2016 Buick Encore Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the turbocharged engine: loss of power, check engine light with code P0299, and in some cases oil passing into the exhaust or engine damage. Fuel and engine problems also show up early, some within the first few thousand miles, while steering faults and seat belt/airbag non-deployment reports appear across the mileage range.

1. 1
   Engine

   Turbocharger underboost and power loss (P0299)

   • 20 complaints (25%)
   • median 82,500 mi at 4.7 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Complaints describe the vehicle becoming sluggish and hesitating from a stop or losing speed on the highway, often with the check engine light on and code P0299 stored. Some owners report white or blue smoke from the exhaust, oil entering the catalytic converter, and in a few cases a mechanic advising the turbo had failed and damaged the engine. Owners also mention a Buick notice extending warranty coverage on the turbocharger or its fuel injector, and being told their VIN did not qualify or that the part was on backorder. Reports cluster between roughly 25,000 and 90,000 miles, with some as early as the first few years of ownership.

   What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the turbocharger or its fuel injector was replaced under the extended warranty notice, and have a mechanic scan for stored P0299 codes on a test drive that includes highway acceleration.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Buzzing heard when I pressed on accelerating pedal. Heard a pop, then it would not accelerate and smoked out tail pipe. Engine light and oil lights both turned on. Vehicle was in motion when it occurred . I parked shortly after incident and had car towed to firestone next morning. Jeff said engine blew and recommended dealer powertrain warranty to fix. Turbo blew which blew engine”

   NHTSA complaint #11413691, filed 2021-04, 56,080 miles

   “Our vehicle started losing pick up and go in the middle of driving about 2 weeks ago. Check engine light came on, so we took the vehicle to identify the issue. Error codes p0299 turbo/super charger underboost issue was identified. We called the dealership and were told the part is on backorder until maybe july. Even after market parts apparently are unavailable because GM is purchasing them. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11219199, filed 2019-06, 88,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Engine stalling, hesitation or sudden loss of power

   • 16 complaints (20%)
   • median 20,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Owners describe the engine quitting at idle, while backing out, or at speed, sometimes requiring a restart in traffic. Others report hesitation, jerking, or a sudden drop in power with multiple warning lights, and dealers variously replaced the intake manifold, valve cover, MAP sensor, or in one case the engine. Several complaints mention the dealer could not duplicate the problem or diagnosed unrelated items. Spread across the range, from under 10,000 miles to over 80,000; complaints describe the behavior as occurring daily or intermittently.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether stalling or hesitation was ever diagnosed, and check for pending or stored codes; a service bulletin describes an intermittent no-crank/no-start condition with a security light.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Yesterday I started the vehicle up and it quit. So I started it again and it ran. Then today, I was backing out and it died out. I started it up again and drove towards home. Then I was traveling 40 plus miles an hour when the car shut off. I hit the brakes and it started rocking. I was almost hit from the car behind me. I had it towed to the Buick dealership.”

   NHTSA complaint #11091448, filed 2018-05, 10,300 miles

   “I was driving down the road and the car started cutting back, then it got real bad, has No power at all right in the middle of work hour traffic! The check engine light comes on then the traction light comes on, OnStar diagnostics sent email stating emissions system, stabil trac system and anti lock system My daughter was in the car we was in danger!!! I pay way too much for this car, I am on disability, fixed income! I have to have a way to go and get my daughter to school!!!”

   NHTSA complaint #11484110, filed 2022-09
3. 3
   Engine

   Oil leaks, coolant loss and overheating

   • 11 complaints (14%)
   • median 100,000 mi at 7.8 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2020–2025

   Complaints describe oil on top of the engine, burning oil smell, smoke at startup, coolant loss and the temperature gauge climbing quickly with an engine-overheat message. Repairs reported include the valve cover, water pump, thermostat housing, turbo coolant feedline and oil cooler pipe. Some owners say the repairs were done at their own cost after warranty questions. Mostly reported between about 58,000 and 100,000 miles, though one complaint lists coolant and oil leaks at a lower mileage.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check for oil residue around the valve cover and under the engine, confirm coolant level and look for dried coolant residue at the water pump; a service bulletin covers flushing the cooling system when oil is found in it.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “03/09/2024 overheated, replace thermostat and housing, refilled coolant 3/16/2024 overheated, refilled coolant 3/18/2024 towed to dealership. leaking oil, losing coolant $3280.00 repairs 4/1/2024 water pump 4/6/2024 Turbo coolant feedline Safety concern, I commute via I-95. Overheating could cause a multi vehicle collision Temperature gauge quickly drops to overheat.”

   NHTSA complaint #11589545, filed 2024-05

   “Turbocharger failed which can eventually cause engine seizure. Independent mechanic diagnosed and repaired after Buick dealer told me I was out of warranty. After repair I located a letter from Buick with my vin number on it dated November 2021 (after my warranty expiration) confirmed that the turbocharger might fail and they would replace free of charge within 10 yrs or 120,000 miles of vehicle purchase. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11539716, filed 2023-08
4. 4
   Steering

   Power steering assist loss / steering fault message

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • median 44,500 mi at 4.9 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Owners report a 'Service Power Steering' or 'Steering Fault' message with the wheel becoming very hard to turn, sometimes while driving at speed. Dealers diagnosed an internal failure in the steering column module or circuit board and replaced or reprogrammed it; some owners note the repair cost and that their VIN was not covered by an earlier steering campaign. Reported from about 6,000 up to 88,000 miles, with no clear pattern in age or use.

   What to check: Ask whether the steering column module was ever replaced or reprogrammed, and confirm during the test drive that the wheel turns freely at low speed with no warning message on the cluster.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “power steering failure while driving at highway speeds. In traffic had a warning come on power steering fault. Then wheel was hard to turn. Had to use strength to steer car home approx. 25 miles. Took to dealer they had car for 3 days before repair done. For $1800 repair bill. Said it was a circuit card in the steering system that was the problem. 2015 years had a recall but not 2016 . But the failure from the 2015 is the same with the 2016 year. GM contacted and they deny claim to get repair cost refunded.”

   NHTSA complaint #11719555, filed 2026-02

   “The contact owns a 2016 Buick Encore. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that if his wife had been driving the vehicle at the time of the failure, she would not have been able to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a circuit board failure inside the steering column. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11627275, filed 2024-11, 78,000 miles
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Fuel smell on startup / fuel leak

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   A small group of owners report a strong fuel smell after the vehicle sat overnight, with one complaint noting a fuel hose replaced under warranty. Others describe fuel-system symptoms alongside engine codes and hesitation rather than a confirmed leak. Reported at low mileage, generally under 7,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Smell for fuel around the engine bay after the car has sat overnight, and ask whether any fuel line or hose repairs were performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I submitted a prior report. My car was in driveway and I went to start it in the morning. I had been out in evening prior. I started my car and it smelled like fuel. I had to take it in after I test drove it on way to the dealer for service (lucky I was off that day. It had a fuel leak and needed a hose replaced. To me this is a serious failure of a part with only approx. 6500 miles on it.”

   NHTSA complaint #11010776, filed 2017-07, 6,500 miles

   “I went to start my car in the morning after it sat at night, it was in driveway (I had driven the evening prior) and it smelled of fuel when I started it. Nothing noted leaking from under the car anywhere.”

   NHTSA complaint #11010773, filed 2017-07, 6,500 miles

Buying note. These complaints point to the turbocharged engine and its cooling and oil systems as the areas most worth verifying before purchase, so service records and a pre-purchase inspection that includes a code scan are useful. Confirming that the steering assist, coolant, and oil leak items have been addressed will tell you more than the odometer alone.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.