2017 Buick Encore Turbo Failure

[poncho167]

What kind of gas mileage is your wife's Encore getting? Supposedly the Trifecta tune really wakes it up, at least the dyno-sheets claim it does. I wanted to get the DI engine, but they are extremely rare around my area and dealers do not discount them at all if they do have one in stock.

There is a recent post follow up with someone who got the Trifecta and he was disappointed for spending $400. I thought about it when I got my Sonic but heard you may lose possibly 1 mpg. I bought the car for mileage and didn't need the supposed performance increase. Reading online and with the other post on here, the software tune only changes the rpm shift points and nothing more.

 

[DocBrown]

What kind of gas mileage is your wife's Encore getting? Supposedly the Trifecta tune really wakes it up, at least the dyno-sheets claim it does. I wanted to get the DI engine, but they are extremely rare around my area and dealers do not discount them at all if they do have one in stock.

She gets 29 pretty consistently in the city during warm weather. We just took it on a weekend trip. On the way back we stayed on country highways for half the trip and got 35 at 60 mph with E-10. We've gotten 32 or so at 75 mph. We don't baby it too much either., in other words I'm not going to hypermill and slow the traffic down behind me from a dead stop, but we're not flooring it either. We're also forced to used E-10 which is a small factor. It would likely be a little better with "pure" gas. I won't even try premium, not at the 70-80 cents more a gallon we get socked for it. Overall for a high topped vehicle I'm pleased with what she gets with it.

That said I've heard great things about Trifecta. I'm just not that hot on modding things these days. When I was in my 20s or 30s I probably would have been all over this if the cars then had computers that could be tuned.

 

[poncho167]

I thought the Trifecta was meant to increase turbo boost but now I am hearing otherwise?🐢

 

[ThatsNotABuick!]

I just found this looking around today. It seems that a lot of dealers are misdiagnosing turbo failures:
Misdiagnosis of Returned Turbochargers – TechLink

 

[poncho167]

I just found this looking around today. It seems that a lot of dealers are misdiagnosing turbo failures:
Misdiagnosis of Returned Turbochargers – TechLink

That is interesting and kind of what I suspected. From what I have been reading from drivers who had error codes resulting in turbo charger replacements, it seemed like dealers were just replacing everything. My situation that I had was on a previous 2013 Sonic last year that was related to the PCV regulator in the valve cover, which I replaced myself and resolved the issue.

 

[DocBrown]

Good find!

 

[Riz]

Per the Techlink above.....So cracks at the waste gate port are considered normal?

 

[drhealyourself]

This article was interesting to

Genesis, Buick give owners fewest headaches, latest JD Power study finds - Roadshow

I'm the one that tried to trade my 2017 Buick Encore in because of the issues I've had already for a vehicle I just purchased 5 months ago.

But the amount of negative equity I've already gained made the trade not worth it.

It's good to know that Buick is considered to be a dependable brand.

 

[poncho167]

Per the Techlink above.....So cracks at the waste gate port are considered normal?

I saw that, but under that it says 'Broken wastegate solenoid valve port." I wonder if they are saying that just the solenoid valve port replacement would remedy that situation if that is possible?

 

[poncho167]

Without looking at a schematic, would replacing the turbo possibly mess up the coolant lines that connect to it? I am asking this because I know someone with a 2014 that had the turbo recently replaced under an extended warranty but the owner has had nothing but problems since. They had the vehicle for a week and basically replaced everything it sounds like, including the valve cover. It was leaking oil after she got it home the first time and it was the valve cover so they replaced the covers gasket as they messed up and didn't install it right. Another trip involved a chipped serpentine belt for $170, how does that happen? They billed the warranty company for their valve cover mess up also. Now she has what they call leaking heater lines for the tune of $900. I think this is much more than incompetence. Your thoughts?

 

[ThatsNotABuick!]

It's good to know that Buick is considered to be a dependable brand.

I wouldn't exactly say dependable, just more dependable than almost everyone else! As a whole, quality has gone downhill with all of the manufacturers in my opinion. I doubt we will ever see reliability of the 3.8 engine or 4L80E (with the exception of the LS engines). The Japanese were done around 2001, they will never have their legendary reliability of the early 1990s. I drove a new Camry recently and was mortified how horrible the NVH was. My 1987 Camry has less vibrations with the original engine and transmission.

 

[drhealyourself]

So today, my engine light came on again. This is the third time in three months. This time, OnStar sent me a message saying that it's the emissions system. I just checked my warranty coverage and I initially had three emissions warranty's. Two are still in force. I'm on my way to the dealer now.

 

[drhealyourself]

So at the dealer, he said it is a part that is related to emissions and Buick has extended the warranty on this part to 120,000 miles. He said this part commonly needs replacing.

I can't remember what it's called, but I'll give you all an update when I get the paperwork when I get my car back.

I'm in another loaner for now.

 

[Steveyo]

So at the dealer, he said it is a part that is related to emissions and Buick has extended the warranty on this part to 120,000 miles. He said this part commonly needs replacing.

I can't remember what it's called, but I'll give you all an update when I get the paperwork when I get my car back.

I'm in another loaner for now.

Please do keep us informed. I suspect the part is the intake manifold pcv valve. How many miles is on your Encore, by the way?

 

[drhealyourself]

Please do keep us informed. I suspect the part is the intake manifold pcv valve. How many miles is on your Encore, by the way?

It's a 2017 with about 57,000 or so

 

[poncho167]

It's a 2017 with about 57,000 or so

I would say it may be your oxygen sensor.

 

[drhealyourself]

I would say it may be your oxygen sensor.

So I just picked up my car, and it says that the valve was stuck open. It says the vehicle purge valve was stuck open. Hooked up smoke tester and verified that valve was stuck open. Found special coverage for the vehicle. Removed and replaced EVAP purge valve and found at the DTC is no longer present.

 

[DocBrown]

At least it was covered. I replaced the purge valves on both my 2008 GMC Sierra and 2006 Chevy HHR. Both at well over 100k miles.

 

[poncho167]

So I just picked up my car, and it says that the valve was stuck open. It says the vehicle purge valve was stuck open. Hooked up smoke tester and verified that valve was stuck open. Found special coverage for the vehicle. Removed and replaced EVAP purge valve and found at the DTC is no longer present.

Glad they actually did some diagnostic testing to determine the cause. I commonly still hear that shops/dealers just look for failure codes and replace everything that could be the culprit until the find the right one.

 

[G-337048]

Hey...

so first thing, I want to address the underpowered engine.

I thought the same thing at first.

I bought a 2017 Encore in Sept 2019 with 34,800 miles on it.

I do a lot of highway miles on my car for work also.

I thought it was extremely underpowered, as compared to my 2006 RAV4 Limited.

Well, back in November, the engine light came on, and if I remember correctly, it lost power.

I took it to the dealer, and they said that it was leaking vacuum, and that the valve cover needs replacing.

They said that this is a common issue.

At the time, I was at about 48,000 miles and still covered under the bumper-to-bumper warranty.

After that work was done, the car drove much better. Still not as powerful as the V6 engine in the RAV, but enough for me to stop complaining.

Then about three days ago, the engine light came on again. I was working and 160 miles out of town, so I just crossed my fingers with plans to take the car in to the dealer the next day. I did call OnStar to get the trouble code.

The trouble code indicated that air was leaking. To me, air, vacuum, sounds like the same thing to me.

By this time, I'm at 55,000 miles. Well out of the bumper-to-bumper warranty, but still covered under the powertrain warranty.

So I pulled the invoice from the valve cover work out of the glove compartment, and saw that Buick's work is guaranteed for 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.

So the next day, the engine light went out on its own. Later that same day, I still took the car to the dealer.

The guy insists that it's not the same thing, and that I have to pay the $110 diagnostic fee so they can figure out what's wrong.

They were kind enough to give me a loaner: a 2020 Encore that felt like the exact same car to me.

Only differences are the color on the outside, and the fact that the 2020 has less than 1,000 miles on it. Maybe it felt slightly faster, quieter, and with brighter headlights. But other than that, I drove the 2020 for two days, and I had to keep reminding myself that wasn't my 2017 Encore. The interior design and interior color are also exactly the same.

Anyway, the dealer called me last night and said that it turns out that it was the turbo, and they are replacing it, as it's covered under the powertrain warranty.

I'm very happy I don't have to pay, but very unimpressed with Buick. I'm thinking about getting an extended warranty now, because I don't trust it anymore. Wish I could give it back.

I just replaced my vacuum cover and the next day the engine light came on and it says it’s the turbo. I bought it in March with 59,000 miles on it.