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The 2020 Buick Encore GX has 66 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2020 Buick Encore GX has 66 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is powertrain at 16 complaints, typically surfacing around 22,724 miles (~$2,500 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Encore GX (this page) | 66 | 2 |
| 2021 Encore GX | 50 | 2 |
| 2022 Encore GX | 29 | 1 |
| 2023 Encore GX | 23 | 0 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: brakes is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 23,116 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 2 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.6/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
The contact owns a 2020 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message “Shift to Park" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that an unstated part in the gear…
When I park the vehicle doesn’t recognize that I switched my gear to park and it won’t let me turn my vehicle off and when I have my foot on the brake it feels like sponginess
While driving up to an intersection I applied my foot to the brake pedal. Upon doing so the pedal did not move as if it was locked in place. I applied more pressure as I was coming up to the intersection and then the steering wheel locked in place as if the car was off. The…
Brakes are noisy more going in reverse. Dealer ordered updated front brakes on 12/8/2020 and as of 12/23/2020 they have not been received and do not have a date when they will be in. Tried to call gm customer service but they do not answer the phone. Also when the car was in the…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A fractured jack can cause the vehicle to collapse, increasing the risk of injury.
If communication with the sensor is interrupted, the electronic brake boost assist could be lost. Extra pedal force will be required to slow and stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 66 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 Buick Encore GX is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
On the NHTSA data, the 2020 Buick Encore GX does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average; 2 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the powertrain first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 16 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 22,724 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.6 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 66 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is powertrain. Typical failure occurs around 22,724 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 16 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 22,724 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
The powertrain is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 22,724 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 66 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $2,500, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.