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78 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
serious injury or even death. An
adult-sized occupant should not
ride in the front outboard
passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag OFF indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
Seat 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“Seat 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
vehicle. See
Adding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 079
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 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
Publication Ordering Information
0
304.
{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.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 91
Warning (Continued)
Buckle any unused seat belts
behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull
the shoulder belt all the way out
of the retractor to set the lock,
and tighten the belt behind the
child restraint after the child
restraint has been installed.
Caution
Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle’s seat belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled seat belts to avoid
rubbing the LATCH attachments.
Do not fold the rear seatback
when the seat is occupied. Do not
fold the empty rear seat with a
seat belt buckled. This could
damage the seat belt or the seat.(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
Unbuckle and return the seat belt
to its stowed position, before
folding the seat.
If you need to secure more than one
child restraint in the rear seat, see
Where to Put the Restraint 086.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the lower
anchors. If the child restraint
does not have lower
attachments or the desired
seating position does not have
lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and
the seat belts. Refer to the
child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the
instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating
position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat. For rear outboard seating
positions, if the head
restraint interferes with
the proper installation of
the child restraint, the
head restraint may be
removed. See
“Head
Restraint Removal and
Reinstallation” at the end
of this section.
When installing a
rear-facing child restraint,
it may be necessary to
move the front seat
forward to properly install
the child restraint per the
child restraint
manufacturer instructions.
See Seat Adjustment
0 49.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the
child restraint to the lower
anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that
the top tether be attached,
attach and tighten the top
tether to the top tether anchor,
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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92 Seats and Restraints
if equipped. Refer to the child
restraint instructions and the
following steps:
2.1. Find the top tetheranchor.
2.2. Remove the cargo cover, if equipped, before
installing the top tether.
Place the cargo cover on
the floor of the cargo
area. The cargo cover
should remain off while
the top tether is in use.
2.3. Route, attach, and tighten the top tether according
to your child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:If the position you are
using does not have a
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a
single tether, route the
tether over the seatback.
If the position you are
using does not have a
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a dual
tether, route the tether
over the seatback.
If the position you are
using has an adjustable
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a
single tether, raise the
headrest or head restraint
and route the tether
under the headrest or
head restraint and in
between the headrest or
head restraint posts.
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Seats and Restraints 93
If the position you are
using has an adjustable
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a dual
tether, raise the headrest
or head restraint and
route the tether under the
headrest or head restraint
and around the headrest
or head restraint posts.
3. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To
check, grasp the child restraint
at the LATCH path and attempt
to move it side to side and
back and forth. There should
be no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement for proper
installation.
Head Restraint Removal and
Reinstallation
The rear outboard head restraints
can be removed if they interfere with
the proper installation of the child
restraint. To remove the head restraint:
1. Partially fold the seatback forward. See Rear Seats056.
2. Press both buttons on the head
restraint posts at the same
time, and pull up on the head
restraint.
3. Store the head restraint in a secure place.
4. When the child restraint is removed, reinstall the head
restraint before the seating
position is used.
{Warning
With head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly,
there is a greater chance that
occupants will suffer a neck/
spinal injury in a crash. Do not
drive until the head restraints for
all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
To reinstall the head restraint:
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 95
If more than one child restraint
needs to be installed in the rear
seat, be sure to readWhere to Put
the Restraint 086.
1. Put the child restraint on the seat.
For outboard second row
seating positions, remove the
seat belt from the guide. Do not
secure the child restraint with
the seat belt routed through the
guide.
When installing a rear-facing
child restraint, it may be
necessary to move the front
seat forward to properly install
the child restraint per the child
restraint manufacturer
instructions.
If the head restraint interferes
with the proper installation of
the child restraint, the head
restraint may be removed. See
"Head Restraint Removal and
Reinstallation" under Lower
Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) 087. 2. Pick up the latch plate, and run
the lap and shoulder portions
of the vehicle's seat belt
through or around the restraint.
The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks.
Position the release button on
the buckle, away from the child
restraint, so that the seat belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
4. Pull the shoulder belt all the
way out of the retractor to set
the lock. When the retractor
lock is set, the belt can be
tightened but not pulled out of
the retractor.
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96 Seats and Restraints
5. To tighten the belt, push downon the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the
belt, and feed the shoulder belt
back into the retractor. When
installing a forward-facing child
restraint, it may be helpful to
use your knee to push down on
the child restraint as you
tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 4 and 5. 6. If the child restraint has a top
tether, follow the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions
regarding the use of the top
tether. See Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) 087.
7. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To
check, grasp the child restraint
at the seat belt path and
attempt to move it side to side
and back and forth. When the
child restraint is properly
installed, there should be no
more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle seat belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it. If the head restraint was removed,
reinstall it before the seating
position is used. See "Head
Restraint Removal and
Reinstallation" under
Lower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) 087 for additional
information on installing the head
restraint properly.
Securing Child Restraints
(With the Seat Belt in the
Front Seat)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint 086.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag (if equipped) under
certain conditions.
See Passenger Sensing System
0 74 and Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator 0117 for more information,
including important safety
information.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 99
7. Before placing a child in thechild restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To
check, grasp the child restraint
at the seat belt path and
attempt to move it side to side
and back and forth. When the
child restraint is properly
installed, there should be no
more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement.
If the airbag or airbags are off, the
OFF indicator in the passenger
airbag status indicator will come on
and stay on when the vehicle is
started.
If a child restraint has been installed
and the ON indicator is lit, see “If
the On Indicator Is Lit for a Child
Restraint” underPassenger Sensing
System 074.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle seat belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
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Climate Controls 151
operation. To turn Auto Defog off or
on, see "Climate and Air Quality"
underVehicle Personalization
0 130.
Ionizer : If equipped with an ionizer,
this feature helps to clean the air
inside the vehicle and remove
contaminants such as pollen, odors,
and dust. To turn the ionizer on or
off, see “Climate and Air Quality”
under Vehicle Personalization
0 130.
Rear Window Defogger
=:Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light
on the button comes on to show that
the rear window defogger is on.
The defogger only works when the
ignition is on. The defogger turns off
if the ignition is off or in ACC/
ACCESSORY.
The rear window defogger can be
set to automatic operation. See
“Climate and Air Quality” under
Vehicle Personalization 0130.
When Auto Rear Defog is turned on,
the rear window defogger turns on
automatically when the interior temperature is cold and the outside
temperature is about 4 °C (40 °F)
and below. The auto rear defogger
turns off automatically after about
10 minutes. At higher speeds, the
rear window defogger may stay on
continuously.
If equipped with heated outside
mirrors, they turn on when the rear
window defogger button is on and
help to clear fog or frost from the
surface of the mirrors. See
Heated
Mirrors 042.Caution
Do not try to clear frost or other
material from the inside of the
front windshield and rear window
with a razor blade or anything
else that is sharp. This may
damage the rear window
defogger grid and affect the
radio's ability to pick up stations
clearly. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
MorL:If equipped, press to turn
the heated seats on or off. See
Heated Front Seats 054.
(:If equipped, press to turn the
heated steering wheel on or off. See
Heated Steering Wheel 0105.
Remote Start Climate Control
Operation : If equipped with the
remote vehicle start feature, the
climate control system may run
when the vehicle is started remotely.
The system uses the driver ’s
previous settings to heat or cool the
inside of the vehicle. The rear defog
may come on during remote start
based on cold ambient conditions.
The rear defog indicator light does
not come on during a remote start.
If equipped, the heated seats may
come on during a remote start. The
heated seat indicator lights do not
come on during a remote start.
See Remote Vehicle Start 033 and
Heated Front Seats 054.