Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
94 Instruments and Controls
If equipment is connected using more than
150 watts or a system fault is detected, a
protection circuit shuts off the power supply
and the indicator light turns off. To reset
the circuit, unplug the item and plug it back
in or turn the Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) off and then back on. SeeRetained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0167. The power
restarts when equipment using 150 watts or
less is plugged into the outlet and a system
fault is not detected.
The power outlet is not designed for and
may not work properly, if the following are
plugged in:
.Equipment with high initial peak wattage,
such as compressor-driven refrigerators
and electric power tools
.Other equipment requiring an extremely
stable power supply, such as
microcomputer-controlled electric blankets
and touch sensor lamps
.Medical equipment
Wireless Charging
If equipped and enabled, the vehicle has
wireless charging in the storage bin at the
front of the floor console . The system
operates at 145 kHz and wirelessly charges
one Qi compatible smartphone. The power
output of the system is capable of charging
at a rate up to 3 amp (15 W), as requested
by the compatible smartphone. See Radio
Frequency Statement 0306.
{Warning
Wireless charging may affect the
operation of an implanted pacemaker or
other medical devices. If you have one, it
is recommended to consult with your
doctor before using the wireless charging
system.
The vehicle must be on, in ACC/ACCESSORY,
or Retained Accessory Power (RAP) must be
active. The wireless charging feature may
not correctly indicate charging when the
vehicle is in RAP, during a Bluetooth phone
call, or when phone projection (e.g. Apple
CarPlay / Android Auto) is active. See
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) 0167. The operating temperature is
−40 °C (−40 °F)
to 85 °C (185 °F) for the charging system and
0 °C (32 °F) to 35 °C (95 °F) for the phone.
A charging stopped alert may be displayed
on the infotainment screen, if the wireless
charger or smartphone are outside of
normal operating temperature. Charging will
automatically resume when a normal
operating temperature is reached.
{Warning
Remove all objects from the charger
before charging your compatible
smartphone. Objects, such as coins, keys,
rings, paper clips, or cards, between the
smartphone and charger may become
very hot.
On the rare occasion that the charging
system does not detect an object, and
the object gets wedged between the
smartphone and charger, remove the
smartphone and allow the object to cool
before removing it from the charger, to
prevent burns.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
100 Instruments and Controls
Seat Belt Reminders
Driver Seat Belt Reminder Light
There is a driver seat belt reminder light on
the instrument cluster.
When the vehicle is started, this light
flashes and a chime may come on to remind
the driver to fasten their seat belt.
Then the light stays on solid until the belt is
buckled. This cycle may continue several
times if the driver remains or becomes
unbuckled while the vehicle is moving.
If the driver seat belt is buckled, neither the
light nor the chime comes on.
Front Passenger Seat Belt Reminder
Light
The vehicle may have a front passenger seat
belt reminder light near the passenger
airbag status indicator. SeePassenger
Sensing System 061.
When the vehicle is started, this light
flashes and a chime may come on to remind
passengers to fasten their seat belt.
Then the light stays on solid until the belt is
buckled. This cycle continues several times if
the front passenger remains or becomes
unbuckled while the vehicle is moving.
If the front passenger seat belt is buckled,
neither the chime nor the light comes on.
The front passenger seat belt reminder light
and chime may come on if an object is put
on the seat such as a briefcase, handbag,
grocery bag, laptop, or other electronic
device. To turn off the reminder light and/or
chime, remove the object from the seat or
buckle the seat belt.
Airbag Readiness Light
This light shows if there is an electrical
problem with the airbag system. It is
located in the instrument cluster. The
system check includes the airbag sensor(s), the passenger sensing system, the
pretensioners, the airbag modules, the
wiring, and the crash sensing and diagnostic
module. For more information on the airbag
system, see
Airbag System 055.
The airbag readiness light comes on for
several seconds when the vehicle is started.
If the light does not come on then, have it
fixed immediately.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes on
while driving, it means the airbag system
might not be working properly. The
airbags in the vehicle might not inflate in
a crash, or they could even inflate
without a crash. To help avoid injury,
have the vehicle serviced right away.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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118 Lighting
Turning On and Enabling IntelliBeam
To enable the IntelliBeam system, press
bon the turn signal lever when it is
dark outside and the exterior lamp control is
in AUTO or
5. The blue high-beam on light
appears on the instrument cluster when the
high beams are on.
Driving with IntelliBeam
The system only activates the high beams
when driving over 40 km/h (25 mph).
There is a sensor near the top center of the
windshield that automatically controls the
system. Keep this area of the windshield
clear of debris to allow for best system
performance. The high-beam headlamps remain on, under
the automatic control, until one of the
following situations occurs:
.The system detects an approaching
vehicle's headlamps.
.The system detects a preceding vehicle's
taillamps.
.The outside light is bright enough that
high-beam headlamps are not required.
.The vehicle speed drops below 20 km/h
(12 mph).
.The IntelliBeam system is disabled by the
button on the turn signal lever. If this
happens, press
bon the turn signal
lever when the exterior lamp control is in
the AUTO or
5position to reactivate the
IntelliBeam system. The instrument
cluster light will come on to indicate the
IntelliBeam system is reactivated.
The high beams may not turn off
automatically if the system cannot detect
another vehicle's lamps because of any of
the following:
.The other vehicle's lamps are missing,
damaged, obstructed from view,
or otherwise undetected.
.The other vehicle's lamps are covered
with dirt, snow, and/or road spray.
.The other vehicle's lamps cannot be
detected due to dense exhaust, smoke,
fog, snow, road spray, mist, or other
airborne obstructions.
.The vehicle windshield is dirty, cracked,
or obstructed by something that blocks
the view of the light sensor.
.The vehicle is loaded such that the front
end points upward, causing the light
sensor to aim high and not detect
headlamps and taillamps.
.The vehicle is being driven on winding or
hilly roads.
The IntelliBeam system may need to be
disabled if any of the above conditions exist.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
Push the turn signal lever away from you
and release, to turn the high beams on. To
return to low beams, push the lever again
or pull it toward you and release.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Lighting 119
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument cluster when the high-beam
headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
The flash-to-pass feature works with the low
beams or Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) on
or off.
To flash the high beams, pull the turn signal
lever toward you momentarily and then
release it.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
DRL can make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day. Fully
functional DRL are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The DRL system comes on in daylight when
the following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamp control is in AUTO.
.The light sensor determines it is daytime.When the DRL are on, the taillamps,
sidemarker lamps, instrument panel lights,
and other lamps will not be on.
The DRL turn off when the headlamps are
turned to
Oor the ignition is off. For
vehicles sold in Canada, this control only
works when the vehicle is parked.
The regular headlamp system should be
turned on when needed.
Automatic Headlamp System
When the exterior lamp control is set to
AUTO and it is dark enough outside, the
headlamps come on automatically.
There is a light sensor on top of the
instrument panel. Do not cover the sensor;
otherwise the headlamps will come on when
they are not needed.
The system may also turn on the headlamps
when driving through a parking garage or
tunnel.
When it is bright enough outside, the
headlamps will turn off or may change
to DRL.
The automatic headlamp system turns off
when the exterior lamp control is turned to
Oor the ignition is off.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are activated in
daylight with the engine on, and the
exterior lamp control is in AUTO, the
headlamps, parking lamps, and other
exterior lamps come on. The transition time
for the lamps coming on varies based on
wiper speed. When the wipers are not
operating, these lamps turn off. Move the
exterior lamp control to
Oor;to disable
this feature.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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148 Climate Controls
be selected. The current mode appears in
the display. Pressing any of the three
buttons cancels automatic air delivery
control and the direction of the airflow is
controlled manually. Press AUTO to return
to automatic operation.
To change the current mode, select one or
more of the following:
z:Clears the windows of fog or moisture.
Air is directed to the windshield.
Y: Air is directed to the instrument panel
outlets.
[: Air is directed to the floor outlets.
0MAX : Air is directed to the windshield
and the fan runs at a higher speed. Fog or
frost is cleared from the windshield more
quickly. When the button is pressed again,
the system returns to the previous mode
setting.
For best results, clear all snow and ice from
the windshield before defrosting.
A/C : Press to turn the air conditioning
system on or off. If the climate control
system is turned off or the outside
temperature falls below freezing, the air
conditioner will not run. Pressing this button cancels automatic air
conditioning and turns off the air
conditioner. Press AUTO to return to
automatic operation and the air conditioner
runs automatically as needed. When the
indicator light is on, the air conditioner runs
automatically to cool the air inside the
vehicle or to dry the air needed to defog
the windshield faster.
@:
Press to turn on recirculation. An
indicator light comes on. Air is recirculated
to quickly cool the inside of the vehicle or
to reduce the entry of outside air and odors.
xory: Liftxoryfor the highest
heated seat setting. Lifting the heated seat
button again will keep the heated seat at
the highest setting. Press the heated seat
button down to lower the heat level or turn
the heated seat off. See Heated Front Seats
0 44.
Auto Defog : The climate control system
may have a sensor to automatically detect
high humidity inside the vehicle. When high
humidity is detected, the climate control
system may adjust to outside air supply and
turn on the air conditioner. The fan speed
may slightly increase to help prevent fogging. If the climate control system does
not detect possible window fogging, it
returns to normal operation.
Rear Window Defogger
K:
Press to turn the rear window defogger
on or off. An indicator light on the button
comes on to show that the rear window
defogger is on.
The defogger can be turned off by turning
the vehicle off or to accessory mode.
The rear window defogger can be set to
automatic operation. When auto rear defog
is selected, the rear window defogger turns
on automatically when the interior
temperature is cold and the outside
temperature is about 7 °C (44 °F) and below.
The auto rear defogger turns off
automatically.
If equipped, the heated outside mirrors turn
on when the rear window defogger button
is on and help to clear fog or frost from the
surface of the mirror. See Heated Mirrors
0 30.
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Climate Controls 149
Caution
Do not try to clear frost or other material
from the inside of the front windshield
and rear window with a razor blade or
anything else that is sharp. This may
damage the rear window defogger grid
and affect the radio's ability to pick up
stations clearly. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Remote Start Climate Control Operation :
If equipped with remote start, the climate
control system may run when the vehicle is
started remotely. If equipped with heated
seats or a heated steering wheel, these
features may come on during a remote
start. See Remote Vehicle Start 017, See
Heated Front Seats 044, and Heated
Steering Wheel 089.
Sensor
The solar sensor, on top of the instrument
panel near the windshield, monitors the
solar heat.
The climate control system uses the sensor
information to adjust the temperature, fan
speed, recirculation, and air delivery mode
for best comfort. Do not cover the sensor; otherwise the
automatic climate control system may not
work properly.
Afterblow Feature
If equipped, under certain conditions, the
fan may stay on or may turn on and off
several times after you turn off and lock the
vehicle. This is normal.
Air Vents
Use the louvers located on the air vents to
change the direction of the airflow.
To open or close off the airflow:
.Move slider knobs away from the
occupant for shut off closing.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves from
air inlets at the base of the windshield
that could block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
.Clear snow off the hood to improve
visibility and help decrease moisture
drawn into the vehicle, which may
improve long term system performance.
.Keep the path under the front seats clear
of objects to help circulate the air inside
of the vehicle more effectively.
.Use of non-GM approved hood deflectors
can adversely affect the performance of
the system. Check with your dealer
before adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.
.Do not attach any devices to the air vent
slats. This restricts airflow and may cause
damage to the air vents.
Caution
Use of air fresheners may cause
permanent damage to plastics and
painted surfaces. If an air freshener
comes in contact with any plastic or
painted surface in the vehicle, blot
immediately and clean with a soft cloth
dampened with a mild soap solution.
Damage caused by air fresheners would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
178 Driving and Operating
following gap is the following time between
your vehicle and a vehicle detected directly
ahead in your path, moving in the same
direction. If no vehicle is detected in your
path, ACC works like regular cruise control.
ACC uses a windshield mounted front
camera sensor.
If a vehicle is detected in your path, ACC can
apply acceleration or limited, moderate
braking to maintain the selected following
gap. To disengage ACC, apply the brake.
If ACC is controlling the vehicle speed when
the Traction Control System (TCS) or
StabiliTrak/ Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system activates, ACC may automatically
disengage. SeeTraction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0174. When road
conditions allow ACC to be safely used, ACC
can be turned back on. Disabling the TCS or
StabiliTrak/ ESC system will disengage and
prevent engagement of ACC.
ACC can reduce the need for you to
frequently brake and accelerate, especially
when used on expressways, freeways, and
interstate highways. When used on other
roads, you may need to take over the
control of braking or acceleration more
often.{Warning
ACC has limited braking ability and may
not have time to slow the vehicle down
enough to avoid a collision with another
vehicle you are following. This can occur
when vehicles suddenly slow or stop
ahead, or enter your lane. Also see
“Alerting the Driver” later in this section.
Complete attention is always required
while driving and you should be ready to
take action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving 0153
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake for children,
pedestrians, animals, or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
.On winding and hilly roads or when
the camera sensor is blocked by snow,
ice, or dirt. The system may not
detect a vehicle ahead. Keep the
windshield and headlamps clean.
.When visibility is poor due to rain,
snow, fog, dirt, insect residue, or dust;
when other foreign objects obscure
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the camera’s view; or when the
vehicle in front or oncoming traffic
causes additional environmental
obstructions, such as road spray. ACC
performance is limited under these
conditions.
.On slippery roads where fast changes
in tire traction can cause excessive
wheel slip.
.With extremely heavy cargo loaded in
the cargo area or rear seat.
.When towing a trailer.
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186 Driving and Operating
Erasing Speed Memory
The ACC set speed is erased from memory if
5is pressed or if the ignition is turned off.
Weather Conditions Affecting ACC
If the interior temperature is extremely
high, the instrument cluster may indicate
that ACC is temporarily unavailable. This can
be caused by extreme hot weather
conditions with direct sunlight on the front
camera. ACC will return to normal operation
once the cabin temperature is lower.
Conditions that are associated with low
visibility, such as fog, rain, snow, or road
spray, may limit ACC performance. Water
droplets from rain or snow that remain on
the windshield may also limit ACC’s ability
to detect objects.
{Warning
Camera visibility may be limited and the
ACC system may not work properly if the
windshield is not clear. Do not use ACC if
moisture is present on the inside of the
windshield or the windshield washer is
used in cold weather. Turn on the front
defroster and make sure the windshield is(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
clear before using ACC. Before driving,
check that the windshield wipers are in
good condition and replace them if worn.
Lighting Conditions Affecting ACC
The ACC front camera can be affected by
poor lighting conditions, and ACC may have
limited performance when:
.There are changes in brightness, such as
entering and exiting tunnels, bridges, and
overpasses.
.Low sun angles cause the camera to not
detect objects, or it is more difficult to
detect objects in the same traffic lane.
.Lighting is poor in the evening or early
morning
.There are multiple changes in brightness
or shadows along the vehicle roadway.
.In a tunnel without the headlamps on,
or in a tunnel when there is a vehicle in
front that does not have its taillamps on.
.Subjected to strong light from opposing
lane traffic in the front of the vehicle,
such as high-beam headlamps from
oncoming traffic.
Accessory Installations and Vehicle
Modifications
Do not install or place any object around
the front camera windshield area that would
obstruct the front camera view.
Do not install objects on top of the vehicle
that overhang and obstruct the front
camera, such as a canoe, kayak, or other
items that can be transported on a roof rack
system. SeeRoof Rack System 086.
Do not modify the hood, headlamps, or fog
lamps, as this may limit the camera’s ability
to detect an object.
Cleaning the Sensing System
The camera sensor on the windshield behind
the rearview mirror can become blocked by
snow, ice, dirt, mud, or debris. This area
needs to be cleaned for ACC to operate
properly.
The vehicle headlamps may need to be
cleaned due to dirt, snow, or ice. Objects
that are not illuminated correctly may be
difficult to detect.