This preliminary informational (PI) bulletin provides information to dealership personnel that may be helpful when addressing underbody component corrosion with customers.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2015 Buick Encore steering problems
moderate Owners of the 2015 Buick Encore have filed 27 NHTSA complaints about the steering, typically surfacing around 58,000 miles at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
27
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 Encore (this page) | 27 |
| 2016 Encore | 5 |
| 2017 Encore | 4 |
| 2018 Encore | 6 |
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 27 steering complaints filed for the 2015 Buick Encore, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 4 model years of Buick Encore we track for steering problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 27.
Owners have filed 27 steering complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering 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.
This informational bulletin instructs the tech when fuel/fluid is needed to be tested and where it can be sent for analysis.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides a procedure inspecting for excess grease or Sealant on the Exterior of the steering gear due to seeing grease or sealant on certain locations on the gear.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This informational bulletin explains Unscheduled Supplemental Services and the importance of GM Simplified Maintenance Schedules.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides a vibration analysis worksheet the technician can use in conjunction with the appropriate Vibration Analysis-Road testing procedure when diagnosing vibration concerns.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2015 Encore's power steering system fails due to loss of communication between the steering control module and the vehicle's electrical system. Failures typically occur after 30-40 minutes of highway driving or at stop lights and intersections, with mileage ranging from 5,000 to 138,000 miles. The steering wheel either locks completely or becomes extremely stiff, requiring significant manual force to turn. Warning lights cascade across the dashboard—power steering, check engine, stability control—and in severe cases the entire electrical system crashes, shutting down gauges and dashboard displays.
Dealers have traced the root cause to loose battery cables, loose ground cables, and bad battery cells, but repairs frequently don't stick. Owners report replacing batteries multiple times only to have them fail within weeks, or resetting the system by disconnecting the battery only to have the failure return within days. Some vehicles enter limp mode simultaneously with power steering loss, losing engine acceleration and reverse gear operation.
The safety risk is concrete: owners describe losing steering control at 65 mph, being forced off the road, and one owner hit a curb unable to steer through an intersection. NHTSA recall 15V146000 exists for this exact problem, but many affected VINs were excluded from it. Dealers tell owners their vehicles aren't covered despite exhibiting identical symptoms to recalled units. Multiple owners report dealer visits where repairs were promised and completed, only for the same failures to recur within two weeks.
Failure modes owners describe
Loss of power steering assist with electrical cascade failure
Power steering control module loses communication with vehicle electrical system, triggering loss of power steering assist. Often accompanied by illumination of power steering warning light, stability/traction control light, check engine light, and in some cases complete electrical shutdown of dashboard and gauges. Many complaints cite loose battery cables, loose ground cables, or failed battery cells as the root cause identified by dealers.
When: Typically 30-40 minutes into highway driving; some instances at low speed (parking, stop lights, 35-65 mph); mileage range 5,000 to 138,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering suddenly fails or becomes extremely stiff; Power steering warning light illuminates; StabilityTrak/traction control warning light flashes or stays on; Check engine light comes on; Dashboard gauges fluctuate or read zero; Instrument panel messages display random text or different languages; Multiple warning lights illuminate simultaneously
Codes mentioned: Loss of communication with power steering control module, Loose battery cable, Loose ground cable, Bad battery cell, Wiring harness failure in CPU
Repairs/costs cited: Battery cable tightened ($440.60 charged in one case); battery replacement (failed within couple weeks multiple times); ground cable replacement; complete vehicle rewiring performed; wiring harness in CPU replaced; in one case, steering column and circuit board replacement recommended but not completed; many repairs did not resolve the recurring failure
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign Number 15V146000 (Steering) and recall 15168/15V14600 exist for 2015 Encores with certain build dates, but many affected VINs were not included in the recall. Dealers repeatedly told owners their VINs were not covered by recall despite experiencing identical symptoms to recalled vehicles. GM opened cases on some complaints but provided no resolution. Some dealers advised vehicles were unsafe to drive.
Loss of power steering with reverse gear malfunction and transmission indicator failure
During loss of power steering events, vehicle simultaneously loses reverse gear operation and transmission gear indicator light flashes or cycles erratically even though actual transmission does not shift. Steering wheel may lock or become locked after restart.
When: Highway driving at 45-75 mph; approximately 1.5 hours into drives; mileage 51,000 to 88,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering fails simultaneously with loss of reverse operation; Transmission gear indicator light flashes or cycles when attempting reverse; Steering wheel locks after vehicle restart; Transmission gear indicator shows random changes; Reverse gear engagement fails or vehicle shifts unexpectedly into reverse at stop lights
Codes mentioned: Loss of communication with power steering control module, Transmission-related electrical fault codes
Repairs/costs cited: One dealer replaced wiring harness connected to CPU; failure reoccurred after repair at 60 mph. Another owner had battery replaced but failure persisted. No successful repairs reported.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer acknowledged no error codes were found in some cases. VINs not included in recall 15V146000.
Loss of engine acceleration power with power steering failure
During highway driving, vehicle loses throttle response and power steering simultaneously. Engine RPMs race to 4500-6000 but vehicle cannot accelerate above 40-60 mph, feeling locked in higher gear. Check engine and power steering lights illuminate. All dashboard gauges malfunction initially.
When: Highway driving at 65-74 mph, approximately 1.5 hours into drive; mileage unknown
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering light and check engine light illuminate; All dashboard gauges go to zero or fluctuate erratically; Engine RPMs race to 4500-6000 but vehicle will not accelerate normally; Vehicle limps to 40 mph max speed despite high RPMs; Feels like transmission will not shift out of high gear; All gauges eventually return to normal but acceleration remains severely limited
Codes mentioned: Loss of communication with power steering control module, Transmission limp-mode engagement
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was towed to dealer; no specific repair details provided in narratives
Intermittent power steering lockup with battery drain and repeated battery failure
Vehicle experiences intermittent power steering lockup events that temporarily resolve after disconnecting and reconnecting battery. Battery fails repeatedly (drained or bad cells) and requires multiple replacements within weeks. Instrument panel displays random messages in different languages.
When: After 30 minutes of continuous highway driving; at stop lights and while parking; mileage 51,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering fails, then briefly restores after battery reset; Battery power drains rapidly despite new battery installation; Battery fails within couple weeks of replacement; Instrument panel displays random text and messages in different languages; Vehicle fails to start due to low battery despite new battery; Power steering failure recurs after each battery reset cycle
Codes mentioned: Loss of communication with power steering control module, Battery drain/low voltage condition, Bad battery cell
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced twice but failed repeatedly; dealers could not retrieve fault codes during diagnosis
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not made aware in one case; no TSB or recall found to address the battery drain issue
Steering wheel stiffness and hesitation with electrical malfunction
Steering wheel becomes abnormally stiff and exhibits hesitation or delayed response when turning. Often accompanied by radio and instrument panel going inoperative. May follow engine overheating event.
When: After engine overheating event; during normal driving at undisclosed speeds; mileage 108,172 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel becomes abnormally stiff and difficult to maneuver; Steering response hesitates or delays when turning wheel in any direction; Radio becomes inoperative; Instrument panel becomes inoperative; 'Check Power Steering Unit' message displayed; Engine overheating may precede steering issues
Codes mentioned: Check Power Steering Unit message
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired by independent mechanic or dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer confirmed VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign 15V146000 (Steering)
Chronic recurrent power steering, engine, and traction control faults despite repeated dealer service
Vehicle exhibits recurring power steering loss, check engine light, traction control light, and drivability problems (hard acceleration requiring flooring pedal, hard jolts after stops). Despite multiple dealer visits and repairs, failures resume within 2 weeks each time. Owners report being told the car is unsafe to drive.
When: Multiple instances over extended ownership period; failures occur less than 2 weeks after each repair
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering goes out intermittently; Check engine light comes on repeatedly; Traction control light comes on repeatedly; Engine requires flooring accelerator to crawl to stop; Hard jolts or jerks when stopping at lights; Power steering and traction lights repeatedly illuminated; Failures recur shortly after each dealer 'repair'
Codes mentioned: Check engine codes (not specified), Traction control codes (not specified), Power steering codes (not specified)
Repairs/costs cited: Tasca Buick performed multiple repairs; parts and labor charged; failures reoccurred within 2 weeks each time; dealer advised vehicle is unsafe and should not be driven
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers told owners repairs were complete, but underlying problem was never resolved
Steering wheel lockup at stop lights and intersections with safety incident
Power steering suddenly stops working at low speeds (stop lights, intersections, parking). Steering wheel becomes locked or requires extreme force to turn. Vehicle may not respond to reverse gear during incident. Traction and power steering warning lights illuminate. One owner reported hitting curb due to inability to steer.
When: At stop lights and intersections, during parking, low-speed maneuvers; first occurrence fall 2021, second occurrence 2022; mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering fails completely at stop light or intersection; Steering wheel locks or becomes extremely difficult to turn; Requires extreme effort to manually steer vehicle; Reverse gear does not engage or engage properly; Traction control warning light illuminates; Power steering warning light illuminates; Shifting from drive to reverse causes vehicle to jolt
Codes mentioned: Power steering warning light, Traction control warning light
Repairs/costs cited: Triple A approved mechanics inspected vehicle twice and found no problems; vehicle available for inspection but no repairs completed
Complete electrical shutdown with power steering and transmission lockup
While driving, vehicle experiences total or near-total electrical shutdown including loss of power steering assist and transmission function. Dashboard goes black, steering wheel becomes stiff, and vehicle may stall. System briefly recovers after key restart.
When: Highway driving at 45-50 mph; at undisclosed speeds during normal driving; mileage 30,000 to approximately 24,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: All electrical power cuts off or severely diminishes; Dashboard screen goes black; Steering wheel locks or becomes extremely stiff; Power steering assist lost; Vehicle stalls or loses engine power; Transmission function lost or severely limited; System resets after key-off restart
Codes mentioned: Loose ground cable, Battery-related fault (dead battery)
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle needed complete rewiring; another was not repaired due to dead battery during tow resetting the fault code so failure could not be duplicated
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: In one case, dealer stated vehicle could have automatically reset itself as result of dead battery in ignition. Manufacturer confirmed VIN not included in recall 15V146000.
Steering column/joint rust degradation
Steering joint and bar exhibit advanced rust and corrosion causing audible creaking noise when steering wheel is turned in either direction. Rust condition develops suddenly and is severe enough to be visible in photographs.
When: Steering creaking complaint; rust degradation complaint on 2015 model sold in 2016; mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Pronounced creaking sound when turning steering wheel left or right; Creaking develops suddenly; Steering joint and bar heavily rusted; Visible corrosion on steering components
Repairs/costs cited: Owner attempted to upload photos but could not; no repair information provided
Power steering failure with transmission limp mode and stalling
Vehicle loses power steering assist and simultaneously enters transmission limp mode (limited gear operation). Vehicle may stall during maneuvers like turning into parking area.
When: During normal driving; while turning into school parking lot; mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering assist lost; Vehicle enters limp mode (transmission severely limited); Vehicle may stall during maneuver; Check engine light and traction assist light illuminate
Codes mentioned: Limp mode engagement codes
Synthesized from 27 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Have had the car in the Buick dealership numerous times to get these things fixed. Each time was told it was fixed and I paid for parts and labor. 1. Engine Light keeps coming on. 2. traction light keeps coming on. 3. Power steering goes out 4. Press on gas and have to floor it in order to just crawl to a place to stop. 5 Hard jumps after stopping at a light Have had this in to Tasca Buick…
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the power steering assist warning light illuminated and the steering wheel was locked. Additionally, a burning odor was detected, and the tachometer was inoperable while driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure…
Power steering failed when driving. I had another passenger with me and when avoiding a pothole in the road, the car went crazy and it took all I could to control the vehicle and NOT crash into anyone or another car! I am having nightmares of what could have happened to me and my passenger. On the next day, I tried to start my vehicle and the steeling wheel was locked. I had it towed to VIP…
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 Buick encore. The contact stated that while his daughter was pulling out of a parking space, the power steering failed. The vehicle was restarted and regained normal power steering functionality. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle independently shifted in reverse. The contact shifted the vehicle to park and the vehicle then returned to normal…
Had steering trouble with your 2015 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 steering problem on the 2015 Buick Encore?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 27 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 18 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 24,000 and 75,000 miles, with the median around 58,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 24,000; a quarter make it past 75,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering 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 steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering 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/2015/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.