Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 47
To stop recall movement, press one
of the memory, power mirror,
or power seat controls.
If something has blocked the driver
seat while recalling a memory
position, the recall may stop.
Remove the obstruction; then press
and hold the appropriate manual
control for the memory item that is
not recalling for two seconds. Try
recalling the memory position again
by opening the driver door and
pressing the RKE transmitter
K
button. If the memory position is still
not recalling, see your dealer for
service.
Easy Exit Driver Seat
This feature moves the seat
rearward allowing the driver more
room to exit the vehicle.
To activate, place the ignition in
OFF and open the driver door. If the
driver door is already open, placing
the ignition in OFF will activate the
recall.
This feature is turned on or off using
the vehicle personalization menu.
SeeVehicle Personalization 0121. To stop recall movement, press one
of the memory or power seat
controls.
If something has blocked the driver
seat while recalling the exit position,
the recall may stop. Remove the
obstruction; then press and hold the
power seat control rearward for
two seconds. Try recalling the exit
position again. If the exit position is
still not recalling, see your dealer for
service.Front Seat Armrest
There is an armrest on the inboard
side of the driver seat. To raise or
lower the armrest, push up or pull
down on the armrest.
Heated Front Seats
{Warning
If you cannot feel temperature
change or pain to the skin, the
seat heater may cause burns. To
reduce the risk of burns, people
with such a condition should use
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of
time. Do not place anything on
the seat that insulates against
heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to
overheat. An overheated seat
heater may cause a burn or may
damage the seat.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 67
passenger seat. When the
passenger sensing system has
allowed the airbags to be enabled,
the on indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbags are
active.
For some children who have
outgrown child restraints and for
very small adults, the passenger
sensing system may or may not turn
off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag (if
equipped), depending upon the
person's seating posture and body
build. Everyone in the vehicle who
has outgrown child restraints should
wear a safety belt properly—
whether or not there is an airbag for
that person.
{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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
away. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light 0104 for more information,
including important safety
information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a
Child Restraint
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint following the directions
provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat) 083 orSecuring
Child Restraints (Front
Passenger Seat) 085. 5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still
lit, turn the vehicle off. Then
slightly recline the vehicle
seatback and adjust the seat
cushion, if adjustable, to make
sure that the vehicle seatback
is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion.
Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under
the vehicle head restraint.
If this happens, adjust the head
restraint. See Head
Restraints 042.
6. Restart the vehicle.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure
the child in the child restraint in a
rear seat position in the vehicle, and
check with your dealer.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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68 Seats and Restraints
If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in
the front outboard passenger seat,
but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. Use the
following steps to allow the system
to detect that person and enable the
front outboard passenger frontal
airbag and knee airbag (if
equipped):1. Turn the vehicle off. 2. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as
blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat
massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this
position for two to
three minutes after the on
indicator is lit.
{Warning
If the front outboard passenger
airbag is turned off for an
adult-sized occupant, the airbag
will not be able to inflate and help
protect that person in a crash,
resulting in an increased risk of
serious injury or even death. An
adult-sized occupant should not
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
ride in the front outboard
passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag off indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
Safety belts help keep the
passenger in position on the seat
during vehicle maneuvers and
braking, which helps the passenger
sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See
“Safety Belts”and“Child Restraints”
in the Index for additional
information about the importance of
proper restraint use.
A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion,
or aftermarket equipment such as
seat covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system
operates. We recommend that you
not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific
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Seats and Restraints 69
vehicle. SeeAdding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 069
for more information about
modifications that can affect how
the system operates.
The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop,
or other electronic device, is put on
an unoccupied seat. If this is not
desired, remove the object from
the seat.
{Warning
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information
0287.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the
vehicle's frame, bumper system,
height, front end, or side sheet
metal, may keep the airbag system from working properly. The
operation of the airbag system can
also be affected by changing or
moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the airbag sensing and
diagnostic module, steering wheel,
instrument panel, any of the airbag
modules, ceiling or pillar garnish
trim, overhead console, front
sensors, side impact sensors,
or airbag wiring.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location
of the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag
wiring.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
front outboard passenger position,
which includes sensors that are part
of the passenger seat. The
passenger sensing system may not
operate properly if the original seat
trim is replaced with non-GM
covers, upholstery, or trim; or with
GM covers, upholstery, or trim
designed for a different vehicle. Any
object, such as an aftermarket seat
heater or a comfort-enhancing pad
or device, installed under or on top
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Instruments and Controls 123
Sort
This allows the first Home Page to
be customized. See“Home Page”
under “Using the System” in the
infotainment manual.
Restore Home Page Defaults
Select Restore Home Page Defaults
to return the Home Page to the
default settings.
Select Yes or No
Display Off
Select to turn the display off. Press
or turn any faceplate button to turn
the display on.
Vehicle Settings
The following list of menu items may
be available:
. Climate and Air Quality
. Comfort and Convenience
. Collision Detection System
. Lighting
. Power Door Locks
. Remote Lock/Unlock/Start
. Return to Factory Settings?
Climate and Air Quality
If equipped, select the Climate and
Air Quality menu and the following
may display:
.
Auto Fan Speed
. Air Conditioning Mode
. Remote Start Auto Heat Seats
. Auto Defog
. Auto Rear Defog
Auto Fan Speed
This allows the selection of the
automatic fan speed. This feature
sets the climate control fan speed to
maintain the interior temperature.
Select High, Medium, or Low.
Air Conditioning Mode
When on, the Air Conditioning will
come on when the vehicle is
started.
Select On, Off, or Last Setting.
Remote Start Auto Heat Seats
On vehicles with remote start and
heated seats, the heated seats can
be set to on or off. Select On or Off.
Auto Defog
When selected and high humidity is
detected, the climate control system
may adjust to outside air supply and
turn on the air conditioner or the
heater. The fan speed may slightly
increase to help prevent fogging.
When high humidity is no longer
detected, the system will return to
its prior operation.
Select or Deselect.
Auto Rear Defog
When selected, this feature turns on
the rear defogger at vehicle start
when the interior temperature is cold
and fog is likely. The auto rear defog
function can be disabled by
pressing
1. When off, the feature
can be turned on by pressing
1.
See “Rear Window Defogger” under
Climate Control Systems 0134.
Select or Deselect.
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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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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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Driving and Operating 159
To Use The Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap theelectrical cord. The cord is
located in the driver side of the
engine compartment, near the
battery. It is shipped from the
factory with a tie holding it in
place. Use care in removing
the tie so that the cord is not
damaged.
Check the heater cord for
damage. If it is damaged, do
not use it. See your dealer for
a replacement. Inspect the
cord for damage yearly. 3. Plug it into a normal, grounded
110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord
or an extension cord can damage
the cord and may result in
overheating and fire.
. Plug the cord into a
three-prong electrical utility
receptacle that is protected
by a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded
outlet could cause an
electric shock.
. Use a weatherproof,
heavy-duty, 15 amp-rated
extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the
recommended extension
cord in good operating
condition, or using a
damaged heater or
extension cord, could make
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
it overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
. Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
vehicle. Possible heater
cord and thermostat
damage could occur.
. While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
. Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach
the cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from
any moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it