warning 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 (4,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
iv Introduction
About Driving the Vehicle
As with other vehicles of this type,
failure to operate this vehicle
correctly may result in loss of
control or an accident. Be sure to
read the driving guidelines in this
manual in the section called“Driving
and Operating” and specifically
Driver Behavior on page 9-2,
Driving Environment on page 9-2,
and Vehicle Design on page 9-2.
Danger, Warnings, and
Cautions
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result in
serious injury or death.
Warning orCaution indicates a
hazard that could result in injury or
death.
{WARNING
These mean there is something
that could hurt you or other
people.
Notice: This means there is
something that could result in
property or vehicle damage. This
would not be covered by the
vehicle's warranty.
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: This symbol is shown when
you need to see your owner manual
for additional instructions or
information.
*: This symbol is shown when
you need to see a service manual
for additional instructions or
information.

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 (4,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 3/6/13
1-4 In Brief
Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter may work up to 30 m
(98 ft) away from the vehicle.
Press the key release button to
extend the key blade. The key can
be used for the ignition and all
locks.
K:Press to unlock the driver door,
all doors or, if equipped, a locking
fuel door. Hazard warning flashers
will flash twice.
Q: Press to lock all doors or, if
equipped, a locking fuel door.
Lock and unlock feedback can be
personalized. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5-31.
7: If equpped, press and hold
briefly to initiate vehicle locator.
Press and hold for at least
three seconds to sound the panic
alarm. Press again to cancel the
panic alarm.
See Keys on page 2-1 andRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2-3.
Remote Vehicle Start
For vehicles with this feature, the
engine can be started from outside
the vehicle.
Starting the Vehicle
1. Aim the RKE transmitter at the vehicle.
2. Press and release
Q.
3. Immediately after completing Step 2, press and hold
/for
several seconds or until the turn
signal lamps flash.

Black plate (5,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
In Brief 1-5
When the engine starts, the parking
lamps will turn on and remain on as
long as the engine is running. The
doors will be locked and the climate
control system may come on.
The engine will continue to run for
10 minutes. Repeat the steps for a
10-minute time extension. Remote
start can be extended only once.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do one of
the following:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold
/
until the parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the vehicle on and then off.
See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2-5.
Door Locks
To lock or unlock a door manually:
.From the inside, to lock the door,
use the lock knob on the top of
the door panel.
.From the outside, turn the key
toward the front or rear of the
vehicle, or press
KorQon the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter.
Power Door Locks
K: Press to unlock the doors.
Q:Press to lock the doors.
See Power Door Locks on page 2-7.
Liftgate
To lock or unlock the liftgate from
inside, press
QorKon the power
door locks. See Power Door Locks
on page 2-7.
To lock or unlock the liftgate from
outside, press
QorKon the
Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter. See Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2-3.

Black plate (12,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
1-12 In Brief
;:Turns on the parking lamps,
taillamps, license plate lamps,
sidemarker lamps, and instrument
panel lights.
5: Turns on the headlamps,
parking lamps, taillamps, license
plate lamps, sidemarker lamps, and
instrument panel lights. A warning
chime sounds if the driver door is
opened when the ignition switch is
off and the headlamps are on.
#: For vehicles with fog lamps,
press to turn the lamps on or off.
See:
.Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6-1
.Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
on page 6-2
.Front Fog Lamps on page 6-4
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper/washer lever
is located on the right side of the
steering column.
Move the lever to one of the
following positions:
HI: Use for fast wipes.
LO: Use for slow wipes.
INT: Move the lever up to INT for
intermittent wipes, then turn the
x
INT band up for more frequent
wipes or down for less frequent
wipes.
OFF: Use to turn the wipers off.
8:For a single wipe, briefly move
the wiper lever down. For several
wipes, hold the wiper lever down.
b: Pull the windshield wiper lever
toward you to spray windshield
washer fluid and activate the wipers.
See Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5-3 andRear Window Wiper/
Washer on page 5-4.

Black plate (19,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
In Brief 1-19
Performance and
Maintenance
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The traction control system limits
wheel spin. The system is on when
the vehicle is started.
.To turn off traction control, press
and release
gon the center
stack.
iilluminates in the
instrument cluster and the
appropriate message is
displayed in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
.Press and releasegagain to
turn traction control back on.
See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9-28.
StabiliTrak®System
The StabiliTrak system assists with
directional control of the vehicle in
difficult driving conditions. The
system is on when the vehicle is
started.
.To turn off both Traction Control
and StabiliTrak, press and
hold
guntilgandiilluminate
in the instrument cluster. The
appropriate message will display
in the DIC.
.Pressgagain to turn on both
systems.
StabiliTrak will automatically turn
back on when the vehicle speed
exceeds 50 km/h (31 mph).
See StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9-30.
Tire Pressure Monitor
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The low tire pressure warning light
alerts to a significant loss in
pressure of one of the vehicle's
tires. If the warning light comes on,
stop as soon as possible and inflate
the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9-10.
The warning light will remain on until
the tire pressure is corrected.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
may be an early indicator that the
tire pressures are getting low and
the tires need to be inflated to the
proper pressure.

Black plate (1,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-1
Keys, Doors, and
Windows
Keys and Locks
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Doors
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Vehicle Security
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Vehicle Alarm System . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Immobilizer Operation . . . . . . . 2-10
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Blind Spot Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Reverse Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Interior Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror . . . . . . 2-13
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Windows
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Roof
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Keys and Locks
Keys
{WARNING
Leaving children in a vehicle with
the ignition key is dangerous and
children or others could be
seriously injured or killed. They
could operate the power windows
or other controls or make the
vehicle move. The windows will
function with the keys in the
ignition, and children or others
could be caught in the path of a
closing window. Do not leave
children in a vehicle with the
ignition key.

Black plate (3,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 3/6/13
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-3
.Check the transmitter's battery.
See“Battery Replacement” later
in this section.
.If the transmitter is still not
working correctly, see your
dealer or a qualified technician
for service.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation
The RKE transmitter may work up to
30 m (98 ft) away from the vehicle.
Other conditions can affect the
performance of the transmitter. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System on page 2-2.
The following may be available:
Q(Lock): Press to lock all doors
or, if equipped, a locking fuel door.
The turn signal indicators may flash
and/or the horn may sound to
indicate locking. See “Remote Lock/
Unlock/Start” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5-31.
If the driver door is open when
Qis
pressed and Unlocked Door Anti
Lock Out is enabled through vehicle
personalization, all doors will lock
and then the driver door will unlock. See
“Remote Lock/Unlock/Start”
under Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-31.
Pressing
Qmay also arm the
theft-deterrent system. See Vehicle
Alarm System on page 2-9.
K(Unlock): Press to unlock the
driver door, all doors or, if equipped,
a locking fuel door. See “Remote
Lock/Unlock/Start” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5-31.
The hazard warning flashers will
flash twice and/or the horn may
sound to indicate unlocking. See
“Remote Lock/Unlock/Start” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-31.
Pressing
Kwill disarm the
theft-deterrent system. See Vehicle
Alarm System on page 2-9.
7(Vehicle Locator/Panic
Alarm): If equipped, press and hold
briefly to initiate vehicle locator. The
exterior lamps flash and the horn
chirps three times.