BuickEncore2021Overview/buick/encore/2021/base/

2021 Buick Encore

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 Encore.

Transmission Automatic (S6)

The 2021 Buick Encore is equipped with an engine that requires 4.25 qt of oil and is recommended to use 5W‑30 or 0W‑30 viscosity. It is paired with an automatic transmission and achieves EPA‑rated fuel economy of 24 mpg city, 29 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined. In its reliability record the 2021 model logged only nine owner complaints, all centered on the engine, and carried zero recalls, placing it near the low end of the model’s complaint history that ranges from 123 complaints in 2015 to just eight in 2022.

Model year202220212020201920182017201620152014

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.25 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 0W-30OEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy24/29/26 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 25206377. 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
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215/55R18 94HOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter25206377 alt 55593191
Engine air filter95021102
Spark plug12681656 alt 12683541
Battery88866291
Front wiper blades42765836 alt 42765840
Serpentine belt55595700 alt 55587929
Thermostat55565619 alt 12649163
Cabin air filter13503677

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 / combined24 / 29 / 26 mpg
DrivetrainAll-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.

7.8–10.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.80 sec — 2017 Preferred II
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2020GX Essence (Sport Touring) 1.3L Turbo I-38.70 sec16.70 sec155 hpFWD
2020GX Essence (Sport Touring) 1.3L Turbo I-39.30 sec17.00 sec155 hpAWD
2020GX Essence (Sport Touring) 1.3L Turbo I-39.30 sec17.00 sec155 hpAWD
2024GX Avenir 1.3L Turbo I-38.80 sec16.90 sec155 hpAWD
2024GX Avenir 1.3L Turbo I-38.90 sec16.80 sec155 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

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.25 qt of 5W-30 / 0W-30 engine oil, Dot 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 10.3 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.2-6.3 Qts.
Brake FluidDot 4
Brake Fluid Capacity1.416 pt
Clutch FluidDOT 3
Engine Coolant Capacity7.7 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · 0W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.25 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)5.9 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)4.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs71.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)5.9 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)31.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug10.3 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs71.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 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.024-.028 in
Spark Plug Torque18.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.97 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Capacity2.5 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50-94
RPM43-58 @ Idle rpm
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-94.0
RPM43.0-58.0 rpm
Injector Primary Resistance11

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 30.0; Rear: 26.0
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 118.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 74.0 ft-lbs
ABS Sensor Torque6.5
Minimum Pad ThicknessDisc: 0.079"; Drum: 0.055" 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
Maximum Rotor Runout.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages
137.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60°37 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45°18 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
126.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 180°26 ft. lbs
Flex or Driveplate Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
126.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30°, Step 3: 15°26 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
144.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45°, Step 3: 15°44 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) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level)
Every 15,000 miWindshield Wiper Blade (replace)
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)
Every 75,000 miHood Hinge (inspect)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · 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 2021 model year represents the culmination of a steady improvement arc for the Encore, with federal complaints plummeting to just 9 units—a dramatic decline from the 2015 peak of 123 complaints and less than half the 2020 volume—while recalls dropped to zero, matching only the 2018 and 2022 model years in this dataset. Technical Service Bulletins continued their generation-long descent from 1,627 in 2013 to 533 in 2021, indicating progressively fewer technical issues as the platform matured. The 2021 data shows complaints concentrated in Engine and Power Train categories, though the data does not specify whether these share root causes with earlier model years or represent isolated incidents. With zero crash complaints, zero fire complaints, and the lowest complaint volume of any year in this federal record, the 2021 Encore sits at the favorable terminus of this generation’s reliability curve, making it a statistically sound choice for used car buyers prioritizing minimal federal safety activity.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
533
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
9
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 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 9 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Engine3
Power Train2
Power Train,Service Brakes1
Service Brakes1
Unknown Or Other1
Electrical System,Air Bags1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 533 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT5966F2026-06-23Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still…
PIC6423A2026-05-11Unknown Or OtherPi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection…
PIC6551B2026-05-11Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless…
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
N25-2505522026-03-20Unknown Or OtherImprovements to OnStar functionality.

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

How much oil does the 2021 Encore take?

4.25 qt of Dexos1 Gen 2 5W-30 is preferred but 0W-30 may be used for temperatures below -20°F, per the factory manual.

Does the 2021 Encore have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Encore get?

EPA figures are 24 city / 29 highway / 26 combined mpg.