2013 Buick Encore: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
52 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 52 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 4.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My car had problems with overheating. I check my oil and coolant levels. My car show check engine light so I took it to mechanics to get check. The invoice states possible blown head gaskets. I research online similar complaints with other Buick Encore 2013. I just this car March 2023 has about 89000. I am making payments.
The check engine light came and took the car to O'Reillys and was informed it had low turbo boost code took car to the dealership and they indeed confirmed that was the issue and that it would be over $3000.00 to fix!!! I bought this car 4 months ago and this seems to be an issue with a few other owners as well Buick needs to recall this part!!! If not fixed it may cause deceleration or overheat and start to burn in…
Turbo went out twice within 3 months. also i waited for 6 weeks on a back ordered part. so much service work... problem after problem this car is a lemon. the paint literally fell off the mirrors within the first year.
Recalls: 6 campaigns (5 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V417000 | Equipment:Electrical | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011,… |
| 16V502000 | Electrical System:Ignition | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015… |
| 14V298000 | Air Bags | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured April 10, 2013, to May 8, 2013, and Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured December 30, 2012, to March 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, an improper weld on the passenger side front air bag inflator may result in the air bag not deploying. |
| 14V488000 | Seat Belts:Front | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to March 1, 2013, and model year 2013 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to May 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the driver and passenger lap belt pretensioner cables may not lock in a retracted position, allowing the seat belts… |
| 14V446000 | Seats | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high… |
| 13V105000 | Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured between December 9, 2012 and December 28, 2012, and equipped with a heated steering wheel. The steering wheel fastener may not have been properly installed. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,250
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine21 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System8 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train7 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Vehicle Speed Control6 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Air Bags5 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Fuel/Propulsion System4 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other Buick Encore years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Buick Encore?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (21 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Buick Encore a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 78/100, computed from 52 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Buick Encore's most common problem?
21 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Buick Encore sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 Buick Encore cost to run per year?
About $4,676 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $23,380 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2013 Buick Encore have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Buick Encore, 5 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/07/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Buick Encore really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 52 complaints, 6 recalls on record
- 52 NHTSA complaints on record (4.0/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (6.5/yr)
- 6 recall campaigns, 5 touching safety-critical systems