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2013 Buick Encore seatbelts problems
moderate
Owners of the 2013 Buick Encore have filed 3 NHTSA complaints about the seatbelts at roughly $500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See seatbelts across all vehicles →
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to March 1, 2013, and model year 2013 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to May 1, 2013
If the seat belts do not remain locked in the retracted position when under load, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front the driver's and the passenger's lap belt pretensioners, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. GM sent interim notifications on October 7, 2014 and will send a second notification when remedy parts are available. The recall began on November 20, 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14171.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering seatbelts on this vehicle — documented
repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall
(it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service Bulletin24-NA-147Aug 2024
This service bulletin provides information on regular inspection of the Seat Belt Lap Anchor.
THIS PRELIMINARY INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN PROVIDES A PROCEDURE TO REPOSITION THE FRONT SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE FOR CONCERNS REGARDING THE SEAT BELT WEBBING OR LATCH PLATE COMING TWISTED.
This informational bulletin provides information to advise dealers about seat belt buckles not operating and/or seat belt warning light illumination, as well as difficulty latching and unlatching the buckle or the buckle release button sticking.
14567A - SPECIAL COVERAGE (REVISED PARTS INFORMATION SECTION). ON CERTAIN 2013-2015 MODEL YEAR CHEVROLET TRAX AND BUICK ENCORE VEHICLES, THE REAR-SEAT-BELT BUCKLE COVER MAY BE BROKEN AND FULLY SEPARATED FROM THE REAR-SEAT-BELT BUCKLE DUE TO SEAT-BELT-BUCKLE HEAD CONTACT BETWEEN THE ISO FIXTURE AND THE SEAT-HINGE STUD, SEAT-HINGE BRACKET, OR FLOOR PANEL. THIS CAN OCCUR IF THE BUCKLE IS NOT PROPERLY RETAINED IN THE ROUTING STRIP. OVER TIME, THE SEAT-BELT BUCKLE MAY INTERMITTENTLY NOT LOCK OR THE WEBBING MAY SEPARATE FROM THE SEAT-BELT BUCKLE IF THE BUCKLE COVER BECOMES DETACHED. AFTER VERIFYING THE ABOVE CONDITION, DEALERS ARE TO REPLACE BOTH REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting
2 most recent
seatbelts
· filed 12/30/2014
2013 Buick encore consumer wants to know if recalls are real or just some of them *cn
seatbelts
· filed 10/12/2014
When I bought the car last year the dealer took $1900 of my money in a ruse - I will die before ever stepping foot in [xxx] ever again. I will not take this vehicle in for any safety recall. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr
Had seatbelts trouble with your 2013 Buick Encore?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the seatbelts problem on the 2013 Buick Encore?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 3 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the seatbelts typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $500 for seatbelts repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to seatbelts?
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover seatbelts issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Buick/Encore.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.