Engine Power Reduced-Limp Mode?

[Buick Customer Service]

Good afternoon slove_89,

We regret to hear of your Encore’s concerns. This is certainly not the experience that we want our customers to have. We would be happy to serve as an extra layer of assistance to you in connecting you with one of our certified dealerships for a servicing appointment. To proceed, please provide me with your full contact, VIN, current mileage and your preferred GM certified dealership. We look forward to hearing from you soon and for the opportunity to restore your faith in our brand.

Best,

Jerel J.
Buick Customer Care

Yes, this just happened to me for the first time. I am livid, as I had a brand new Saturn Ion, also GM product that died on me as I was driving and caused a car accident and cut open my head. So I am taking this in immediately and contacting GM. I bought this buick encore brand new and have already taken it in twice for repairs under warranty. My boyfriend also has a chevy truck that he has taken it in 7-8 times for various issues and has recently been having the truck dying while he is driving as well. I am over GM products.

 

[Sue100454]

Christmas day 2017 I went to my sister's for dinner. Trying to pull into the driveway my 2013 Buick Encore had an engine light and "Engine Power Reduced" and I could barely get it up the slight incline in the driveway. I called OnStar to get the code and was told it was P2135 which was a transmission issue and I wouldn't be able to drive it home. This is the second time this has happened and the GMC authorized service center can't figure out what's wrong. I let it sit for a time and the engine light went off when I restarted it a few times. I did not want to get stuck somewhere on Christmas so I had it towed to the dealer yesterday morning. I spoke with the tech and they cannot find anything wrong. Has your Encore experienced this again and what did service do about it?

 

[Rodney]

Car has no power , replaced map sensor,and upstream o2 sensor, car will not go over 20 mph. There are no codes in the car scratching my head. I need help figuring it out.

 

[oregon_rider]

Car has no power , replaced map sensor,and upstream o2 sensor, car will not go over 20 mph. There are no codes in the car scratching my head. I need help figuring it out.

There are codes... Then there are diagnostics. Sounds like you need to take it into the dealer for the "latter"...

That being said - I would look at the turbo... Some here have mentioned issues with the turbo linkage.

How many miles and what year is your vehicle.

And finally, if you are determined to do all the work yourself, you might be able to get some help over on a cruze or a sonic forum - the 1.4 turbo LUV engine was also used in those vehicles.

jeff


p.s. If you you have less then 80k miles - it is best to take to dealer for a diagnosis first - as many emissions related components are still under federally mandated emissions system warranty...

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

Car has no power , replaced map sensor,and upstream o2 sensor, car will not go over 20 mph. There are no codes in the car scratching my head. I need help figuring it out.

If you are talking about a 2008 Lucerne with a 3800 motor. The only time I had a 3800 go into limp mode is when the trans fluid was bad/old. It was -40 freezing winter with very strong winds and I was driving on the highway. Once I got off the highway and came to a stop, the car went into limp mode... I assume the trans fluid turned to thick syrup from the super cold weather/wind. I turned the car off, then turned back on and sat idling for 10+ minutes and car was OK. I didn't have to go back on the highway after that.

I changed the Transaxle fluid to AMSOIL and never had a problem again.

I'm just thinking that if the trans fluid is too low or too hot or way too cold, the car can go into limp mode.
You also say the car will not go above 20 mph which seems like it's stuck in 1st gear.

Read the manual on how to check the trans fluid level. It's not like checking engine oil. it's a much different procedure to check the transaxle fluid level.

 

[crakkus]

These are new cars.....the transmission fluid is not the problem.

 

[Kellera]

Good afternoon slove_89,

We regret to hear of your Encore’s concerns. This is certainly not the experience that we want our customers to have. We would be happy to serve as an extra layer of assistance to you in connecting you with one of our certified dealerships for a servicing appointment. To proceed, please provide me with your full contact, VIN, current mileage and your preferred GM certified dealership. We look forward to hearing from you soon and for the opportunity to restore your faith in our brand.

Best,

Jerel J.
Buick Customer Care

I just recently replaced my sensor for throttle control on Friday last week picked up my vehicle drove it on Saturday morning for 30 minutes light popped up again dropped speaks about 30 miles per hour call issues.which game it was covered under the bumper to bumper warranty drove it Sunday check engine light was on have to coach checked at AutoZone came back to the throttle control sensor again. And it's a Buick encore 2015.
Ray

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

Some of the GM cars with drive by wire throttles need a calibration done when changing throttle sensors / motors.

 

[GATES]

This just in......it happened again this past Thursday. Eventually got it home. Service appointment tomorrow!

how much did it cost u to get it fixed cause im having that problem also power reduced engine

 

[GATES]

Had to bring this one back to the top, as I just received my letter of this condition from Buick today.

Seems the "ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED" message on 2013 Encore vehicles is more prevalent than what we first thought. It also mentions stalling caused by this condition.

It's not a recall letter but it is a warning letter, also stating not to take your vehicle into the dealer UNLESS you have this condition.

It also states if you have had the message and paid to have it fixed, since 2013, Buick will refund your money.

And lastly, the letter says that Buick is extending the warranty for this condition to 6 years from in service date, or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

does that include 2015 buick regal for that problem power reduced engine ? that warranty

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

You have a 2015 Regal, so more than likely something you read in this Encore posting will not apply. Warranty coverage is based on what you have, bumper to bumper or drive train only, which is something only you would know.

Because you have a similar symptom it doesn't always mean it's the same problem. It's needs to be identified and then you can check if it's covered by the warranty, the vehicle really shouldn't be driven and needs to get into a shop.

 

[Fart Blossoms Dad]

Hello Buick,
My daughter who is I college about 3 hrs from home is experiencing your limp mode on her 2014 Encore , with 64,650mi. She is on her own meaning she doesnt live in a dorm, for studying is hard in a dorm. She works part time when not in school and is finding out that adulting is hard. Her mother and I help when asked but she is independent and that's admirable in my eyes. What and why at 64,650 miles on her car is WRONG. Buick needs to fix this and fix it now. Think of your kid 3 hours away stranded and trying to get a degree in college. Yes I'm kinda pissed off and you would be too.

 

[G-343071]

I have a 2014 Buick Encore and have had numerous problems with battery going dead. If I turn the radio off when turning off ignition car starts fine , if radio left on battery dies in 3-4 days. Dealer cannot find the problem. It was under warranty and they replaced battery Dec 2017. Still didn't fix problem. The car only has 62,000 km on it.
A couple of days ago the Reduced Engine Power light cam on and car would not start.
We are seniors and are scarred to drive this car and GM won't do anything about it, now it is off warranty.

Any suggestions?

 

[Jack23]

We just came out of the parking garage after work and were at perhaps the second traffic (1/4 mile maybe) light idling. Temperature was freezing or below (blizzard, and I do mean a blizzard was imminent).

Car is at Buick and we shall soon see I reckon!

What did you find out?

 

[G-803217]

interesting my Buick regal is doing the same thing

 

[G-899680]

Had to bring this one back to the top, as I just received my letter of this condition from Buick today.

Seems the "ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED" message on 2013 Encore vehicles is more prevalent than what we first thought. It also mentions stalling caused by this condition.

It's not a recall letter but it is a warning letter, also stating not to take your vehicle into the dealer UNLESS you have this condition.

It also states if you have had the message and paid to have it fixed, since 2013, Buick will refund your money.

And lastly, the letter says that Buick is extending the warranty for this condition to 6 years from in service date, or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

Do you have this letter? I had this happen today

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

It's very unlikely to get reduced power with out an OBD code.
Read the code and you'll know what area might be the issue coming from.

My reduced engine power was due to throttle circuit P2138.
I cleared the code and All was good till it happened again 2 more times.
Haven't heard it looked at yet. I have a cheap OBDII reader in my car at all times and takes me 10 seconds to reset it.

 

[G-761963]

2011 LaCrosse started doing the same thing. If u shut it off and start back up its good for a while

 

[asdx1234]

Stuff like this is often the throttle body especially with GM.

Remember it is electronic and if it gets gunk inside of it then it doesn't work well. And you may or may not get a check engine light especially when it first starts happening.

Eventually the car will start to stall/die while going down the road which means no power steering and no power brakes.

Reduced engine power is often the biggest indicator that there is a throttle body problem.

I don't even bother trying to clean a GM throttle body. Taking if off, and then cleaning it is a very easy way to break something but hey if that is what you have to do then by all means.

They are less than 100$(I think I got mine on partsgeek) and the only unique tool needed is a Torx 30 socket to change it out.

 

[DocBrown]

Stuff like this is often the throttle body especially with GM.

Reduced engine power is often the biggest indicator that there is a throttle body problem.

No, that's not even close to being true. A bad battery can cause limp mode. A misfire can cause it. A failed turbo can cause it. My wife's Encore went into limp mode when the MAF sensor failed.

A dirty throttle body becomes pretty obvious long before it gets to the point of causing limp mode, or even a solid CEL.