Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163005) - 2019 - crc - 9/17/18
12 In Brief
Heated Seats
If equipped, the controls are on the
climate control panel. The engine
must be running to operate the
heated seats.
Press
MorLto heat the driver or
passenger seat cushion and
seatback.
Press the control once for the
highest setting. With each press of
the control, the heated seat will
change to the next lower setting,
and then the off setting. Three lights
indicate the highest setting and one
light the lowest. See
Heated Front Seats 054.
Head Restraint
Adjustment
Do not drive until the head restraints
for all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
To achieve a comfortable seating
position, change the seatback
recline angle as little as necessary
while keeping the seat and the head
restraint height in the proper
position.
See Head Restraints 048 and Seat
Adjustment 049.
Seat Belts
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
seat belts properly:
.
Seat Belts 060
. How to Wear Seat Belts Properly
061
. Lap-Shoulder Belt 063
. Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) 087
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163005) - 2019 - crc - 9/17/18
Keys, Doors, and Windows 35
.Two remote vehicle starts, or a
single remote start with an
extension, have already
been used.
. The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Door Locks
{Warning
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
. Passengers, especially
children, can easily open
the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. The doors
can be unlocked and
opened while the vehicle is
moving. The chance of
being thrown out of the
vehicle in a crash is
increased if the doors are
not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
seat belts properly and the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
. Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by
extreme heat and can suffer
permanent injuries or even
death from heat stroke.
Always lock the vehicle
whenever leaving it.
. Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
the vehicle. Locking the
doors can help prevent this
from happening.
To lock or unlock the doors from the
outside:
. Press
KorQon the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
See Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation 027. .
Use the key in the driver door.
To lock or unlock the doors from
inside the vehicle:
. Press
KorQon the power door
lock switch.
. Pulling an interior door handle
will unlock the door. Pulling the
door handle again unlatches it.
Keyless Access
The RKE transmitter must be within
1 m (3 ft) of the liftgate or door being
opened.
Press the button on the door handle
to open. See “Keyless Access
Operation” underRemote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation 027.
Free-Turning Locks
The door key lock cylinder turns
freely when either the wrong key is
used, or the correct key is not fully
inserted. The free-turning door lock
feature prevents the lock from being
forced open. To reset the lock, turn
it to the vertical position with the
correct key fully inserted. Remove
the key and insert it again. If this
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163005) - 2019 - crc - 9/17/18
Keys, Doors, and Windows 43
Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror
If equipped, automatic dimming
reduces the glare of headlamps
from behind. The dimming feature
comes on when the vehicle is
started.
Windows
{Warning
Never leave a child, a helpless
adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows
closed in warm or hot weather.
They can be overcome by the
extreme heat and suffer
permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke.
The vehicle aerodynamics are
designed to improve fuel economy
performance. This may result in a
pulsing sound when either rear
window is down and the front
windows are up. To reduce the
sound, open either a front window
or the sunroof, if equipped.
Power Windows
{Warning
Children could be seriously
injured or killed if caught in the
path of a closing window. Never
leave the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitter in a vehicle with
children. When there are children
in the rear seat, use the window
lockout switch to prevent
operation of the windows. See
Keys026.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163005) - 2019 - crc - 9/17/18
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Front Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Folding Seatback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Seat Belts
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
How to Wear Seat BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Seat Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . 67 Seat Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Replacing Seat Belt System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . 70
When Should an AirbagInflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Passenger Sensing System . . . 74
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . 79
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . 79
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Infants and Young Children . . . . 82
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . 84
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . 86
Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren (LATCH System) . . . . 87 Replacing LATCH System Parts
After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the
Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the
Front Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 49
Rear Seats
The rear seats have head restraints
in the outboard seating positions
that can be lowered for better
visibility when the rear seat is
unoccupied.
To lower the head restraint, press
the button, located on the top of the
seatback, and push the head
restraint down.
When an occupant is in the seat,
always return the head restraint to
the upright position. Pull the head
restraint up and push it rearwarduntil it locks into place. Push and
pull on the head restraint to make
sure that it is locked.
If you are installing a child restraint
in the rear seat, see
“Securing a
Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System” underLower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) 087.
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment
{Warning
You can lose control of the
vehicle if you try to adjust a driver
seat while the vehicle is moving.
Adjust the driver seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.
To adjust a manual seat:
1. Pull the handle at the front of the seat.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163005) - 2019 - crc - 9/17/18
50 Seats and Restraints
2. Slide the seat to the desiredposition and release the
handle.
3. Try to move the seat back and forth to be sure it is locked in
place.
Power Seat Adjustment
{Warning
The power seats will work with
the ignition off. Children could
operate the power seats and be
injured. Never leave children
alone in the vehicle.To adjust a power seat:
.Move the seat forward or
rearward by sliding the control
forward or rearward.
. Raise or lower the front part of
the seat cushion by moving the
front of the control up or down.
. Raise or lower the entire seat by
moving the rear of the control up
or down.
To adjust the seatback, see
Reclining Seatbacks 050.
To adjust the lumbar support, see
Lumbar Adjustment 050.
Lumbar Adjustment
If available, press the front or rear of
the switch to increase or decrease
lumbar support. Release the switch
when the desired level of support is
reached.
Reclining Seatbacks
{Warning
If either seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
(Continued)
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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56 Seats and Restraints
2. Push and pull on the seatbackto make sure it is locked in
place.
{Warning
If either seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the
seatbacks to be sure they are
locked.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Reminder
If equipped, the message REAR
SEAT REMINDER LOOK IN REAR
SEAT displays under certain
conditions indicating there may be
an item or passenger in the rear
seat. Check before exiting the
vehicle.
This feature will activate when a
second row door is opened while
the vehicle is on or up to 10 minutes
before the vehicle is turned on.
There will be an alert when the
vehicle is turned off. The alert does
not directly detect objects in the rear
seat; instead, under certain
conditions, it detects when a rear
door is opened and closed,
indicating that there may be
something in the rear seat.
The feature is active only once each
time the vehicle is turned on and off,
and will require reactivation by
opening and closing the second row
doors. There may be an alert even
when there is nothing in the rear
seat; for example, if a child entered the vehicle through the rear door
and left the vehicle without the
vehicle being shut off.
The feature can be turned on or off.
See
Vehicle Personalization 0130.
Folding the Seatback
Either side of the seatback can be
folded down for more cargo space.
Fold a seatback only when the
vehicle is not moving.
Caution
Folding a rear seat with the seat
belts still fastened may cause
damage to the seat or the seat
belts. Always unbuckle the seat
belts and return them to their
normal stowed position before
folding a rear seat.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163005) - 2019 - crc - 9/17/18
Seats and Restraints 61
Warning (Continued)
passengers to ride in any area of
the vehicle that is not equipped
with seats and seat belts.
Always wear a seat belt, and
check that all passenger(s) are
restrained properly too.
This vehicle has indicators as a
reminder to buckle the seat belts.
See Seat Belt Reminders 0116.
Why Seat Belts Work
When riding in a vehicle, you travel
as fast as the vehicle does. If the
vehicle stops suddenly, you keep
going until something stops you.
It could be the windshield, the
instrument panel, or the seat belts!
When you wear a seat belt, you and
the vehicle slow down together.
There is more time to stop because
you stop over a longer distance and,
when worn properly, your strongest
bones take the forces from the seat
belts. That is why wearing seat belts
makes such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Seat Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle
after a crash if I am wearing a
seat belt?
A: You could be—whether you are
wearing a seat belt or not. Your
chance of being conscious
during and after a crash, so you
can unbuckle and get out, is
much greater if you are belted. Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why
should I have to wear seat
belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental
systems only. They work with
seat belts —not instead of them.
Whether or not an airbag is
provided, all occupants still have
to buckle up to get the most
protection.
Also, in nearly all states and in
all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing seat belts.
How to Wear Seat Belts
Properly
Follow these rules for everyone's
protection.
There are additional things to know
about seat belts and children,
including smaller children and
infants. If a child will be riding in the
vehicle, see Older Children 080 or
Infants and Young Children 082.
Review and follow the rules for
children in addition to the following
rules.