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2019 Buick Encore

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints9 crash · 2 fire · 10 injured · 1 died reported 88

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 28 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2019 Buick Encore is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Encore, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 88 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Buick Encore — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Buick Encore · Photo: Navigator84 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Encore	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	26	31	28	$2,400
Encore	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	25	30	27	$2,500
Encore AWD	Gas	AWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	25	30	27	$2,500
Encore AWD	Gas	AWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	24	29	26	$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 40264, 40738, 40277, 40748.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Encore, Encore AWD	3 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 110	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Encore, Encore AWD	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	1.4 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain

FWD/Front-Wheel Drive

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control

Optional: Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Essence, Preferred, Sport Touring). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	168.1 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	69.7 in
Height	65.0 in
Wheelbase	100.8 in
Track, front	60.6 in
Track, rear	60.6 in
Curb weight	3,236–3,358 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	60/40

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door SUV AWD, 4-door SUV FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Power Train

N202313440

194,105 vehicles 82% reported repaired

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts. Risk Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

NHTSA campaign 20V668000 reported Oct 29, 2020 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

18365

12 vehicles 83% reported repaired built May 29, 2018 – Sep 9, 2018

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Buick Encore, Chevrolet Spark, Traverse, and Trax vehicles. The Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) on these vehicle may not have been turned off of "manufacturing mode," preventing the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash. Risk If the air bags do not deploy in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM module to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18365.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 18V774000 reported Nov 1, 2018 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Encore

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2019 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Buick publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Buick’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2019 Buick Encore, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

88complaints filed

9 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 10 injuries · 1 deaths reported

7.4 per 10,000 built · Buick reported 118,360 Encore built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2019: 9 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 11 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 17 · 2026: 21

Most-cited components

Engine 40

Unspecified 12

Fuel/Propulsion System 12

Air Bags 11

Electrical System 10

Power Train 10

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

At approximately 1130am, pulling into parking space in a parking lot at very low speed, 50% of vehicle was in the parking space, when suddenly the car accelerated forward. This resulted in my vehicle jumping over a safety curb and crashing into a building resulting in damage to my vehicle

Engine Sep 27, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11486786

The contact owns a 2019 Buick Encore. The contact stated while the vehicle was in the park with the engine running, the contact felt a bump from the vehicle and the vehicle began to slowly move forward. The contact depressed on the brake pedal very hard for the vehicle to stop.

Power Train at 39,000 miles Oct 19, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11437372

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.

Electrical System Sep 20, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11433604

I AM getting continuous emails saying that there has been an issue detected with my airbags. The airbag light will sporadically come on, and when someone is in the passenger seat the airbags do not always turn on

Air Bags at 30,000 miles Feb 24, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11397674

There's condensation in both tail lights every single morning. This is a 2019 vehicle that i've owned for only 4 months. No other car i've seen has this condensation. I took it to the dealership and they said the heat of the break lights should burn up the condensation

Exterior Lighting at 4,000 miles Feb 12, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11308792

Brakes locked up while driving no hwy. At speeds over 50 MPH. Dealership checked codes found nothing wrong. This happened four times in 8000 miles

Service Brakes at 8,000 miles Dec 28, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11291735

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Buick itself: 41 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 killed, 55 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 35 per 100,000 built. Every Encore model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 34k

miles, typically

Half the 30 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 4,000 and 64,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 10

10k–20k 2

20k–30k 0

30k–40k 4

40k–50k 2

50k–60k 0

60k–70k 6

70k–80k 1

80k–90k 1

90k–100k 0

100k–150k 4

150k + 0

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Engine	15	60,000	1.43×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2019-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	18%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	20%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · GM warranty extension 22-NA-244This warranty administration service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories - Dealer-Installed, Repaired or Replaced During Warranty Coverage Period.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 669

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 664 service bulletins, 3 service campaigns, 1 warranty extension

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Power Train.

PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT3271Q Service bulletin
2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIP6104 Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP4902V Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT6425D Service bulletin
2026-03-02 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC'ss
PIT6425C Service bulletin
2026-01-16 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC's

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0299 P0299 on Buick →	The turbocharger or supercharger is not making the boost the computer asked for.	Engine	16 bulletins · 2 owner reports
P0234 P0234 on Buick →	The turbocharger or supercharger is making more boost than the computer asked for.	Engine	11 bulletins
P1101 P1101 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	9 bulletins
P0300 P0300 on Buick →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	6 bulletins
B3055 B3055 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	5 bulletins
B3060 B3060 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	5 bulletins
B3935 B3935 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	5 bulletins
P0308 P0308 on Buick →	Cylinder 8 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	4 bulletins
P050D P050D on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	4 bulletins
C0131 C0131 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	3 bulletins
P0171 P0171 on Buick →	The engine is running lean on bank 1: too much air, or not enough fuel, for the mixture the computer wants.	Engine · Mass air flow sensor →	3 bulletins
P0442 P0442 on Buick →	A small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Electrical System · Gas cap →	3 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 4.3%

failed emissions

3,998 initial inspections of 3,899 vehicles.

Measure	The 2019 Encore	Every 2019 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	4.3%	2.7%	3,989
Failed the safety inspection	2.1%	1.7%	3,998
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.10%	0.20%	3,998
Miles driven a year	7,820	9,904	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	56,874	72,084	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2019 vehicle” is every 2019 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Encore by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 1 4 30 mpg 2025 A 1 15 30 mpg 2024 B 2 32 30 mpg 2023 A 0 28 30 mpg 2022 A 1 42 30 mpg 2021 B 2 62 31 mpg 2020 C 4 89 31 mpg 2019 this page B 2 88 28 mpg 2018 A 0 74 30 mpg 2017 B 2 90 30 mpg 2016 B 2 80 30 mpg

Common questions about the 2019 Encore

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2019 Buick Encore have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2019 Buick Encore. The most serious on file is 20V668000, covering Power Train. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2019 Buick Encore?

NHTSA gave the 2019 Buick Encore 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Buick Encore?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2019 Buick Encore, the best EPA combined figure is 28 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2019 Buick Encore?

Transport Canada measured it at 168.1 in long, 69.7 in wide (body, without mirrors), 65.0 in tall, on a 100.8 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,236–3,358 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2019 Buick Encore?

Owners have filed 88 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Buick Encore, most often about engine, unspecified, fuel/propulsion system. Of those, 9 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 10 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2019 Buick Encore?

The EPA smog rating for the 2019 Buick Encore runs 3 to 5 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70, Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 110 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2019 Buick Encore?

The manufacturer has filed 669 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2019 Buick Encore, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2019 Buick Encore do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2019 Buick Encore failed the emissions check on 4.3% of first inspections — higher than the 2.7% for every 2019 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2019 vehicle: 1.7%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	88	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	669	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	10 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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