Transmission BUICK ENCORE 2018 User Guide

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
154 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 155
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 159
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 160
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 162
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 166
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 175
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 184
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 194
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
160 Driving and Operating
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips 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.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering assist. Always
have the engine running and the
vehicle in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0180.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0178.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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162 Driving and Operating
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 180.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle 0263.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification/Tire label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 167
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will display
the message SHIFT TO PARK.
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition system turn off.
Do not turn the ignition off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:1. Brake using a firm steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location. 3. Come to a complete stop, shift
to P (Park), and turn the
ignition off. On vehicles with an
automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park)
to turn the ignition switch off.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake 0179.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold ENGINE START/
STOP for longer than two seconds,
or press twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber
Indicator Light) : This mode allows
you to use some electrical
accessories when the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing ENGINE START/STOP one time
without the brake pedal applied will
place the ignition system in ACC/
ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after
five minutes to prevent battery
rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) :
This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and
the brake pedal applied, pressing
ENGINE START/STOP once will
place the ignition system in ON/
RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins,
release ENGINE START/STOP.
Engine cranking will continue until
the engine starts. See Starting the
Engine 0168.
The engine will then remain in
ON/RUN.
Service Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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168 Driving and Operating
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes.
With the vehicle off, and the brake
pedal not applied, pressing and
holding ENGINE START/STOP for
more than five seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Mode.
The instruments and audio system
will operate as they do in ON/RUN,
but the vehicle will not be able to be
driven. The engine will not start in
Service Mode.
Press ENGINE START/STOP again
to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the vehicle
when it is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment
0 197.
Starting Procedure 1. With the Keyless Access System, the RKE transmitter
must be in the vehicle. Press
ENGINE START/STOP with the
brake pedal applied. When the
engine begins cranking, let go
of the button. The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
transmitter battery is low, the
Driver Information Center (DIC)
will display a message.
See
Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Uplevel) 0125 orDriver
Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) 0123 andRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 027.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
Driving and Operating 169
2. If the engine does not startafter five to 10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather
(below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you hold ENGINE START/
STOP, for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try,
to allow the cranking motor to
cool down.
When the engine starts, let go
of the button and the
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again,
follow the same steps. This
clears the extra gasoline from
the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.Stop/Start System
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature causes the engine to shut
off while the vehicle is still on. Do
not exit the vehicle before shifting
to P (Park). The vehicle may
restart and move unexpectedly.
Always shift to P (Park), and then
turn the ignition off before exiting
the vehicle.
If equipped, the stop/start system
helps to save fuel and reduce the
exhaust emissions.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and
the vehicle is at a complete stop,
the engine may turn off. When
stopped, the tachometer displays
AUTO STOP. See Tachometer
0 112. When the brake pedal is
released or the accelerator pedal
pushed, the engine will restart. Auto Stop may be deactivated if:
.
A minimum vehicle speed is not
reached.
. The engine or transmission is
not at the required operating
temperature.
. The shift lever is in any gear
other than D (Drive).
. The battery charge is low.
. The interior comfort level has not
reached the required level for
the climate control system or
defog settings. See Dual
Automatic Climate Control
System 0148.
. The Auto Stop time is greater
than two minutes.

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Driving and Operating 171
Warning (Continued)
it overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
. Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
vehicle. Possible heater
cord and thermostat
damage could occur.
. While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
. Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach
the cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from
any moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it away from moving engine
parts. If you do not it could be
damaged.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
Some vehicle accessories may be
used after the ignition is turned off.
The power windows and sunroof,
if equipped, will continue to work for
up to 10 minutes or until any door is
opened.
The infotainment system will
continue to work for 10 minutes,
until the driver door is opened,
or until the ignition is turned on or
placed in ACC/ACCESSORY.
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake 0179. 2. Move the shift lever into
P (Park) by pressing the button
on the shift lever and pushing
the lever all the way toward the
front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition off.
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running (Automatic
Transmission)
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when (Continued)

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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172 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park 0171.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold the
brake pedal down. Then see if you
can move the shift lever away from
P (Park) without first pushing the
button on the shift lever. If you can,
it means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you
do not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it difficult
to pull the shift lever out of P (Park). This is called
“torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into
P (Park) properly before you leave
the driver seat. To find out how, see
“Shifting Into Park” previously in this
section.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission, so you can pull
the shift lever out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with a shift
lock control. The shift lock control is
designed to prevent movement of
the shift lever out of P (Park) unless
the ignition is on and the brake
pedal is applied.
The shift lock control is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery. If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See
Jump Starting - North
America 0261.
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition on.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If still unable to shift out of P (Park): 1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and press the shift lever button
again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If the shift lever still cannot be
moved from P (Park), see “Shift
Lock Manual Release” following.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
Driving and Operating 173
Shift Lock Manual Release
The automatic transmission has an
electric park lock. The ignition must
be in the on and the brake pedal
pressed so the shift lever can be
moved from the P (Park) position.
If the battery has lost power, the
shift lever cannot be moved from
P (Park) unless the shift lock manual
release is disengaged manually.
To access the shift lock manual
release:1. Turn the ignition off.
2. Hold the brake pedal down. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the cover on theconsole.
4. Insert and push the key intothe slot.
5. Move the shift lever out of P (Park). If P (Park) is selected
again after the key is removed
from the slot, the shift lever will
be locked again.
6. Remove the key from the slot.
7. Close the cover.
8. Have the cause of the problem fixed by your dealer.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Extended Parking
It is best not to park with the vehicle
running. If the vehicle is left running,
be sure it will not move and there is
adequate ventilation.
See Shifting Into Park 0171 and
Engine Exhaust 0174.
If the vehicle is left parked and
running with the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter outside the
vehicle, it will turn off after one hour.
If the vehicle is left parked and
running with the RKE transmitter
inside the vehicle, it will turn off after
two hours.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 175
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
SeeShifting Into Park 0171 and
Engine Exhaust 0174.
Automatic
Transmission
The selected gear is also shown in
the instrument cluster.
P : This position locks the drive
wheels. Use P (Park) when starting
the engine because the vehicle
cannot move easily.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park 0171.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The regular brake must be
fully applied first and then the shift
lever button pressed before shifting
from P (Park) when the ignition is
on. If you cannot shift out of
P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever, then push the shift lever all