2020 BUICK ENCORE GX seats

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
50 Seats and Restraints
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
rear 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 rear doors.
There may be an alert even when
there is nothing in the rear seat; for
example, if a child entered thevehicle 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 0135.
Folding the Seatback
Either side of the seatback can be
folded 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.
To fold the seatback: 1. Fold the head restraint. See Head Restraints 040.
2. Make sure the seat belt is in
the retainer hook

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Seats and Restraints 51
3. Pull the lever on top of theseatback to unlock the
seatback.
A red indicator near the
seatback lever is exposed
when the seatback is unlocked.
4. Fold the seatback down. Repeat Steps 1–3 for the other
seatback, if desired.
Raising the Seatbacks
{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.
{Warning
A seat belt that is improperly
routed, not properly attached,
or twisted will not provide the
protection needed in a crash. The
person wearing the belt could be
seriously injured. After raising the
rear seatback, always check to be
sure that the seat belts are
properly routed and attached, and
are not twisted.
To raise a seatback: 1. Lift the seatback up and push it rearward to lock it in place.
A tab near the seatback lever
retracts when the seatback is
locked in place. The center rear seat belt may
lock when you raise the
seatback. If this happens, let
the belt go back all the way
and start again.
2. Return the head restraint to the upright position. See Head
Restraints 040.
3. Push and pull the top of the seatback to be sure it is locked
into position.
4. Check if the seat belt is stowed within hook at side. If not, stow
seat belt in it appropriately.
5. Repeat the steps to raise the other seatback, if necessary.
When the seat is not in use, it
should be kept in the upright, locked
position.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
52 Seats and Restraints
Rear Seat Armrest
The rear seat has an armrest in the
center of the seatback. Lower the
armrest to access the cupholders.
To fold, lift the armrest up and push
it rearward until it is flush with the
seatback.
Seat Belts
This section describes how to use
seat belts properly, and some things
not to do.
{Warning
Do not let anyone ride where a
seat belt cannot be worn properly.
In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing
seat belts, injuries can be much
worse than if you are wearing
seat belts. You can be seriously
injured or killed by hitting things
inside the vehicle harder or by
being ejected from the vehicle. In
addition, anyone who is not
buckled up can strike other
passengers in the vehicle.
It is extremely dangerous to ride
in a cargo area, inside or outside
of a vehicle. In a collision,
passengers riding in these areas
are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Do not allow(Continued)
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 0113.
Why Seat Belts Work

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 53
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 vehicleafter 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 073 or
Infants and Young Children 074.
Review and follow the rules for
children in addition to the following
rules. It is very important for all occupants
to buckle up. Statistics show that
unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are
wearing seat belts.
There are important things to know
about wearing a seat belt properly.
.
Sit up straight and always keep
your feet on the floor in front of
you (if possible).
. Always use the correct buckle
for your seating position.
. Wear the lap part of the belt low
and snug on the hips, just
touching the thighs. In a crash,
this applies force to the strong

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
54 Seats and Restraints
pelvic bones and you would be
less likely to slide under the lap
belt. If you slid under it, the belt
would apply force on your
abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries.
. Wear the shoulder belt over the
shoulder and across the chest.
These parts of the body are best
able to take belt restraining
forces. The shoulder belt locks if
there is a sudden stop or crash.
{Warning
You can be seriously injured,
or even killed, by not wearing
your seat belt properly.
Never allow the lap or shoulder belt
to become loose or twisted.Never wear the shoulder belt under
both arms or behind your back.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 55
Always use the correct buckle for
your seating position.
Never route the lap or shoulder belt
over an armrest.
{Warning
The seat belt can be pinched if it
is routed under plastic trim on the
seat, such as trim around the rear
seatback folding handle or side
airbag. In a crash, pinched seat
belts might not be able to provide
adequate protection. Never allow
seat belts to be routed under
plastic trim pieces.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle
have a lap-shoulder belt.
The following instructions explain
how to wear a lap-shoulder belt
properly.1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up
straight. To see how, see
“Seats” in the Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull
the belt across you. Do not let
it get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lock
if you pull the belt across you
very quickly. If this happens, let
the belt go back slightly to
unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
If the shoulder portion of a
passenger belt is pulled out all
the way, the child restraint
locking feature may be
engaged. See Child Restraint
Systems 077. If this occurs, let
the belt go back all the way
and start again. If the locking

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
56 Seats and Restraints
feature stays engaged after
letting the belt go back to
stowed position on the seat,
move the seat rearward or
recline the seat until the
shoulder belt retractor lock
releases.
Engaging the child restraint
locking feature in the front
outboard seating position may
affect the passenger sensing
system. SeePassenger
Sensing System 066.If the webbing locks in the latch
plate before it reaches the
buckle, tilt the latch plate flat to
unlock.
3. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to
make sure it is secure. If the
belt is not long enough, see
Seat Belt Extender 058.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the seat belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the
height that is right for you. See
“Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster”
later in this section for
instructions on use and
important safety information.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pull stitching
on the seat belt through the latch
plate to fully tighten the lap belt on
smaller occupants.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 57
To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle. The belt should
return to its stowed position.
Always stow the seat belt slowly.
If the seat belt webbing returns
quickly to the stowed position, the
retractor may lock and cannot be
pulled out. If this happens, pull the
seat belt straight out firmly to unlock
the webbing, and then release it.
If the webbing is still locked in the
retractor, see your dealer.
Before a door is closed, be sure the
seat belt is out of the way. If a door
is slammed against a seat belt,
damage can occur to both the seat
belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt
height adjuster for the driver and
front outboard passenger seating
positions.
Adjust the height so the shoulder
portion of the belt is on the shoulder
and not falling off of it. The belt
should be close to, but not
contacting, the neck. Improper
shoulder belt height adjustment
could reduce the effectiveness of
the seat belt in a crash. SeeHow to
Wear Seat Belts Properly 053.
To move the shoulder belt height
adjuster down, push up on the
release button and move the height
adjuster to the desired position. You
can move the height adjuster up by
pushing up on the shoulder belt
guide.
After the adjuster is set to the
desired position, try to move it down
without pushing the release button
to make sure it has locked into
position.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has seat belt
pretensioners for front outboard
occupants. Although the seat belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they
are part of the seat belt assembly.
They can help tighten the seat belts
during the early stages of a
moderate to severe frontal, near
frontal, or rear crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner
activation are met. Seat belt
pretensioners can also help tighten
the seat belts in a side crash or a
rollover event.