Last updated: 2026-10-10
2022 Buick Encore GX Reliability Report
The 2022 Buick Encore GX has good reliability, but a false Shift to Park warning, seen around 24,000 to 34,200 miles, is its main flaw.
Recalls
1
Complaints
29
Complaint Rate
8.7per 10,000 sold
Est. Repair Cost
N/A
Detailed Score Breakdown
Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume
Independent repair cost ratings
Recall count weighted by severity
Breadth of reported problem categories
The Verdict
Rates well against other 2022 SUVs but sits among the weaker Encore GX years, mainly because of a false Shift to Park warning.
Top Issues to Watch
- POWER TRAIN (12)
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (3)
- ENGINE (3)
Generation & Refresh (US)
2022 is year 3 of the First generation (2020-present).
- Redesigned for the 2020 model year.
- Well-established in its generation — most early issues should be resolved.
- A refresh arrives in 2024.
- 1st generation Encore GX (US).
What this means for buyers
Well into the generation cycle — most design and manufacturing issues should be resolved by now.
2020: First generation (2020-present) Launch
Generation start — new platform.
2022: This Model Year
2022 is year 3 of the First generation (2020-present).
2024: Mid-Cycle Refresh
Updated features and styling tweaks.
Should You Buy the 2022 Buick Encore GX?
Good, with caveats. Reliability is good and above average among 2022 SUVs, but this is among the weaker of the seven Encore GX years we score. The 2021 rates about the same. The 2023 rates better, with fewer complaints and no recalls. Crash protection is not a worry, with a 5 of 5 star federal rating.
The main trouble is a false "Shift to Park" warning. The car is in Park, yet the engine or accessory mode stays on, chimes sound, and the horn honks when the driver walks away. Doors may not lock. Reports cluster between 24,000 and 34,200 miles. Dealers blame the shifter and connector, and some owners faced backordered parts and weeks without the car. Rarer but more serious are turbocharger and power loss complaints, including a stall at highway speed. Federal records list one Equipment recall.
Ask for repair records covering the shifter, the turbocharger, and any check engine light visits. Run the VIN for open recalls. A 2023 is worth a look if the budget allows.
Compared to the 2023 Buick Encore GX, which scored 5 points higher. See also the 2021 Buick Encore GX for an earlier comparison.
Pros
- +Acceptable reliability score
- +Low recall count
- +Below-average complaint rate for SUV
Cons
- −POWER TRAIN: After the shifter is put in Park, a false "Shift to Park" warning appears (12 complaints)
- −UNKNOWN OR OTHER: Most of these reports describe the same false "Shift to Park" warning (5 complaints)
Compare 2022 Buick Encore GX With
2022 Buick Encore
Reliability: 80/100
2022 Toyota C-HR
Reliability: 80/100
2022 Mazda CX-30
Reliability: 67/100
2022 Honda HR-V
Reliability: 83/100
2022 Hyundai Kona
Reliability: 64/100
Common Problem Categories
Safety
LOW RISK- 1 manufacturer recall issued
Other
HIGH RISK- POWER TRAIN (12)
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER (5)
Recall Overview
1
recall on record
The 2022 Buick Encore GX carries 1 recall — a low count. Authorized dealers repair any open recall free of charge, regardless of warranty status.
NHTSA.gov →Complaint Breakdown
8.7
per 10,000 soldSegment avg: 13.5
Safety Incidents
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
NHTSA 5/5 Stars
Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.
2022 Buick Encore GX Recall Details
1 recall has been issued for the 2022 Buick Encore GX. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.
EQUIPMENT
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Buick Encore GX and 2021-2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The emergency jack, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owner's manual, can fracture while in use.
Consequence
A fractured jack can cause the vehicle to collapse, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the jack, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owner of the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 26, 2021. A second notice will be mailed once remedy parts become available. 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 A212335470.
Buying a used 2022 Buick Encore GX? Check its history first
Power train problems lead owner complaints about the 2022 Buick Encore GX, and 1 recall was issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.
- Accidents
- Open Recalls
- Title History
- Odometer Rollback
2022 Buick Encore GX NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall Safety Rating
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)
Gas Powertrain
Rollover risk: 18.5%
Safety Technologies
Buick Encore GXRepair Costs & Maintenance
Maintenance Rating
3.5Maintenance rating: 3.5 out of 5Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.
Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.
Used Buying Checklist
Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2022 Buick Encore GX.
Park and shut off the car several times, and check for a "Shift to Park" message, chimes, or a radio that stays on.
After shutting off the car, step out and lock it. Make sure the doors lock and the horn doesn't honk.
Ask for service records showing shifter or connector repairs for the Shift to Park fault.
Shift into Reverse several times from a stop, and make sure it engages every time.
Scan for stored trouble codes, and ask for records of turbocharger, fuel pump, or purge pump repairs.
Drive at highway speed, and watch for stalling, sudden power loss, limp mode, or a "Battery in Safe Mode" message.
Look under the car for broken exhaust bolts, a loose pipe, or a loud exhaust leak.
If you use child seats, check the rear seats for LATCH anchors.
2022 Buick Encore GX Common Problems by Component
29 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.
POWER TRAIN
12 complaintsAfter the shifter is put in Park, a false "Shift to Park" warning appears. The engine or accessory mode stays on, the radio keeps playing, chimes sound, and the horn honks when the driver walks away. Doors may not lock. Owners shift between Drive and Reverse many times to clear it. Reports cluster between 24,000 and 34,200 miles. Owners worry that the car could roll away. Dealers blame the shifter and connector. Owners report backordered parts, cars sitting unusable for weeks, and paying for the repair themselves. One report describes the car not going into Reverse.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
5 complaintsMost of these reports describe the same false "Shift to Park" warning. The car stays running until the shifter is jiggled or moved to another gear and back to Park. Owners say repairs don't always last and that the fault showed up just after the bumper-to-bumper warranty ran out. Two unrelated reports stand out. In one, the exhaust bolts broke off at 18 months, and because the bolts are built into the pipe, a whole exhaust section had to be replaced. In the other, a car had no LATCH child-seat anchors.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
3 complaintsTwo of these reports describe the false "Shift to Park" warning. The car won't shut off, and one owner has to restart and work the shifter up to 20 times. The third report is more serious. A check engine light and sluggish running led the dealer to replace turbocharger intake parts. The car then lost speed suddenly while being driven and later would not start, so it had to be towed.
ENGINE (3 complaints)
ENGINE
3 complaintsA check engine light, sometimes with a service ECM message, comes on along with a loss of power while driving. One complaint describes a failed turbocharger with reduced engine performance and a critical warning on the screen. Another describes the emission purge pump being replaced after the light came on at about 7,350 miles. Owners describe feeling unsafe when the engine powers down in traffic. Some say the warning light came back after dealer visits.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (2 complaints)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2 complaintsOne report describes a stall at highway speed. Steering and braking become hard, several warning lights come on, and a "Battery in Safe Mode" message appears. The car would not restart and had to be towed. The stall happened two more times, and the dealer could not find the cause. In the other report, the engine would not go past 35 mph and made a growing loud noise. The dealer first called it an exhaust leak and said the car was drivable, but the exhaust pipe then came off and fell to the ground.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (2 complaints)
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
2 complaintsThe engine shuts off or drops into a reduced-power mode with no warning. In one report, the car died in the fast lane of a freeway at 273 miles and had to be steered across lanes to the shoulder. The dealer traced it to a faulty high-pressure fuel pump. In another, the car hesitated, every warning light came on, and the screen warned that steering might be affected. The car then ran in limp mode and sat at the dealer for more than a week.
WHEELS (1 complaints)
WHEELS
1 complaintWithin first couple months of ownership we had a wheel insert come off. We had it replaced at dealer Dec 2022 and noted it was two small bolts holding on the insert to actual wheel. The screws (2) appeared to have sheared off and are in line with brake rotors, calipers, and wheel itself when dislodging. The actual insert goes forward and can hit other cars and damage finish and other items as a projectile. We then had another do the same thing on different wheel 12 months later. Same issue. Same resolve as metal screws/bolts go directly into plastic insert which has no metal lining and no protection against breaking from stress, cleaning, and high speed turbulence thru this area. Less than a year later and we now have one missing insert that came off during highway, one loose we removed and found one bolt missing and sheered plastic, and a third one that is loose. Dealer will repair and replace under warranty but would not put on lift and check all inserts. There are approx 5 inserts per 18 inch wheel. This is a safety issue as the bolt will come out of fall into the wheel brake system. It could get lodged into calipers or pads and cause harm at least. These screw bolts are small but larger than anything nominal.
SEATS (1 complaints)
SEATS
1 complaint2022 Buick Encore GX Does not have Lower LATCH hooks for child seat. Hooks are described in Owner''s Manual and marked on rear seats but there are no hooks.
When Do 2022 Buick Encore GX Problems Start?
Based on owner complaint patterns, here's when common issues tend to appear.
Best & Worst Buick Encore GX Years
Best Buick Encore GX Years to Buy
Based on reliability index score2023
2024
2022
(Current Model)
Buick Encore GX Years to Avoid
Buick Encore GX Reliability Score Trend
Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.
| Year | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 70/100 | Good |
| 2021 | 74/100 | Good |
| 2022 | 74/100 | Good |
| 2023 | 79/100 | Good |
| 2024 | 77/100 | Good |
| 2025 | 79/100 | Good |
| 2026 | 82/100 | Excellent |
Buick Encore GX Reliability Compared to Other Years
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2022 Buick Encore GX reliable?
What are the most common problems with the 2022 Buick Encore GX?
Does the 2022 Buick Encore GX have shifter problems?
Does the 2022 Buick Encore GX have engine or turbo problems?
Is the 2023 Buick Encore GX more reliable than the 2022?
Don’t buy a 2022 Buick Encore GX without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.
How we score the 2022 Buick Encore GX
Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2022 Buick Encore GX does best on recall impact (88/100) and worst on complaint severity (66/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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