2020 BUICK ENCORE GX Owner's Manual

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
80 Seats and Restraints
Keep in mind that an unsecured
child restraint can move around in a
collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to
properly secure any child restraint in
the vehicle—even when no child is
in it.
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children
(LATCH System)
The LATCH system secures a child
restraint during driving or in a crash.
LATCH attachments on the child
restraint are used to attach the child
restraint to the anchors in the
vehicle. The LATCH system is
designed to make installation of a
child restraint easier.
In order to use the LATCH system in
your vehicle, you need a child
restraint that has LATCH
attachments. LATCH-compatible
rear-facing and forward-facing child seats can be properly installed
using either the LATCH anchors or
the vehicle’
s seat belts. Do not use
both the seat belts and the LATCH
anchorage system to secure a
rear-facing or forward-facing
child seat.
Booster seats use the vehicle’s seat
belts to secure the child and the
booster seat. If the manufacturer
recommends that the booster seat
be secured with the LATCH system,
this can be done as long as the
booster seat can be positioned
properly and there is no interference
with the proper positioning of the
lap-shoulder belt on the child.
Make sure to follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint,
and also the instructions in this
manual. When installing a child restraint with
a top tether, you must also use
either the lower anchors or the seat
belts to properly secure the child
restraint. A child restraint must
never be attached using only the top
tether.
For a forward-facing 5-pt harness
child restraint where the combined
weight of the child and restraint are
up to 29.5 kg (65 lb), use either the
lower LATCH anchorages with the
top tether anchorage, or the seat
belt with the top tether anchorage.
Where the combined weight of the
child and restraint are greater than
29.5 kg (65 lb), use the seat belt with
the top tether anchorage only.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 81
Recommended Methods for Attaching Child RestraintsRestraint Type Combined
Weight of the Child + Child Restraint Use Only Approved Attachment Methods Show with an X
LATCH-Lower
Anchors Only Seat Belt Only LATCH-Lower
Anchors and Top Tether Anchor Seat Belt and
Top Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint Up to
29.5 kg (65 lb)
X X
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint Greater than
29.5 kg (65 lb)
X
Forward-Facing
Child Restraint Up to
29.5 kg (65 lb)
X X
Forward-Facing
Child Restraint Greater than
29.5 kg (65 lb)
X
See Securing Child Restraints (With
the Seat Belt in the Front Seat) 088
or
Securing Child Restraints (With the
Seat Belt in the Rear Seat) 086.
Child restraints built after March
2014 will be labeled with the
specific child weight up to which the
LATCH system can be used to
install the restraint. The following explains how to attach
a child restraint with these
attachments in the vehicle.
Not all vehicle seating positions
have lower anchors. In this case,
the seat belt must be used (with top
tether where available) to secure
the child restraint. See
Securing
Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Front Seat) 088 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the
Seat Belt in the Rear Seat) 086.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
82 Seats and Restraints
Lower Anchors
Lower anchors (1) are metal bars
built into the vehicle. There are two
lower anchors for each LATCH
seating position that will
accommodate a child restraint with
lower attachments (2).
Top Tether Anchor
A top tether (3, 4) is used to secure
the top of the child restraint to the
vehicle. A top tether anchor is built
into the vehicle. The top tether
attachment hook (2) on the child
restraint connects to the top tether
anchor in the vehicle in order to
reduce the forward movement and
rotation of the child restraint during
driving or in a crash.
The child restraint may have a
single tether (3) or a dual tether (4).
Either will have a single attachment
hook (2) to secure the top tether to
the anchor.Some child restraints with top
tethers are designed for use with or
without the top tether being
attached. Others require the top
tether always to be attached. In
Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for your child
restraint.
Lower Anchor and Top Tether
Anchor Locations
Rear Seat

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 83
I:Seating positions with top
tether anchors.
H: Seating positions with two lower
anchors.
The lower anchors are behind the
vertical openings in the seat cushion
trim located below the anchor label.
To assist in locating the top tether
anchors, the top tether anchor
symbol is near the top tether
anchors.
Top Tether Anchors
The top tether anchors for each rear
seating position are on the back of
the rear seatback. The rear
compartment storage panel/cover
might need to be adjusted to access
the anchors. Be sure to use an
anchor on the same side of the
vehicle as the seating position
where the child restraint will be
placed. Do not secure a child restraint in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be attached, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top tether
must be attached.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position. See
Where to Put the
Restraint 079 for additional
information.
Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH
System
{Warning
A child could be seriously injured
or killed in a crash if the child
restraint is not properly attached
to the vehicle using either the
LATCH anchors or the vehicle
seat belt. Follow the instructions
(Continued)

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
84 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
that came with the child restraint
and the instructions in this
manual.
{Warning
To reduce the risk of serious or
fatal injuries during a crash, do
not attach more than one child
restraint to a single anchor.
Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could
cause the anchor or attachment
to come loose or even break
during a crash. A child or others
could be injured.
{Warning
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck. The(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
shoulder belt can tighten but
cannot be loosened if it is locked.
The shoulder belt locks when it is
pulled all the way out of the
retractor. It unlocks when the
shoulder belt is allowed to go all
the way back into the retractor,
but it cannot do this if it is
wrapped around a child’s neck.
If the shoulder belt is locked and
tightened around a child’s neck,
the only way to loosen the belt is
to cut it.
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.
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 079.
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

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 85
the seat belts. Refer to the
child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the
instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchorsfor the desired seating
position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
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,
if equipped. Refer to the child
restraint instructions and the
following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. 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
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
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 dual
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.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
86 Seats and Restraints
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.
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.
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the LATCH
system in the vehicle. A damaged
LATCH system may not properly
secure the child restraint,
resulting in serious injury or even
death in a crash. To help make
sure the LATCH system is
working properly after a crash,
see your dealer to have the
system inspected and any
necessary replacements made as
soon as possible.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a
crash, new LATCH system parts
may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints
(With the Seat Belt in the
Rear Seat)
When securing a child restraint with
the seat belts in a rear seat position,
study the instructions that came with
the child restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) 080 for how and where to
install the child restraint using
LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured in the vehicle using a seat
belt and it uses a top tether, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) 080 for
top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top tether
must be anchored.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 87
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached.
If the child restraint or vehicle seat
position does not have the LATCH
system, you will be using the seat
belt to secure the child restraint.
Be sure to follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint.
If more than one child restraint
needs to be installed in the rear
seat, be sure to readWhere to Put
the Restraint 079.
1. Put the child restraint on the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions
of the vehicle's seat belt
through or around the child
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 theway 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.