Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11434432) - 2018 - CRC - 10/25/17
170 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 171
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 175
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 176
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 178
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 182
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 191
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 195
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 197
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 201
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 209
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 210
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 218
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 221
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 224
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11434432) - 2018 - CRC - 10/25/17
Driving and Operating 173
.Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
. Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic. If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort. See your dealer if
there is a problem.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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176 Driving and Operating
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0267.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.
Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission. .
Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering assist. Always
have the engine running and the
vehicle in gear. .
Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 177
.Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0197.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0194.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside Assistance Program
0331. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.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
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See “Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0190.
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.
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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178 Driving and Operating
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. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 197.
{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
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle 0297.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification/Tire label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.
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Driving and Operating 183
Caution (Continued)
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic
keyless ignition with pushbutton
start. The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the
pushbutton start is not working, the
vehicle may be near a strong radio
antenna signal causing interference
to the Keyless Access system. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation
028.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be in ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied.
Stopping the Engine/Off (No
Indicator Lights)
When the vehicle is stopped, press
ENGINE START/STOP once to turn
the engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0188. If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition system will
turn off.
The vehicle may have an electric
steering column lock. The lock is
activated when the vehicle is
switched to OFF and either front
door is opened. A sound may be
heard as the lock actuates or
releases. The steering column lock
may not release with the wheels
turned off center. If this happens,
the vehicle may not start. Move the
steering wheel from left to right
while attempting to start the vehicle.
If this does not work, the vehicle
needs service.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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184 Driving and Operating
If the vehicle must be turned off in
an emergency:1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the
ignition off. The shift lever must
be in P (Park) to turn the
ignition off.
4. Set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake 0195.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold ENGINE START/
STOP for longer than two seconds,
or press twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber
Indicator Light)
This mode allows you to use some
electrical accessories when the
engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after
five minutes to prevent battery
rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green
Indicator Light)
This mode is for driving and starting.
With the ignition off and the brake
pedal applied, pressing the button
once will place the ignition system
in ON/RUN/START. Once engine
cranking begins, release the button.
Engine cranking will continue until
the engine starts. See Starting the
Engine 0185. The ignition will then
remain in ON/RUN.
Service Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off and
the brake pedal not applied,
pressing and holding the button for
more than five seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Mode. The
instruments and audio systems will
operate as they do in ON/RUN, but
the vehicle will not be able to be
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Driving and Operating 185
driven. The engine will not start in
Service Mode. Press the button
again to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment
0 233. Starting Procedure
1. With the Keyless Access system, the RKE transmitter
must be in the vehicle. Press
ENGINE START/STOP with the
brake pedal applied. When the
engine begins cranking, let go
of the button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down. 2. If the engine does not start
after five to 10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather
(below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you hold ENGINE START/
STOP for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try,
to allow the cranking motor to
cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the button and
the accelerator. If the vehicle
starts briefly but 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.