Battery all of sudden will not start. New transmission at 55,000 miles Reduced power Ecs light on
The worst 2021 Buick Encore GX problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine19
- Transmission12
- Brakes8
- Fuel system7
- Driver assistance5
- Electrical5
- Acceleration3
- Airbags1
- Seat belts1
- Seats1
- Steering1
- Suspension1
- Visibility1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2021 Buick Encore GX
Recalls 2
Equipment: mechanical: accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift: stand
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- A fractured jack can cause the vehicle to collapse, increasing the risk of injury.
- 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. A second notice will be mailed once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020. GM's number for this recall is A212335470.
Recall number 21V440000 · Recall details
Service brakes
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- If communication with the sensor is interrupted, the electronic brake boost assist could be lost. Extra pedal force will be required to slow and stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑630‑2438, Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4223, or Buick customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300. GM's number for this recall is A202307260.
Recall number 20V588000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Buick Encore GX 677
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
2021 Buick Encore GX crash test ratings
Government 5-star crash tests. Higher is safer. Each row is a body style and drivetrain that was tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buick Encore GX SUV AWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Buick Encore GX SUV FWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
What 2021 Buick Encore GX owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Many time while raining, the emergency brake goes off and the car breaks randomly. Also, while going around a curve/corner, if there is a car in the oppose lane coming towards me, my vehicle will detect it as being in front of me causing my vehicle to hit the breaks which has almost caused many many accidents. The lane assist pulls in every direction while it is raining also. All of these situations have happened many times on many different dates.
The contact owns a 2021 Buick Encore. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the radio display screen was blank. While reversing, the rear-view camera briefly displayed an image before going blank. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 87,402.
Vehicle does not recognize it is in Park even when the shifter is placed in that position. As a result, the vehicle cannot be turned off. GM has issued a technical service bulletin for this issue, but has not yet performed a recall.
The Frontview camera or its software is the issue. It allows the car to drift outside of the lane on both sides of the car before warning and or pulling you back over but then it just pulls you to the other line and lets you cross it back and forth if you let it and every time crossing the line. Extremely dangerous if you don't know that it's not functioning correctly. Also her adaptive cruise control doesn't work and I know for a fact it uses the same camera to work to be able to tell when a vehicle is ahead of you which her car does show the symbol for when a car is ahead of you but it doesn't slow down her cruise control leaving a gap between the 2 cars so again if you didn't pay attention you could smash right into the car ahead of you. I took it to one Buick dealer and they said there was nothing they could do but after research I learned it can easily be reprogrammed with the right obd2 computer and either driving it to recalibrate or doing a static calibration in a shop. I do know that there are service bulletins slightly related to this.
While driving check engine suddenly illuminated following by a "warning reduced engine power" message. Car began driving sluggish and driving over 35mph caused serious trembling. After multiple diagnosis with several engine codes pointing to issues with ECM, and mass air flow sensor, and the wiring affliated . I took the vehicle to the GMC dealership to get vehicle serviced and was told the wiring had broken and melted which caused the check engine to come on and the vehicle to drive the way it did. The cause was the zip tie being tied too tight as stated in GMs own bulletin number 22-NA-008. This should be a bulletin it should be a recall!
The contact owns a 2021 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was firm while depressed, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and several unknown diagnostic trouble codes were retrieved. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 20V588000 (Service Brakes); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
Due to defective LIN BUS 2 failure to read mass air flow sensor, vehicle suddenly goes into limp mode. This speed control issue is documented in GM Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) #22-NA-008 and PIP5934, 2022.
A 2021 Buick Encore GX with 66,828 miles experienced sudden transmission failure while driving. The vehicle lost forward gear engagement and began slipping, creating an immediate safety risk to the driver and other motorists due to unexpected loss of vehicle propulsion and control. The vehicle was diagnosed by an authorized GM dealership. Diagnostic codes P2714 (Transmission Control Solenoid Valve 4 Stuck Off) and P0700 (Transmission Control Module Request) were confirmed. The transmission fluid was found to have a burnt odor indicating severe internal damage. The check engine light was the first warning symptom, followed by slipping and loss of forward gear. General Motors previously issued Technical Service Bulletin 24-NA-009 in March 2024 specifically identifying DTC P2714 on the 2021 Buick Encore GX as a known internal defect affecting model years 2020 through 2024. This bulletin confirms GM was aware of this defect prior to this vehicle's failure. Despite issuing this bulletin, GM has not issued a recall, leaving owners of affected vehicles responsible for repairs caused by a known manufacturer defect.
The 1.3L turbo caused metal fragments to get into my engine which in return caused the transmission to fail. My 2021 Buick encore gx has been in the shop since early February 2026 at Garber Buick in Fort Pierce Florida. The first diagnosis was solenoids needed to be replaced, after the solenoids were replaced they told me the engine needed to be replaced, once the engine was put in Garber Buick told me the transmission now needed to be replaced. GM motors have been involved I have case number and a case manager who has informed me that not only do they want me to pay 5,600 dollars after the first quote for the engine was 9,800 but they brought that price down to 5,600 they now since its the transmission want me to pay another 6,000 even though the car is only 2021 and the turbo caused all of this to happen. I have done some more research and GM has multiple lawsuits against them for turbo and transmission failures where GM told dealers to downplay issues.
Compare the 2021 Buick Encore GX
Other model years
Questions about the 2021 Buick Encore GX
Is the 2021 Buick Encore GX reliable?
Owners have filed 55 complaints about the 2021 Buick Encore GX, close to a typical Encore GX model year.
What is the 2021 Buick Encore GX year score?
The 2021 Buick Encore GX scores 74 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Buick Encore GX: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Buick Encore GX?
Engine and cooling, with 19 complaints, typically around 43,000 miles. Next is transmission (12).
How many recalls does the 2021 Buick Encore GX have?
2 recalls, covering equipment and service brakes.
Is the 2021 Buick Encore GX safe in a crash?
In government crash tests the 2021 Buick Encore GX scored 5 out of 5 stars overall, depending on body style and drivetrain (2 versions tested).
What year does the Buick Encore GX have bad engine?
The Buick Encore GX model years with the most engine complaints are 2021 (19 complaints) and 2020 (16 complaints).
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