2018 Buick Encore Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
56/100
#5 most-complained of 10 Encore years
The 2018 Buick Encore has a Complaint Index of 56 and ranks 5th worst out of 10 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Engine complaints dominate at 46% of reports, with brakes and airbags also notable, but no recalls were issued for this year.
- Complaints
- 74
- Recalls
- 0
- Crashes / fires
- 10 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 9 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 28
- 25.5 city / 32 hwy
Top 2018 Buick Encore problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
What owners report
- Owners report unintended rolling or movement while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, leading to a collision.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal and rear-end collisions, including one crash where two occupants were injured.
- Drivers describe the vehicle accelerating unexpectedly when the brake pedal was applied, in one case causing a collision.
- Some owners report the engine revving at a high rate while braking action was engaged, even as the vehicle slowed.
- One driver described a combined brake and steering failure on the highway that resulted in injuries.
- A fuel system complaint describes water pooling on the fuel filler port during rain, preventing refueling.
2018 Buick Encore recalls
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
2018 Buick Encore fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 25.5 MPG
- Highway
- 32 MPG
- Combined
- 28 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,300
- 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.
2018 compared with other Encore years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Buick Encore reliable?
- NHTSA lists 74 complaints for the 2018 Encore with a Complaint Index of 56, giving it a Caution verdict. That places it 5th worst out of 10 model years of the Encore, better than 2015, 2017, and 2019 but worse than 2013, 2014, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
- What is the biggest problem area for the 2018 Buick Encore?
- Engine complaints make up 46% of all reports for the 2018 Encore, the largest single category, with a median failure mileage of 54,000 miles.
- Does the 2018 Buick Encore have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 0 recalls for the 2018 Buick Encore, and 0 of those are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2018 Encore compare to other years for brake or airbag issues?
- Brakes account for 20% of 2018 Encore complaints with 4 crashes and a median failure mileage of 20,200.5 miles, while airbags account for 14% of complaints with 6 crashes reported.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Buick Encore?
- The 2018 Encore is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined (25.5 city / 32 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,300.