR INFRONT OF ME. I CHECKED THE T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 2 recalls have been completed — free at any Buick dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Buick ENCORE — Year Comparison
How does 2017 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 132
- Recalls
- 2
- Fire reports
- 5
- Crash reports
- 20
- Injury reports
- 33
- Segment avg
- 105
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2017 Buick ENCORE