Used Buick Encore 1st Gen (2013-2022): Buyer's Guide

The 2015 Buick Encore has 121 NHTSA complaints, including two fire reports. The 2021 Encore has nine complaints total, no fires, no deaths. Same platform. Same basic shape. Same 1.4-liter turbo on the spec sheet.

What changed is a story most used car buyers never hear. There are two completely different engines in this generation, a mid-cycle refresh that rewired the reliability profile, and a GM Special Coverage program that pays for turbo replacements on specific years — if you know to ask for it.

This is the guide for the night before you go test drive one.

This Generation at a Glance

The 1st-generation Buick Encore (Gamma II platform) ran for a full decade, from 2013 through 2022. It was assembled in Bupyeong, South Korea. The 2017 model year brought a significant refresh: new exterior styling, a revised interior, and — most importantly — the introduction of an optional second engine, the LE2 1.4T. That second engine changes everything about how you evaluate a used Encore.

The 2020 Buick Encore GX launched as a larger sibling and eventual replacement. The original Encore continued through 2022 before being discontinued.

Internal dividing line: Pre-refresh (2013-2016) uses the LUV engine exclusively. Post-refresh (2017-2022) offers either the LUV on base and Preferred trims or the LE2 on Sport Touring and Essence.

For market pricing and current inventory, see CarScout's Buick Encore market page.

Powertrain and Trim Breakdown

The 1.4T LUV Engine (2013-2022, Base and Preferred Trims)

The LUV is the engine that made the Encore's reputation complicated. It uses multi-port fuel injection and makes 138hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers are adequate for city driving, and owners consistently describe it as smooth and quiet for its class.

The problem lives inside the intake manifold. The LUV has a Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) check valve integrated directly into the intake manifold. Forum threads across BuickForums.com and CruzeForums.com — where Chevy Cruze owners share the same engine — document this valve failing on virtually every LUV in service. The typical failure window is 30,000 to 60,000 miles.

When the PCV valve fails, crankcase pressure rises. The crankcase pressure blows out the turbocharger's oil seals. The turbo then burns oil through the exhaust. That oil fouls the catalytic converter. What started as a $300 valve failure becomes a $3,000-plus repair sequence.

The typical LUV failure chain:

1. PCV valve fails (30k-60k miles). No warning light immediately.
2. Turbocharger seals blow. Blue smoke appears, especially on deceleration.
3. Check engine light illuminates — P0299 (turbo underboost), sometimes P0300 (misfire).
4. Turbocharger replacement: $1,620-$1,650.
5. If the catalytic converter was fouled before diagnosis: add $500-$1,200.

GM acknowledged the piston ring component via TSB 19-NA-090 (May 2019), which covers 2013-2019 Encores with the 1.4L engine. The TSB confirms that a broken piston ring land can cause oil consumption, engine misfires, and DTC P0300. It also specifies that dexos1 full synthetic oil is required to avoid piston damage — conventional oil is not acceptable in this engine.

GM Special Coverage N232395330 (2024): GM extended the turbocharger warranty to 10 years or 120,000 miles from original in-service date, at no charge, specifically for 2017-2018 Encores equipped with the LUV. This coverage transfers with the car regardless of the number of owners. Before buying any 2017-2018 LUV-equipped Encore, run the VIN through a GM dealer or the NHTSA lookup to confirm the turbocharger status under this program.

What 2013-2016 LUV owners face: No special coverage. No extended warranty. If the PCV system hasn't been serviced and the turbo hasn't been replaced, you're buying into that failure chain. Mileage matters: a 2016 Encore at 50,000 miles with no PCV service history is not the same as one at 110,000 miles with a documented turbo replacement.

The 1.4T LE2 Engine (2017-2022, Sport Touring and Essence Trims)

The LE2 is a different engine in a material way, not just a revised one. It switches from multi-port injection to direct injection, redesigns the PCV system to eliminate the intake manifold vulnerability, and makes 153hp and 177 lb-ft of torque.

Owners of LE2-equipped Encores describe it as noticeably more responsive than the LUV. It pulls harder from low RPM, which is what city driving actually needs. The 2017+ Essence and Sport Touring trims with the LE2 feel like a genuinely refined subcompact crossover.

The LE2 does not share the LUV's PCV failure mode. Forum consensus across BuickForums.com treats the LE2 as a substantially cleaner powertrain — the PCV intake manifold thread that runs to 44+ pages on CruzeForums.com is about the LUV exclusively.

The one thing to watch on the LE2: Direct injection engines can accumulate carbon deposits on intake valves over time, because fuel injection happens downstream and doesn't wash the valves. This is a property of all DI engines, not an Encore-specific defect. A proactive walnut blasting service around 80,000-100,000 miles prevents any drivability issues and costs $200-$400 at most independent shops.

Long-term LE2 owners on BuickForums.com report 150,000-200,000-mile engines with no major mechanical failures. The LE2 fundamentally changes the risk profile of buying a used Encore.

Trim-Specific Notes

2013-2016 trims: Base, Convenience, Leather, Premium. Every single one of them uses the LUV. There is no LE2 option in the pre-refresh generation. If you're buying a 2016 or earlier Encore, engine selection is not a variable.

2017-2022 trims: 1SV, Preferred, Sport Touring, Essence.

The 1SV is a fleet/base trim with minimal features. No heated seats, no real leather, and only the LUV. Skip it.

The Preferred is the volume seller and a reasonable used buy for the right years — but it's LUV only. On a 2021 Preferred at low miles, the LUV risk is manageable. On a 2017 Preferred at 80,000 miles with no service records, you're doing math on a repair sequence.

The Sport Touring is where the LE2 becomes available as an option. It isn't standard — check the window sticker or VIN decode to confirm which engine is installed. Sport Touring adds sport suspension tuning, which most owners appreciate for the slightly sharper handling without sacrificing ride quality.

The Essence is the trim to target. It includes heated leather seating, premium audio, and the LE2 as an option. An Essence with the LE2 is the most capable and most reliable version of this generation's powertrain.

What's worth paying up for: The LE2 engine. The price difference between a 2018 Preferred (LUV) and a 2018 Essence with LE2 is typically $2,000-$3,000 used. That spread buys you a fundamentally different reliability story. It's not a luxury upgrade. It's risk mitigation.

What's not worth paying for: The difference between Essence and any hypothetical "top option" features above the LE2 is incremental. The engine is the variable that matters.

Which Model Years to Target Within This Generation

The 2015 is the year to avoid above all others. It has 121 NHTSA complaints, two fire-related reports, and 6 crash events. NHTSA also recorded 7 injury complaints for that year. The 2014 had persistent battery drain issues — multiple owners reported batteries failing every four to six weeks.

The airbag software recall (NHTSA 16V651000) covered 2014-2017 Encores and over 3.6 million total GM vehicles. The SDM (Sensing and Diagnostic Module) software could prevent frontal airbag and seat belt pretensioner deployment during a crash. The fix was a free dealer software reflash. Always verify this was completed before buying a 2014-2017 Encore.

The 2020 recall: NHTSA issued a recall in October 2020 for front seat rear attachment bolts that may not have been installed at the factory. Run the VIN before buying any 2020 Encore.

The 2019 recall: A missing bolt on the start-stop transmission accumulator endcap could cause transmission fluid to leak — and potentially start a fire. Run the VIN.

2021 and 2022 are the sweet spot. Nine and eight NHTSA complaints respectively, no recalls, and they're still in the $8,500-$25,000 used range. A 2021 Essence with the LE2 and under 50,000 miles is the version of this car the reviews always promised.

Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

All years, before anything else:

• Identify the engine. Don't assume from the trim name. On 2017-2022 Sport Touring and Essence trims, the LE2 is an option, not standard. Confirm via window sticker, CARFAX options list, or VIN decode. The LUV makes 138hp; the LE2 makes 153hp. That's on the sticker.

• Run the VIN through the recall lookup at /tools/recall-lookup before the test drive. For 2014-2017, confirm recall 16V651000 was completed. For 2019-2020, confirm transmission and seat recalls were resolved.

LUV-equipped cars (any trim, any year with base/Preferred):

• Cold start required. Listen for a high-pitched turbo whine in the first 60 seconds. A turbo in early-stage seal failure whines distinctly at idle and may not settle at operating temperature.

• Watch the exhaust during warm-up and on deceleration. Blue or gray smoke indicates oil burning. This is either active PCV failure causing turbo oil consumption, or piston ring oil consumption per TSB 19-NA-090. Either way: diagnosed before you buy.

• Check the oil level with the engine off after a 10-minute test drive. Ask when oil was last changed and how much was added in between. Any oil consumption between changes on a 1.4T LUV should be explained.

• Pull OBD codes. P0299 (turbo underboost) is a turbo issue. P0300 (random misfire) points to oil consumption fouling the combustion. On 2013-2015, P0420 may be a false positive covered by TSB 19-NA-057 — but confirm with a dealer before dismissing it.

• Ask for service records. Has the PCV system or intake manifold been serviced? Has the turbocharger been replaced? For 2017-2018 LUV cars, was the turbo replaced under Special Coverage N232395330? If so, get the dealer paperwork.

LE2-equipped cars (2017-2022 Sport Touring or Essence with the 153hp engine):

• These cars don't carry the LUV's PCV vulnerability. Focus inspection on higher-mileage DI carbon buildup (ask if walnut blast service was done), transmission shifts, and AC function.

All years, all trims:

• Test the AC fully. Turn it on cold. It should blow cold within 90-120 seconds. AC compressor failures cost $800-$1,300 on the Encore. It's a common failure on 2015-2017 models in particular.

• Test the transmission shifts. The 6-speed automatic should shift smoothly through all gears with no jerking or hesitation at highway on-ramps. Any harsh shift on a 2019-2020 model is a reason to investigate the recall status first.

Running Costs

Annual fuel cost: approximately $2,200-$2,600 at current prices, depending on drivetrain and driving mix.

Oil requirement: TSB 19-NA-090 specifies dexos1 full synthetic for the LUV 1.4T. GM documentation is explicit that using conventional oil can worsen piston ring wear. If a previous owner used conventional oil, that's a risk factor worth noting.

RepairPal rates the Encore at $466/year in average annual repair costs and 0.1 unscheduled shop visits per year. That number reflects the full generation, heavily weighted toward the improved later years. LUV cars with deferred PCV maintenance can run substantially higher in a single repair event.

FAQ

Is the 1st gen Buick Encore reliable? It depends on model year and engine. The 2021-2022 models have 8-9 NHTSA complaints total — in the same range as top-tier Japanese subcompact crossovers. The 2015 has 121 complaints, including fire reports. Within the generation, engine selection matters as much as model year: the LE2 (2017-2022 upper trims) has a fundamentally cleaner complaint and failure record than the LUV.

What year Buick Encore should I avoid? Avoid 2013, 2014, and 2015 outright. The 2015 recorded 121 NHTSA complaints including two fires. The 2014 had persistent battery drain issues with multiple owners reporting failures every four to six weeks. These are pre-refresh LUV cars with no special coverage protection. Treat the 2016 as caution territory and verify all recall completion before buying.

What is the LUV vs LE2 engine difference on the Encore? Both are 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinders, but they're different engines. The LUV (138hp) uses multi-port injection and has a documented PCV valve failure mode that destroys turbochargers at 70,000-94,000 miles. The LE2 (153hp) uses direct injection, eliminates the PCV vulnerability, and produces 29hp and 29 lb-ft more. The LE2 was introduced as an option on 2017-2022 Sport Touring and Essence trims. It's the more reliable engine by a significant margin.

How many miles does a 1st gen Buick Encore last? LE2-equipped cars with proper maintenance routinely reach 150,000-200,000 miles based on owner reports on BuickForums.com. LUV cars that haven't had the PCV system serviced may need a turbocharger at 70,000-94,000 miles. Properly maintained LUV cars also reach 150,000-plus miles — the engine isn't fragile, but it needs the PCV addressed proactively.

Does the GM Special Coverage cover my Encore's turbocharger? Special Coverage N232395330 (issued 2024) covers turbocharger replacement at no charge for 2017-2018 Encores with the LUV engine, within 10 years or 120,000 miles of original in-service date. It does not cover 2013-2016 or 2019-2022. Run the VIN through a GM dealer or NHTSA lookup to check status and eligibility on any specific vehicle.

Bottom Line

The 2021 Encore in Essence trim with the LE2 engine is the version of this car that delivers on the promise. Eight NHTSA complaints for the 2022 model year. Thirty-one combined MPG FWD. A powertrain that doesn't carry the LUV's documented failure chain.

Run every VIN through a recall check before purchase, especially for 2014-2017 where the airbag recall applies. For LUV cars, ask about PCV service history and turbo replacement records before anything else. Skip 2013-2015 unless you've confirmed full documented mechanical history.

CarScout members can set alerts on specific trim and year combinations — like 2020-2022 Essence with the LE2 — and track price drops in their area at usecarscout.com.

Data sourced from NHTSA recalls database, EPA fuel economy data, GM Technical Service Bulletins (19-NA-090, 19-NA-057), GM Special Coverage N232395330, and real owner experiences from BuickForums.com, CruzeForums.com, CarComplaints.com, RepairPal, and RecallExplained.com. See the full Buick Encore market data for current pricing and inventory.