2023 BUICK ENCORE GX airbag

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
Introduction 3
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that could
result in property or vehicle damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a safety
symbol which means“Do not,” “Do not do
this,” or“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that
use symbols instead of text. Symbols are
shown along with the text describing the
operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:Shown when the owner’s manual has
additional instructions or information.
*: Shown when the service manual has
additional instructions or information.
0: Shown when there is more information
on another page — “see page.”
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may
be found on the vehicle and what they
mean. See the features in this manual for
information.
u: Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components Properly
P:Do Not Apply High Pressure Water
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
H: Flammable
[: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
h:Risk of Electrical Fire
>:Seat Belt Reminders

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
34 Seats and Restraints
Seats and Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Folding Seatback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Seat Belts
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly . . . . . . 45
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 50
Seat Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Seat Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . 54
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . 55
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . 55
What Will You See after an Airbag
Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children(LATCH System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Front Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
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 vehicle's front seats have adjustable
head restraints in the outboard seating
positions.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
42 Seats and Restraints
Remote Start Heated Seats
When it is cold outside, the heated seats
can be turned on automatically during a
remote vehicle start. The heated seats will
be canceled when the ignition is turned on.
Press the heated seat controls to use the
heated seats after the vehicle is started.
The heated seat indicator lights on the
control do not turn on during a remote
start.
The temperature performance of an
unoccupied seat may be reduced. This is
normal.
To enable or disable remote start heated
seats, select Settings > Vehicle > Remote
Lock, Unlock, and Start > Remote Start Auto
Heat Seats > ON or OFF.
SeeRemote Vehicle Start 014.
Folding Seatback
The front passenger seatback may fold 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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.Where Are the
Airbags? 053. Vehicle Load Limits 0191.
{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 034
2. Move the seat as far back as possible. See Seat Adjustment 036 or
Power Seat Adjustment 0363. 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.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
Seats and Restraints 45
{Warning
Do not let anyone ride where a seat belt
cannot be worn properly. In a crash,
if you or your passenger(s) are not
wearing seat belts, injuries can be much
worse than if you are wearing seat belts.
You can be seriously injured or killed by
hitting things inside the vehicle harder or
by being ejected from the vehicle. In
addition, anyone who is not buckled up
can strike other passengers in the vehicle.
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a
cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle.
In a collision, passengers riding in these
areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Do not allow passengers
to ride in any area of the vehicle that is
not equipped with seats and seat belts.
Always wear a seat belt, and check that
all passenger(s) are restrained
properly too.
This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to
buckle the seat belts. See Seat Belt
Reminders 098.
Why Seat Belts Work
When riding in a vehicle, you travel as fast
as the vehicle does. If the vehicle stops
suddenly, you keep going until something
stops you. It could be the windshield, the
instrument panel, or the seat belts!
When you wear a seat belt, you and the
vehicle slow down together. There is more
time to stop because you stop over a longer
distance and, when worn properly, your
strongest bones take the forces from the
seat belts. That is why wearing seat belts
makes such good sense.
Questions and Answers About Seat Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a
crash if I am wearing a seat belt?
A: You could be— whether you are
wearing a seat belt or not. Your chance
of being conscious during and after a
crash, so you canunbuckle and get out,
is much greater if you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear seat belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems only.
They work withseat belts —not instead
of them. Whether or not an airbag is
provided, all occupants still have to
buckle up to get the most protection.
Also, in nearly all states and in all
Canadian provinces, the law requires
wearing seat belts.
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly
Follow these rules for everyone's protection.
There are additional things to know about
seat belts and children, including smaller
children and infants. If a child will be riding
in the vehicle, see Older Children062 or

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
Seats and Restraints 47
Never wear the shoulder belt under both
arms or behind your back.
Always use the correct buckle for your
seating position.
Never route the lap or shoulder belt over an
armrest.
{Warning
The seat belt can be pinched if it is
routed under plastic trim on the seat,
such as trim around the rear seatback
folding handle or side airbag. In a crash,
pinched seat belts might not provide
adequate protection. Never allow seat
belts to be routed under plastic trim
pieces.
{Warning
You can be seriously injured or killed if
the shoulder belt is worn behind your
back, under your legs, or wrapped around
your 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
you. You may have to cut the seat belt if
it is locked and tightened around you.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle have a
lap-shoulder belt.
The following instructions explain how to
wear a lap-shoulder belt properly.1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how,
see “Seats” in the Index.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
52 Seats and Restraints
New parts and repairs may be necessary
even if the seat belt system was not being
used at the time of the crash.
Have the seat belt pretensioners checked if
the vehicle has been in a crash, or if the
airbag readiness light stays on after you
start the vehicle or while you are driving.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light 099.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver
.A frontal airbag for the front outboard
passenger
.A knee airbag for the driver
.A knee airbag for the front outboard
passenger
.A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the
driver
.A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the
front outboard passenger
.Seat-mounted side impact airbags for the
second row outboard passengers
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver and for
the rear passengers seated directly behind
the driver
.A roof-rail airbag for the front outboard
passenger and the rear passengers seated
directly behind the front outboard
passenger
All vehicle airbags have the word AIRBAG on
the trim or on a label near the deployment
opening.
For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG is on
the center of the steering wheel for the
driver and on the instrument panel for the
front outboard passenger.
For knee airbags, the word AIRBAG is on the
lower part of the instrument panel.
For seat-mounted side impact airbags, the
word AIRBAG is on the side of the seatback
or side of the seat closest to the door.
For roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG is on
the ceiling or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement the
protection provided by seat belts. Even
though today's airbags are also designed to
help reduce the risk of injury from the force
of an inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things to know
about the airbag system:{Warning
You can be severely injured or killed in a
crash if you are not wearing your seat
belt, even with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with seat belts, not
replace them. Also, airbags are not
designed to inflate in every crash. In
some crashes seat belts are the only
restraint. See When Should an Airbag
Inflate? 054.
Wearing your seat belt during a crash
helps reduce your chance of hitting
things inside the vehicle or being ejected
from it. Airbags are “supplemental
restraints” to the seat belts. Everyone in
the vehicle should wear a seat belt
properly, whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
{Warning
Because airbags inflate with great force
and faster than the blink of an eye,
anyone who is up against, or very close
to, any airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not sit
(Continued)

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
Seats and Restraints 53
Warning (Continued)
unnecessarily close to any airbag, as you
would be if sitting on the edge of the
seat or leaning forward. Seat belts help
keep you in position before and during a
crash. Always wear a seat belt, even with
airbags. The driver should sit as far back
as possible while still maintaining control
of the vehicle. The seat belts and the
front outboard passenger airbags are
most effective when you are sitting well
back and upright in the seat with both
feet on the floor.
Occupants should not lean on or sleep
against the door or side windows in
seating positions with seat-mounted side
impact airbags and/or roof-rail airbags.
{Warning
Children who are up against, or very
close to, any airbag when it inflates can
be seriously injured or killed. Always
secure children properly in the vehicle. To
read how, seeOlder Children 062 or
Infants and Young Children 063.
There is an airbag readiness light on the
instrument cluster, which shows the airbag
symbol.
The system checks the airbag electrical
system for malfunctions. The light tells you
if there is an electrical problem. See Airbag
Readiness Light 099.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the center of
the steering wheel.
The front outboard passenger frontal airbag
is in the passenger side instrument panel.
The driver knee airbag is below the steering
column. The front outboard passenger knee
airbag is below the glove box.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
54 Seats and Restraints
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The driver and front outboard passenger
seat-mounted side impact airbags are in the
side of the seatbacks closest to the door.
On vehicles with second row seat-mounted
side impact airbags, they are in the sides of
the seatback closest to the door.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The roof-rail airbags for the driver, front
outboard passenger, and rear outboard
passengers are in the ceiling above the side
windows.
{Warning
If something is between an occupant and
an airbag, the airbag might not inflate
properly or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury or even
death. The path of an inflating airbag (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
must be kept clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an airbag, and
do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any
other airbag covering.
Do not use seat accessories that block the
inflation path of a seat-mounted side
impact airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof of a
vehicle with roof-rail airbags by routing a
rope or tie‐down through any door or
window opening. If you do, the path of
an inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.
When Should an Airbag Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped with airbags. See
Airbag System052. Airbags are designed to
inflate if the impact exceeds the specific
airbag system's deployment threshold.
Deployment thresholds are used to predict
how severe a crash is likely to be in time
for the airbags to inflate and help restrain
the occupants. The vehicle has electronic
sensors that help the airbag system