2021 BUICK ENCORE seat adjustment

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
24 Seats and Restraints
Seats and Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Front Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Folding Seatback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Seat Belts
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly . . . . . . . 33
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 37
Seat Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Seat Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . 41
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . 42
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . 42
What Will You See after an Airbag
Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children(LATCH System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Front Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Head Restraints
{
Warning
With head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly, there is a
greater chance that occupants will suffer
a neck/spinal injury in a crash. Do not
drive until the head restraints for all
occupants are installed and adjusted
properly.
Front Seats
The front seats have adjustable head
restraints in the outboard seating positions.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Seats and Restraints 25
Adjust the head restraint so that the top of
the restraint is at the same height as the
top of the occupant's head. This position
reduces the chances of a neck injury in a
crash.
The height of the head restraint can be
adjusted. Pull the head restraint up to raise
it. Try to move the head restraint to make
sure that it is locked in place.
To lower the head restraint, press the
button, located on the top of the seatback,
and push the head restraint down. Try to
move the head restraint after the button is
released to make sure that it is locked in
place.The front seat outboard head restraints are
not removable.
Rear Seats
The rear seats have head restraints in the
outboard seating positions that can be
lowered for better visibility when the rear
seat is unoccupied.
To lower the head restraint, press the
button, located on the top of the seatback,
and push the head restraint down.
When an occupant is in the seat, always
return the head restraint to the upright
position. Pull the head restraint up and push
it rearward until it locks into place. Push and
pull on the head restraint to make sure that
it is locked.
If you are installing a child restraint in the
rear seat, see
“Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH System” under
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) 054.
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment
{Warning
You can lose control of the vehicle if you
try to adjust a driver seat while the
vehicle is moving. Adjust the driver seat
only when the vehicle is not moving.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
26 Seats and Restraints
To adjust a manual seat:1. Pull the handle at the front of the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the desired position and release the handle.
3. Try to move the seat back and forth to be sure it is locked in place.
Power Seat Adjustment
{Warning
The power seats will work with the
ignition off. Children could operate the
power seats and be injured. Never leave
children alone in the vehicle.
To adjust a power seat:
.Move the seat forward or rearward by
sliding the control forward or rearward.
.Raise or lower the front part of the seat
cushion by moving the front of the
control up or down.
.Raise or lower the entire seat by moving
the rear of the control up or down.
To adjust the seatback, see Reclining
Seatbacks 026.
To adjust the lumbar support, see Lumbar
Adjustment 026.
Lumbar Adjustment
If available, press the front or rear of the
switch to increase or decrease lumbar
support. Release the switch when the
desired level of support is reached.
Reclining Seatbacks
{Warning
If either seatback is not locked, it could
move forward in a sudden stop or crash.
That could cause injury to the person
sitting there. Always push and pull on
the seatbacks to be sure they are locked.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
28 Seats and Restraints
There is an armrest on the inboard side of
the driver seat. To raise or lower the
armrest, push up or pull down on the
armrest.
Folding Seatback
The front passenger seatback folds flat.
{Warning
If you fold the seatback forward to carry
longer objects, such as skis, be sure any
such cargo is not near an airbag. In a
crash, an inflating airbag might force that
object toward a person. This could cause
severe injury or even death. Secure
objects away from the area in which an
airbag would inflate. For more
information, seeWhere Are the Airbags?
0 40 and
Vehicle Load Limits 0170.
{Warning
Things you put on this seatback can
strike and injure people in a sudden stop
or turn, or in a crash. Remove or secure
all items before driving. To fold the seatback:
1. Lower the head restraint all the way. See Head Restraints 024.
2. Move the seat as far back as possible. See Seat Adjustment 025.
3. Lift the lever fully and fold the seatback
forward.
If necessary, move the seat belt out of
the way to access the lever.
4. Continue lowering the seatback until it is completely folded and locks in place.
To raise the seatback: 1. Lift the lever fully to unlock the seatback. Then, raise the seatback and
push it rearward until it re-engages. 2. Push and pull on the seatback to make
sure it is locked in place.
{Warning
If either seatback is not locked, it could
move forward in a sudden stop or crash.
That could cause injury to the person
sitting there. Always push and pull on
the seatbacks to be sure they are locked.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Reminder
If equipped, the message REAR SEAT
REMINDER LOOK IN REAR SEAT displays
under certain conditions indicating there
may be an item or passenger in the rear
seat. Check before exiting the vehicle.
This feature will activate when a second row
door is opened while the vehicle is on or up
to 10 minutes before the vehicle is turned
on. There will be an alert when the vehicle
is turned off. The alert does not directly
detect objects in the rear seat; instead,
under certain conditions, it detects when a
rear door is opened and closed, indicating
that there may be something in the
rear seat.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Seats and Restraints 29
The feature is active only once each time
the vehicle is turned on and off, and will
require reactivation by opening and closing
the second row doors. There may be an
alert even when there is nothing in the rear
seat; for example, if a child entered the
vehicle through the rear door and left the
vehicle without the vehicle being shut off.
The feature can be turned on or off. See
Vehicle Personalization (8 Inch Screen)089
or
Vehicle Personalization (7 Inch Screen) 094.
Folding the Seatback
Either side of the seatback can be folded
down for more cargo space. Fold a seatback
only when the vehicle is not moving.
Caution
Folding a rear seat with the seat belts
still fastened may cause damage to the
seat or the seat belts. Always unbuckle
the seat belts and return them to their
normal stowed position before folding a
rear seat.
Caution
Folding the rear seatback prior to tilting
the seat cushion forward may damage
the rear seat. Always tilt the rear seat
cushion forward before folding the
seatback.
To fold a seatback down: 1. Make sure the floor area in front of the rear seats is clear.
2. Fully lower the head restraint. See Head
Restraints 024.
3. Slide the front seats forward and place the front seatbacks in the upright
position. See Seat Adjustment 025 and
Reclining Seatbacks 026.
4. Pull the strap on the front edge of the
rear seat cushion to release the cushion.
Tilt the seat cushion forward toward the
front of the vehicle.
The seat cushion must be tilted forward
before the seatback is folded down.
Otherwise, the seatback will not fold
down properly.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
36 Seats and Restraints
To unlatch the belt, push the button on the
buckle. The belt should return to its stowed
position.
Always stow the seat belt slowly. If the seat
belt webbing returns quickly to the stowed
position, the retractor may lock and cannot
be pulled out. If this happens, pull the seat
belt straight out firmly to unlock the
webbing, and then release it. If the webbing
is still locked in the retractor, see your
dealer.
Before a door is closed, be sure the seat belt
is out of the way. If a door is slammed
against a seat belt, damage can occur to
both the seat belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt height
adjuster for the driver and front outboard
passenger seating positions.
Adjust the height so the shoulder portion of
the belt is on the shoulder and not falling
off of it. The belt should be close to, but not
contacting, the neck. Improper shoulder belt
height adjustment could reduce the
effectiveness of the seat belt in a crash. See
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly033.
To move the shoulder belt height adjuster
down, push down on the release button and
move the height adjuster to the desired position. You can move the height adjuster
up by pushing up on the shoulder belt
guide.
After the adjuster is set to the desired
position, try to move it down without
pushing the release button to make sure it
has locked into position.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has seat belt pretensioners for
the front outboard occupants. Although the
seat belt pretensioners cannot be seen, they
are part of the seat belt assembly. They can
help tighten the seat belts during the early
stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near
frontal, or rear crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner activation are
met. Seat belt pretensioners can also help
tighten the seat belts in a side crash or a
rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash, the
pretensioners and probably other parts of
the vehicle's seat belt system will need to
be replaced. See
Replacing Seat Belt System
Parts after a Crash 038.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Seats and Restraints 59
{Warning
Children can be seriously injured or
strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped
around their neck. The shoulder belt can
tighten but cannot be loosened if it is
locked. The shoulder belt locks when it is
pulled all the way out of the retractor.
It unlocks when the shoulder belt is
allowed to go all the way back into the
retractor, but it cannot do this if it is
wrapped around a child’s neck. If the
shoulder belt is locked and tightened
around a child’s neck, the only way to
loosen the belt is to cut it.
Buckle any unused seat belts behind the
child restraint so children cannot reach
them. Pull the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor to set the lock, and
tighten the belt behind the child restraint
after the child restraint has been
installed.
Caution
Do not let the LATCH attachments rub
against the vehicle’s seat belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary, move
buckled seat belts to avoid rubbing the
LATCH attachments.
Do not fold the rear seatback when the
seat is occupied. Do not fold the empty
rear seat with a seat belt buckled. This
could damage the seat belt or the seat.
Unbuckle and return the seat belt to its
stowed position, before folding the seat.
If you need to secure more than one child
restraint in the rear seat, see Where to Put
the Restraint 053.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the lower anchors. If the
child restraint does not have lower
attachments or the desired seating
position does not have lower anchors,
secure the child restraint with the top
tether and the seat belt. Refer to the
child restraint manufacturer instructions
and the instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating position. 1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
For rear outboard seating positions,
if the head restraint interferes with
the proper installation of the child
restraint, the head restraint may be
removed. See “Head Restraint
Removal and Reinstallation” at the
end of this section.
When installing a rear-facing child
restraint, it may be necessary to
move the front seat forward to
properly install the child restraint
per the child restraint manufacturer
instructions. See Seat Adjustment
0 25.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child restraint
to the lower anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether be
attached, attach and tighten the top
tether to the top tether anchor,
if equipped. Refer to the child restraint
instructions and the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. Remove the cargo cover, if equipped, before installing the
top tether. Place the cargo cover on

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14607636) -
2021 - CRC - 8/18/20
Seats and Restraints 61
Head Restraint Removal and
Reinstallation
The rear outboard head restraints can be
removed if they interfere with the proper
installation of the child restraint.
To remove the head restraint:1. Partially fold the seatback forward. See Rear Seats 028.
2. Press both buttons on the head restraint
posts at the same time, and pull up on
the head restraint.
3. Store the head restraint in a secure place. 4. When the child restraint is removed,
reinstall the head restraint before the
seating position is used.
{Warning
With head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly, there is a
greater chance that occupants will suffer
a neck/spinal injury in a crash. Do not
drive until the head restraints for all
occupants are installed and adjusted
properly.
To reinstall the head restraint:
1. Insert the head restraint posts into the holes in the top of the seatback. The
notches on the posts must face the
driver side of the vehicle.
2. Push the head restraint down.
If necessary, press the height adjustment
release button to further lower the head
restraint. See Rear Seats028.
3. Try to move the head restraint to make sure it is locked in place.
Replacing LATCH System Parts
After a Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the LATCH system in
the vehicle. A damaged LATCH system
may not properly secure the child
restraint, resulting in serious injury or
even death in a crash. To help make sure
the LATCH system is working properly
after a crash, see your dealer to have the
system inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system and it
was being used during a crash, new LATCH
system parts may be needed.