Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Introduction 3
[:Forward Collision Alert
R:Fuse Block Cover Lock Location
+:Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child Restraints
Q:Keep Fuse Block Covers Properly
Installed
|: Lane Change Alert
@:Lane Departure Warning
A:Lane Keep Assist
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
X:Park Assist
~:Pedestrian Ahead Indicator
O:Power
7:Rear Cross Traffic Alert
I:Registered Technician
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Seat Belt Reminders
I:Side Blind Zone Alert
h:Stop/Start
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC)
a: Under Pressure
V: Vehicle Ahead Indicator
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Introduction 5
1.Air Vents 0161.
2. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals 099.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer 097.
3. Instrument Cluster 076.
4. Driver Information Center (DIC) Display. See Driver Information Center (DIC) 086.
5. Windshield Wiper/Washer 072.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer 073.
6. Light Sensor. See Automatic Headlamp
System 098.
7. Infotainment Controls. See Overview (8
Inch Screen) 0105 or
Overview (7 Inch Screen) 0138.
8. Climate Control Systems 0159.
9. Instrument Panel Storage 067.
10. Shift Lever. See Automatic Transmission
0 181.
11. Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0185.
Hazard Warning Flashers 099.
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator. See
Passenger Sensing System 044.
12. Park Assist 0191 (If Equipped).
13. Lane Departure Warning (LDW) 0195 (If
Equipped). 14. Engine START/STOP button. See
Ignition
Positions 0174.
15. Steering Wheel Controls 072.
16. Horn 072.
17. Steering Wheel Adjustment 071.
18. Cruise Control 0186.
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System
0 192 (If Equipped).
19. Hood Release. See Hood0203.
20. Instrument Panel Storage 067.
21. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View).
22. Exterior Lamp Controls 097.
Instrument Panel Illumination Control
0 100.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
82 Instruments and Controls
.If equipped with capped fuel fill: A loose
or missing fuel cap may cause the light
to come on. SeeFilling the Tank (Capless
Fuel Fill) 0197 or
Filling the Tank (Capped Fuel Fill) 0198.
A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed may turn the light off.
.Poor fuel quality can cause inefficient
engine operation and poor drivability,
which may go away once the engine is
warmed up. If this occurs, change the fuel
brand. It may require at least one full
tank of the proper fuel to turn the light
off. See Recommended Fuel 0196.
If the light remains on, see your dealer.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
If the vehicle requires an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test, the test
equipment will likely connect to the
vehicle's Data Link Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument panel to
the left of the steering wheel. Connecting
devices that are not used to perform an
Emissions Inspection/Maintenance test or to
service the vehicle may affect vehicle
operation. See Add-On Electrical Equipment
0 200. See your dealer if assistance is
needed.
The vehicle may not pass inspection if:
.The light is on when the engine is
running.
.The light does not come on when the
ignition is in Service Mode.
.Critical emission control systems have not
been completely diagnosed. If this
happens, the vehicle would not be ready
for inspection and might require
several days of routine driving before the
system is ready for inspection. This can
happen if the 12-volt battery has recently
been replaced or run down, or if the
vehicle has been recently serviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle will not pass
or cannot be made ready for the test.
Brake System Warning Light
MetricEnglish
This light should come on briefly when the
vehicle is turned on. If it does not come on
then, have it fixed so it will be ready to
warn you if there is a problem.
When the vehicle is on, the brake system
warning light also comes on when the
parking brake is set. The light stays on if
the parking brake does not fully release. If it
stays on after the parking brake is fully
released, there is a brake problem. Have the
brake system inspected right away.
If the light comes on while driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. The brake pedal
might be harder to push, or the brake pedal
may go closer to the floor. It could take
longer to stop. If the light is still on, have
the vehicle towed for service. See Towing
the Vehicle 0255.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Instruments and Controls 93
Manage Android Auto Devices
Select to manage Android devices. Android
Auto must be on for this feature to be
accessed.
Voice
Select and the following may be displayed:
.Confidence Threshold
.Prompt Length
.Audio Feedback Speed
.Display“What Can I Say?” Tips
Confidence Threshold
This feature allows the adjustment of the
sensitivity of the speech recognition system.
Select Confirm More or Confirm Less.
Prompt Length
This feature adjusts the voice prompt length.
Select Short or Long.
Audio Feedback Speed
This feature adjusts the audio feedback
speed.
Select Slow, Medium, or Fast. Display
“What Can I Say?” Tips
This feature gives tips on what to say when
using voice recognition.
Select Off or On.
Display
Select and the following may be displayed:
.Calibrate Touchscreen
.Turn Display Off
Calibrate Touchscreen
Select to calibrate the touchscreen, then
follow the prompts.
Turn Display Off
Select to turn the display off. Touch
anywhere on the infotainment display or
press any infotainment controls on the
center stack to turn the display on.
Rear Camera
Select and the following may be displayed:
.Guidance Lines
.Rear Park Assist Symbols
Guidance Lines
Select to turn Off or On. See Rear Vision
Camera (RVC) 0190. Rear Park Assist Symbols
Select to turn Off or On.
Return to Factory Settings
Select and the following may be displayed:
.Restore Vehicle Settings
.Clear All Private Data
.Restore Radio Settings
Restore Vehicle Settings
This allows selection of restoring vehicle
settings.
Select Restore or Cancel.
Clear All Private Data
This allows selection to clear all private
information from the vehicle.
Select Delete or Cancel.
Restore Radio Settings
This allows selection to restore radio
settings.
Select Restore or Cancel.
Software Information
Select to view or update the infotainment
system current software information.
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
166 Driving and Operating
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time. Deciding to push the brake
pedal is perception time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is about
three-quarters of a second. In that time, a
vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels
20 m (66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind include:
.Keep enough distance between you and
the vehicle in front of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is
being driven, brake normally but do not
pump the brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the engine
stops, there will be some power brake assist
but it will be used when the brake is
applied. Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering system,
do not drive over curbs, parking barriers,
or similar objects at speeds greater than
3 km/h (1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane dividers
and speed bumps. Damage caused by
misuse of the vehicle is not covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power steering.
It does not have power steering fluid.
Regular maintenance is not required. If power steering assist is lost due to a
system malfunction, the vehicle can be
steered, but may require increased effort.
See your dealer if there is a problem.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is held
against that position for an extended period
of time, power steering assist may be
reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an extended
period of time while the vehicle is not
moving, power assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering assist
should return when the system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a problem.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady speed
through the curve.
.Wait until the vehicle is out of the curve
before accelerating gently into the
straightaway.
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
188 Driving and Operating
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is already
activated:
.Move the thumbwheel up toward RES/+
and hold it until the desired speed is
reached, then release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in small
increments, move the thumbwheel up
toward RES/+ briefly. For each press, the
vehicle goes about 1 km/h (1 mph) faster.
The speedometer reading can be displayed
in either English or metric units. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) 086. The
increment value used depends on the units
displayed.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is already
activated:
.Move the thumbwheel toward SET/− and
hold until the desired lower speed is
reached, then release it.
.To decrease the vehicle speed in small
increments, move the thumbwheel
toward SET/− briefly. For each press, the
vehicle goes about 1 km/h (1 mph) slower. The speedometer reading can be displayed
in either English or metric units. See
Driver
Information Center (DIC) 086. The
increment value used depends on the units
displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise
Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the
vehicle speed. When you take your foot off
the pedal, the vehicle slows down to the
previous set cruise control speed. While
pressing the accelerator pedal or shortly
following the release to override cruise
control, briefly moving the thumbwheel
toward SET/− will result in cruise set to the
current vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well cruise control works on hills
depends on the vehicle speed, load, and the
steepness of the hills. When going up steep
hills, you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the vehicle
speed. When going downhill, you might
have to brake or shift to a lower gear to
keep your speed down. If the brake pedal is
applied, cruise control will disengage. Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise control:
.To disengage cruise control, step lightly
on the brake pedal.
.Pressn.
.Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
.To turn off cruise control, presso.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is erased from
memory if
ois pressed or if the vehicle is
turned off.
Driver Assistance Systems
This vehicle may have features that work
together to help avoid crashes or reduce
crash damage while driving, backing, and
parking. Read this entire section before
using these systems.
{Warning
Do not rely on the Driver Assistance
Systems. These systems do not replace
the need for paying attention and driving
safely. You may not hear or see alerts or
warnings provided by these systems.
(Continued)