YearToAvoid

2017 Buick Encore Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 42 engine complaints for the 2017 Buick Encore, 47% of all 89 complaints filed for the year, including 3 fires and 2 crashes. Median mileage at failure was 47,000. No related recall is listed for this issue.

Engine complaints
42
47% of 89
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
47,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report engine compartment fires starting under the hood, sometimes while parked or idling, with smoke appearing before flames spread to the front end.
  • Several owners describe sudden stalling at idle or while driving, accompanied by a check engine light and difficulty restarting the vehicle.
  • Some complaints describe white smoke and stalling in cold weather whenever the driver lifts off the gas pedal.
  • Owners report rough running and poor acceleration linked to a torn diaphragm in the PCV vacuum control valve cover.
  • One complaint describes turbocharger and boost sensor failures causing repeated stalling and a vehicle described as being in 'limp mode.'

When 2017 Buick Encore engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 19, 2017, latest Jul 22, 2026.

2017 Buick Encore engine complaints: complaints filed per month3Jul 2017Apr 2019Nov 2022Sep 2023Jul 2024Mar 2025Aug 2025May 2026
42 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2017 to Jul 2026; peak Jul 2024 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2017 Buick Encore

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Encore model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201325 (48%)
  2. 201427 (45%)
  3. 201535 (28%)
  4. 201642 (53%)
  5. 201742 (47%)
  6. 201834 (46%)
  7. 201945 (52%)
  8. 20209 (47%)
  9. 20213 (33%)
  10. 20222 (25%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems in the 2017 Buick Encore?
NHTSA lists 42 engine complaints for the 2017 model year, which is 47% of the 89 total complaints filed for that year.
Is there a recall for the 2017 Buick Encore engine?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this engine problem area.
At what mileage do 2017 Encore engine problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this engine issue is 47,000 miles.
Did the engine problems cause any fires or crashes?
NHTSA data for this engine problem area lists 3 fires, 2 crashes, and 1 injury among the complaints filed.

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.