2021 BUICK ENCORE GX manual shift

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
116 Instruments and Controls
Chime Volume
This allows the selection of the chime
volume level.
Touch the infotainment controls to adjust
the volume
Hands Free Liftgate Control
The liftgate may be operated with a kicking
motion under the left side of the rear
bumper. SeeLiftgate018
Touch Off, On-Open and Close,
or On-Open Only.
Reverse Tilt Mirror
When on, the driver, passenger, or both
driver and passenger outside mirrors will tilt
downward when the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse) to improve visibility of the
ground near the rear wheels. They may
move from their tilted position when the
vehicle is shifted out of R (Reverse) or
turned off. See Reverse Tilt Mirrors 027.
Touch Off, On - Driver and Passenger, On -
Driver, or On - Passenger.
Rain Sense Wipers
This allows the Rainsense Wipers feature to
be disabled or enabled.
Touch Disabled or Enabled. Auto Wipe in Reverse Gear
This setting automatically turns on the rear
window wiper when the vehicle is in
R (Reverse) and the front wipers are on.
Touch Off or On.
Lighting
Touch and the following may display:
.Vehicle Locator Lights
.Exit Lighting
Vehicle Locator Lights
This feature will flash the exterior lamps
when
Kon the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter is pressed to locate the vehicle.
Touch Off or On.
Exit Lighting
This allows the selection of how long the
exterior lamps stay on when leaving the
vehicle when it is dark outside.
Touch Off, 30 Seconds, 60 Seconds, or 120
Seconds.
Power Door Locks
Touch and the following may display:
.Open Door Anti Lock Out
.Auto Door Unlock
.Delayed Door Lock
Open Door Anti Lock Out
This setting prevents the driver door from
locking when the door is open. If this
setting is on, the Delayed Door Lock menu
will not be available.
Touch Off or On.
Auto Door Unlock
This setting allows you to select which
doors will automatically unlock when the
vehicle is shifted into P (Park).
Touch Off, All Doors, or Driver Door.
Delayed Door Lock
This setting delays the locking of the doors.
To override the delay, press the power door
lock switch on the door.
Touch Off or On.
Remote Lock, Unlock, and Start
Touch and the following may display:
.Remote Unlock Light Feedback
.Remote Lock Feedback
.Remote Door Unlock
.Remote Start Auto Heat Seats
.Passive Door Unlock

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
Lighting 121
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . 122
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . 123
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . 123
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . 124
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Battery Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Battery Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . 127
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is on the
instrument panel to the left of the steering
column.
There are four positions.
O: Turns the exterior lamps off and
deactivates the AUTO mode. Turn
Oagain
to reactivate the AUTO mode.
In Canada, the headlamps will automatically
reactivate when the vehicle is shifted out of
P (Park). AUTO :
Turns the exterior lamps on and off
automatically depending on outside lighting.
;: Turns on the parking lamps including
all lamps, except the headlamps.
5: Turns on the headlamps together with
the parking lamps and instrument panel
lights.
IntelliBeam®System
If equipped, this system turns the vehicle's
high-beam headlamps on and off according
to surrounding traffic conditions.
The system turns the high-beam headlamps
on when it is dark enough and there is no
other traffic present.
This light comes on in the instrument
cluster when the IntelliBeam system is
enabled.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
Infotainment System 147
airports, banks, hospitals, police stations, gas
stations, tourist attractions, and historical
monuments.
If the vehicle does not have an applicable
service plan, the map database may not
include data for newly constructed areas or
map database corrections that are
completed after production. The navigation
system provides full route guidance in the
detailed map areas.
Zoom Control
The zoom control display is shown on the
map view. A few ways to zoom in or
out are:
.Touch + or–to zoom in or out on
the map.
.Double tap with one finger to zoom in or
single tap with two fingers to zoom out
on the map.
.Use the index finger and thumb to zoom
out by pinching and then zoom in by
spreading those two fingers on the map.
Map Gestures and Map Scale
Use the following gestures on the
infotainment display to adjust the map scale
and display options.
.Pinch to zoom in or out.
.Pan the map.
.Use two fingers to tilt down and change
from 2D to 3D. Tilt up to change back
to 2D.
.Rotate the map.
See Using the System 0131.
Mute
When in active guidance, the audio prompts
while using navigation can be muted. Touch
the speaker icon on the right side of the
upper bar. A slash will appear on the
speaker to indicate voice guidance is muted.
Active Guidance View
When a destination is chosen and a
navigation session is active, the navigation
system enters into an Active Guidance
View (AGV).
Map Orientation
Touch
Aon the map to access map
orientation settings. Map orientation is 3D
Heading Up by default.
Available settings are:
.3D Heading Up (Default): 3D map with
the vehicle pointing up. In this mode, the
current location icon will always head up
and the map will rotate around it.
.2D Heading Up: 2D map with the vehicle
pointing up. In this mode, the current
location icon will always head up and the
map will rotate around it.
.2D North Up: 2D map with North pointing
up. In this mode, the current location icon
will shift as the vehicle turns left and
right.
Touch the icon to change the map type. The
icon and label will also update accordingly.
Depending on the zoom level of the 2D
Heading Up and 3D Heading Up maps, the
system may automatically switch to the 2D
North Up map.
When in AGV, the entire route can be
viewed in 2D North Up by touching the
traffic bar. The map will zoom out and
readjust to display the full route. When in
2D North Up Route View, the Recenter icon
will appear in the middle of the display.
Touch either the Recenter icon or the traffic
bar again to return to the previous view,
either 2D or 3D.
Lane Guidance
The map will display the lane information
for the upcoming maneuver if it is available.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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186 Driving and Operating
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 187
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Winter Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 203
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . 204
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 205
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 208
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Adaptive Cruise Control (Camera) . . . . . . 214
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Assistance Systems for Parking or
Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 229
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . 232
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 241
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 249

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
190 Driving and Operating
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off the
edge of a road onto the shoulder while
driving. Follow these tips:1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer the
vehicle so that it straddles the edge of
the pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the right front
tire contacts the pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three control
systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not rolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid —too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow these
suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the accelerator pedal
and steer the way you want the vehicle
to go. The vehicle may straighten out. Be
ready for a second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your driving
according to weather conditions. Stopping
distance can be longer and vehicle control
can be affected when traction is reduced
by water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to recognize warning clues
—such as enough water,
ice, or packed snow on the road to make
a mirrored surface —and slow down
when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle
speed by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid only
the braking skid.
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.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They
might not work as well in a quick stop
and could cause pulling to one side. You
could lose control of the vehicle. (Continued)

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 191
Warning (Continued)
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car/vehicle wash, lightly apply
the brake pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces. Driving through flowing water
could cause the vehicle to be carried
away. If this happens, you and other
vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very
cautious about trying to drive through
flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water can build
up under the vehicle's tires so they actually
ride on the water. This can happen if the
road is wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is hydroplaning, it
has little or no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow
down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet weather
driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping equipment in
good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid reservoir
filled.
.Have good tires with proper tread depth.
SeeTires 0286.
.Turn off cruise control.
.Activate All-Wheel Drive (AWD) mode. See
All-Wheel Drive 0207.
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 and 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. 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.
.Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode. See
All-Wheel Drive 0207.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
Driving and Operating 193
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to
free the vehicle when stuck in sand, mud,
ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction system
to free the vehicle, turn the traction system
off and use the rocking method. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control
0210.
{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).
Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode. See
All-Wheel Drive 0207.
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 0311.
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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
performance, damage the tires, and
shorten the life of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information Label
Example Label
A vehicle-specific Tire and Loading
Information label is attached to the center
pillar (B-pillar). The tire and loading

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
196 Driving and Operating
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.
Caution
Overloading the vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Do not overload the
vehicle.
{Warning
Things inside the vehicle can strike and
injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or in a crash.
.Put things in the cargo area of the
vehicle. In the cargo area, put them as
far forward as possible. Try to spread
the weight evenly.
.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.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Do not leave a seat folded down
unless needed.
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The 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 breaking-in
guideline every time you get new
brake linings.
Following break-in, engine speed and load
can be gradually increased.
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic keyless ignition
with pushbutton start.
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 07.
Stopping the Engine/Off (No Indicator
Lights)
When the vehicle is stopped, press ENGINE
START/STOP once to turn the engine off.