The Lemon IndexThe turbo isn't making the boost the computer asked for, so the car feels slow and may go into reduced power. Full P0299 page
10 owner complaints · the #1 code Buick Encore owners name
2016–2021 Buick Encore · most: 2016 (3), 2019 (2), 2018 (2)
Buick Encore owners named P0299 in 10 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2016, 2019 and 2018 model years. The part they name most is the turbocharger or wastegate (7 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Buick Encore model years that report P0299
Owner complaints naming P0299, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the turbocharger or wastegate, in 7 of the 10 complaints (70%). 6 of those mention it being replaced or repaired.
- Turbocharger or wastegate7 complaints6 mention a repair or replacement · what owners paid
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P0299
60% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
Keep going
- P0299: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Buick Encore reliability by year
- 2016 Buick Encore problems and recalls
P0299 on other cars
Chevrolet Cruze (10) · Chevrolet Malibu (10)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P0299 means
The turbo isn't making the boost the computer asked for, so the car feels slow and may go into reduced power.
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
- Boost leak (cracked hose or intercooler)
- Sticking wastegate
- Worn turbocharger
- Faulty boost control solenoid
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11754320, 11752260, 11743163, 11718958, 11667276, 11618557, 11592997, 11505585, 11325031, 11219199.
Quick answers
What does P0299 mean on a Buick Encore?
Turbocharger/Supercharger A Underboost Condition. The turbo isn't making the boost the computer asked for, so the car feels slow and may go into reduced power.
Which Buick Encore years have the most P0299 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2016 (3), 2019 (2), 2018 (2) Buick Encore named P0299 most (10 complaints in all, 2016–2021). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P0299 on a Buick Encore?
Owners most often name the turbocharger or wastegate (7 of 10 complaints). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
Can I drive my Buick Encore with P0299?
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P0299 on the Buick Encore, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.