This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, and/or B3935. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. If unable to duplicate the concern ask if the customer uses any Radio Frequency Identification Devices when the concern is present. Dealer should also direct their customers to the appropriate section in the Owner manuals that references that the device complies.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2018 Buick Encore airbags problems
severe 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
6crashes
8injuries
What stands out
Among the 7 model years of Buick Encore in our records for airbags problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags 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 technical bulletin provides a procedure to remove the driver front seat outboard seat back airbag and re-seat the CPA clip for the airbag.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of the 2018 Buick Encore report passenger airbag sensors that turn off without reason—even with an adult in the seat—and stay off despite multiple dealership visits. One owner cannot use a seat cushion for back support without triggering the disable, leaving her unprotected. Diagnostic costs run $200 with repairs quoted at $873, yet some failures persist unresolved even after multiple invoices.
More serious are frontal-impact failures where front airbags do not deploy in collisions at highway speeds (30–55 mph), while side airbags sometimes fire instead. Three owners report crashes where the frontal airbags should have deployed but didn't, resulting in head strikes and injuries. One owner hit a deer head-on and the airbags never fired. Another was rear-ended with both occupants injured and no deployment. A fourth crash report notes electrical-smelling smoke in the cabin post-impact.
The airbag warning light is also problematic—some owners have it illuminated continuously with no clear repair path, while others see it stay on after a collision. GM has issued a prior recall, but it does not cover all affected VINs. Dealership and GM customer-care attempts to resolve these complaints have been documented as unsuccessful.
Same Buick Encore airbags reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Passenger Airbag Sensor Malfunction (Off Indicator)
Passenger side airbag sensor continuously or intermittently disables, showing the airbag is off on the dash indicator even when an adult passenger is seated. Sensor sensitivity to seat position changes, seat cushions, or other positioning variables causes unintended deactivation. Owners report the dealership cannot resolve the issue.
When: Early ownership (invoices from 12/2019 to 2/2020 reported); occurs during normal operation and at low mileage (one complaint at 15k miles)
Symptoms owners cite: Dash indicator light shows passenger airbag off when passenger is seated; Sensor disables airbag when seat cushion or special positioning is used; Intermittent on/off behavior during driving; Multiple dealership visits fail to correct the fault
Repairs/costs cited: Owner reports cost estimates: $200 diagnostic fee, $873.19 for repair; dealership unable to resolve despite multiple service attempts (invoices cited: 204865, 206511, 207656)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM case #9-5827839607 opened; senior advisor provided no resolution
Airbag Non-Deployment on Frontal Impact
Front airbags fail to deploy during frontal or front-corner vehicle collisions at highway speeds. Airbag light may or may not be illuminated prior to the crash. Drivers and passengers sustain injuries from unprotected impact.
When: Occurs at low to moderate mileage (6,000 miles reported in one case; 15,000 in another)
Symptoms owners cite: Front airbags do not deploy in frontal collisions at 30-55 mph; No pre-collision warning lights illuminated; Driver strikes head on steering wheel, loses consciousness; Possible electrical/smoke odor in cabin post-impact; Airbag warning light remains illuminated after crash
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to independent shop; dealership not contacted for diagnosis; no repair attempted
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM case #9-5265716704 provided; no further assistance
Side Airbag Deployment During Frontal Impact
Side airbags deploy during frontal or front-corner collisions while front airbags remain inactive. Airbag control module or sensor logic may be firing the wrong airbag circuit in response to impact angle.
When: Occurs during frontal collision at 45 mph impact speed
Symptoms owners cite: Side airbags deploy in frontal-corner impact scenario; Front airbags do not deploy in same collision; Driver sustains head injury from undeployed front airbag
Airbag System Warning Light Malfunction
Airbag warning light illuminates and remains on without a clear or addressable fault, or light activates after a collision and does not clear. Owners cannot obtain a definitive repair path.
When: Reported in vehicles under 5 years old at time of complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light on continuously or after crash; Light does not clear after collision event; Diagnostic fee required but repair estimate uncertain
Repairs/costs cited: $200 diagnostic fee reported; uncertain repair cost
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Previous airbag recall issued but does not include affected VINs
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
previous airbag recall, but not including my VIN. However, my airbag light is on and malfunctioning. It will cost $200 to just diagnose the repair and no idea what the cost to fix this saftey issue on a car that is only 5 years old. Please help!
When crossing through an intersection at approximately 45mph, I was struck by another vehicle, speed unknown, who failed to stop at a stop sign. My vehicle was struck on the front passenger corner. My vehicle continued in a forward motion for several hundred feet. Both driver and front passenger wore seat belts, however the driver struck her head on steering wheel, loosing consciousness for…
Had airbags trouble with your 2018 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 airbags problem on the 2018 Buick Encore?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 10,325 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 $1,100 for airbags 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 airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags 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/2018/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.