This service bulletin provides information on the proper Reflective High Temperature Heat and/or Insulating Tape to use for certain repairs, such as Wiring Harness Repairs.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Buick Encore electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2014 Buick Encore have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Encore | 6 |
| 2014 Encore (this page) | 11 |
| 2015 Encore | 18 |
| 2016 Encore | 8 |
| 2018 Encore | 5 |
1injury
What stands out
Among the 7 model years of Buick Encore in our records for electrical problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
Electrical accounts for 18% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 5 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical 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.
The intent of this service bulletin is to identify aftermarket ALDL or DLC interface devices as potential sources for causing multiple customer concerns that do not have other diagnostic methods to identify them.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and resolution information.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information to diagnose batteries that have set for a long period of time and/or cold weather climates and testing those batteries.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the vehicles before being sold (prepping) to the customer.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant complaint is parasitic battery drain. Owners say their Encores develop completely dead batteries within 3–12 days of sitting idle, even after battery replacement. One owner jumped the car at least weekly and had to disconnect the negative terminal to reset the electrical system multiple times a day. Dealers tested alternators and batteries and found them functioning. One owner suspected continuous background power draw from the infotainment and OnStar systems. GM would not authorize a new battery and eventually approved a used battery swap, which temporarily resolved the issue—but the underlying cause was never identified.
A second major failure mode involves sudden electrical shutdown while driving. One owner lost all power on the road; another's instrument cluster went black mid-drive while warning lights lit. Infotainment screens go black or blink on and off. Antitheft alarms cycle on their own, and door locks unlock without command.
Cluster and display visibility is inadequate in daylight; speedometer and gauges become unreadable, and brightness controls don't work. The rear camera display stays dim for up to 15 minutes when backing out of the garage—a safety issue in real-world situations. Two owners report ignition key binding at very low mileage, and one says the AC compressor engages loudly at startup without producing cold air. Dealers consistently report inability to diagnose or replicate these faults.
Same Buick Encore electrical reports on nearby years: 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Parasitic battery drain
Battery drains rapidly when vehicle sits idle, typically within 3-12 days. Owners report completely dead batteries despite new battery installation. Alternator tests normal. One owner suspects continuous background operation of infotainment/OnStar systems may be the cause.
When: Occurs after 3+ days of idle; failures reported from 6 weeks to 5 months of ownership; one owner reports persistent issue from May 2024 through purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Battery completely dead after sitting idle for 3-12 days; Loss of all electrical power including lights; Vehicle fails to start; requires jump or battery disconnect/reconnect; Radio and dashboard accessible with key off hours after shutdown; Vehicle will start normally after reset/jump
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers unable to diagnose; GM would not authorize new battery, only used replacement; parasitic draw not identified; one owner employed temporary workaround of disconnecting negative battery terminal weekly or multiple times per day
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM authorized used battery replacement instead of new; dealers report unable to find problem; no recalls or TSBs mentioned
Electrical system shutdown during operation
Vehicle loses power or shuts down while driving, leaving owner stranded without motive power. Instrument cluster black screen with warning lights. Taillight inoperable without bulb failure. Antitheft alarm cycles on and off. Infotainment screen blacks out and blinks during driving.
When: One occurrence at 88,000 miles; screen blackouts noted January 2024; alarm and door lock issues ongoing for one year (since 2023)
Symptoms owners cite: Instrument cluster displays black screen while driving; Vehicle loses motive power mid-drive; Taillight inoperable (bulb functional); Antitheft alarm activates and cycles; Infotainment screen blacks out and blinks on/off during driving; Door locks unlock themselves without command
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic unable to duplicate; not diagnosed by dealer; owner brought vehicle to independent shop but no repair completed
Instrument cluster and display visibility defect
Speedometer and gauges (gas, temperature) are unreadable in bright daylight. Brightness adjustment has no effect during daylight hours. Issue verified on multiple Encores at dealer lot and reported to Buick Engineering.
When: Present in daylight conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Speedometer unreadable on both analog dial and digital display in daylight; Gas and temperature gauges not visible; Brightness adjustment ineffective during daylight; Requires driver to remove sunglasses and look away from road to see panel
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Buick service and headquarters acknowledged issue and said they would inform Engineering; no fix provided
Rear view camera system light sensor malfunction
Rear view camera display remains dim for 1-15 minutes after vehicle enters daylight from garage or shaded area, making display useless for backing up. Light sensor mounted on dashboard has clear view of light conditions but response is delayed.
When: During light-to-daylight transitions when backing
Symptoms owners cite: Display unusable for backing until brightness normalizes; Delayed light sensor response of 1-15 minutes; Creates safety hazard when backing across sidewalk
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer advised nothing could be done about the issue
Ignition key binding
Ignition key fails to turn, preventing vehicle from starting. Occurred on two separate occasions at very low mileage.
When: At approximately 200 miles of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Ignition key will not turn; Vehicle will not start
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle taken to dealer but not diagnosed
AC compressor malfunction with noise
AC automatically engages at startup with loud dragging/grinding noise from compressor. No cold air produced. Occurred multiple times since purchase date.
When: At startup; three occurrences since January 2018 purchase
Symptoms owners cite: AC compressor automatically starts on ignition; Loud dragging/grinding noise from compressor; No cold air output
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
My 2014 Buick encore at random times when I turn the key to start the vehicle it just clicks once then complete power out even though the battery is fully charged. To deal with the issue I need to open the hood, unplug the negative from the battery and reconnect it. Then try again. I do this at least once every week, sometimes multiple times throughout a single day. It also does it when a new…
Rear view camera system: when backing out of my garage during light hours the display is useless. The light sensor takes from one minute to fifteen minutes before the display goes bright. Since my driveway crosses a sidewalk the display is useless in that situation and a safety hazzard. The dealer advised me there was nothing they could do about it. The light sensor is mounted on top of the…
Had electrical trouble with your 2014 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 electrical problem on the 2014 Buick Encore?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 35,305 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
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/2014/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.