Black plate (5,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®(if equipped)
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
Black plate (1,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-2
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 5-2
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-2
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10 Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-10
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-11
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-12
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Power Steering Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 5-17
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-17
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-18
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-19
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 5-19
Immobilizer Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) Indicator Light . . . . . . . 5-20 Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-20
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-25
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-25
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-26
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-26
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Transmission Messages . . . . . 5-29
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . 5-29
Black plate (12,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
5-12 Instruments and Controls
important safety information. The
instrument panel has a passenger
airbag status indicator.
United States
Canada and Mexico
When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the symbol
for on and off, for several seconds
as a system check. Then, after
several seconds, the status
indicator will light either ON or OFF,
or the on or off symbol to let you know the status of the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag (if equipped).
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag (if equipped) are
allowed to inflate.
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag and
passenger knee airbag (if
equipped).
If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there
are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the
passenger sensing system. See
your dealer for service.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5-11 for more
information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
This light will come on briefly when
the ignition is turned on, and the
engine is not running, as a check to
show it is working.
Black plate (13,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
Instruments and Controls 5-13
It should go out when the engine is
started. If it stays on, or comes on
while driving, there may be a
problem with the electrical charging
system. Have it checked by your
dealer. Driving while this light is on
could drain the battery. If a short
distance must be driven with the
light on, turn off all accessories,
such as the radio and air
conditioner, to help reduce the drain
on the battery.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors the operation
of the vehicle to ensure emissions
are at acceptable levels, helping to
maintain a clean environment. The
malfunction indicator lamp comes
on when the vehicle is placed in
ON/RUN, as a check to show it is
working. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer. See
Ignition Positions on page 9-14for
more information.
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running, this indicates that the OBD
II system has detected a problem
and diagnosis and service might be
required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system also
assists the service technician in
correctly diagnosing any
malfunction.
{Caution
If the vehicle is continually driven
with this light on, the emission
controls might not work as well,
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
the vehicle fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine
might not run as smoothly. This
could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
{Caution
Modifications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake,
or fuel system of the vehicle or
the replacement of the original
tires with other than those of the
same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect the vehicle's
emission controls and can cause
this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems
could lead to costly repairs not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
This could also result in a failure(Continued)
Black plate (24,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
5-24 Instruments and Controls
the next oil change. To reset the
Engine Oil Life System, press SET/
CLR while the Remaining Oil Life
display is active. SeeEngine Oil
Life System on page 10-9.
Tire Pressure
The display will show a vehicle with
the approximate pressures of all
four tires. Tire pressure is displayed
in either kilopascal (kPa) or pounds
per square inch (psi). See Tire
Pressure Monitor System on
page 10-44 andTire Pressure
Monitor Operation on page 10-45 for
more information.
Compass
The vehicle has a compass display
in the DIC. See Compass on
page 5-4 for more information.
Vehicle Messages
Messages displayed on the DIC
indicate the status of the vehicle or
some action that may be needed to
correct a condition. Multiple
messages may display one after the
other.
The messages that do not require
immediate action can be
acknowledged and cleared by
pressing SET/CLR. The messages
that require immediate action cannot
be cleared until that action is
performed. All messages should be
taken seriously and clearing the
messages does not correct the
problem.
The following are some of the
vehicle messages that may be
displayed depending on your
vehicle content.
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages
BATTERY LOW START
VEHICLE
If this message displays, start the
vehicle to prevent further draining of
the battery.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable point. The battery saver
system starts reducing features of
the vehicle that may be noticed. At
the point that features are disabled,
this message displays. Turn off
unnecessary accessories to allow
the battery to recharge.
LOW BATTERY
This message is displayed when the
battery voltage is low. See Battery
on page 10-20.
Black plate (16,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
9-16 Driving and Operating
2 (ACC/ACCESSORY):This is the
position in which you can operate
things like the radio and the
windshield wipers when the engine
is off.
3 (ON/RUN): This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument cluster warning and
indicator lights. This position can
also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position
when the engine is running.
If you leave the key in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to
start the vehicle if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time. 4 (START):
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened, the ignition is
in ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/
OFF, and the key is in the ignition.
If the ignition becomes difficult to
turn, see Keys on page 2-1.
Key Lock Release
The vehicle may be equipped with
an electronic key lock release
system. This system is to prevent
ignition key removal unless the shift
lever is in P (Park).
The key lock release will not work if
the battery is charged less than
9-volts, or uncharged. Try charging
or jump starting the battery. See
Jump Starting on page 10-62
If charging or jump starting the
battery does not work, there is a
manual key lock release. Locate the
hole below the ignition lock. Insert a
tool or key into the opening. Locate
the lever, and press it toward the
driver while removing the key from
the ignition.
Black plate (20,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
9-20 Driving and Operating
P (Park) without first pushing the
button on the shift lever. If you can,
it means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you
do not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it difficult
to pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
This is called“torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into
P (Park) properly before you leave
the driver seat. To find out how, see
“Shifting Into Park” previously in this
section.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission, so you can pull
the shift lever out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with a shift
lock control. The shift lock control is
designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released.
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park) unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN and the
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock control is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting on
page 10-62. To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If still unable to shift out of P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and press the shift lever button
again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If the shift lever still cannot be
moved from P (Park), see “Shift
Lock Manual Release.”
Black plate (1,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
INDEX i-1
A
About Driving the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . iv
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Additional Information OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Adjustments Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-11
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Air Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28 Airbag System (cont'd)
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-25
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-11
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Alarm Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Alert Side Blind Zone (SBZA) . . . . . . 9-36
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . 9-25, 10-20
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Appearance Care
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72 Armrest
Front Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Rear Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Automatic Transmission
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Shift Lock ControlFunction Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Voltage and Charging
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-22
Blind Spot Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-15