2021 BUICK ENCORE warning

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
86 Instruments and Controls
High-Beam On Light
This light comes on when the high-beam
headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
0 97.
Lamps On Reminder
This light comes on when the exterior lamps
are in use, except when only the Daytime
Running Lamps (DRL) are active. See Exterior
Lamp Controls 097.
Cruise Control Light
For vehicles with cruise control, the cruise
control light is white when the cruise
control is on and ready, and turns green
when the cruise control is set and active.
The light turns off when the cruise control is
turned off. See Cruise Control0186.
Door Ajar Light
This light comes on when a door is open or
not securely latched. Before driving, check
that all doors are properly closed.
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC) displays
information about the vehicle. It also
displays warning messages if a system
problem is detected. See Vehicle Messages
0 88. All messages appear in the DIC display
in the center of the instrument cluster.
The vehicle may also have features that can
be customized through the controls on the
radio. See Vehicle Personalization (8 Inch
Screen) 089 or
Vehicle Personalization (7 Inch Screen) 094.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC has different displays which can be
accessed by using the DIC buttons on the
turn signal lever. The DIC displays trip, fuel,
and vehicle system information, and
warning messages if a system problem is
detected.
The bottom of the DIC display shows the
position of the shift lever and the odometer.
It may also show the direction the vehicle is
driving.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Lighting 97
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . 97
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . 98
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . 99
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Battery Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Battery Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . 102
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. A warning chime sounds if the driver
door is opened when the ignition is off and
the headlamps are on.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
3: Push the turn signal lever away from
you and release, to turn the high beams on.
To return to low beams, push the lever
again or pull it toward you and release.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Lighting 99
If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the
automatic headlamp system comes on
immediately. If it is light outside when the
vehicle leaves the garage, there is a slight
delay before the automatic headlamp
system changes to the DRL. During that
delay, the instrument cluster may not be as
bright as usual. Make sure the instrument
panel brightness control is in the full bright
position. SeeInstrument Panel Illumination
Control 0100.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are activated in
daylight with the engine on, and the
exterior lamp control is in AUTO, the
headlamps, parking lamps, and other
exterior lamps come on. The transition time
for the lamps coming on varies based on
wiper speed. When the wipers are not
operating, these lamps turn off. Move the
exterior lamp control to
Por;to
disable this feature.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|: Press and momentarily hold to make
the front and rear turn signal lamps flash on
and off. This warns others that you are
having trouble. Press and momentarily hold
again to turn the flashers off.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
Move the lever all the way up or down to
signal a turn.
An arrow on the instrument cluster will
flash in the direction of the turn or lane
change.
Raise or lower the lever until the arrow
starts to flash to signal a lane change. The
turn signal flashes three times.
The lever returns to its starting position
when it is released.
If after signaling a turn or lane change the
arrow flashes rapidly or does not come on, a
signal bulb may be burned out. Replace any
burned out bulbs. If a bulb is not burned
out, check the fuse. See Fuses and Circuit
Breakers 0226.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
104 Infotainment System
Introduction
Read the following pages to become familiar
with the features.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road for too
long or too often while using any
infotainment feature can cause a crash.
You or others could be injured or killed.
Do not give extended attention to
infotainment tasks while driving. Limit
your glances at the vehicle displays and
focus your attention on driving. Use voice
commands whenever possible.
The infotainment system has built-in
features intended to help avoid distraction
by disabling some features when driving.
These features may gray out when they are
unavailable. Many infotainment features are
also available through the instrument cluster
and steering wheel controls. Before driving:
.Become familiar with the operation,
center stack controls, steering wheel
controls, and infotainment display.
.Set up the audio by presetting favorite
stations, setting the tone, and adjusting
the speakers.
.Set up phone numbers in advance so they
can be called easily by pressing a single
control or by using a single voice
command.
See Distracted Driving 0164.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Infotainment System 137
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road for too
long or too often while using any
infotainment feature can cause a crash.
You or others could be injured or killed.
Do not give extended attention to
infotainment tasks while driving. Limit
your glances at the vehicle displays and
focus your attention on driving. Use voice
commands whenever possible.
The infotainment system has built-in
features intended to help avoid distraction
by disabling some features when driving.
These features may gray out when they are
unavailable. Many infotainment features are
also available through the instrument cluster
and steering wheel controls. Before driving:.Become familiar with the operation,
center stack controls, steering wheel
controls, and infotainment display.
.Set up the audio by presetting favorite
stations, setting the tone, and adjusting
the speakers.
.Set up phone numbers in advance so they
can be called easily by pressing a single
control or by using a single voice
command.
See Distracted Driving 0164.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
If equipped, ANC reduces engine noise in the
vehicle’s interior. ANC requires the
factory-installed audio system, radio,
speakers, amplifier (if equipped), induction
system, and exhaust system to work
properly. Deactivation is required by your
dealer if related aftermarket equipment is
installed.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Driving and Operating 163
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 164
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Winter Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 178
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . 180
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 181
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . 195
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Filling the Tank (Capless Fuel Fill) . . . . . . 197
Filling the Tank (Capped Fuel Fill) . . . . . 198
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . 200
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . 200
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 200

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Driving and Operating 165
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.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend to
children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate carrier or
restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations while
driving, whether with a passenger or on a
cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too long or
too often could cause a crash resulting in
injury or death. Focus your attention on
driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for more
information on using that system and the
navigation system, if equipped, including
pairing and using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always expect the
unexpected.” The first step in driving
defensively is to wear the seat belt. See
Seat Belts 032.
.Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers)
are going to be careless and make
mistakes. Anticipate what they may do
and be ready.
.Allow enough following distance between
you and the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Impaired Driving
Death and injury associated with impaired
driving is a global tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking alcohol or taking drugs and then
driving is very dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment
can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol or drugs. You can have a
serious —or even fatal —collision if you
drive after drinking or taking drugs.
Do not drive while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs, or ride with a driver
who has been drinking or is impaired by
drugs. Find alternate transportation
home; or if you are with a group,
designate a driver who will remain sober.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating are
important factors in helping to control a
vehicle while driving.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Driving and Operating 167
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when steering
around a problem may be more effective
than braking.
.Holding both sides of the steering wheel
allows you to turn 180 degrees without
removing a hand.
.The Antilock Brake System (ABS) allows
steering while braking.
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.