BuickEncore2016Overview/buick/encore/2016/base/

2016 Buick Encore

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Encore.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2016 Buick Encore is an SUV equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission that returns an EPA-estimated 25/33/28 mpg, though its engine stands out as the primary focus of owner dissatisfaction. Across the model's 2013-2022 history, this model year occupies a transitional middle ground in reliability—dropping from the peak 123 complaints of the 2015 model, yet remaining well above the 8-complaint low achieved by 2022. With 78 total complaints and two recalls on record, the 2016 Encore represents a vehicle past its worst early-generation faults but one that hasn't yet reached the mechanical maturity of later production years.

Model year202220212020201920182017201620152014

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy25/33/28 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12699847. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 525 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215/55R18OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12699847 alt 55593191
Engine air filter95021102
Spark plug12681656 alt 12673527
Battery88866291 alt 88865276
Front wiper blades42765836 alt 42765840
Serpentine belt55595700 alt 55587929
Thermostat55565619 alt 12649163
Cabin air filter13503677 alt 13271190

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length168.1 in
Overall width69.7 in
Overall height65 in
Wheelbase100.8 in
Curb weight3358 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined25 / 33 / 28 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Encore of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.20 sec — 2016 Sport Touring
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016Sport Touring 1.4L Turbo I-49.20 sec17.00 sec138 hpAWD
2017Preferred II 1.4L Turbo I-47.80 sec16.20 sec138 hpFWD
2017Sport Touring 1.4L Turbo I-48.40 sec16.60 sec138 hpAWD
2017Sport Touring 1.4L Turbo I-48.50 sec16.50 sec138 hpFWD
2017Sport Touring 1.4L Turbo I-48.60 sec16.60 sec138 hpAWD
2017Premium 1.4L Turbo I-410.70 sec17.90 sec138 hpAWD
2013Premium 1.4L Turbo I-49.30 sec17.10 sec138 hpFWD
2013Premium 1.4L Turbo I-410.00 sec17.60 sec138 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine 75W-90 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 11.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidDEXRON(R)-VI GM P/N 89020661
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.5-6.5
Brake FluidDOT 4
Brake Fluid Capacity1.416
Clutch FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil75W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.1 qt
Engine CoolantDex Cool

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs71 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts6
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug10.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug10.3 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug10.3 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug11.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug11.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Driveshaft Flange to Transmission43.0 ft-lbs
Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts55.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug30.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.28 in
Spark Plug Torque18 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.26 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity2.50 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature217 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50-94
RPM43-58 @ Idle rpm
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50-94
RPMrpm
Injector Primary Resistance11

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 21; Rear: 21 /
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 118; Rear: 74 /; Front: 118; Rear: 74
ABS Sensor Torque7 / NS
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.055 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .905; Rear: .393
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: .913; Rear: .402
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.001

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Install a new nut and torque to 37.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6037 ft. lbs
Rear Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Install a new nut and torque to 37.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6037 ft. lbs
Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Install a new nut and torque to 37.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6037 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4518 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2016 Buick Encore sits in a favorable position within the generation's complaint and recall arc. Complaints dropped sharply from 123 in 2015 to 78 in 2016, then rose only slightly to 87 in 2017, indicating that 2016 avoided the peak issues of earlier years. Recalls also fell from four in both 2014 and 2015 to two in 2016, matching the 2017 count, while the number of TSBs continued a steady decline from 1,459 in 2015 to 1,252 in 2016. Engine complaints dominate the 2016 model’s record (20 of 78 total), but the data does not specify root causes, so a pre-purchase inspection is prudent. With no investigations and only six crash complaints and one fire complaint, the 2016 Encore represents a mid-cycle improvement over the 2013–2015 models. Overall, this is a reasonable year to buy if you prioritize fewer recalls and a lower complaint rate than the earliest examples, though later model years (2018 onward) show even fewer issues.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1252
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
78
Owner complaints
6 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 78 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine20
Fuel/Propulsion System5
Electrical System3
Steering3
Power Train,Engine3
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System3
Unknown Or Other3
Air Bags3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V651000Air Bags:FrontalReported 08/09/2016

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… 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…

17V437000Air Bags:FrontalReported 10/07/2017

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… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1252 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP4902U2026-01-08Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT5214G2025-11-20Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Encore. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 Encore have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Encore get?

EPA figures are 25 city / 33 highway / 28 combined mpg.