2021 BUICK ENCORE GX warning light

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
Seats and Restraints 51
{Warning
You can be severely injured or killed in a
crash if you are not wearing your seat
belt, even with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with seat belts, not
replace them. Also, airbags are not
designed to inflate in every crash. In
some crashes seat belts are the only
restraint. SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? 053.
Wearing your seat belt during a crash
helps reduce your chance of hitting
things inside the vehicle or being ejected
from it. Airbags are “supplemental
restraints” to the seat belts. Everyone in
the vehicle should wear a seat belt
properly, whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
{Warning
Because airbags inflate with great force
and faster than the blink of an eye,
anyone who is up against, or very close
to, any airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not sit
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
unnecessarily close to any airbag, as you
would be if sitting on the edge of the
seat or leaning forward. Seat belts help
keep you in position before and during a
crash. Always wear a seat belt, even with
airbags. The driver should sit as far back
as possible while still maintaining control
of the vehicle. The seat belts and the
front outboard passenger airbags are
most effective when you are sitting well
back and upright in the seat with both
feet on the floor.
Occupants should not lean on or sleep
against the door or side windows in
seating positions with seat-mounted side
impact airbags and/or roof-rail airbags.
{Warning
Children who are up against, or very
close to, any airbag when it inflates can
be seriously injured or killed. Always
secure children properly in the vehicle. To
read how, seeOlder Children 060 or
Infants and Young Children 062.
There is an airbag readiness light on the
instrument cluster, which shows the airbag
symbol.
The system checks the airbag electrical
system for malfunctions. The light tells you
if there is an electrical problem. See Airbag
Readiness Light 095.
Where Are the Airbags?

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 55
airbags inflate. The feature may also
activate, without airbag inflation, after an
event that exceeds a predetermined
threshold. After turning the ignition off and
then on again, the fuel system will return to
normal operation; the doors can be locked,
the interior lamps can be turned off, and
the hazard warning flashers can be turned
off using the controls for those features.
If any of these systems are damaged in the
crash they may not operate as normal.
{Warning
A crash severe enough to inflate the
airbags may have also damaged
important functions in the vehicle, such
as the fuel system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle appears
to be drivable after a moderate crash,
there may be concealed damage that
could make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt to
restart the engine after a crash has
occurred.In many crashes severe enough to inflate
the airbag, windshields are broken by
vehicle deformation. Additional windshield
breakage may also occur from the front
outboard passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate only once.
After an airbag inflates, you will need
some new parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the airbag
system will not be there to help protect
you in another crash. A new system will
include airbag modules and possibly other
parts. The service manual for the vehicle
covers the need to replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records
information after a crash. See
Vehicle
Data Recording and Privacy 0348 and
Event Data Recorders 0349.
.Let only qualified technicians work on the
airbag systems. Improper service can
mean that an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system
for the front outboard passenger position.
The passenger airbag status indicator will
light on the overhead console when the
vehicle is started.
United States
Canada
The words ON and OFF, or the symbols for
on and off, will be visible during the system
check. When the system check is complete,
either the word ON or OFF, or the symbol
for on or off, will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 096.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
56 Seats and Restraints
The passenger sensing system turns off the
front outboard passenger frontal airbag and
knee airbag under certain conditions. No
other airbag is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with
sensors that are part of the front outboard
passenger seat and seat belt.
The sensors are designed to detect the
presence of a properly seated occupant and
determine if the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, and knee airbag, should be
allowed to inflate or not.
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly secured in a rear seat
in the correct child restraint for their weight
and size.
Whenever possible, children aged 12 and
under should be secured in a rear seating
position.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the
front. This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag
inflates.{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
passenger frontal airbag inflates. This is
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
inflating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the passenger
frontal airbag inflates and the passenger
seat is in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard passenger
airbag(s), no system is fail-safe. No one
can guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual circumstance,
even though the airbag(s) are off.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat, even if the airbag is off.
If securing a forward-facing child restraint
in the front outboard passenger seat,
always move the seat as far back as it
will go. It is better to secure child
restraints in the rear seat. Consider using
another vehicle to transport the child
when a rear seat is not available.The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, and knee airbag, if:.The front outboard passenger seat is
unoccupied.
.The system determines an infant is
present in a child restraint.
.A front outboard passenger takes his/her
weight off of the seat for a period
of time.
.There is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, and knee airbag, the OFF
indicator will light and stay lit as a reminder
that the airbags are off. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 096.
The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn on the front outboard passenger frontal
airbag, and knee airbag, anytime the system
senses that a person of adult size is sitting
properly in the front outboard
passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing system has
allowed the airbags to be enabled, the ON
indicator will light and stay lit as a reminder
that the airbags are active.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
Seats and Restraints 57
For some children, including children in child
restraints, and for very small adults, the
passenger sensing system may or may not
turn off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, and knee airbag, depending
upon the person's seating posture and body
build. Everyone in the vehicle who has
outgrown child restraints should wear a seat
belt properly—whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever comes
on and stays on, it means that
something may be wrong with the airbag
system. To help avoid injury to yourself
or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness Light 095
for more information, including important
safety information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a Child
Restraint
The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag, if the system
determines that an infant is present in a
child restraint. If a child restraint has been
installed and the ON indicator is lit: 1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the
vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint following the directions provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the
Front Seat) 074 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Rear Seat) 073.
Make sure the seat belt retractor is
locked by pulling the shoulder belt all
the way out of the retractor when
installing the child restraint, even if the
child restraint is equipped with a seat
belt lock off. When the retractor lock is
set, the belt can be tightened but not
pulled out of the retractor.
5. If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the vehicle, the ON
indicator is still lit, turn the vehicle off.
Then slightly recline the vehicle seatback
and adjust the seat cushion,
if adjustable, to make sure that the
vehicle seatback is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. Also make sure the child restraint is not
trapped under the vehicle head restraint.
If this happens, adjust the head restraint.
See
Head Restraints 033.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system may or may
not turn off the airbags for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the child’s size.
It is better to secure the child restraint in a
rear seat. Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if the ON
indicator is not lit.
If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
60 Seats and Restraints
will be affected if the vehicle is modified for
any other reason, call Customer Assistance.
SeeCustomer Assistance Offices 0341.
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need regularly
scheduled maintenance or replacement.
Make sure the airbag readiness light is
working. See Airbag Readiness Light 095.
Caution
If an airbag covering is damaged, opened,
or broken, the airbag may not work
properly. Do not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any opened or
broken airbag coverings, have the airbag
covering and/or airbag module replaced.
For the location of the airbags, see Where
Are the Airbags? 051. See your dealer for
service.
Replacing Airbag System Parts
after a Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the airbag systems
in the vehicle. A damaged airbag system
may not properly protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash, resulting in
serious injury or even death. To help
make sure the airbag systems are
working properly after a crash, have
them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
If an airbag inflates, you will need to
replace airbag system parts. See your dealer
for service.
If the airbag readiness light stays on after
the vehicle is started or comes on when you
are driving, the airbag system may not work
properly. Have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness Light 095.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster
seats should wear the vehicle’s seat belts.
The manufacturer instructions that come
with the booster seat state the weight and
height limitations for that booster. Use a
booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt until
the child passes the fit test below:
.Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the
knees bend at the seat edge? If yes,
continue. If no, return to the booster seat.
.Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the
shoulder belt rest on the shoulder? If yes,
continue. If no, try using the rear seat

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 75
SeePassenger Sensing System 055 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator 096 for
more information, including important
safety information.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the
front. This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag
deploys.
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
inflates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very
close to the inflating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag inflates
and the passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard passenger
airbag(s), no system is fail-safe. No one
can guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual circumstance,
even though the airbag(s) are off.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Secure rear-facing child restraints in a
rear seat, even if the airbag(s) are off.
If you secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the front outboard passenger
seat, always move the seat as far back as
it will go. It is better to secure the child
restraint in a rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System 055 for
additional information.
If the child restraint uses a top tether, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) 066 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.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have a top
tether, and that the tether be attached. When using the lap-shoulder belt to secure
the child restraint in this position, follow the
instructions that came with the child
restraint and the following instructions:
1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the forward-facing child
restraint. Move the seat upward or the
seatback to an upright position,
if needed, to get a tight installation of
the child restraint.
When the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag, the OFF
indicator on the passenger airbag status
indicator should light and stay lit when
you start the vehicle. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 096.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. 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.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
82 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 94
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 96
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . 99
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . 100
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Universal Remote System
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Universal Remote System Operation . . . 120

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
Instruments and Controls 83
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment
To adjust the steering wheel:1. Pull the lever down.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down.
3. Pull or push the steering wheel closer or away from you.
4. Pull the lever up to lock the steering wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving.
Steering Wheel Controls
The infotainment system can be operated
by using the steering wheel controls. See
Steering Wheel Controls 0130.
Heated Steering Wheel
(:If equipped, press to turn on or off.
A light near the button displays when the
feature is turned on.
The steering wheel takes about
three minutes to start heating.
Horn
Pressaon the steering wheel pad to
sound the horn.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
{Warning
In freezing weather, do not use the
washer until the windshield is warmed.
Otherwise the washer fluid can form ice
on the windshield, blocking your vision.
{Warning
Before driving the vehicle, always clear
snow and ice from the hood, windshield,
roof, and rear of the vehicle, including all
lamps and windows. Reduced visibility
from snow and ice buildup could lead to
a crash.
With the ignition on or in ACC/ACCESSORY,
move the windshield wiper lever to select
the wiper speed.