Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
174 Driving and Operating
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic keyless ignition
with pushbutton start. The RKE transmitter
must be in the vehicle for the system to
operate.
If the vehicle is not working, the vehicle
may be near a strong antenna signal
causing interference to the Keyless Access
system. SeeRemote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 07.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition must be
on or in ACC/ACCESSORY, and the brake
must be applied. Stopping the Engine/LOCK/OFF (No Indicator
Lights) :
When the vehicle is stopped, press
ENGINE START/STOP once to turn the engine
off. If the vehicle is in P (Park), the ignition
will turn off, and Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0178.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the ignition
will return to ACC/ACCESSORY and the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will display the
message SHIFT TO PARK.
When the vehicle is shifted into P (Park), the
ignition system turn off.
Do not turn the ignition off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a loss of
power assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency: 1. Brake using a firm steady pressure. Do not pump the brakes repeatedly. This
may deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the vehicle is moving.
After shifting to N (Neutral), firmly apply
the brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location. 3. Come to a complete stop, shift to
P (Park), and turn the ignition off.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake
0 184.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while moving may
cause loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable the
airbags. While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over, and
must be shut off while driving, press and
hold ENGINE START/STOP for longer than
two seconds, or press twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber Indicator Light) :
This mode allows you to use some electrical
accessories when the engine is off. With the
ignition off, pressing ENGINE START/STOP
one time without the brake pedal applied
will place the ignition system in ACC/
ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after five minutes to
prevent battery rundown.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Vehicle Care 261
blades. Bugs, road grime, sap, and a buildup
of vehicle wash/wax treatments may cause
wiper streaking.
Replace the wiper blades if they are worn or
damaged. Damage can be caused by
extreme dusty conditions, sand, salt, heat,
sun, snow, and ice.
Weatherstrips
Apply weatherstrip lubricant on
weatherstrips to make them last longer, seal
better, and not stick or squeak. Lubricate
weatherstrips at least once a year. Hot, dry
climates may require more frequent
application. Black marks from rubber
material on painted surfaces can be removed
by rubbing with a clean cloth. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants0275.
Tires
Use a stiff brush with tire cleaner to clean
the tires.
Caution
Using petroleum-based tire dressing
products on the vehicle may damage the
paint finish and/or tires. When applying a
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
tire dressing, always wipe off any
overspray from all painted surfaces on
the vehicle.
Wheels and Wheel Trim
Use a soft, clean cloth with mild soap and
water to clean the wheels. After rinsing
thoroughly with clean water, dry with a
soft, clean towel. A wax may then be
applied.
Caution
Chrome wheels and chrome wheel trim
may be damaged if the vehicle is not
washed after driving on roads that have
been sprayed with magnesium chloride or
calcium chloride. These are used on roads
for conditions such as dust and ice.
Always wash the chrome with soap and
water after exposure.
Caution
To avoid surface damage on wheels and
wheel trim, do not use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, cleaners,
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
or brushes. Use only GM approved
cleaners. Do not drive the vehicle through
an automatic car wash that uses silicon
carbide tire/wheel cleaning brushes.
Damage could occur and the repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Brake System
Visually inspect brake lines and hoses for
proper hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks,
chafing, etc. Inspect disc brake pads for wear
and rotors for surface condition. Inspect
drum brake linings/shoes for wear or cracks.
Inspect all other brake parts.
Steering, Suspension, and Chassis
Components
Visually inspect steering, suspension, and
chassis components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of wear at least
once a year.
Inspect power steering for proper
attachment, connections, binding, leaks,
cracks, chafing, etc.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
268 Service and Maintenance
Tire Rotation and Required Services
Every 12 000 km/7,500 mi
Rotate the tires, if recommended for the
vehicle, and perform the following services.
SeeTire Rotation 0242.
.Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed, change engine
oil and filter, and reset oil life system.
See Engine Oil 0208 and
Engine Oil Life System 0210.
.Inspect the engine air cleaner filter. See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0211.
.Check engine coolant level. See Cooling
System 0212.
.Check windshield washer fluid level. See
Washer Fluid 0216.
.Check tire inflation pressures. See Tire
Pressure 0238.
.Inspect tire wear. See Tire Inspection
0 242.
.Visually check for fluid leaks.
.Inspect brake system. See Exterior Care
0 258.
.Visually inspect steering, suspension, and
chassis components for damage, including
cracks or tears in the rubber boots, loose
or missing parts, or signs of wear at least
once a year. See Exterior Care0258.
.Inspect power steering for proper
attachment, connections, binding, leaks,
cracks, chafing, etc.
.Visually inspect halfshafts and drive
shafts for excessive wear, lubricant leaks,
and/or damage including: tube dents or
cracks, constant velocity joint or universal
joint looseness, cracked or missing boots,
loose or missing boot clamps, center
bearing excessive looseness, loose or
missing fasteners, and axle seal leaks.
.Check restraint system components. See
Safety System Check 037.
.Visually inspect fuel system for damage
or leaks.
.Visually inspect exhaust system and
nearby heat shields for loose or damaged
parts.
.Lubricate body components. See Exterior
Care 0258.
.Check automatic transmission shift lock
control function. See Automatic
Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check 0220.
.Check parking brake and automatic
transmission park mechanism. See Park
Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check
0 220.
.Check accelerator pedal for damage, high
effort, or binding. Replace if needed.
.Visually inspect gas strut for signs of
wear, cracks, or other damage. Check the
hold open ability of the strut. If the hold
open is low, service the gas strut. See Gas
Strut(s) 0222.
.Inspect sunroof track and seal,
if equipped. See Sunroof022.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
304 Index
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
CompartmentsStorage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Connected Services Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Connections Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Control
Traction and Electronic Stability . . . . . . . 185
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Controls Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106, 139
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Coolant
Engine Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . 287
Cover Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Covers Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Cruise Control (cont'd)
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Customer Information
Publications Ordering Information . . . . . 289
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . 282
Cybersecurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Data Collection Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Diagnostics Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Door (cont'd)
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183, 219
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Driving
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Driving the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
E
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Electrical System Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 227
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226