2024 BUICK ENCORE GX child restraint

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
76 Seats and Restraints
{Warning
To reduce the risk of serious or fatal
injuries during a crash, do not attach
more than one child restraint to a single
anchor. Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could cause
the anchor or attachment to come loose
or even break during a crash. A child or
others could be injured.
{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.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 071. 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 belts. 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.
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, adjust the top tether to its full
length and attach it to the anchor. Refer
to the child restraint instructions and the
following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. Route, attach and tighten the top tether according to your child
restraint instructions and the
following instructions:

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Seats and Restraints 77
If the position you are using does
not have a head restraint and you
are using a single tether, route the
tether over the seatback.
If the position you are using does
not have a head restraint and you
are using a dual tether, route the
tether over the seatback.
If the position you are using has an
adjustable headrest or head
restraint, adjust it accordingly to
allow proper fitment. If you are
using a single tether, route the
tether in between the headrest or
head restraint posts.
If the position you are using has an
adjustable headrest or head
restraint, adjust it accordingly to
allow proper fitment. If you areusing a dual tether, route the
tether around the headrest or head
restraint posts.
If the child restraint is installed next
to a center seat, make sure the top
tether does not interfere with the
center seating position shoulder
belt/retractor. If it does, find
another suitable seating position to
install the child restraint.
3. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is securely held in
place. To check, grasp the child restraint
at the LATCH path and attempt to move
it side to side and back and forth. There
should be no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement, for proper installation.
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
(Continued)

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
78 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
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.
New parts and repairs may be necessary
even if the LATCH system was not being
used at the time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints (With
the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat)
When securing a child restraint with the
seat belts in a rear seat position, study the
instructions that came with the child
restraint to make sure it is compatible with
this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the LATCH system,
see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) 072 for how and where to
install the child restraint using LATCH. If a
child restraint is secured in the vehicle using
a seat belt and it uses a top tether, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) 072 for top tether anchor
locations. Do not secure a child seat in a position
without a top tether anchor if a national or
local law requires that the top tether be
anchored, or if the instructions that come
with the child restraint say that the top
tether must be anchored. Refer to the
instructions that came with the child
restraint and see
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH System) 072.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have a top
tether, and that the tether be attached.
If the child restraint or vehicle seat position
does not have the LATCH system, you will
be using the seat belt to secure the child
restraint. Be sure to follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint.
If more than one child restraint needs to be
installed in the rear seat, be sure to read
Where to Put the Restraint 071.
1. Put the child restraint on the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle seat
belt through or around the restraint.
Ensure the seat belt webbing is routed
as direct as possible, and is not caught
on seat handles or plastic trim. The child
restraint instructions will show you how.
3. Push the latch plate into the buckle untilit clicks.
Position the release pushbutton on the
buckle, away from the child restraint, so
that the seat belt could be quickly
unbuckled if necessary.
There must not be direct contact of the
child restraint to the release pushbutton.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Seats and Restraints 79
4. Pull the shoulder belt all the way out ofthe retractor to set the lock. When the
retractor lock is set, the belt can be
tightened but not pulled out of the
retractor.5. To tighten the belt, push down on thechild restraint, pull the shoulder portion
of the belt to tighten the lap portion of
the belt, and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing a
forward-facing child restraint, it may be
helpful to use your knee to push down
on the child restraint as you tighten
the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the retractor
to make sure the retractor is locked.
If the retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 4 and 5. 6. If the child restraint has a top tether,
follow the child restraint manufacturer's
instructions regarding the use of the top
tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH System) 072.
7. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is securely held in
place. To check, grasp the child restraint
at the seat belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back and forth.
When the child restraint is properly
installed, there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the
vehicle seat belt and let it return to the
stowed position. If the top tether is attached
to a top tether anchor, disconnect it.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
80 Seats and Restraints
Securing Child Restraints (With
the Seat Belt in the Front Seat)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a
safer place to secure a forward-facing child
restraint. SeeWhere to Put the Restraint
0 71.
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger
sensing system which is designed to turn off
the front outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag under certain conditions.
See Passenger Sensing System 061 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator 0101 for
more information, including important
safety information.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the
front. This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag
deploys.
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
inflates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very
close to the inflating airbag. A child in a
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
forward-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag inflates
and the passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard passenger
airbag(s), no system is fail-safe. No one
can guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual circumstance,
even though the airbag(s) are off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints in a
rear seat, even if the airbag(s) are off.
If you secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the front outboard passenger
seat, always move the seat as far back as
it will go. It is better to secure the child
restraint in a rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System 061 for
additional information.
If the child restraint uses a top tether, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) 072 for top tether anchor
locations. Do not secure a child seat in a position
without a top tether anchor if a national or
local law requires that the top tether be
anchored, or if the instructions that come
with the child restraint say that the top
tether must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have a top
tether, and that the tether be attached.
When using the lap-shoulder belt to secure
the child restraint in this position, follow the
instructions that came with the child
restraint and the following instructions:
1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the forward-facing child
restraint. Move the seat upward or the
seatback to an upright position,
if needed, to get a tight installation of
the child restraint. There must be finger
clearance between the release
pushbutton and the child restraint.
When the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag, the OFF
indicator on the passenger airbag status
indicator should light and stay lit when
you start the vehicle. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 0101.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Seats and Restraints 81
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lapand shoulder portions of the vehicle seat
belt through or around the restraint.
Ensure the seat belt webbing is routed
as direct as possible, and is not caught
on seat handles or plastic trim. The child
restraint instructions will show you how.
Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if
needed.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle untilit clicks.
Position the release pushbutton on the
buckle, away from the child restraint, so
that the seat belt could be quickly
unbuckled if necessary.5. Pull the shoulder belt all the way out ofthe retractor to set the lock. When the
retractor lock is set, the belt can be
tightened but not pulled out of the
retractor.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
82 Seats and Restraints
6. To tighten the belt, push down on thechild restraint, pull the shoulder portion
of the belt to tighten the lap portion of
the belt, and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor.
There must be finger clearance between
the release pushbutton and the child
restraint. If there is not clearance
between the buckle release pushbutton
and the child restraint, move the seat
upward and repeat prior installation
steps. Otherwise secure the child
restraint in a rear seat.
When installing a forward-facing child
restraint, it may be helpful to use your
knee to push down on the child restraint
as you tighten the belt. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor
to make sure the retractor is locked.
If the retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 5 and 6.
7. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is securely held in
place. To check, grasp the child restraint
at the seat belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back and forth.
When the child restraint is properly
installed, there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
If the airbags are off, the OFF indicator in
the passenger airbag status indicator will
come on and stay on when the vehicle is
started.
If a child restraint has been installed and
the ON indicator is lit, see “If the On
Indicator Is Lit for a Child Restraint” under
Passenger Sensing System 061.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the
vehicle seat belt and let it return to the
stowed position.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Driving and Operating 153
.On AWD vehicles, seeAll-Wheel Drive
0 171.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long periods
of time.
.When road and weather conditions are
appropriate, use cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed limits or
drive more slowly when conditions
require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly inflated.
.Combine several trips into a single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with the same
TPC Spec number molded into the tire's
sidewall near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms and can
take your focus from the task of driving.
Exercise good judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away from
the road. Many local governments have
enacted laws regarding driver distraction.
Become familiar with the local laws in
your area. To avoid distracted driving, keep your eyes
on the road, keep your hands on the
steering wheel, and focus your attention on
driving.
.Do not use a phone in demanding driving
situations. Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read, take notes,
or look up information on phones or
other electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat passenger to
handle potential distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle features
before driving, such as programming
favorite radio stations and adjusting
climate control and seat settings. Program
all trip information into any navigation
device prior to driving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parked to
retrieve items that have fallen to the
floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend to
children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate carrier or
restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations while
driving, whether with a passenger or on a
cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too long or
too often could cause a crash resulting in
injury or death. Focus your attention on
driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for more
information on using that system and the
navigation system, if equipped, including
pairing and using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means to always expect
the unexpected. The first step in driving
defensively is to wear a seat belt. See Seat
Belts 048.
.Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers)
are going to be careless and make
mistakes. Anticipate what they may do
and be ready.
.Allow enough following distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.