
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
130 Climate Controls
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Climate Control Systems . . . . . 130
Dual Automatic ClimateControl System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Maintenance
Air Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Climate Control Systems
The heating, cooling, defrosting, and ventilation for the vehicle can be
controlled with this system.
1. Temperature Control
2. Air Delivery Modes
3. Fan Control
4. Defrost
5. Rear Window Defogger
6. Air Conditioning
7. Recirculation
The following are climate control
settings that use more fuel: .
Defrost mode
. Extreme temperature settings
. High fan speed settings
To help reduce fuel usage:
. Select a temperature setting that
is higher in hot weather and
lower in cold weather.
. Turn off the air conditioning
when it is not needed.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Climate Controls 131
.Only use defrost to clear the
windows.
9:Turn the knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the fan speed. Turn the
knob completely to 0 to turn off the
fan and air conditioning compressor.
Temperature Control : Turn the
knob clockwise or counterclockwise
to increase or decrease the
temperature setting.
Air Delivery Mode Control : Press
[,Y, orXto change the direction
of the airflow. Air delivery mode
settings can be combined. An
indicator light comes on in the
selected mode button.
[: Air is directed to the floor
outlets.
Y: Air is directed to the instrument
panel outlets.
X: Air is directed to the windshield
and side window vents.
0: Press to clear the windshield of
fog or frost more quickly. Air is
directed to the windshield. For best results, clear all snow and
ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Air Conditioning
#:
Press to turn the air
conditioning on or off. If the fan is
turned off or the outside
temperature falls below freezing, the
air conditioner will not run and the
indicator light turns off.
h: Press to turn on the
recirculation. An indicator light
comes on. Air is recirculated inside
the vehicle. It helps to quickly cool
the air inside the vehicle or reduce
entry of outside air and odors. To
improve fuel efficiency and to cool
the vehicle faster, recirculation may
be automatically selected in warm
weather when the temperature is set
to the coldest setting. The
recirculation light will not come on.
Press
hto select recirculation;
press it again to select outside air.
Rear Window Defogger
1: 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 defogger only works when the
ignition is on. The defogger turns off
if the ignition is off or in ACC/
ACCESSORY.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Caution
Do not use a razor blade or sharp
object to clear the inside rear
window. Do not adhere anything
to the defogger grid lines in the
rear glass. These actions may
damage the rear defogger.
Repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
132 Climate Controls
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled with
this system.
1. Driver and Passenger HeatedSeats (If Equipped)
2. Driver and Passenger Temperature Controls
3. Air Delivery Modes
4. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
5. Defrost
6. Rear Window Defogger
7. Fan Controls
8. Air Conditioning 9. Recirculation
10. Heated Steering Wheel (If Equipped)
The following are climate control
settings that use more fuel:
. Defrost mode
. Extreme temperature settings
. High fan speed settings To help reduce fuel usage:
.
Use the full automatic control as
described under “Automatic
Operation” following.
. Select a temperature setting that
is higher in hot weather and
lower in cold weather.
. Turn off the air conditioning
when it is not needed.
. Only use defrost to clear the
windows.
Automatic Operation
The system automatically controls
the fan speed, air delivery, air
conditioning, and recirculation in
order to heat or cool the vehicle to
the desired temperature.
When AUTO is lit, all four functions
operate automatically. Each function
can also be manually set and the
selected setting is displayed.
Functions not manually set will
continue to be automatically
controlled, even if the AUTO
indicator is not lit.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Climate Controls 133
For automatic operation:1. Press AUTO.
2. Set the temperature. Allow the system time to stabilize. Then
adjust the temperature as
needed for best comfort.
To improve fuel efficiency and
to cool the vehicle faster,
recirculation may be
automatically selected in warm
weather. The recirculation light
will not come on. Press
hto
select recirculation; press it
again to select outside air.
Manual Operation
9: Press the lower9button to
decrease the fan speed. Pressing
the lower button longer turns the fan
and cooling off. Press the upper
9
button to increase the fan speed.
The selected fan speed is indicated
by a number on the display screen.
Press AUTO to return to automatic
operation.
Air Delivery Modes : Press
[,Y,
or
Xto change the direction of the
airflow. Air delivery mode settings can be combined. An indicator light
comes on in the selected mode
button.
Changing the mode cancels the
automatic operation and the
direction of the airflow is manually
controlled. Press AUTO to return to
automatic operation.
[:
Air is directed to the floor
outlets.
Y: Air is directed to the instrument
panel outlets.
X: Air is directed to the windshield
and side window vents.
0: Press to clear the windshield of
fog or frost more quickly. Air is
directed to the windshield.
For best results, clear all snow and
ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
Air Conditioning
#: Press to turn the air
conditioning on or off. If the fan is
turned off or the outside temperature falls below freezing, the
air conditioner will not run and the
indicator light turns off.
Press AUTO to return to automatic
operation. When the indicator light
is on, the air conditioner runs
automatically to cool the air inside
the vehicle or to dry the air needed
to defog the windshield faster.
h:
Press to turn on recirculation.
An indicator light comes on. Air is
recirculated to quickly cool the
inside of the vehicle or reduce entry
of outside air and odors.
Auto Defog : The climate control
system may have 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. 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
0 113.

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
140 Driving and Operating
Safe driver behavior and
understanding of the environment
can help avoid a rollover crash in
any type of vehicle, including utility
vehicles.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible:
.Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them
off when not required.
. Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
. Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
. Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
. When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control. .
Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
. Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
. Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
. Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area. To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
.
Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
146 Driving and Operating
than when on dry pavement.
SeeAntilock Brake System
(ABS) 0163.
. 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.
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 0283. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0159.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
150 Driving and Operating
Example 3
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 3 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 91 kg
(200 lbs) × 5 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 0 kg (0 lbs).
Refer to your vehicle's Tire and
Loading Information label for
specific information about your
vehicle's capacity weight and
seating positions. The combined weight of the driver, passengers,
and cargo should never exceed
your vehicle's capacity weight.
Certification/Tire Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific Certification/
Tire label is attached to the
center pillar (B-pillar).
The label may show the size of
the vehicle's original tires and
the inflation pressures needed to
obtain the gross weight capacity
of the vehicle. The label shows
the gross weight capacity of the
vehicle. This is called the GrossVehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel, and cargo.
The Certification/Tire label may
also show the maximum weights
for the front and rear axles,
called the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). To find out the
actual loads on the front and
rear axles, weigh the vehicle at
a weigh station. Your dealer can
help with this. Be sure to spread
the load equally on both sides of
the centerline.
CautionOverloading the vehicle may
cause damage. Repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not overload the
vehicle.