Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Seat belts reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jul 21, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 89 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3
What this page shows
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2017 Buick Encore submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming seat belt
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Seat belts
Filed Jul 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Buick Encore. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side seat belt failed to work as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The front driver’s side seat belt also failed to work as intended. The contact had to push the front seat all the way back to release the seat belt. The contact stated that the seat belt was too tight and pressed into her stomach. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact had become aware of the failure after the vehicle was purchased. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA ID
11675097
Incident
Jul 11, 2025
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed May 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while the front passenger's side seat was occupied, the seat belt chime reminder failed to engage while the front passenger's side seat belt was not buckled, and the message "Air Bag Off" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front passenger's side seat presence module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 17V437000 (Air Bags, Seat Belts) and 16V651000 (Air Bags, Seat Belts); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
NHTSA ID
11591133
Incident
Mar 28, 2024
Mileage
45,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 8, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2017 BUICK ENCORE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT AND REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO LOCK SECURELY INTO THE BUCKLE. THE SEAT BELT WAS CLEANED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,124.
NHTSA ID
11320528
Incident
Apr 8, 2020
Mileage
42,124 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Mar 2, 2020
Crash reported1 injury reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 BUICK ENCORE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AT 28 MPH, SHE CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER SEAT BELT DID NOT ENGAGE AND SHE HIT HER CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL; SHE ALSO HIT HER LEFT KNEE ON THE DASHBOARD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. THE CONTACT TOOK HIS WIFE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND SHE WAS TREATED FOR BRUISES TO HER CHEST AND LEFT KNEE. THE OTHER DRIVER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED TO CLASSIC CHEVROLET CADILLAC (3855 EASTEX FWY, BEAUMONT, TX 77706). THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.*BF*JB
NHTSA ID
11315616
Incident
Nov 27, 2019
Mileage
29,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Aug 7, 2019
Crash reportedFire reported1 injury reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 BUICK ENCORE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DISTRACTED BY AN INSECT ON THE WINDSHIELD, THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED A 2019 GMC ARCADIA. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONTACT AND HIS HEAD STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS HEAD AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS PROVIDED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS SMOKE EMERGING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KELLY BUICK (585 STATE AVE, EMMAUS, PA 18049 (610) 364-5957) WHERE IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO CONTACT ON STAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO PROVIDED CASE NUMBER 923908 HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.
NHTSA ID
11242221
Incident
Jul 17, 2019
Mileage
41,000 mi
ElectricalSeat belts
Filed Mar 5, 2019
REAR SEATBELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. ALL INSTRUMENTS STOPPED WORKING MOMENTARILY WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA ID
11184418
Incident
Mar 5, 2019
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Sep 24, 2018
DON'T EXCEL UNSAFE BELTS NEED TO BE INSPECTED.
NHTSA ID
11130972
Incident
Jul 16, 2018
Mileage
18,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesSeat belts
Filed Sep 10, 2018
Crash reported1 injury reported
I HAD JUST LEASED THIS CAR, DROVE LESS THAN 2 MILES FROM HOME WHEN MY BRAKES FAILED. I APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP, IT SLOWED TO 14 MPH - KEPT MOVING UNTIL I SLAMMED INTO TRUCK APPROX 3-400' AHEAD OF ME, HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP. PRETENSIONER FAILED - DRIVER SEATBELT COLLAPSED AROUND ME WHILE LOCKED IN PLACE THE SECOND I SLAMMED ON BRAKE. DRIVER SEATBELT WAS ON PASSENGER SIDE - VISA-VERSA - GM REP SAW THE SEATBELTS AT MY HOME - I SHOWED THEM TO HIM. HE TOLD ME WHICH BELT BELONGS ON WHICH SIDE AND I TOLD HIM THEY WERE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDES. HE PICKED EACH UP AND SHOWED ME THE 'R-L' ON THE END OF THE BELT AND THE "R" WAS THE COLLAPSED BELT. THE GM REP SAID THE 'INTACT' BELT WOULD HAVE BRUISED THE PERSON, IT DID, MY PASSENGER. THIS CAN BE VERIFIED BY MY PASSENGER. AIRBAG SENSOR DISPENSED GAS DURING SAME ACCIDENT-AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR HAD OVER $10K DAMAGE, FIXED - GM REP CHECKED CAR BECAUSE I CONTINUALLY SAYING THE BRAKES AND SEATBELT FAILED TO ANYONE AT WEST POINT THAT WOULD LISTEN. AFTER CHECKING CAR HE STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG. DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSTIC EQUIP SHOWED AIRBAG WAS FIXED BUT SEATBELT NEVER RECALLED, THEN THE STORY CHANGED THAT IT WAS. THE DIAGNOSTIC INFO PRINTOUT SHOWED WHERE I 'BRAKED' BUT THEN NO INFO RECORDED ANYWHERE. MY PASSENGERS SEATBELT WORKED, I WAS THROWN INTO STEERING WHEEL AND WAS INJURED. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH GM CEO WITH LETTERS AND THE CLAIMS DEPT WHO TELL ME THEY CAN'T HELP ME. IF MY LEASE WASN'T RECALLED AND I APPARENTLY HAD THE ABOVE ISSUES, THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED THEM BEFORE MY RECEIVING IT. THEY WOULD NOT EVEN SPEAK TO MY PASSENGER, OFFICER AT ACCIDENT, TOW TRUCK DRIVER WHO SAW THE SEATBELT HANGING OUT MY DOOR AT THE SCENE. I AM STILL BEING TREATED AND ONLY WANT FAIRNESS AND A DIFFERENT CAR. THIS ONE HAS HAD SO MANY LITTLE PROBLEMS AND ODDITIES BESIDES WHAT I AM DISCUSSING.
NHTSA ID
11128510
Incident
Nov 21, 2017
Mileage
95 mi
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own