Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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32 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Safety Locks
The rear door safety locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear
doors from inside the vehicle.
Manual Safety Locks
If equipped, the safety lock is
located on the inside edge of the
rear doors. To use the safety lock:1. Insert the key into the safety lock slot and turn it so the slot
is in the horizontal position.
2. Close the door.
3. Do the same for the other rear door. To open a rear door when the safety
lock is on:
1. Unlock the door by activating the inside handle, by using the
power door lock switch, or by
using the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter.
2. Open the door from the outside.
To cancel the safety lock: 1. Unlock the door and open it from the outside.
2. Insert the key into the safety lock slot and turn it so the slot
is in the vertical position. Do
the same for the other door.
Doors
Liftgate
{Warning
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, hatch/trunk open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
hatch/trunk or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate or hatch/trunk open:
. Close all of the windows.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air
and set the fan speed to the
(Continued)
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Keys, Doors, and Windows 33
Warning (Continued)
highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems”
in the Index.
. If the vehicle is equipped
with a power liftgate, disable
the power liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust 0163.
Caution
To avoid damage to the liftgate or
liftgate glass, make sure the area
above and behind the liftgate is
clear before opening it.
To lock or unlock the liftgate from
inside, press
QorKon the power
door locks. See Power Door
Locks 031. To lock or unlock the liftgate from
outside, press
QorKon the
RKE transmitter. See Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 026.
To open the liftgate, press the touch
pad in the pull cup below the license
plate and lift manually.
To close the liftgate, push from the
center to ensure that it fully latches.
Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
the vehicle impossible to steal.
Vehicle Alarm System
If equipped with an anti-theft alarm
system, the indicator light, on the
instrument panel near the
windshield, shows the status of the
system.
An indicator light, on the instrument
panel near the windshield, indicates
the status of the system:
Off : Alarm system is disarmed.
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106 Instruments and Controls
Warning (Continued)
have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light 0104 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.
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 (Check Engine
Light)
This light is part of the vehicle’s
emission control on-board
diagnostic system. If this light is on
while the engine is running, a
malfunction has been detected and
the vehicle may require service. The
light should come on to show that it
is working when the ignition is in
ON/RUN with the engine not
running. See
Ignition
Positions 0155.
Malfunctions are often indicated by
the system before any problem is
noticeable. Being aware of the light
and seeking service promptly when
it comes on may prevent damage.
Caution
If the vehicle is driven continually
with this light on, the emission
control system may not work as
well, the fuel economy may be
lower, and the vehicle may not
run smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Caution
Modifications to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake,
or fuel system, or the use of
replacement tires that do not
meet the original tire
specifications, can cause this light
to come on. This could lead to
(Continued)
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Driving and Operating 143
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 144
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 147
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 148
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 150
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 155
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 164
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 173
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 183
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
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150 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0163.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction
Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0168.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
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158 Driving and Operating
then stops again, do the same
thing. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. Do
not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Stop/Start System
{Warning
Exiting the vehicle without first
shifting into P (Park) may cause
the vehicle to move. You or others
may be injured. Because the
vehicle has the auto engine stop/
start feature, the vehicle's engine
might seem to be shut off;
however, once the brake pedal is
released, the engine will start up
again.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF, before
exiting the vehicle.The stop/start system helps to save
fuel and to reduce the exhaust
emissions.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and
the vehicle is at a complete stop,
the engine may turn off. When
stopped, the tachometer displays
AUTO STOP. See
Tachometer
0 102. When the brake pedal is
released or the accelerator pedal
pushed, the engine will restart.
Auto Stop may be deactivated if:
. A minimum vehicle speed is not
reached.
. The engine or transmission is
not at the required operating
temperature.
. The shift lever is in any gear
other than D (Drive).
. The battery charge is low. .
The interior comfort level has not
reached the required level for
the climate control system or
defog settings. See Dual
Automatic Climate Control
System 0137.
. The Auto Stop time is greater
than two minutes.
Engine Heater
Vehicles with the 1.4L engine may
have an engine heater. The engine
heater can help in cold weather
conditions at or below −18 °C (0 °F)
for easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the heater at least four hours
before starting the vehicle. An
internal thermostat in the plug-end
of the cord will prevent engine
heater operation at temperatures
above −18 °C (0 °F).
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162 Driving and Operating
To access the shift lock manual
release:1. Turn the ignition OFF and remove the key.
2. Hold the brake pedal down. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the cover on theconsole.
4. Insert and press the ignition
key into the slot.
5. Move the shift lever out of P (Park). If P (Park) is selected
again after the key is removed
from the slot, the shift lever will
be locked again.
6. Remove the key from the slot.
7. Close the cover.
8. Have the cause of the problem fixed by your dealer.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
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Driving and Operating 163
Engine Exhaust
{Warning
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO), which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:. The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation
(parking garages, tunnels,
deep snow that may block
underbody airflow or tail
pipes).
. The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
. The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
. The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified,
damaged, or improperly
repaired.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle: . Drive it only with the
windows completely down.
. Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park 0160 and
Engine Exhaust 0163.