Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA about the 2024 Buick Encore GX, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 13 | 42% |
| Engine | 2 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 6% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
| Back over prevention | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The dash and instrument panel goes completly blank at highway speeds. A very dangerous scenario. It has happened 6 times in the 3 months that i jave purchased the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I recently bought this 2024 Buick Encore GX about a week ago and we decided to take a short trip to [XXX], as we were coming back and was driving downhill, we notice the vehicle was pulling to the left side like a strong
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2024 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact received a phone call and the infotainment screen and the display for the weather and climate control sy
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
This is not a new issue and has happened multiple times since the purchase of this vehicle. Multiple times while driving my 2024 Buick Encore GX, the entire instrument panel intermittently goes completely blank/black
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2024 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH and attempting to stop the vehicle, the instrument panel displayed a blank screen. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicl
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
When driving on the freeway 60 mph, the car jerked and locked up, no warning lights, speedometer was rising and dropping rapidly, car slowly dropped speed. Had to pull on the side of the road, when car was put to parked
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2024 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60-65 MPH on the interstate, the vehicle was shuddering abnormally while accelerating, and the transmission failed to properly
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2024 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the instrument panel displayed a blank screen. In addition, the contact stated that the failure occurred every 31 secon
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2024 Buick Encore GX. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2024 Buick Encore GX, Envista, and Chevrolet Trax vehicles. The software in the Virtual Cockpit Unit Module (VCU) may cause the instrument panel display to intermittently go blank at vehicle startup or while driving.
Risk: A blank instrument panel will not show critical information, such as vehicle speed and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The VCU software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2023. Owners may contact Buick customer servi
| Reliability raw | 95 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 81 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 83 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 62 | average |
| Performance | 54 | average |
| Efficiency | 48 | below average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 13 of them (42%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 95/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 81/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2024 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 78/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.