Roof rail BUICK ENCORE GX 2021 Owner's Manual

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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50 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
provide adequate protection. Clean and
rinse seat belt webbing only with mild
soap and lukewarm water. Allow the
webbing to dry.
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts
after a Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the seat belt system
in the vehicle. A damaged seat belt
system may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in serious injury
or even death in a crash. To help make
sure the seat belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
After a minor crash, replacement of seat
belts may not be necessary. But the seat
belt assemblies that were used during any
crash may have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the seat belt
assemblies inspected or replaced. New parts and repairs may be necessary
even if the seat belt system was not being
used at the time of the crash.
Have the seat belt pretensioners checked if
the vehicle has been in a crash, or if the
airbag readiness light stays on after you
start the vehicle or while you are driving.
See
Airbag Readiness Light 095.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver
.A frontal airbag for the front outboard
passenger
.A knee airbag for the driver
.A knee airbag for the front outboard
passenger
.A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the
driver
.A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the
front outboard passenger
.Seat-mounted side impact airbags for the
second row outboard passengers
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver and for
the rear passengers seated directly behind
the driver
.A roof-rail airbag for the front outboard
passenger and the rear passengers seated
directly behind the front outboard
passenger
All vehicle airbags have the word AIRBAG on
the trim or on a label near the deployment
opening.
For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG is on
the center of the steering wheel for the
driver and on the instrument panel for the
front outboard passenger.
For knee airbags, the word AIRBAG is on the
lower part of the instrument panel.
For seat-mounted side impact airbags, the
word AIRBAG is on the side of the seatback
or side of the seat closest to the door.
For roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG is on
the ceiling or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement the
protection provided by seat belts. Even
though today's airbags are also designed to
help reduce the risk of injury from the force
of an inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things to know
about the airbag system:

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 51
{Warning
You can be severely injured or killed in a
crash if you are not wearing your seat
belt, even with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with seat belts, not
replace them. Also, airbags are not
designed to inflate in every crash. In
some crashes seat belts are the only
restraint. SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? 053.
Wearing your seat belt during a crash
helps reduce your chance of hitting
things inside the vehicle or being ejected
from it. Airbags are “supplemental
restraints” to the seat belts. Everyone in
the vehicle should wear a seat belt
properly, whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
{Warning
Because airbags inflate with great force
and faster than the blink of an eye,
anyone who is up against, or very close
to, any airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not sit
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
unnecessarily close to any airbag, as you
would be if sitting on the edge of the
seat or leaning forward. Seat belts help
keep you in position before and during a
crash. Always wear a seat belt, even with
airbags. The driver should sit as far back
as possible while still maintaining control
of the vehicle. The seat belts and the
front outboard passenger airbags are
most effective when you are sitting well
back and upright in the seat with both
feet on the floor.
Occupants should not lean on or sleep
against the door or side windows in
seating positions with seat-mounted side
impact airbags and/or roof-rail airbags.
{Warning
Children who are up against, or very
close to, any airbag when it inflates can
be seriously injured or killed. Always
secure children properly in the vehicle. To
read how, seeOlder Children 060 or
Infants and Young Children 062.
There is an airbag readiness light on the
instrument cluster, which shows the airbag
symbol.
The system checks the airbag electrical
system for malfunctions. The light tells you
if there is an electrical problem. See Airbag
Readiness Light 095.
Where Are the Airbags?

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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52 Seats and Restraints
The driver frontal airbag is in the center of
the steering wheel.
The front outboard passenger frontal airbag
is in the passenger side instrument panel.
The driver knee airbag is below the steering
column. The front outboard passenger knee
airbag is below the glove box.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The driver and front outboard passenger
seat-mounted side impact airbags are in the
side of the seatbacks closest to the door.
On vehicles with second row seat-mounted
side impact airbags, they are in the sides of
the seatback closest to the door.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The roof-rail airbags for the driver, front
outboard passenger, and rear outboard
passengers are in the ceiling above the side
windows.
{Warning
If something is between an occupant and
an airbag, the airbag might not inflate
properly or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury or even
death. The path of an inflating airbag (Continued)

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Seats and Restraints 53
Warning (Continued)
must be kept clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an airbag, and
do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any
other airbag covering.
Do not use seat accessories that block the
inflation path of a seat-mounted side
impact airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof of a
vehicle with roof-rail airbags by routing a
rope or tie‐down through any door or
window opening. If you do, the path of
an inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.
When Should an Airbag Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped with airbags. See
Airbag System050. Airbags are designed to
inflate if the impact exceeds the specific
airbag system's deployment threshold.
Deployment thresholds are used to predict
how severe a crash is likely to be in time
for the airbags to inflate and help restrain
the occupants. The vehicle has electronic
sensors that help the airbag system determine the severity of the impact.
Deployment thresholds can vary with
specific vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe frontal or near frontal
crashes to help reduce the potential for
severe injuries, mainly to the driver's or
front outboard passenger's head and chest.
Whether the frontal airbags will or should
inflate is not based primarily on how fast
the vehicle is traveling. It depends on what
is hit, the direction of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down.
Frontal airbags may inflate at different crash
speeds depending on whether the vehicle
hits an object straight on or at an angle,
and whether the object is fixed or moving,
rigid or deformable, narrow or wide.
Frontal airbags are not intended to inflate
during vehicle rollovers, in rear impacts,
or in many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle has advanced
technology frontal airbags. Advanced
technology frontal airbags adjust the
restraint according to crash severity.
Knee airbags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe frontal or near frontal
impacts. Knee airbags are not designed to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, in rear
impacts, or in many side impacts.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags are
designed to inflate in moderate to severe
side crashes, depending on the location of
the impact. These airbags are also designed
to inflate in some moderate to severe or
near-frontal impacts that could result in the
occupant moving toward the side of the
vehicle. Seat-mounted side impact airbags
are not designed to inflate in rollovers,
or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side impact
airbag is designed to inflate on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
Roof-rail airbags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe side crashes depending
on the location of the impact. In addition,
these roof-rail airbags are designed to inflate
during a rollover or in a severe frontal
impact. Roof-rail airbags are not designed to
inflate in rear impacts. Both roof-rail airbags
will inflate when either side of the vehicle is
struck or if the sensing system predicts that
the vehicle is about to roll over on its side,
or in a severe frontal impact.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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54 Seats and Restraints
In any particular crash, no one can say
whether an airbag should have inflated
simply because of the vehicle damage or
repair costs.
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system
sends an electrical signal triggering a release
of gas from the inflator. Gas from the
inflator fills the airbag causing the bag to
break out of the cover. The inflator, the
airbag, and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag locations, seeWhere Are the
Airbags? 051.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal
collisions, even belted occupants can contact
the steering wheel or the instrument panel.
In moderate to severe side collisions, even
belted occupants can contact the inside of
the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided
by seat belts by distributing the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's body. Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help contain the head and chest
of occupants in the outboard seating
positions in the first and second rows. The
rollover capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of full or
partial ejection in rollover events, although
no system can prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many types
of collisions, primarily because the
occupant's motion is not toward those
airbags. See
When Should an Airbag Inflate?
0 53.
Airbags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to seat
belts.What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates?
After frontal, knee, and seat-mounted side
impact airbags inflate, they quickly deflate,
so quickly that some people may not even
realize the airbags inflated. Roof-rail airbags
may still be at least partially inflated for
some time after they inflate. Some
components of the airbag module may be
hot for several minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the Airbags? 051. The parts of the airbag that come into
contact with you may be warm, but not too
hot to touch. There may be some smoke
and dust coming from the vents in the
deflated airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of the
windshield or being able to steer the
vehicle, nor does it prevent people from
leaving the vehicle.
{Warning
When an airbag inflates, there may be
dust in the air. This dust could cause
breathing problems for people with a
history of asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is
safe to do so. If you have breathing
problems but cannot get out of the
vehicle after an airbag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing problems
following an airbag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may
automatically unlock the doors, turn on the
interior lamps and hazard warning flashers,
and shut off the fuel system after the

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Seats and Restraints 59
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle should be
serviced. There are parts of the airbag
system in several places around the vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the vehicle and
the airbag system. To purchase a service
manual, seePublication Ordering
Information 0346.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the vehicle is
turned off and the battery is
disconnected, an airbag can still inflate
during improper service. You can be
injured if you are close to an airbag
when it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the airbag
system. Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualified to
do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the vehicle's
frame, bumper system, height, front end,
or side sheet metal may keep the airbag
system from working properly.
The operation of the airbag system can also
be affected by changing, including
improperly repairing or replacing, any parts
of the following:
.Airbag system, including airbag modules,
front or side impact sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, or airbag wiring
.Front seats, including stitching, seams or
zippers
.Seat belts
.Steering wheel, instrument panel,
overhead console, ceiling trim, or pillar
garnish trim
.Inner door seals, including speakers
Your dealer and the service manual have
information about the location of the airbag
modules and sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module, and airbag wiring along with the
proper replacement procedures. In addition, the vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front outboard
passenger position, which includes sensors
that are part of the passenger's seat. The
passenger sensing system may not operate
properly if the original seat trim is replaced
with non-GM covers, upholstery, or trim,
or with GM covers, upholstery, or trim
designed for a different vehicle. Any object,
such as an aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort enhancing pad or device, installed
under or on top of the seat fabric, could
also interfere with the operation of the
passenger sensing system. This could either
prevent proper deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger sensing
system from properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing
System 055.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail airbags,
see Different Size Tires and Wheels 0300
for additional important information.
If the vehicle must be modified because you
have a disability and you have questions
about whether the modifications will affect
the vehicle's airbag system, or if you have
questions about whether the airbag system

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Storage 81
Warning (Continued)
being carried could be violently torn off,
and this could cause a collision and
damage the vehicle. Never carry
something longer or wider than the roof
rack on top of the vehicle unless using a
GM certified accessory carrier.
If equipped, the roof rack can be used to
load items. For roof racks that do not have
crossrails included, GM certified crossrails
can be purchased as an accessory. See your
dealer.
Caution
Loading cargo on the roof rack that
weighs more than 75 kg (165 lb) or hangs
over the rear or sides of the vehicle may
damage the vehicle. Do not load cargo
exceeding 75 kg (165 lbs) and always load
cargo so that it rests evenly between the
crossrails and does not block the vehicle
lamps or windows. Fasten the cargo
securely.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo when
driving, check to make sure crossrails and
cargo are securely fastened. Loading cargo
on the roof rack will make the vehicle’s
center of gravity higher. Avoid high speeds,
sudden starts, sharp turns, sudden braking,
or abrupt maneuvers; otherwise it may
result in loss of control. If driving for a long
distance, on rough roads, or at high speeds,
occasionally stop the vehicle to make sure
the cargo remains in its place. Do not
exceed the maximum vehicle capacity when
loading the vehicle. For more information on
vehicle capacity and loading, see Vehicle
Load Limits 0193.

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Driving and Operating 203
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
When the ignition is turned from on to off,
the following features (if equipped) will
continue to function for up to 10 minutes,
or until the driver door is opened. These
features will also work when the ignition is
in RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY:
.Infotainment System
.Power Windows (during RAP this
functionality will be lost when any door
is opened)
.Sunroof (during RAP this functionality will
be lost when any door is opened)
.Auxiliary Power Outlet
.Audio System
.OnStar System
Shifting Into Park
{Warning
It can be 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. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
To be sure the vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips 0241
To shift into P (Park): 1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake
0 209
2. Hold the button on the shift lever and push the lever toward the front of the
vehicle into P (Park).
3. Turn the ignition off.
Leaving the Vehicle with the Engine
Running
{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 vehicle is not in P (Park) with the
parking brake set. The vehicle can roll. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 shift to
P (Park). SeeShifting Into Park 0203.
If you are towing a trailer, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips 0241.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the
engine running, the vehicle must be in
P (Park) and the parking brake set.
Release the button and check that the shift
lever cannot be moved out of P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of the
vehicle puts too much force on the parking
pawl in the transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not done
properly and then it is difficult to shift out
of P (Park). To prevent torque lock, set the

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Index 367
Storage AreasCargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Cargo Management System . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Rear Compartment/Storage Panel
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Struts Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
System Brake Pad Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Engine Air Filter Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Global Positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Roof Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Systems Driver Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
TaillampsBulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277, 280
Teen Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .341
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286 All-Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . 300
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 302 Tires (cont'd)
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . 298
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrakLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Trademarks and License Agreements . . . . . . 172
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . 344
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . .124