2018 BUICK ENCORE Rear end

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
In Brief 15
The rear dome lamp controls are in
the headliner above the rear seats.
9:Press to turn the lamps off,
even when a door is open.
H: When the button is returned to
the middle position, the lamps turn
on automatically when a door is
opened.
R: Press to turn on the dome lamps. Reading Lamps
The front reading lamps are in the
overhead console.
#or$:
Press to turn each lamp
on or off.
For more information about interior
lighting, see Instrument Panel
Illumination Control 0141 or
Courtesy Lamps 0141.
Exterior Lighting
The exterior lamp control is on the
instrument panel to the left of the
steering column.
There are four positions:
O:Turns the exterior lamps off and
deactivates the AUTO mode. Turn
Oagain to reactivate the
AUTO mode.
In Canada, the headlamps will
automatically reactivate when the
vehicle is shifted out of P (Park).
AUTO : Turns the exterior lamps on
and off automatically depending on
outside lighting.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
16 In Brief
;:Turns on the parking lamps
including all lamps, except the
headlamps.
5: Turns on the headlamps
together with the parking lamps and
instrument panel lights. A warning
chime sounds if the driver door is
opened when the ignition is off and
the headlamps are on.
#: If equipped with fog lamps,
press to turn the lamps on or off.
See:
. Exterior Lamp Controls 0138.
. Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
0139.
. Front Fog Lamps 0141.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper/washer lever
is on the right side of the steering
column.
Move the lever to one of the
following positions:
HI : Use for fast wipes.
LO : Use for slow wipes.
INT : Use this setting for intermittent
wipes or Rainsense™, if equipped.
For intermittent wipes, move the
windshield wiper lever to INT. Turn
the
xINT band up for more
frequent wipes or down for less
frequent wipes.
If equipped with Rainsense, move
the windshield wiper lever to INT
and turn the
xINT band to adjust
the sensitivity to moisture. .
Turn the band up for more
sensitivity to moisture.
. Turn the band down for less
sensitivity to moisture.
. Move the windshield wiper lever
out of the INT position to
deactivate Rainsense.
OFF : Use to turn the wipers off.
1X : For a single wipe, briefly move
the wiper lever down. For several
wipes, hold the wiper lever down.
b: Pull the windshield wiper lever
toward you to spray windshield
washer fluid and activate the wipers.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer
The rear wiper/washer controls are
on the end of the windshield wiper
lever.
ON : Press the upper portion of the
button for continuous rear window
wipes.
OFF : The rear wiper turns off when
the button is returned to the middle
position.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
Seats and Restraints 47
Seats and
Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . 50
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Front Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Folding Seatback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Seat Belts
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
How to Wear Seat BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Seat Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . 64 Seat Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Replacing Seat Belt System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . 67
When Should an AirbagInflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Passenger Sensing System . . . 72
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . 76
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . 77
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Infants and Young Children . . . . 79
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . 82
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . 83
Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren (LATCH System) . . . . 84 Replacing LATCH System Parts
After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the
Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the
Front Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
Seats and Restraints 69
Warning (Continued)
inflating airbag must be kept
clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an
airbag, and do not attach or put
anything on the steering wheel
hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
Do not use seat accessories that
block the inflation path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof
of a vehicle with roof-rail airbags
by routing a rope or tie‐down
through any door or window
opening. If you do, the path of an
inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped with
airbags. SeeAirbag System 066.
Airbags are designed to inflate if the
impact exceeds the specific airbag system's deployment threshold.
Deployment thresholds are used to
predict how severe a crash is likely
to be in time for the airbags to
inflate and help restrain the
occupants. The vehicle has
electronic sensors that help the
airbag system determine the
severity of the impact. Deployment
thresholds can vary with specific
vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe frontal
or near frontal crashes to help
reduce the potential for severe
injuries, mainly to the driver's or
front outboard passenger's head
and chest.
Whether the frontal airbags will or
should inflate is not based primarily
on how fast the vehicle is traveling.
It depends on what is hit, the
direction of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down.
Frontal airbags may inflate at
different crash speeds depending on
whether the vehicle hits an object
straight on or at an angle, and
whether the object is fixed or
moving, rigid or deformable, narrow
or wide.
Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, in
rear impacts, or in many side
impacts.
In addition, the vehicle has
advanced technology frontal
airbags. Advanced technology
frontal airbags adjust the restraint
according to crash severity.
Knee airbags (if equipped) are
designed to inflate in moderate to
severe frontal or near frontal
impacts. Knee airbags are not
designed to inflate during vehicle
rollovers, in rear impacts, or in many
side impacts.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags
are designed to inflate in moderate
to severe side crashes depending
on the location of the impact.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags
are not designed to inflate in frontal
impacts, near frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
70 Seats and Restraints
A seat-mounted side impact airbag
is designed to inflate on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
Roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending on the location
of the impact. In addition, these
roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate during a rollover or in a
severe frontal impact. Roof-rail
airbags are not designed to inflate in
rear impacts. Both roof-rail airbags
will inflate when either side of the
vehicle is struck, if the sensing
system predicts that the vehicle is
about to roll over on its side, or in a
severe frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
vehicle damage or repair costs.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills theairbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover. The inflator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag locations, see
Where Are
the Airbags? 067.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In
moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by seat belts by
distributing the force of the impact
more evenly over the
occupant's body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are designed to help contain the
head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
first and second rows. The rollover
capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can
prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. See
When
Should an Airbag Inflate? 069.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to seat belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal, knee (if equipped),
and seat-mounted side impact
airbags inflate, they quickly deflate,
so quickly that some people may
not even realize the airbags inflated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after
they inflate. Some components of
the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? 067.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
74 Seats and Restraints
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 seat 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
away. See Airbag Readiness
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Light0115 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 (With
the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat)
092 orSecuring Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Front Seat) 094. 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
0 48.
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-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
78 Seats and Restraints
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown
booster seats should wear the
vehicle’s seat belts.The manufacturer instructions that
come with the booster seat state the
weight and height limitations for that
booster. Use a booster seat with a
lap-shoulder belt until the child
passes the fit test below:
.
Sit all the way back on the seat.
Do the knees bend at the seat
edge? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
. Buckle the lap-shoulder belt.
Does the shoulder belt rest on
the shoulder? If yes, continue.
If no, try using the rear seat belt
comfort guide, if available. See
“Rear Seat Belt Comfort Guides”
under Lap-Shoulder Belt 061.
If a comfort guide is not
available, or if the shoulder belt
still does not rest on the
shoulder, then return to the
booster seat.
. Does the lap belt fit low and
snug on the hips, touching the
thighs? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat. .
Can proper seat belt fit be
maintained for the length of the
trip? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
Q: What is the proper way to wear seat belts?
A: An older child should wear a
lap-shoulder belt and get the
additional restraint a shoulder
belt can provide. The shoulder
belt should not cross the face or
neck. The lap belt should fit
snugly below the hips, just
touching the top of the thighs.
This applies belt force to the
child's pelvic bones in a crash.
It should never be worn over the
abdomen, which could cause
severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash.
Also see “Rear Seat Belt Comfort
Guides” underLap-Shoulder Belt
0 61.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in a rear seating position.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
Seats and Restraints 81
Warning (Continued)
or killed. Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the front
outboard seat. Secure a
rear-facing child restraint in a rear
seat. It is also better to secure a
forward-facing child restraint in a
rear seat. If you must secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the front outboard seat, always
move the front passenger seat as
far back as it will go.
Child restraints are devices used to
restrain, seat, or position children in
the vehicle and are sometimes
called child seats or car seats.
There are three basic types of
child restraints:
.Forward-facing child restraints
. Rearward-facing child restraints
. Belt-positioning booster seats
The proper child restraint for your
child depends on their size, weight,
and age, and also on whether the
child restraint is compatible with the
vehicle in which it will be used.
For each type of child restraint,
there are many different models
available. When purchasing a child
restraint, be sure it is designed to be
used in a motor vehicle. If it is, the
restraint will have a label saying that
it meets federal motor vehicle safety
standards. The restraint
manufacturer's instructions that
come with the restraint state the
weight and height limitations for a
particular child restraint. In addition, there are many kinds of restraints
available for children with special
needs.
{Warning
To reduce the risk of neck and
head injury in a crash, infants and
toddlers should be secured in a
rear-facing child restraint until age
two, or until they reach the
maximum height and weight limits
of their child restraint.
{Warning
A young child's hip bones are still
so small that the vehicle's regular
seat belt may not remain low on
the hip bones, as it should.
Instead, it may settle up around
the child's abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a
body area that is unprotected by
any bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal
(Continued)