Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163005) - 2019 - crc - 9/17/18
8 In Brief
Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner’s manual.
Stop/Start System
This vehicle has a Stop/Start
system to shut off the engine to help
conserve fuel. It has components
designed for the increased number
of starts.
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. SeeTachometer
0 114. When the brake pedal is
released or the accelerator pedal is
pressed, the engine will restart. See
Stop/Start System 0170 in Driving
and Operating.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter may work up to 60 m
(197 ft) away from the vehicle.
To remove the key, press the button
on the back of the RKE transmitter,
and pull the key out. Never pull the
key out without pressing the button.
The key can be used for all locks.
K: Press to unlock the driver door
or all doors, depending on the
vehicle personalization settings.
Q: Press to lock all doors. Lock and unlock feedback can be
personalized. See
Vehicle
Personalization 0130.
7:Press and release one time to
initiate vehicle locator. Press and
hold for at least three seconds to
sound the panic alarm. Press again
to cancel the panic alarm.
See Keys 026 and Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation 027.
Remote Vehicle Start
If equipped, the engine can be
started from outside of the vehicle.
Starting the Vehicle
1. Press and releaseQon the
RKE transmitter.
2. Immediately press and hold
/
for at least four seconds or until
the turn signal lamps flash.
Start the vehicle normally after
entering.
When the vehicle starts, the parking
lamps will turn on.
Remote start can be extended.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163005) - 2019 - crc - 9/17/18
Seats and Restraints 73
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. SeeWhen
Should an Airbag Inflate? 071.
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? 070. The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.
{Warning
When an airbag inflates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention. The vehicle has a feature that may
automatically unlock the doors, turn
on the interior lamps and hazard
warning flashers, and shut off the
fuel system after the airbags inflate.
The feature may also activate,
without airbag inflation, after an
event that exceeds a predetermined
threshold. After turning the ignition
off and then on again, the fuel
system will return to normal
operation; the doors can be locked,
the interior lamps can be turned off,
and the hazard warning flashers can
be turned off using the controls for
those features. If any of these
systems are damaged in the crash
they may not operate as normal.
{Warning
A crash severe enough to inflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a
(Continued)
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163005) - 2019 - crc - 9/17/18
104 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 105
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 105
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 105
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 105
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . 116 Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 117
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 118
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 118
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 122
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . 122
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 123
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 124
Immobilizer Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 124
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 124
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 125
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 125
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 130
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . 130
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 130
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . 136
Universal Remote SystemProgramming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Universal Remote System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 191
.Other conditions, such as
vibrations from a jackhammer or
the compression of air brakes on
a very large truck, are affecting
system performance.
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System
If equipped, the FCA system may
help to avoid or reduce the harm
caused by front-end crashes. When
approaching a vehicle ahead too
quickly, FCA provides a red flashing
alert on the windshield and rapidly
beeps.
FCA detects vehicles within a
distance of approximately 60 m
(197 ft) and operates at speeds
above 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
FCA is a warning system and
does not apply the brakes. When
approaching a slower-moving or
stopped vehicle ahead too rapidly,
or when following a vehicle too
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
closely, FCA may not provide a
warning with enough time to help
avoid a crash. It also may not
provide any warning at all. FCA
does not warn of pedestrians,
animals, signs, guardrails,
bridges, construction barrels,
or other objects. Be ready to take
action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving0157.
FCA can be disabled with either the
FCA steering wheel control or,
if equipped, through vehicle
personalization. See “Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0130.
Detecting the Vehicle Ahead
FCA warnings will not occur unless
the FCA system detects a vehicle
ahead. When a vehicle is detected,
the vehicle ahead indicator will
display green. Vehicles may not be
detected on curves, highway exit
ramps, or hills, due to poor visibility;
or if a vehicle ahead is partially
blocked by pedestrians or other
objects. FCA will not detect another
vehicle ahead until it is completely
in the driving lane.
{Warning
FCA does not provide a warning
to help avoid a crash, unless it
detects a vehicle. FCA may not
detect a vehicle ahead if the FCA
sensor is blocked by dirt, snow,
or ice, or if the windshield is
damaged. It may also not detect a
vehicle on winding or hilly roads,
or in conditions that can limit
visibility such as fog, rain,
or snow, or if the headlamps or
windshield are not cleaned or in
(Continued)
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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192 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
proper condition. Keep the
windshield, headlamps, and FCA
sensors clean and in good repair.
Collision Alert
When your vehicle approaches
another detected vehicle too rapidly,
the FCA display will flash on the
windshield. Also, eight rapid
high-pitched beeps will sound from
the front. When this Collision Alert
occurs, the brake system may
prepare for driver braking to occur
more rapidly which can cause a
brief, mild deceleration. Continue to
apply the brake pedal as needed.
Cruise control may be disengaged
when the Collision Alert occurs.
Selecting the Alert Timing
The Collision Alert control is on the
steering wheel. Press
[to set the
FCA timing to far, medium, or near,
or on some vehicles, Off. The first
button press shows the current
setting on the DIC. Additional button
presses will change this setting. The
chosen setting will remain until it is
changed. The timing of alerts will
vary based on vehicle speed. The
faster the vehicle speed, the farther
away the alert will occur. Consider
traffic and weather conditions when
selecting the alert timing. The range of selectable alert timings may not
be appropriate for all drivers and
driving conditions.
Unnecessary Alerts
FCA may provide unnecessary
alerts to turning vehicles, vehicles in
other lanes, objects that are not
vehicles, or shadows. These alerts
are normal operation and the
vehicle does not need service.
Cleaning the System
If the FCA system does not seem to
operate properly, this may correct
the issue:
.
Clean the outside of the
windshield in front of the
rearview mirror.
. Clean the entire front of the
vehicle.
. Clean the headlamps.
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA)
If equipped, the SBZA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding crashes that
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 201
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 202
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 203
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 211
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 213
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 218
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Battery - North America . . . . . . 222
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 223
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 223
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 224
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 225
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . 227
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps, and
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 230
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 231
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 231
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 240
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 257
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
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234 Vehicle Care
Mini Fuses Usage29 Engine control module powertrain/
Ignition 1/Ignition 2
30 EMS Var 2
31 Left high-beam headlamp
32 Right high-beam headlamp
33 Engine control module battery
34 Horn
35 A/C clutch
36 Front fog lamps
J-Case Fuses Usage
1 Electronic brake control module pump
2 Front wiper
3 Linear power module blower
4 IEC RC J-Case
Fuses Usage
5 –
7 –/Starter solenoid
8 Cooling fan low –mid
9 Cooling fan –high
10 EVP 11 Starter solenoid/ Starter pinion
U-Micro Relays Usage
2 Fuel pump
4 –/Auxiliary
heater pump
HC-Micro Relays Usage
7 Starter/Starter pinion
10 Starter solenoid Mini Relays Usage
1 Run/Crank
3 Cooling fan –mid
5 Powertrain relay
8 Cooling fan –low
HC-Mini Relays Usage
6 Cooling fan –high
Auxiliary Fuse Block
To remove the fuse block cover,
squeeze the clips and lift it up.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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282 Service and Maintenance
rubber boots, loose or missing
parts, or signs of wear at least
once a year. SeeExterior Care
0 270.
. Inspect power steering for
proper attachment, connections,
binding, leaks, cracks,
chafing, etc.
. Visually inspect halfshafts and
drive shafts for excessive wear,
lubricant leaks, and/or damage
including: tube dents or cracks,
constant velocity joint or
universal joint looseness,
cracked or missing boots, loose
or missing boot clamps, center
bearing excessive looseness,
loose or missing fasteners, and
axle seal leaks.
. Check restraint system
components. See Safety System
Check 067.
. Visually inspect fuel system for
damage or leaks.
. Visually inspect exhaust system
and nearby heat shields for
loose or damaged parts. .
Lubricate body components. See
Exterior Care 0270.
. Check starter switch. See Starter
Switch Check 0223.
. Check automatic transmission
shift lock control function. See
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function Check
0223.
. Check parking brake and
automatic transmission park
mechanism. See Park Brake and
P (Park) Mechanism Check
0 223.
. Check accelerator pedal for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed.
. Visually inspect gas strut for
signs of wear, cracks, or other
damage. Check the hold open
ability of the strut. If the hold
open is low, service the gas
strut. See Gas Strut(s) 0225.
. Inspect sunroof track and seal,
if equipped. See Sunroof045.