Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15481080) - 2022 - CRC - 6/1/21
172 Infotainment System
On certain vehicles, when the Speed Limiter
is turned ON, the vehicle’s maximum
acceleration will be limited. The DIC will
display a message that the acceleration is
limited.
Teen Driver Speed Warning :Allows the
speed warning to be turned on or off. Touch
Set Teen Driver Speed Warning to set the
warning speed.
Set Teen Driver Speed Warning : Displays a
warning in the DIC when exceeding a
selectable speed. Choose the desired speed
warning level. The speed warning does not
limit the speed of the vehicle.
SiriusXM Explicit Content Filter (if
equipped) : Allows the SiriusXM Explicit
Content Filter to be turned ON or OFF.
When ON, the teen driver will not be able
to listen to SiriusXM stations that contain
explicit content, and the Explicit Content
Filter selection in the Audio Settings will be
unavailable for change.
When Teen Driver is Active:
.The radio will mute when the driver seat
belt, and in some vehicles the front
passenger seat belt, is not buckled. The
audio from any device paired to the
vehicle will also be muted.
.If an object, such as a briefcase, handbag,
grocery bag, laptop, or other electronic
device, is on the front passenger seat, it
could cause the radio to mute. If this
happens, remove the object from the
seat. See Passenger Sensing System 057.
.Some safety systems, such as Forward
Collision Alert, if equipped, cannot be
turned off. They may include: Park Assist,
Side Blind Zone Alert, Lane Change Alert,
Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Collision
Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking,
Pedestrian Braking, Lane Departure
Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Daytime
Running Lamps/Automatic Light Control,
Traction Control, Stability Control, and
Antilock Brakes.
.The gap setting for the Forward Collision
Alert and Adaptive Cruise Control,
if equipped, cannot be changed.
.When trying to change a safety feature
that is not configurable in Teen Driver,
the feature may be grayed out or
removed from the infotainment menu,
or the DIC will display a message
indicating that Teen Driver is active and
the action is not available.
.Super Cruise, if equipped, is not available.
.Enhanced Low Fuel Warning (if equipped)
–When the vehicle is low on fuel, the
low fuel light on the instrument cluster
flashes and the DIC low fuel warning
cannot be dismissed.
.Do not tow a trailer.
Report Card
The vehicle owner must secure the driver’s
consent to record certain vehicle data when
the vehicle is driven with a registered Teen
Driver key. There is one Report Card per
vehicle. Data is only recorded when a
registered Teen Driver key is used to
operate the vehicle.
The Report Card data is collected from the
time Teen Driver is activated or the last
time the Report Card was reset. The
following items may be recorded:
.Distance Driven –the total distance
driven.
.Maximum Speed –the maximum vehicle
speed detected.
.Overspeed Warnings –the number of
times the speed warning setting was
exceeded.
.Wide Open Throttle –the number of
times the accelerator pedal was pressed
nearly all the way down.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15481080) - 2022 - CRC - 6/1/21
Driving and Operating 189
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . 190
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Winter Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . 206Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . 208
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . 208
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Adaptive Cruise Control (Camera) . . . . . . 218
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Assistance Systems for Parking orBacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Surround Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Automatic Parking Assist (APA) . . . . . . . . 231
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 233
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . 239
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 245
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15481080) - 2022 - CRC - 6/1/21
192 Driving and Operating
{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.
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
Electric Power Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering system,
do not drive over curbs, parking barriers,
or similar objects at speeds greater than
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
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.
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.
If the steering assist is used for an extended
period of time while the vehicle is not
moving, power assist may be reduced.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15481080) - 2022 - CRC - 6/1/21
Driving and Operating 195
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle on a
long downhill slope can cause brake
overheating, can reduce brake
performance, and could result in a loss of
braking. Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. This can
cause overheating of the brakes and loss
of steering assist. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear.
.Drive at speeds that keep the vehicle in
its own lane. Do not swing wide or cross
the center line.
.Be alert on top of hills; something could
be in your lane (e.g., stalled car, crash).
.Pay attention to special road signs (e.g.,
falling rocks area, winding roads, long
grades, passing or no-passing zones) and
take appropriate action.
.Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode. See
All-Wheel Drive0211.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Caution
To avoid damage to the wheels and
brake components, always clear snow and
ice from inside the wheels and
underneath the vehicle before driving.
Snow or ice between the tires and the road
creates less traction or grip, so drive
carefully. Wet ice can occur at about 0 °C
(32 °F) when freezing rain begins to fall.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating too quickly
causes the wheels to spin and makes the
surface under the tires slick.
.Turn on Traction Control. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control 0214.
.The Antilock Brake System (ABS) improves
vehicle stability during hard stops, but
the brakes should be applied sooner than
when on dry pavement. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) 0212.
.Allow greater following distance and
watch for slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in shaded
areas. The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid sudden
steering maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
.Turn off cruise control.
.Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode. See
All-Wheel Drive 0211.
Cold Weather Mode
In very low temperatures, a cold weather
message may display on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The engine speed,
transmission shift patterns, and cabin fan
speed may operate differently to enable the
vehicle to warm up quicker. You can
manually override the cabin fan speed in
cold weather mode.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and signal
for help. Stay with the vehicle unless there
is help nearby. If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside Assistance Program
0 348. To get help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15481080) - 2022 - CRC - 6/1/21
222 Driving and Operating
Changing the gap setting automatically
changes the alert timing sensitivity (Far,
Medium, or Near) for the Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) feature. SeeForward Collision
Alert (FCA) System 0233.
Alerting the Driver
Without Head-Up Display
With Head-Up Display Screen Closed
With Head-Up Display Screen Open
If ACC is engaged, driver action may be
required when ACC cannot apply sufficient
braking because of approaching a vehicle
too rapidly.
When this condition occurs, the red collision
alert symbol will flash on the windshield or
on the HUD, if equipped. Eight beeps will
sound from the front.
See Defensive Driving 0191.
Approaching and Following a Vehicle
The vehicle ahead indicator is in the
instrument cluster and HUD display
(If equipped). It only displays when a vehicle
is detected in your vehicle’s path moving in the same direction. If this symbol is not
displaying, ACC will not respond to or brake
for vehicles ahead.
ACC automatically slows the vehicle down
and adjusts vehicle speed to follow a
detected vehicle ahead at the selected
following gap. The vehicle speed increases or
decreases to follow a detected vehicle in
front of your vehicle. When that vehicle is
traveling slower than your vehicle set speed,
it may apply limited braking, if necessary.
When braking is active, the brake lamps will
come on. The automatic braking may feel or
sound different than if the brakes were
applied manually. This is normal.
Passing a Vehicle While Using ACC
If the set speed is high enough, and the left
turn signal is used to pass a vehicle ahead
in the selected following gap, ACC may
assist by gradually accelerating the vehicle
prior to the lane change.
{Warning
When using ACC to pass a vehicle or
perform a lane change, the following
distance to the vehicle being passed may
be reduced. ACC may not apply sufficient
(Continued)
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15481080) - 2022 - CRC - 6/1/21
Driving and Operating 233
A progress arrow displays the status of the
parking maneuver. Depending on the space
size, additional maneuvers may be required,
and there will be additional instructions.
When changing gears, allow the automatic
steering to complete before continuing the
parking maneuver. APA will beep and
display a PARKING COMPLETE message.
Apply the brakes and place the vehicle in
P (Park).
APA may automatically disengage if:
.The steering wheel is used by the driver.
.The maximum allowed speed is exceeded.
.The parking brake is applied or the
vehicle is shifted into P (Park).
.There is a failure with the APA system.
.Electronic stability control or antilock
brakes are activated.
.A high priority vehicle message is
displayed in the DIC.
.The driver opens the door with an
unbuckled seat belt.
The brake holds the vehicle until the parking
brake or brake is applied, or the vehicle is
shifted into P (Park).
To cancel APA, press
Oagain.
When the System Does Not Seem to
Work Properly
The APA system may require a short period
of driving along curves to calibrate.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
System
If equipped, when the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse), RCTA displays a red warning
triangle with a left or right pointing arrow
on the infotainment display to warn of
traffic coming from the left or right. This
system detects objects coming from up to
20 m (65 ft) from the left or right side of
the vehicle. When an object is detected,
either three beeps sound from the left or
right depending on the direction of the
detected vehicle.
Use caution while backing up when towing
a trailer, as the RCTA detection zones that
extend out from the back of the vehicle do
not move further back when a trailer is
towed.
Turning the Features On or Off
RCTA can be turned on or off through
vehicle personalization. See “Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0116.
Assistance Systems for Driving
If equipped, when driving the vehicle in a
forward gear, Forward Collision Alert (FCA),
Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keep
Assist (LKA), Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA),
Lane Change Alert (LCA), Automatic
Emergency Braking (AEB), and/or the Front
Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System can help to
avoid a crash or reduce crash damage.
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System
If equipped, the FCA system may help to
avoid or reduce the harm caused by
front-end crashes. When approaching a
vehicle ahead too quickly, FCA provides a
red flashing alert on the windshield and
rapidly beeps. FCA also lights an amber
visual alert if following another vehicle
much too closely.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15481080) - 2022 - CRC - 6/1/21
236 Driving and Operating
Unnecessary Alerts
FCA may provide unnecessary alerts for
turning vehicles, vehicles in other lanes,
objects that are not vehicles, or shadows.
These alerts are normal operation and the
vehicle does not need service.
Cleaning the System
If the FCA system does not seem to operate
properly, this may correct the issue:
.Clean the outside of the windshield in
front of the rearview mirror.
.Clean the entire front of the vehicle.
.Clean the headlamps.
Automatic Emergency
Braking (AEB)
The AEB system may help avoid or reduce
the harm caused by a front-end crashes. AEB
also includes Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA).
When the system detects a vehicle ahead in
your path that is traveling in the same
direction that you may be about to crash
into, it can provide a boost to braking or
automatically brake the vehicle. This can
help avoid or lessen the severity of crashes
when driving in a forward gear. Depending
on the situation, the vehicle mayautomatically brake moderately or hard. This
automatic emergency braking can only occur
if a vehicle is detected. This is shown by the
FCA vehicle ahead indicator being lit. See
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System
0233.
The system works when driving in a forward
gear between 8 km/h (5 mph) and 80 km/h
(50 mph), or on vehicles with Adaptive
Cruise Control (ACC), above 4 km/h (2 mph).
It can detect vehicles up to approximately
60 m (197 ft).
{Warning
AEB is an emergency crash preparation
feature and is not designed to avoid
crashes. Do not rely on AEB to brake the
vehicle. AEB will not brake outside of its
operating speed range and only responds
to detected vehicles.
AEB may not:
.Detect a vehicle ahead on winding or
hilly roads.
.Detect all vehicles, especially vehicles
with a trailer, tractors, muddy
vehicles, etc. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Detect a vehicle when weather limits
visibility, such as in fog, rain, or snow.
.Detect a vehicle ahead if it is partially
blocked by pedestrians or other
objects.
Complete attention is always required
while driving, and you should be ready to
take action and apply the brakes and/or
steer the vehicle to avoid crashes.
AEB may slow the vehicle to a complete
stop to try to avoid a potential crash. If this
happens, AEB may hold the vehicle at rest
momentarily. A firm press the accelerator
pedal will release the brake.
{Warning
AEB may automatically brake the vehicle
suddenly in situations where it is
unexpected and undesired. It could
respond to a turning vehicle ahead,
guardrails, signs, and other non-moving
objects. To override AEB, firmly press the
accelerator pedal, if it is safe to do so.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15481080) - 2022 - CRC - 6/1/21
Driving and Operating 239
Eight rapid high-pitched beeps will sound
from the front. When this Pedestrian Alert
occurs, the brake system may prepare for
driver braking to occur more rapidly which
can cause a brief, mild deceleration.
Continue to apply the brake pedal as
needed. Cruise control may be disengaged
when the Front Pedestrian Alert occurs.
Automatic Braking
If FPB detects it is about to crash into a
pedestrian directly ahead, and the brakes
have not been applied, FPB may
automatically brake moderately or brake
hard. This can help to avoid some very low
speed pedestrian crashes or reduce
pedestrian injury. FPB can automatically
brake to detected pedestrians between
8 km/h (5 mph) and 80 km/h (50 mph).
Automatic braking levels may be reduced
under certain conditions, such as higher
speeds.
If this happens, Automatic Braking may
engage the Electric Parking Brake (EPB) to
hold the vehicle at a stop. Release the EPB.
A firm press of the accelerator pedal will
also release Automatic Braking and the EPB.
{Warning
FPB may alert or automatically brake the
vehicle suddenly in situations where it is
unexpected and undesired. It could falsely
alert or brake for objects similar in shape
or size to pedestrians, including shadows.
This is normal operation and the vehicle
does not need service. To override
Automatic Braking, firmly press the
accelerator pedal, if it is safe to do so.
Automatic Braking can be disabled through
vehicle personalization. See “Front Pedestrian
Detection” in“Collision/Detection Systems”
under Vehicle Personalization 0116.
{Warning
Using the Front Pedestrian Braking
system while towing a trailer could cause
you to lose control of the vehicle and
crash. Turn the system to Alert or Off
when towing a trailer.
Cleaning the System
If FPB does not seem to operate properly,
cleaning the outside of the windshield in
front of the rearview mirror may correct the
issue.
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
If equipped, the SBZA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists drivers with
avoiding crashes that occur with moving
vehicles in the side blind zone (or spot)
areas. When the vehicle is in a forward gear,
the left or right side mirror display will light
up if a moving vehicle is detected in that
blind zone. If the turn signal is activated and
a vehicle is also detected on the same side,
the display will flash as an extra warning
not to change lanes. Since this system is
part of the Lane Change Alert (LCA) system,
read the entire LCA section before using this
feature.
Lane Change Alert (LCA)
If equipped, the LCA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists drivers with
avoiding lane change crashes that occur with
moving vehicles in the side blind zone (or
spot) areas or with vehicles rapidly
approaching these areas from behind. The