Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 57
normal operation; the doors can be locked,
the interior lamps can be turned off, and
the hazard warning flashers can be turned
off using the controls for those features.
If any of these systems are damaged in the
crash they may not operate as normal.
{Warning
A crash severe enough to inflate the
airbags may have also damaged
important functions in the vehicle, such
as the fuel system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle appears
to be drivable after a moderate crash,
there may be concealed damage that
could make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt to
restart the engine after a crash has
occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate
the airbag, windshields are broken by
vehicle deformation. Additional windshield
breakage may also occur from the front
outboard passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate only once.
After an airbag inflates, you will need
some new parts for the airbag system. If you do not get them, the airbag
system will not be there to help protect
you in another crash. A new system will
include airbag modules and possibly other
parts. The service manual for the vehicle
covers the need to replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records
information after a crash. See
Vehicle
Data Recording and Privacy 0354 and
Event Data Recorders 0355.
.Let only qualified technicians work on the
airbag systems. Improper service can
mean that an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system
for the front outboard passenger position.
The passenger airbag status indicator will
light on the overhead console when the
vehicle is started.
United States
Canada
The words ON and OFF, or the symbols for
on and off, will be visible during the system
check. When the system check is complete,
either the word ON or OFF, or the symbol
for on or off, will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 099.
The passenger sensing system turns off the
front outboard passenger frontal airbag and
knee airbag under certain conditions. No
other airbag is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with
sensors that are part of the front outboard
passenger seat and seat belt.
The sensors are designed to detect the
presence of a properly seated occupant and
determine if the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, and knee airbag, should be
allowed to inflate or not.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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84 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 97
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 99
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 102
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Universal Remote System Operation . . . 122
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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92 Instruments and Controls
Redistribution and use in source and binary
forms, with or without modification, are
permitted provided that the following
conditions are met:1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
list of conditions and the following
disclaimer.
2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
this list of conditions and the following
disclaimer in the documentation and/or
other materials provided with the
distribution.
3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be
used to endorse or promote products
derived from this software without
specific prior written permission. THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE
COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
"AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN
NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER
OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY
DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL,
EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
(INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS;
OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR
TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR
OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF
THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning lights and gauges can signal that
something is wrong before it becomes
serious enough to cause an expensive repair
or replacement. Paying attention to the
warning lights and gauges could prevent
injury.
Some warning lights come on briefly when
the engine is started to indicate they are
working. When one of the warning lights
comes on and stays on while driving,
or when one of the gauges shows there
may be a problem, check the section that
explains what to do. Waiting to do repairs
can be costly and even dangerous.
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Instruments and Controls 99
If there is a problem with the airbag
system, a Driver Information Center (DIC)
message may also come on.
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system.
SeePassenger Sensing System 057 for
important safety information. The overhead
console has a passenger airbag status
indicator.
United States
Canada
When the vehicle is started, the passenger
airbag status indicator will light ON and OFF,
or the symbol for on and off, for several seconds as a system check. Then, after
several more seconds, the status indicator
will light either ON or OFF, or either the on
or off symbol, to let you know the status of
the front outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag.
If the word ON, or the on symbol, is lit on
the passenger airbag status indicator, it
means that the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag are allowed
to inflate.
If the word OFF, or the off symbol is lit, on
the airbag status indicator, it means that
the passenger sensing system has turned off
the front outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there are no
lights at all, there may be a problem with
the lights or the passenger sensing system.
See your dealer for service.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever comes
on and stays on, it means that
something may be wrong with the airbag
system. To help avoid injury to yourself
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness Light 098
for more information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
The charging system light comes on briefly
when the ignition is turned on, but the
engine is not running, as a check to show
the light is working. It should go out when
the engine is started.
If the light stays on, or comes on while
driving, there may be a problem with the
electrical charging system. Have it checked
by your dealer. Driving while this light is on
could drain the battery.
When this light comes on, or is flashing, the
Driver Information Center (DIC) also displays
a message.
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100 Instruments and Controls
If a short distance must be driven with the
light on, be sure to turn off all accessories,
such as the radio and air conditioner. Find a
safe place to stop the vehicle.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
This light is part of the vehicle’s emission
control on-board diagnostic system. If this
light is on while the engine is running, a
malfunction has been detected and the
vehicle may require service. The light should
come on to show that it is working when
the ignition is in Service Mode. SeeIgnition
Positions 0200.
Malfunctions are often indicated by the
system before any problem is noticeable.
Being aware of the light and seeking service
promptly when it comes on may prevent
damage.
Caution
If the vehicle is driven continually with
this light on, the emission control system
may not work as well, the fuel economy
may be lower, and the vehicle may not
run smoothly. This could lead to costly
repairs that might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Caution
Modifications to the engine, transmission,
exhaust, intake, or fuel system, or the
use of replacement tires that do not
meet the original tire specifications, can
cause this light to come on. This could
lead to costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. This could also affect
the vehicle’s ability to pass an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications 0256.
If the light is flashing : A malfunction has
been detected that could damage the
emission control system and increase vehicle
emissions. Diagnosis and service may be
required. To help prevent damage, reduce vehicle
speed and avoid hard accelerations and
uphill grades. If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as soon as
possible.
If the light continues to flash, find a safe
place to park. Turn the vehicle off and wait
at least 10 seconds before restarting the
engine. If the light is still flashing, follow
the previous guidelines and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
If the light is on steady :
A malfunction has
been detected. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Check the following:
.If fuel has been added to the vehicle
using the capless fuel funnel adapter,
make sure that it has been removed. See
“Filling the Tank with a Portable Gas Can”
under Filling the Tank 0244. The
diagnostic system can detect if the
adapter has been left installed in the
vehicle, allowing fuel to evaporate into
the atmosphere. A few driving trips with
the adapter removed may turn off the
light.
.Poor fuel quality can cause inefficient
engine operation and poor driveability,
which may go away once the engine is
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Instruments and Controls 105
the light will come on at every ignition
cycle. SeeTire Pressure Monitor Operation
0 299.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
Oil pressure can vary with engine speed,
outside temperature, and oil viscosity.
On some models, the oil pump will vary
engine oil pressure according to engine
needs. Oil pressure may change quickly as
the engine speed or load varies. This is
normal. If the oil pressure warning light or
Driver Information Center (DIC) message
indicates oil pressure outside the normal
operating range, check the vehicle's oil as
soon as possible.
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil maintenance
can damage the engine. Driving with the
engine oil low can also damage the
engine. The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check the oil
level as soon as possible. Add oil if
required, but if the oil level is within the
operating range and the oil pressure is
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
still low, have the vehicle serviced.
Always follow the maintenance schedule
for changing engine oil.
This light should come on briefly as the
engine is started. If it does not come on,
have the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it means
that oil is not flowing through the engine
properly. The vehicle could be low on oil
and might have some other system
problem. See your dealer.
Low Fuel Warning Light
A Low Fuel Warning Light near the fuel
gauge comes on briefly when the ignition is
turned on as a check to show it is working.
It also comes on when the fuel gauge
indicator nears empty. The light turns off
when fuel is added. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced.
Security Light
The security light should come on briefly as
the engine is started. If it does not come on,
have the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally, the
indicator light turns off.
If the light stays on and the engine does
not start, there could be a problem with the
theft-deterrent system. See Immobilizer
Operation 026.
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254 Driving and Operating
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is used
for vehicle service and Emission
Inspection/Maintenance testing. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine
Light)0100. A device connected to the
DLC —such as an aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —may
interfere with vehicle systems. This could
affect vehicle operation and cause a
crash. Such devices may also access
information stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can damage
the vehicle or cause components to not
work and would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check with your
dealer before adding electrical equipment. Add-on equipment can drain the vehicle's
12-volt battery, even if the vehicle is not
operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to add anything electrical to the
vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 060 and
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 061.
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Vehicle Care 255
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 256
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 257
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 259
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 265
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . 265
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Headlamps and Sidemarker Lamps . . . . 279
Front Turn Signal and Fog Lamps . . . . . . 281
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps (Base
Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps
(Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . 287
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 289
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 291
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295 Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 295
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 298
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . 299
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 304
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 305
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . 306
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 307
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 314
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326