The 2014 Buick Encore uses GM's 1.4L turbo four-cylinder mated to a six-speed automatic, sharing DNA with the Chevy Trax and Sonic. While compact and fuel-efficient, this platform is plagued by catastrophic engine failures and transmission cooling issues that overshadow its otherwise decent reliability.
1.4L Turbo Catastrophic Engine Failure (Piston Ring Land / Crankshaft)
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Excessive oil consumption (quart every 500-1,000 miles), Blue smoke on startup or acceleration, Metallic knock or rattle from bottom end, Check engine light with misfire codes P0300-P0304, Complete loss of power / seized engine in worst cases
Fix: This engine has a known piston ring land fracture defect that leads to oil burning, carbon buildup, and eventually rod bearing or crankshaft failure. Fix requires complete engine rebuild (pistons, rings, rod bearings, mains, often crank grinding) at 25-35 hours labor, or short block replacement at 18-22 hours. Many owners opt for used engine swap (12-15 hours) due to cost.
Estimated cost: $4,500-7,500
Transmission Oil Cooler Line Failure / Leak
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission fluid puddle under vehicle (front center), Burnt transmission fluid smell, Harsh or delayed shifts after fluid loss, Overheating transmission temperature warning
Fix: The steel cooler lines corrode where they attach to the radiator or run along the subframe. If caught early, just replace the lines (2.5-3.5 hours). If ignored and transmission overheats, you're looking at valve body damage or complete transmission failure. Must drop subframe or remove radiator depending on which line fails.
Estimated cost: $450-850
Transmission Mount Collapse
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunk or thud when shifting from Park to Drive/Reverse, Excessive engine movement visible from engine bay during acceleration, Vibration in cabin at idle, Jerky throttle response on takeoff
Fix: The hydraulic transmission mount fails internally, letting the drivetrain shift excessively. Replacement is straightforward with engine support bar: 1.5-2.0 hours labor. Use OEM or Febi—aftermarket rubber mounts fail quickly.
Estimated cost: $250-450
PCV System Clogging / Intake Manifold Carbon Buildup
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Rough idle or stalling when coming to a stop, Whistling or hissing noise from engine bay, Check engine light with P0171 (lean code) or P0101 (MAF), Oil in air intake tubing or intercooler
Fix: Direct-injection turbo engines accumulate carbon on intake valves because no fuel washes them. The PCV valve integrated into the valve cover clogs, causing vacuum leaks and oil consumption. Replace PCV valve/cover (2.0 hours), and walnut-blast intake valves every 60-80k miles (4-5 hours) to prevent misfires.
Symptoms: Rattle or buzzing from engine bay on cold start (first 30 seconds), Loss of power under acceleration, Check engine light with P0299 (underboost) or P0234 (overboost), Excessive black smoke under load
Fix: Wastegate actuator rod wears or the flapper valve seizes from carbon. Early rattle can sometimes be cleaned, but most need turbo replacement. Turbo R&R is 5-6 hours due to tight engine bay access. Aftermarket turbos are risky—stick with OEM or BorgWarner remanufactured.
Estimated cost: $1,400-2,200
EVAP Purge Valve / Vent Valve Failure
Occasional · low severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Check engine light with P0496 (purge flow high) or P0446 (vent control), Fuel smell in cabin after filling tank, Difficulty filling gas tank (pump clicks off repeatedly), Rough idle for 30 seconds after startup
Fix: Purge valve sticks open (mounted on intake manifold, 0.5 hour) or vent valve fails (behind rear bumper near fuel tank, 1.0-1.5 hours). Both are easy DIY fixes. Diagnose with smoke test before throwing parts.
Estimated cost: $150-300
Owner tips
Check oil level every 500 miles religiously—early detection of consumption can save the engine if you address PCV and carbon buildup immediately
Use Top Tier gas and add fuel system cleaner every 5k miles to minimize carbon on valves
Inspect transmission cooler lines at every oil change for surface rust or seepage—preventive replacement at 70k miles is cheaper than a new transmission
Budget $500-750 for walnut blasting intake valves at 60-80k miles if you plan to keep it long-term
Buy only if under 60k miles with documented oil consumption history and walnut blasting; avoid high-mileage examples unless the engine has already been replaced.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
Fitment notes: H6 group also fits; AGM recommended for start-stop systems
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Every control module on the 2013-2017 Buick Encore — where it lives, replacement time, and what it takes to program a replacement. Modules marked dealer / factory tool won't work after a part swap alone — budget for programming.
⚠️ Mileage programming required; VIN and option configuration needed
Headlamp Control Module (HCM)0.8 hr R&Rrelearn only +0.2 hr▸ programming details
📍 Engine compartment, behind headlamp assemblies (driver or passenger side depending on function)
🔧 Scan tool configuration
⚠️ Auto-leveling calibration if equipped; basic function usually plug-and-play
Rear Vision Camera Module (RVC)0.5 hr R&Rno coding
📍 Integrated into rear liftgate handle assembly
⚠️ Plug-and-play replacement; calibration lines displayed by radio module
Aftermarket tool coverage varies by software version and vehicle build — treat "aftermarket tool" rows as "usually possible" and verify against your tool maker's coverage list before promising a customer. Spot a wrong location or hour? Tell us — corrections ship fast here.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · 16V651000
2016-09-08
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
SEATS · 14V446000
2014-07-23
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high load condition such as a crash.
Consequence: A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14340.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL · 14V417000
2014-07-02
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.
Consequence: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.
Performance
Horsepower
138hp
Torque
148lb-ft
0–60 mph
9.5sec
Quarter mile
17.2sec
Top speed
112mph
Fuel economy (EPA)
City
25mpg
Highway
33mpg
Combined
28mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
Capability & size
Towing capacity
1,000lb
Payload
1,050lb
Curb weight
3,295lb
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Wiper blades
First generation (2013-2022). Standard hook attachment.
Size-standard part numbers — verify your connector type before buying. Rear blades are model-specific; check the package's vehicle list.
Fuel economy figures are EPA data via fueleconomy.gov (median across matching trims). Performance figures are compiled estimates for the 2014 Buick Encore 1.4L Turbo I4 and can vary by trim.
🔧 Database maintained under the daily editorial review of Chris Hackleman · Master Technician · 20+ years and Jeff Moore · Master Mechanic · 20+ years.