YearToAvoid

2018 Buick Encore Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 34 engine complaints for the 2018 Buick Encore, 46% of its 74 total complaints for the year. The median mileage at failure is 54,000. No engine-related recalls are on file, though owners mention shop-level turbo repairs.

Engine complaints
34
46% of 74
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
54,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report a turbo hose failure or disconnection, sometimes with a loud pop and sudden loss of acceleration while driving at highway speed.
  • Several complaints describe the turbocharger assembly or its hose clamps failing, causing intermittent loss of motive power that sometimes resolves on its own before recurring.
  • Some owners report the check engine light illuminating along with reduced fuel economy, later traced by dealers to loose or misaligned turbo hose clamps.
  • Multiple complaints describe the vehicle stalling or losing power at stops or low speeds, with jerking or hard stalling reported even in intersections.
  • One owner reports an exhaust flex pipe leak affecting engine sound, and another describes the engine struggling to stay running with the check engine light on.

When 2018 Buick Encore engine complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 3, 2018, latest Aug 2, 2026.

2018 Buick Encore engine complaints: complaints filed per month3Oct 2018May 2021Jul 2022Mar 2024Jan 2025Nov 2025Aug 2026
34 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2018 to Aug 2026; peak Nov 2025 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2018 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 on the 2018 Buick Encore?
NHTSA lists 34 engine complaints for the 2018 model year, which is 46% of the 74 total complaints filed for that year.
At what mileage do engine problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 54,000 miles.
Is there a recall for the 2018 Buick Encore engine?
No engine-related recalls are listed in the NHTSA data for the 2018 Buick Encore, even though some owners describe turbo hose and turbocharger repairs.
Did engine complaints on the 2018 Encore lead to any crashes?
NHTSA records show 1 crash and no fires or injuries linked to the complaints in this dataset, though not all are confirmed to involve the engine specifically.
Is the 2018 Encore worse than other years for engine issues?
Its 46% share of complaints tied to engine problems is similar to nearby years like 2017 (47%) and 2019 (52%), and lower than 2016's 53%.

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.