2020 BUICK ENCORE transmission

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Instruments and Controls 121
be required. For a second
time, press and hold the
newly programmed button
for five seconds. If the light
stays on or the garage door
moves, programming is
complete.
. If the indicator light blinks
rapidly for two seconds,
then changes to a solid light
and the garage door does
not move, continue with
programming Steps 4–6.
Learn or Smart Button
4. After completing Steps 1–3, locate the Learn or Smart
button inside the garage on the
garage door opener receiver. The name and color of the
button may vary by
manufacturer.
5. Press and release the Learn or Smart button. Step 6 must be
completed within 30 seconds of
pressing this button.
6. Inside the vehicle, press and hold the newly programmed
Universal Remote system
button for two seconds and
then release it. If the garage
door does not move or the
lamp on the garage door
opener receiver does not flash,
press and hold the same
button a second time for
two seconds, then release it.
Again, if the door does not
move or the garage door lamp
does not flash, press and hold
the same button a third time for
two seconds, then release it.
The Universal Remote system
should now activate the
garage door.
Repeat the process for
programming the two remaining
buttons.
Radio Signals for Canada and
Some Gate Operators
For questions or programming help,
see www.homelink.com/gm or call
1-800-355-3515.
Canadian radio-frequency laws and
some U.S. gate operators require
transmitter signals to time out or quit
after several seconds of
transmission. This may not be long
enough for the Universal Remote
system to pick up the signal during
programming.
If the programming did not work,
replace Step 2 under “Programming
the Universal Remote System” with
the following:
Press and hold the Universal
Remote system button while
pressing and releasing the
hand-held transmitter button every
two seconds until the signal has
been successfully accepted by the
Universal Remote system. The
Universal Remote system indicator
light will flash slowly at first and then

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
138 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 139
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 144
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 145
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 146
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 151
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 160
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 164
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 169
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 171
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 180
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 180
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Filling the Tank (CaplessFuel Fill) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Filling the Tank (Capped Fuel Fill) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Driving and Operating 145
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0220.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.
Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels, brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting 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.
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 0165.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Driving and Operating 147
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 165.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle 0248.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification/Tire label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Driving and Operating 153
The 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
ENGINE START/STOP once will
place the ignition system in ON/
RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins,
release ENGINE START/STOP.
Engine cranking will continue until
the engine starts. See Starting the
Engine 0153.
The engine will then remain in
ON/RUN.
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 ENGINE START/STOP for
more than five seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Mode.
The instruments and audio system
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 ENGINE START/STOP again
to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the vehicle
when it is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do 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
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See
Add-On Electrical Equipment
0 185.
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
transmitter battery is low, the
Driver Information Center (DIC)

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
154 Driving and Operating
will display a message.
SeeDriver Information Center
(DIC) 0110 and
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 08.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by pressing
ENGINE START/STOP
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 hold 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,
follow the same steps. 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.
Engine Heater
Vehicles may have an engine
heater. The engine heater can help
in cold weather conditions at or
below
−18 °C (0 °F) for easier
starting and better fuel economy
during engine warm-up. Plug in the
heater at least four hours before
starting the vehicle. An internal
thermostat in the plug end of the
cord will prevent engine heater
operation at temperatures above
−18 °C (0 °F).
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block
heater while the vehicle is parked
in a garage or under a carport.
Property damage or personal
injury may result. Always park the
vehicle in a clear open area away
from buildings or structures.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Driving and Operating 157
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and do
not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it difficult
to pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
This is called torque lock. To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park) properly
before you leave the driver seat. To
find out how, see“Shifting Into Park”
previously in this section.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
releasing the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission, so you can pull
the shift lever out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with a shift
lock control. The shift lock control is
designed to prevent movement of the shift lever out of P (Park) unless
the ignition is on and the brake
pedal is applied.
The shift lock control is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See
Jump Starting - North
America 0245.
To shift out of P (Park): 1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition on.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If still unable to shift out of P (Park): 1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and press the shift lever button
again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position. If the shift lever still cannot be
moved from P (Park), see
“Shift
Lock Manual Release” following.
Shift Lock Manual Release
The automatic transmission has an
electric park lock. The ignition must
be on and the brake pedal must be
pressed so the shift lever can be
moved from the P (Park) position.
If the battery has lost power, the
shift lever cannot be moved from
P (Park) unless the shift lock manual
release is disengaged manually.
To access the shift lock manual
release:
1. Turn the ignition off.
2. Hold the brake pedal down. Apply the parking brake.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
160 Driving and Operating
Automatic
Transmission
The selected gear is also shown in
the instrument cluster.
P :This position locks the drive
wheels. Use P (Park) when starting
the engine because the vehicle
cannot move easily.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park 0156.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The regular brake must be
fully applied first and then the shift
lever button must be pressed before
shifting from P (Park) when the
ignition is on. If you cannot shift out
of P (Park), ease pressure on the
shift lever, then push the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then
press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever into another
gear. See
Shifting out of Park 0157.
R : Use this gear to back up.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0146.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart the engine when the vehicle
is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.