Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234779) - 2016 - CRC - 1/5/16
4 Introduction
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
`:Do Not Puncture
^:Do Not Service
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
_: Flame/Fire Prohibited
#: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®
a:Under Pressure
M: Windshield Washer Fluid
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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94 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 95
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 95
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . 95
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 95
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . 97
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 104
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 104 Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 106
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 106
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Power Steering Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . 110
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . . 110
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . 111
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 112
Immobilizer Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 112
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 112
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . 112
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 113
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Brake System Messages . . . . . 117
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . 117
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . 117
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 118
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . . 118
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Transmission Messages . . . . . . 120
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 121
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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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)
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234779) - 2016 - CRC - 1/5/16
116 Instruments and Controls
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). SeeTire
Pressure Monitor System 0229 and
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
0 230 for more information.
Compass
The vehicle has a compass display
in the DIC. See Compass097 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 -
North America 0207.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234779) - 2016 - CRC - 1/5/16
Driving and Operating 161
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 - North
America 0246.
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.”
Shift Lock Manual Release
The automatic transmission has an
electric park lock. The key must be
in the ON/RUN position, and the
brake pedal pressed so the shift
lever can be moved from the
P (Park) position. If the battery has
lost power, the shift lever cannot be
moved from P (Park) unless the shift
lock manual release is disengaged
manually.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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310 Index
Automatic (cont'd)Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Shift Lock Control FunctionCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
B
BatteryPower Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Battery - North America . . . . 207, 246
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . 209
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 108
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 155
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . 213
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . .188, 207, 246
Camera Rear Vision (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Management System . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 3
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . 91
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 106
Check
Ignition Transmission Lock . . . 208
Malfunction IndicatorEngine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . 72
Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 85
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 134 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 285
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
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314 Index
Lamps (cont'd)On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Lane Departure Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
LATCH System Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Lighting
Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 108
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 Lights (cont'd)
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 127
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Lane Departure Warning . . . . . . 109
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 104
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . .110
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Warning, Power Steering . . . . . 109
Locks
Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . 112
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Maintenance and Care Additional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . 263 Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . 106
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Messages Battery Voltage and
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . .117
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Object Detection System . . . . . .118
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . .119
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116