Common Problems with the 2017 Buick Encore
Transmission Issues:
“Back in July 2022 I started receiving error messages of the stabilitrak system to get checked by OnStar. I took to Ed Martin Buick in Carmel, In they thought that it was from possibly pressing brake and pedal at same time and fixed code. Then about two weeks later I got the same error code, I took to Ray Skillman Northeast Buick they said it was a transmission manufacturing defect and had to do with Manifold which they fixed under power train warranty. Now February 2023 I have same issue Stabilitrak error message. I have to take back again to Ray Skillman Northeast Buick. This is an ongoing issue and should not be receiving same codes car only has 67,000 miles and should not be having transmission issues either.”
“Poor acceleration causing increase in force on gas pedal. Happens at random times while on flat surfaces, going up hill, around curves with ac on or off. Once acceleration kicks in, speed increases causing the need for applying the breaks. Requires additional space when pulling out on the road to ensure enough time to achieve proper speed. Took to certified dealership for service. Tech unable to duplicate issue and since no codes or service light, they are unable to fix the issue. Picked up the car from dealership. Next day issue continues. Car would also continue to accelerate when foot removed from pedal (almost like cruise control was on), pressed on breaks which did not make a difference. Had to move to side of road & continue try & stop. Made a second appointment to return car back to dealership. Afraid of transporting people in vehicle due to unknown/sticking accelerator issues.”
Visibility/Wiper Issues:
“On numerous occasions, windshield wipers stop moving even though wipers are engaged to on, causing poor visibility for driving.”
“I was heading to work and needed to use my windshield wipers when they simply would not turn on - no sound from the motor or anything. For many days this has not worked, now going over a week. No indicator lights that anything could be wrong either. I need my wipers! the nearest dealership couldn't even get me in for a week (I go tomorrow). If you search this issue it appears to be a recurring theme with Buick and GMC vehicles - essentially the wiper motor just decides to die out of no where. I bought the car brand new..”
“When you would start the car the wipers would start by themselves...now the wipers stopped working completely..I don't know if there's warranty on the car or not”
“The wiper blades failed to work during a wet heavy snow fall. The wipers removed the snow very well on the up stroke but on the down stroke the wipers packed the snow on the cowling until it got to a point that the wipers could not complete the cycle and they would stop working. I have a video using a bath towel to simulate snow and how to stopped the blades from working. The video is too large to send it in the space provided but I am sure it will send via E mail. I also have notes written in real time on all conversations with Buick/GM and two dealerships. I also have a letter and a condemning E mail from Buick/GM and these put me over the allotted characters.”
Electrical Problems:
“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.”
“The vehicle started making noises and the instrument panel and screen went out. The vehicle was drivable, but the entire instrument panel was out. Radio stopped working, my screen went dark and the backup camera didn't work. The first time this happened the vehicle was stationary and the second it occurred while backing out a parking spot.”
“Rear seatbelt would not retract. All instruments stopped working momentarily while driving.”
Seat Belts / Air Bags Problems:
“On 12/27/22 around 9:40pm my husband and I were traveling home on the 580 Altamont pass going towards Tracy. I was traveling next to the slow lane. My speed limit was at 65! There was 18 wheeler 53 footer on the right of me on the slow lane. The 18th wheeler with no signal began drifting his trailer in my lane hit my right side and proceeded to drag my 2017 Buick Encore all the way to the left slammed the truck up against the cement barrier. And rolled the back end of his trailer onto the hood of the right side of the car and he disconnected. Side air bags and front airbags did not deploy. Which cause injury to my front of my body and back and spine injuries to my body and to my husband as well.”
“1.both of my airbags are showing off. When a passenger is present on the front passenger side, the passenger airbag still lights up as off. 2. if the airbags do not deploy in an accident, due to the sensor this will be very dangerous. 3. vehicle has been inspected. 4.the manifold and intake did not work. The car only has 87,000 miles on it. The date of number 4 is 2/10/2022.”
“Was rear ended by a suspect fleeing police, he hit me about 100 mph, pushed my car into the rear of the car in front of me. Air bags did not deploy.”
“I was at a standstill waiting on traffic to pass to make a left turn. I was rear ended and it caused me to go into someone's yard and hit their car as well. My airbags did not deploy during this accident. The impact was enough to send me down the street into someone's yard but not enough to deploy my airbags?”
“The contact owns 2017 Buick Encore. The contact stated the front passenger's seat belt and rear passenger's side seat belts failed to lock securely into the buckle. The seat belt was cleaned however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,124.”
“The contact owned a 2017 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 28 mph, she crashed into the back of another vehicle. Upon impact, the driver seat belt did not engage and she hit her chest on the steering wheel; she also hit her left knee on the dashboard. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. A police report was filed at the scene. The contact took his wife to the emergency room and she was treated for bruises to her chest and left knee. The other driver did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was totaled and towed to classic Chevrolet Cadillac (3855 eastex fwy, beaumont, tx 77706). The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 29,000.”
“The contact owns a 2017 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while distracted by an insect on the windshield, the vehicle rear ended a 2019 GMC arcadia. The air bags did not deploy and the seat belts failed to restrain the contact and his head struck the steering wheel. The contact sustained injuries to his head and medical attention was provided. A police report was filed. In addition, there was smoke emerging from underneath the hood. The vehicle was towed to kelly Buick (585 state ave, emmaus, pa 18049 (610) 364-5957) where it was recommended to contact on star. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted who provided case number 923908 however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 41,000.”
Engine Problems:
“It's been 5 days since the engine light code P0299 came on and 4 days since it's been in the shop. The dealership said the turbocharger needs to be replaced and gave me a loaner. I am quite worried that there are other problems caused by the turbocharger failure and that this may be a recurrent problem as I've only had the car for a year and a half with 33K on it. I'm wondering if I should plan on getting rid of it before I'm finished paying it off and before the warranty expires.”
“Car was picked up from my place of employment on the morning of 5/21/18. The car porter decided it was the turbo charger. I picked up a loaner on the evening of 5/21/2018 and returned it on the evening of 6/1/2018. I was told that the pistons and rings were replaced on my Encore.
I asked if the issue with the pistons and rings caused any permanent damage to the engine. The service manager assured me it would not. I am hoping that the pistons and rings did not cause permanent damage to the engine of my 2017 Buick Encore.”
“The problem started with the car acting like it was struggling to crank but would still crank up. Then, the vehicle started to shake sometimes when sitting idle like the car wanted to cut off or something. The last thing to happen was the check engine light came on and stayed on after a few days of this so I took it to the dealer that I purchased the car from. They replaced the turbo charger and luckily it was covered under warranty.”
“My family and I were driving on the highway to start our vacation in another state. Just as we arrived in that state, my car started to shake like it was going to cut off while sitting idle at a red light. The check engine light came on and my navigation screen went blank. As I started to drive, the car was still acting like it wanted to cut off and it did. Luckily, no one was behind me because if they were they probably would have crashed into me. The car cranked back up with a loud squealing noise.
I was able to get the car to a Buick dealership and the employees there were fantastic. The cause ended up being a vacuum leak due to a torn diaphragm in the PCV valve of the camshaft cover. They were able to replace the camshaft in time for my family and I to return to our home state.”
“The vehicle Buick Encore was only 5 months old from New and the engine blew up. Oil was spilled all over the engine and could have been a case of fire and death. Made a case number with Buick HQ but they did not want to know the issue. My wife and myself felt that we do not want that vehicle back and that they refund our cash or give a new vehicle. GM said no this.
Now the dealer CROWN AUTO OG GREENSBORO, gave a loaner vehicle, after 7 days service manger calls in that bring in my loaner vehicle or I will report that my vehicle has been stolen and the police will get you for stealing the vehicle. This was done in spite of myself being in the Garage on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Now the dealer wants me to pay $3000 to replace the vehicle to a used vehicle with 1100 miles on the clock. He says that my car has depreciated but his used car has not depreciated.”
Brakes Problems:
“The contact owns a 2017 Buick Encore. The contact stated while reversing, the brake assist warning light illuminated, and the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. After the warning light disappeared, the brake started to respond. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis however, the warning light was no longer illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the failure persisted since the vehicle was purchased. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer however, the mechanic was still unable to diagnose the vehicle with the warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.”
“I have an automatic transmission. When I am stopped at a traffic light on an incline, the car will sometimes roll backwards with my foot on the brake or when changing my foot to the gas pedal to move forward once the light changes. The more the incline; the worse the problem.”
“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 repair it no more than two weeks later I was going down a road where the car just turned off and it did not even let me move out of the road way. And now 3 weeks ago I was going down a street going 45 mph when the person in front of me stopped all of a sudden and I hit my brake so hard but they had not responded which led me to crash in front of the person in front of me. Luckily neither of us were injured but now for sure I know I do not feel safe driving any of General Motors cars whether is be Buick or GMC.”
“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 noted to be turning and rolling normally and car had minimal resistance to moving. Car was in park with secure break when we arrived at car.”
“I have an automatic transmission. When I am stopped at a traffic light on an incline, the car will sometimes roll backwards with my foot on the brake or when changing my foot to the gas pedal to move forward once the light changes. The more the incline; the worse the problem.”
“I have taken my car back twice to SUSS Pontiac and was told GM said not to touch it is not a problem - they all do it. My question is why should a brand new car have brakes that squeal? It has done this since I drove it home from the dealer brand new. This is my 2nd Encore - my first was 2014 I loved very much - not one problem. I do not like this new one because I can't stand the brakes making that noise every time I back out of my driveway or get in it at a shopping center and hear it squeak when I back out!!”
Steering Problems — Intermittent Power Steering Issue, Tilt/Telescopic Steering Column Locking Problem, Unintended Car Movement After Collision
Sources: www.nhtsa.gov, carcomplaints.com
California Lemon Law and How Valero Law Can Assist
The California Lemon Law offers crucial protection for consumers who have purchased or leased vehicles marred by defects, including the 2017 Buick Encore. If you're facing persistent issues that haven't been adequately resolved despite reasonable repair attempts, or if your vehicle has been out of service for an extended duration due to repairs, you might have a compelling case under the Lemon Law.
Valero Law, a reputable Lemon Law attorney firm in Los Angeles, specializes in assisting individuals navigating challenges like those experienced with the 2017 Buick Encore. Equipped with a deep understanding of the intricacies within Lemon Law cases, we can expertly guide you through the legal process. Whether it involves negotiating with the manufacturer for a buyback or replacement, or pursuing a legal claim to protect your rights, Valero Law is dedicated to advocating for your interests. If the ongoing problems with your Buick Encore are impacting your driving experience, it's wise to consider seeking the expertise of Valero Law to explore your options and pursue resolution through the California Lemon Law.