2015 Buick Encore: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2015 Buick Encore: 4 recalls, 124 owner complaints and up to 28 mpg combined.
Recalls
4 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Steering Vehicle recall #15V146000 · 2015 · 2,295 vehicles
What's wrong: The steering column assembly housing May contact the power steering printed circuit board causing the circuit board to wear.
Why it matters: The circuit board wear May cause a sudden loss of electric power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Gm will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the steering column assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 24, 2015.
Equipment Vehicle recall #15V162000 · 2015 · 19,831 vehicles
What's wrong: The affected vehicles have tire placards that do not provide the rim size information for the front or rear wheels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (fmvss) number 110, "tire selection and rims and motor home/recreation vehicle trailer load carrying capacity information for motor vehicles with a gvwr of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less."
Why it matters: If the label is missing front and rear rim size information, the owner May replace the rims with ones that are an incorrect size, increasing the risk of crash.
The fix: Gm will notify owners, and will send owners a corrected label, free of charge. The recall April 29, 2015.
Seat belts, Airbags Vehicle recall #16V651000 · 2016 · 3,640,162 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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.
The 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.
Seat belts, Airbags Vehicle recall #17V437000 · 2017 · 40,683 vehicles
What's wrong: While being previously remedied for recall 16v-651, the affected vehicles May not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, 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…
Why it matters: 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.
The 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 August 4, 2017.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 2 mention a fire, 7 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Electrical (30): the most common themes are electrical failure (10), warning light on (9).
- Engine (29): the most common themes are warning light on (12), leaks (7), stalls / loses power (5).
- Steering (27): the most common themes are steering problems (26), warning light on (13).
- Brakes (20): the most common themes are noise or vibration (5), brake failure / soft pedal (4).
The 2015 Buick Encore has 124 owner complaints, ranking #1 of 10 Encore model years for complaints (2.1× the average Encore year). Complaints peaked in 2019 (17 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 4 years old, at a median of 33,200 miles. Neighboring years: 2014 (60 complaints, 4 recalls), 2016 (80 complaints, 2 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 25 | 33 | 28 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2015 Buick Encore.
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FAQ
Does the 2015 Buick Encore have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 vehicle recalls for the 2015 Buick Encore. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2015 Buick Encore problems?
Owners have filed 124 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are electrical (30), engine (29), steering (27).
What gas mileage does the 2015 Buick Encore get?
EPA ratings run up to 28 mpg combined (1.4 L, Automatic (S6)), across 1 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2015 Buick Encore repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.