Manufacturer-recommended service intervals for the GM Oil Life System and open recall alerts for your 2013 Buick Encore.
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Buick uses the GM Oil Life System: an algorithm tracks engine revolutions and temperature, then lights the change-oil message — typically every 7,500 miles in mixed driving, capped at 12 months, using dexos-approved oil. Current Encore GX and Envista run 1.2/1.3L turbo three-cylinders where oil quality matters more than volume drivers expect (the sump is small and turbo-heated). Front-drive models pair to a CVT with a published fluid interval — it is not a lifetime part.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
Campaign #16V502000 · May 7, 2016
Issue: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
AIR BAGS
Campaign #14V298000 · Jun 6, 2014
Issue: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured April 10, 2013, to May 8, 2013, and Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured December 30, 2012, to March 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, an improper weld on the passenger side front air bag inflator may result in the air bag not deploying.
Risk: If the air bag does not to deploy in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the front passenger.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14211.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
Campaign #14V417000 · Feb 7, 2014
Issue: 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.
Risk: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.
Fix: 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.
SEATS
Campaign #14V446000 · Jul 23, 2014
Issue: 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.
Risk: A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.
Fix: 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.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
Campaign #14V488000 · Aug 8, 2014
Issue: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to March 1, 2013, and model year 2013 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to May 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the driver and passenger lap belt pretensioner cables may not lock in a retracted position, allowing the seat belts to extend when pulled upon.
Risk: If the seat belts do not remain locked in the retracted position when under load, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front the driver's and the passenger's lap belt pretensioners, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. GM sent interim notifications on October 7, 2014 and will send a second notification when remedy parts are available. The recall began on November 20, 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14171.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
Campaign #13V105000 · Mar 28, 2013
Issue: General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured between December 9, 2012 and December 28, 2012, and equipped with a heated steering wheel. The steering wheel fastener may not have been properly installed. This could cause the steering wheel to come loose or separate from the steering column.
Risk: If the steering wheel separates from the steering column while driving, the ability to steer could be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and make any necessary repairs on the steering wheel. These services will be provided at no charge to the customer. The safety recall began on May 21, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300. This is General Motors campaign number 13098.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Change when the Oil Life System calls it — typically around 7,500 miles, never beyond 12 months. dexos1 0W-20 on modern engines. Small-displacement turbos (Encore GX, Envista): don't stretch the indicator.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate every 7,500 miles with the oil change — GM pairs the two in its schedule.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads, rotors, and lines at every service. Older Centurys: check rear drum adjustment and parking-brake cables, which seize with age.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
FWD Encore GX and Envista use a CVT: GM schedules fluid replacement around 45,000 miles under severe service — which includes most city commuting. AWD Encore GX uses a 9-speed automatic instead (see transmission fluid).
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$360–$500
Shop
~$255–$355
DIY
~$80–$180
CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Conventional automatics (Century's 4T65-E, Regal's Aisin, AWD Encore GX's 9-speed): GM lists 45,000 miles severe / longer normal. Older Buicks respond well to a simple drain-and-fill — avoid pressure flushes on high-mile units.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
Small-turbo three-cylinders (Encore GX, Envista): roughly every 60,000 miles — check the manual. Older 3.1/3.8 V6s: iridium plugs last to 100,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
GM schedules replacement around 45,000 miles; inspect at every oil change in dusty regions.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Inspect from 60,000 miles; replace on cracking or glazing rather than mileage alone.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$195–$235
Shop
~$135–$165
DIY
~$20–$50
DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace roughly every 22,500 miles per GM's schedule — behind the glovebox on modern Buicks.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Dex-Cool is rated 5 years / 150,000 miles. On older 3.1/3.8 V6s, intake-gasket seepage was the classic failure — check coolant level and condition at every oil change on a Century.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Test annually after year 3. Stop-start-equipped Encore GX/Envista use AGM batteries — replace like-for-like, not with a cheaper flooded battery.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$225–$390
Shop
~$160–$280
DIY
~$130–$250
Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2013 Buick Encore.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Action #EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 200…
NHTSA has 52 complaints on file for the 2013 Buick Encore (2013-09 → 2023-12). We haven't reviewed and grouped them yet for this specific vehicle — for now, the full list lives on NHTSA.
Top reported components: ENGINE (21) · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (8) · POWER TRAIN (7)
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Jul 29, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Jul 29, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2013 Buick Encore reflects Buick's published service intervals and the GM Oil Life System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.