cruise control BUICK ENCORE 2013 Owner's Manual

Black plate (1,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
2013 Buick Encore Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-3
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-31
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Trademarks and License Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-26 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-15
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-23
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-28
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-34
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-47
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35

Black plate (5,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (3,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
In Brief 1-3
1.Air Vents on page 8-6.
2. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals on
page 6-4.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer on page 6-2.
3. Instrument Cluster on page 5-9.
4. Driver Information Center (DIC) Display. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5-22.
5. Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5-3.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer on
page 5-4.
6. Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9-28/StabiliTrak
®
System on page 9-30.
Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6-3.
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator. See Passenger
Sensing System on page 3-29.
7. Infotainment Display. 8. Light Sensor. See
Automatic
Headlamp System on page 6-3.
9. AM-FM Radio on page 7-7.
10. Instrument Panel Storage on
page 4-1.
11. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6-1.
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6-5.
Front Fog Lamps on page 6-4.
12. Hood Release. See Hood on
page 10-4.
13. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5-14.
14. Instrument Panel Storage on
page 4-1.
15. Cruise Control on page 9-32.
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9-34 (If
Equipped).
16. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5-2. 17.
Horn on page 5-3.
18. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5-2.
19. Ignition Positions on
page 9-15.
20. Climate Control Systems on
page 8-1 orDual Automatic
Climate Control System on
page 8-3 (If Equipped).
21. Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9-36 (If Equipped).
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) on page 9-40 (If
Equipped).
22. Power Outlets on page 5-6.
23. Auxiliary Input Jack. See Auxiliary Devices on
page 7-13.
USB Port. See Auxiliary
Devices on page 7-13.
24. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9-23.
25. Safety Locks on page 2-7.

Black plate (20,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
1-20 In Brief
The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. Maintain
the correct tire pressures.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10-43.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON DIC message when it is
necessary to change the engine oil
and filter.
Remember, the oil life display must
be reset after each oil change. It will
not reset itself. Also, be careful not
to reset the oil life display
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change. Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Press the MENU button to show
Remaining Oil Life on the
display. This display shows an
estimate of the oil’s remaining
useful life. If 99% is displayed,
that means that 99% of the
current oil life remains.
2. To reset the engine oil life system, press the SET/CLR
button while the oil life display is
active. After a few seconds,
there will be a single chime and
the oil life will be reset to 100%.
Be careful not to reset the oil life
display accidentally at any time
other than after the oil is changed.
It cannot be reset accurately.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10-9.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.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.

Black plate (1,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-2
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 5-3
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-3
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10 Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-11
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-12
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-13
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Power Steering Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 5-18
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-18
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-19
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19 Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-20
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 5-21
Immobilizer Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Daytime Running Lamps
(DRL) Indicator Light . . . . . . . 5-21
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-22
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-26
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Cruise Control Messages . . . . 5-26
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-27

Black plate (22,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
5-22 Instruments and Controls
Front Fog Lamp Light
For vehicles with front fog lamps,
this light comes on when the front
fog lamps are in use.
The light goes out when the front
fog lamps are turned off. SeeFront
Fog Lamps on page 6-4 for more
information.
Lamps On Reminder
This light comes on when the
exterior lamps are in use. See
Exterior Lamp Controls on page 6-1.
Cruise Control Light
For vehicles with cruise control, the
cruise control light is white when the
cruise control is on and ready, and
turns green when the cruise control
is set and active.
The light turns off when the cruise
control is turned off. See Cruise
Control on page 9-32.
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
displays information about the
vehicle. It also displays warning
messages if a system problem is
detected. See Vehicle Messages on
page 5-25. All messages appear in
the DIC display in the center of the
instrument cluster.
The vehicle may also have features
that can be customized through the
controls on the radio. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5-31.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC has different displays
which can be accessed by using the
DIC buttons on the turn signal lever.
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and
vehicle system information, and
warning messages if a system
problem is detected.

Black plate (26,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
5-26 Instruments and Controls
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages
BATTERY LOW START
VEHICLE
If this message displays, start the
vehicle to prevent further draining of
the battery.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable point. The battery saver
system starts reducing features of
the vehicle that may be noticed. At
the point that features are disabled,
this message displays. Turn off
unnecessary accessories to allow
the battery to recharge.
LOW BATTERY
This message is displayed when the
battery voltage is low. SeeBattery
on page 10-19.
Brake System Messages
BRAKE FLUID LOW
This message is displayed when the
brake fluid level is low. See Brake
Fluid on page 10-18.
BRAKES OVERHEATED
This message may display if the
brakes are too hot.
HILL START ASSIST ACTIVE
This message is displayed when Hill
Start Assist (HSA) is preventing the
vehicle from rolling while driving off
on a grade. See Hill Start Assist
(HSA) on page 9-28.
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE
This message is displayed if the
parking brake is applied. Release it
before you attempt to drive. See
Parking Brake on page 9-27 for
more information.
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST
This message is displayed when
there is a problem with the brake
assist system. Take the vehicle to
your dealer.
Compass Messages
CAL
This message is displayed when the
compass needs to be calibrated.
See Compass on page 5-5.
– –
Dashes will be displayed if the
compass needs service. See your
dealer for service.
Cruise Control Messages
CRUISE SET TO XXX
This message displays when the
cruise control is set and shows the
speed it was set to. See Cruise
Control on page 9-32.

Black plate (1,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-7
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-10
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-15
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-23
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-28
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Object Detection Systems
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-36
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40

Black plate (7,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Driving and Operating 9-7
WARNING (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10-35.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest. Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving
—scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.

Black plate (9,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Driving and Operating 9-9
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 on slippery
surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13-7 orRoadside Assistance
Program (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13-11. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems” in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9-22.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.