2013 BUICK ENCORE wheel size

Black plate (34,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
3-34 Seats and Restraints
{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 canalso be affected by changing or
moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the airbag sensing and
diagnostic module, steering wheel,
instrument panel, roof-rail airbag
modules, ceiling headliner or pillar
garnish trim, overhead console,
front sensors, side impact sensors,
or airbag wiring.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location
of the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag
wiring.
If the vehicle has rollover roof‐rail
airbags, see
Different Size Tires
and Wheels on page 10-52 for
important information.
If you have to modify your vehicle
because you have a disability and
have questions about whether the
modifications will affect the vehicle's
airbag system, or if you have
questions about whether the airbag
system will be affected if the vehicle is modified for any other reason, call
Customer Assistance. See
Customer Assistance Offices (U.S.
and Canada) on page 13-5
or
Customer Assistance Offices
(Mexico) on page 13-5.
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See
Airbag Readiness Light on
page 5-12.
Notice: If an airbag covering is
damaged, opened, or broken, the
airbag may not work properly. Do
not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers,
have the airbag covering and/or
airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbags, see
Where Are the Airbags? on
page 3-25. See your dealer for
service.

Black plate (26,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
9-26 Driving and Operating
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
If equipped, this feature transfers
engine power, as required, to all
four wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare tire on
an All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicle,
the system automatically detects the
compact spare and disables AWD to
protect the system. A Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
will display on the instrument
cluster. SeeVehicle Messages on
page 5-25. To restore AWD
operation and prevent excessive
wear on the system, replace the
compact spare with a full-size tire as
soon as possible. See Compact
Spare Tire on page 10-61.
AWD will be disabled and the
message will display if there is
excessive wheel spin. When the
system cools down, AWD will be
restored.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has ABS, an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5-17. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
you steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.

Black plate (1,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-2
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-10
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-15
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-20
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-21
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-26
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27 Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-37
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52

Black plate (36,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
10-36 Vehicle Care
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with
all-season tires. These tires are
designed to provide good overall
performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original
equipment tires designed to GM's
specific tire performance criteria
have a TPC specification code
molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can be
identified by the last two characters
of this TPC code, which will
be“MS.”
Consider installing winter tires on
the vehicle if frequent driving on
snow or ice-covered roads is
expected. All-season tires provide
adequate performance for most
winter driving conditions, but they
may not offer the same level of
traction or performance as winter
tires on snow or ice-covered roads.
See Winter Tires on page 10-36.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not originally
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered
roads. Consider installing winter
tires on the vehicle if frequent
driving on snow or ice-covered
roads is expected. See your dealer
for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection.
Also, see Buying New Tires on
page 10-50.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise, and shorter
tread life. After changing to winter
tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.
If using winter tires:
.Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
.Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with high
performance summer tires. These
tires have a special tread and
compound that are optimized for
maximum dry and wet road
performance. This special tread and
compound will decrease
performance in cold climates, and
on ice and snow. We recommend
installing winter tires on the vehicle
if frequent driving in cold
temperatures or on snow or ice
covered roads is expected. See
Winter Tires on page 10-36.

Black plate (39,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-39
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The following is an example of a
typical passenger vehicle
tire size.
(1) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:
The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The
letter P as the first character in
the tire size means a passengervehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association.
(2) Tire Width
:The three-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
(3) Aspect Ratio
:A two-digit
number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 60, as shown in
item 3 of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire's sidewall is
60 percent as high as it is wide.
(4) Construction Code
:A letter
code is used to indicate the type
of ply construction in the tire.
The letter R means radial ply
construction; the letter D means
diagonal or bias ply
construction; and the letter B
means belted-bias ply
construction. (5) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
(6) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire
is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of
air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of
the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch).
Accessory Weight
:The
combined weight of optional
accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are
automatic transmission, power

Black plate (45,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-45
and wheel assembly. The TPMS
sensors monitor the air pressure in
the tires and transmit the tire
pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS illuminates
the low tire pressure warning light
located on the instrument cluster.
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. SeeVehicle Load
Limits on page 9-10.
A message to check the pressure in
a specific tire may display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC). The
low tire pressure warning light and
the DIC warning message,
if equipped, come on at each ignition cycle until the tires are
inflated to the correct inflation
pressure. Using the DIC, it may be
possible to view the tire pressure
levels. For additional information
and details about the DIC operation
and displays, see
Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5-22.
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
could be an early indicator that the
air pressure is getting low and
needs to be inflated to the proper
pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information label
shows the size of the original
equipment tires and the correct
inflation pressure for the tires when
they are cold. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9-10, for an example
of the Tire and Loading Information
label and its location. Also see Tire
Pressure on page 10-42. The TPMS can warn about a low
tire pressure condition, but it does
not replace normal tire
maintenance. See
Tire Inspection
on page 10-48, Tire Rotation on
page 10-48, and Tires on
page 10-35.
Notice: Tire sealant materials are
not all the same. A non-approved
tire sealant could damage the
TPMS sensors. TPMS sensor
damage caused by using an
incorrect tire sealant is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use only the
GM-approved tire sealant
available through your dealer or
included in the vehicle.

Black plate (48,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
10-48 Vehicle Care
Tire Inspection
We recommend that the tires,
including the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, be inspected
for signs of wear or damage at
least once a month.
Replace the tire if:
.The indicators at three or
more places around the tire
can be seen.
.There is cord or fabric
showing through the tire's
rubber.
.The tread or sidewall is
cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or
fabric.
.The tire has a bump, bulge,
or split.
.The tire has a puncture, cut,
or other damage that cannot
be repaired well because of
the size or location of the
damage.
Tire Rotation
Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km (7,500 mi). See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11-3.
Tires are rotated to achieve a
uniform wear for all tires. The
first rotation is the most
important.
Anytime unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as soon
as possible, check for proper tire
inflation pressure, and check for
damaged tires or wheels. If the
unusual wear continues after therotation, check the wheel
alignment. See
When It Is Time
for New Tires on page 10-49
and Wheel Replacement on
page 10-54.
Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires.
Do not include the compact
spare tire in the tire rotation.

Black plate (51,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-51
If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires should wear out at
about the same time. SeeTire
Rotation on page 10-48.
However, if it is necessary to
replace only one axle set of
worn tires, place the new tires
on the rear axle.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment
tires may not be available for H,
V, W, Y and ZR speed rated
tires. Never exceed the winter
tires’ maximum speed capability
when using winter tires with a
lower speed rating.
{WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{WARNING
Mixing tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may cause
loss of control of the vehicle,
resulting in a crash or other
vehicle damage. Use the
correct size, brand, and type
of tires on all wheels.
{WARNING
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
after many miles of driving.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If the vehicle tires must be
replaced with a tire that does not
have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating, and
construction (radial) as the
original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire
pressure monitoring system
could give an inaccurate
low-pressure warning if non-TPC
Spec rated tires are installed.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 10-43.