YearToAvoid

2013 Buick Encore Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

33/100

#7 most-complained of 10 Encore years

The 2013 Buick Encore has a complaint index of 33, ranking 7th of 10 model years, with a Good verdict relative to other Encore years. NHTSA lists 52 complaints and 6 recalls, with Engine problems accounting for 48% of complaints.

Complaints
52
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
4 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
26.5
24 city / 31 hwy

Top 2013 Buick Encore problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine25 (48%)
  2. Electrical System8 (15%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain7 (13%)
  4. Airbags5 (10%)
  5. Fuel System4 (8%)
  6. Brakes3 (6%)
  7. Other3 (6%)
  8. Seat Belts3 (6%)
  9. Structure & Body3 (6%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (6%)

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden loss of acceleration or stalling after leaving a stop, sometimes linked to a throttle body sensor.
  • Engine power reduction and check engine light appear suddenly at intersections, causing the vehicle to fail to accelerate in traffic.
  • Some drivers experienced the engine shutting off unexpectedly after lightly touching the ignition key, losing power steering and brakes.
  • Vehicle stalled after shifting from reverse into drive without warning.
  • A driver reported the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated and struck another car while approaching a turn, with airbags not deploying.
  • Instrument cluster gauges were reported unreadable in sunny conditions.
2013 Buick Encore complaints: complaints filed per month8Sep 2013May 2014Dec 2014May 2016Mar 2017Apr 2018Sep 2019
65 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2013 to Dec 2023; peak Oct 2014 (8).

2013 Buick Encore recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V502000Jul 5, 2016Electrical System8,367 vehicles

    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 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

    Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

  2. NHTSA 14V488000Aug 8, 2014Seat Belts48,114 vehicles

    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 to extend when pulled upon.

    Risk: If the seat belts do not remain locked in the retracted position when under load, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front the driver's and the passenger's lap belt pretensioners, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. GM sent interim notifications on October 7, 2014 and will send a second notification when remedy parts are available. The recall began on November 20, 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14171.

  3. NHTSA 14V446000Jul 23, 2014Structure & Body124,007 vehicles

    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 load condition such as a crash.

    Risk: A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14340.

See all 6 recalls for the 2013 Buick Encore →

2013 Buick Encore fuel economy and fuel cost

City
24 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
26.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,450
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2013 compared with other Encore years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2013Good3352626.5
2014Good4460426.5
2015Avoid78124427

All Buick Encore years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Buick Encore reliable?
Relative to other Encore model years, the 2013 has a complaint index of 33 and ranks 7th out of 10 years, earning a Good verdict. It has fewer reported problems than the 2015, 2017, and 2019 model years, which are rated Avoid.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Buick Encore?
NHTSA data shows Engine complaints make up 48% of all reported issues, followed by Electrical System at 15% and Transmission & Powertrain at 13%. The median mileage at engine-related failure was 47,000 miles.
Does the 2013 Buick Encore have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2013 Buick Encore, covering the seat belt pretensioners, seat track bracket welds, engine oil pan/block heater cord, passenger front airbag, steering wheel fastener, and electronic park lock lever. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2013 Encore compare to the 2015 or 2017 Encore?
The 2013 Encore has a complaint index of 33, well below the 2015 Encore's 78 and the 2017 Encore's 100, both of which carry Avoid verdicts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Buick Encore?
The 2013 Buick Encore is EPA-rated at 26.5 mpg combined (24 city/31 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,450.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.