Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163005) - 2019 - crc - 9/17/18
120 Instruments and Controls
If the light remains on, see your
dealer.
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
If the vehicle requires an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test, the
test equipment will likely connect to
the vehicle's Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. Connecting devices that are
not used to perform an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test or to
service the vehicle may affect
vehicle operation. SeeAdd-On
Electrical Equipment 0200. See
your dealer if assistance is needed. The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.
The light is on when the engine
is running.
. The light does not come on
when the ignition is in
Service Mode.
. Critical emission control systems
have not been completely
diagnosed. If this happens, the
vehicle would not be ready for
inspection and might require
several days of routine driving
before the system is ready for
inspection. This can happen if
the 12-volt battery has recently
been replaced or run down, or if
the vehicle has been recently
serviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle will
not pass or cannot be made ready
for the test.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working
MetricEnglish
This light should come on briefly
when the engine is started. If it does
not come on then, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn you if there is
a problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light comes on
when the parking brake is set. The
light stays on if the parking brake
does not fully release. If it stays on
after the parking brake is fully
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Instruments and Controls 121
released, there is a brake problem.
Have the brake system inspected
immediately.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
If the light comes on while driving, a
chime sounds. Pull off the road and
stop. The pedal might be harder to
push or go closer to the floor.
It might also take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See
Towing the Vehicle 0267.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally, the
indicator light then goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the ABS light
stays on, or comes on again while
driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See
Brake System Warning Light
0 120.
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) Light
If equipped, this light comes on
briefly while starting the vehicle. If it
does not come on, have the vehicle
serviced.
This light is green if LDW is on and
ready to operate.
This light changes to amber and
flashes to indicate that the lane
marking has been crossed without
using a turn signal in that direction.
See Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
0 194.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Instruments and Controls 123
If the light does not come on, have
the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally,
the indicator light turns off.
If the light is on and not flashing, the
TCS, and potentially the StabiliTrak/
ESC system have been disabled.
If the indicator/warning light is on
and flashing, the TCS and/or the
StabiliTrak/ESC system is actively
working.
SeeTraction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0181.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the engine is
started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS. When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
Stop as soon as possible, and
inflate the tires to the pressure value
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See
Tire Pressure
0 246.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minute
and then stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPMS. If the
problem is not corrected, the light
will come on at every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation 0248.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine oil
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
low can also damage the engine.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check
the oil level as soon as possible.
Add oil if required, but if the oil
level is within the operating range
and the oil pressure is still low,
have the vehicle serviced. Always
follow the maintenance schedule
for changing engine oil.
This light should come on briefly as
the engine is started. If it does not
come on, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 155
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 156
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 160
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 160
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 162
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 167
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 176
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 181
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 186
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 187
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 196
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 197
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 159
.Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips: 1. Ease off the accelerator and
then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin. Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.
Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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162 Driving and Operating
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. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program 0299. 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:
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.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.
. 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 0175.
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.
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. See
Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 181.
{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
(Continued)
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 167
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will
perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:. Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 805 km (500 mi).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
. Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 mi) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
(Continued)
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 RKE transmitter must be
in the vehicle for the system to
operate.
If the vehicle is not working, the
vehicle may be near a strong
antenna signal causing interference
to the Keyless Access system. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 027.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be on or in ACC/
ACCESSORY, and the brake must
be applied.
Stopping the Engine/LOCK/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)
0 172.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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168 Driving and Operating
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will display
the message SHIFT TO PARK.
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition system turn off.
Do not turn the ignition off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:1. Brake using a firm 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.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake 0180.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
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
ENGINE START/STOP 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
ENGINE START/STOP once will
place the ignition system in ON/
RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins,
release ENGINE START/STOP.
Engine cranking will continue until
the engine starts. See Starting the
Engine 0169.
The engine 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