
Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527524) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
Climate Controls 159
1 MAX : Air is directed to the
windshield, the fan runs at a higher
speed, and the temperature of the
air is increased if not already at
maximum. This mode overrides the
previous mode selected and clears
fog or frost from the windshield
more quickly. When
1 MAX is
pressed again, the system returns
to the previous mode setting and
fan speed.
For best results, clear all snow and
ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
A/C : Touch A/C on the display to
turn the air conditioning on or off.
If the fan is turned off, the air
conditioner will not run and A/C OFF
will show on the climate control
display.
Touch AUTO to return to automatic
operation and the air conditioner
runs automatically as needed. @ : Press to turn on recirculation.
An indicator light comes on. Air is
recirculated to quickly cool the
inside of the vehicle or to reduce the
entry of outside air and odors.
If selected during cool or cold
weather, the windshield and
windows may fog. Turn off
recirculation to help clear the
windshield and windows.
Auto Defog : The climate control
system has a sensor to
automatically detect high humidity
inside the vehicle. When high
humidity is detected, the climate
control system may adjust to
outside air supply and turn on the
air conditioner. The fan speed may
slightly increase to help prevent
fogging. If the climate control
system does not detect possible
window fogging, it returns to normal
operation.
To turn Auto Defog off or on, see
“ Climate and Air Quality ” under
Vehicle Personalization 0 137 . 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. If the climate control
system is on and the ionizer is
enabled, Ionizer On will be
displayed. To turn the ionizer on or
off, see “ Climate and Air Quality ”
under Vehicle Personalization
0 137 .
Rear Window Defogger
K : 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
rear window defogger only works
when the engine is running. It turns
off when the ignition is turned off or
in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The rear window defogger can be
set to automatic operation. See
“ Climate and Air Quality ” under
Vehicle Personalization 0 137 .
When Auto Rear Defog is selected,
the rear window defogger turns on
automatically when the interior
temperature is cold and the outside

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527524) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
164 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating Driving Information Driving for Better Fuel
Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 173
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 174
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 176
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Starting and Operating New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 181
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Engine Exhaust Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Automatic Transmission Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 191
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Brakes Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 198
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 200
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 202 Cruise Control Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 206
Driver Assistance Systems Driver Assistance Systems . . . 214
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 216
Assistance Systems for
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Automatic Emergency
Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Front Pedestrian Braking
(FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 227
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 229
Fuel Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 231
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 232
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527524) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
Driving and Operating 173Warning (Continued)you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on safe
surfaces only.
Driving in Water
{ WarningDriving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires.
Traction could be lost, and the
vehicle could roll over. Do not
drive through rushing water. CautionDo not drive through standing
water if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive through it slowly. At faster
speeds, water can get into the
engine and cause it to stall. Stalling
can occur if the exhaust pipe is
under water. Do not turn off the
ignition when driving through water.
If the exhaust pipe is under water,
the engine will not start. When going
through water, the brakes get wet
and it may take longer to stop. See
Driving on Wet Roads 0 173 .
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody or
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard. After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
More frequent maintenance service
is required. See Maintenance
Schedule 0 328 .
Driving on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527524) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
Driving and Operating 175
{ WarningCoasting 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, crash).
.
Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
.
Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Mode. See Driver Mode Control
0 202 and
All-Wheel Drive 0 197 . 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.
.
Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0 200 .
.
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) 0 197 . .
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.
.
Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Mode for vehicles equipped with
AWD. Select Snow/Ice Mode for
FWD only vehicles. See Driver
Mode Control 0 202 and
All-Wheel Drive 0 197 .
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 0 348 . To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
.
Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527524) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
Driving and Operating 181Warning (Continued).
Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats..
Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle..
Secure loose items in the
vehicle..
Do not leave a seat
folded down unless
needed. Starting and
Operating New Vehicle Break-In CautionThe 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 800 km (500 mi).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
.
Avoid making hard stops for
the first 300 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
Vehicles with Keyless Access have
pushbutton starting.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527524) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
182 Driving and Operating 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 0 8 .
To shift out of P (Park), the engine
must be running, 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) 0 186 .
If the vehicle is in R (Reverse), D
(Drive) or L (Low), the vehicle will
shift to P (Park), the ignition will turn
off, and Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) will remain active. If the vehicle is in N (Neutral), 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 will turn off.
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.
If the vehicle must be shut 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 and
shift to P (Park). 4. Set the parking brake. See
Electric Parking Brake 0 198 .
5. Press ENGINE START/STOP
to turn the vehicle off.
{ WarningTurning 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
some electrical accessories to be
used 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.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527524) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
Driving and Operating 183The 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 0 183 . The
ignition will then remain on.
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 driven. The engine will not start in
Service Mode. Press the button
again to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine Press the P (Park) button on the
shift lever or shift the vehicle to
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
CautionDo 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
(Continued) Caution (Continued) covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
0 246 .
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.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
battery is low, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will
display a message.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527524) - 2020 - CRC - 4/10/19
184 Driving and Operating CautionCranking 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 press 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.
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.
{ Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature causes the engine to shut
off while the vehicle is still on. Do
not exit the vehicle before shifting
to P (Park). The vehicle may
restart and move unexpectedly.
Always shift to P (Park), and then
turn the ignition off before exiting
the vehicle. Auto Engine Stop/Start
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. See Tachometer
0 116 . When the brake pedal is
released or the accelerator pedal is
pressed, the engine will restart.
To maintain vehicle performance,
other conditions may cause the
engine to automatically restart
before the brake pedal is released.
Auto Stops may not occur and/or
auto restarts may occur because:
.
The climate control settings
require the engine to be running
to cool or heat the vehicle
interior.
.
The vehicle battery charge
is low.
.
The vehicle battery has recently
been disconnected.
.
Minimum vehicle speed has not
been reached since the last
Auto Stop.