2014 BUICK ENCORE service

Black plate (20,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
10-20 Vehicle Care
Caution (Continued)
be replaced. Do not let
someone put in the wrong
kind of fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces,
the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to
spill brake fluid on the
vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately.
Battery
Refer to the replacement number on
the original battery label when a
new battery is needed.
{Warning
Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and reproductive
harm. Wash hands after handling.
Vehicle Storage
{Warning
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 10-62 for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.
All-Wheel Drive
Transfer Case
Under normal driving conditions,
transfer case fluid does not require
changing or checking unless there
is a fluid leak or unusual noise.
If required, have the transfer case
serviced by your dealer.
Starter Switch Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle.

Black plate (21,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
Vehicle Care 10-21
2. Apply both the parking brakeand the regular brake.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start
only in P (Park) or N (Neutral).
If the vehicle starts in any other
position, contact your dealer for
service.
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured. 1. Before starting this check, be
sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular brake
immediately if the vehicle begins
to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
While parked and with the parking
brake set, try to turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF in each shift lever
position.
.The ignition should turn to
LOCK/OFF only when the shift
lever is in P (Park).
.The ignition key should come
out only in LOCK/OFF.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{Warning
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set
the parking brake.

Black plate (22,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
10-22 Vehicle Care
.To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot
pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only.
.To check the P (Park)
mechanism's holding ability:
With the engine running, shift to
P (Park). Then release the
parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear and cracking.
See Maintenance Schedule on
page 11-2.
Replacement blades come in
different types and are removed in
different ways. For proper type and
length, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts on page 11-12.
{Caution
Allowing the wiper arm to touch
the windshield when no wiper
blade is installed could damage
the windshield. Any damage that
occurs would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not allow the
wiper arm to touch the windshield.
Front Wiper Blade
Replacement
To replace the front wiper blades:
1. Lift the wiper arm from the
windshield until no further
movement is possible.
2. Press the release button on thetop side of the wiper and pull the
wiper blade out of the end of the
wiper arm.
3. Install the wiper blade connector by sliding into the end of the
wiper arm until the button on the
wiper blade clicks into place with
the wiper arm.
4. Place the wiper arm with the wiper blade in place back on the
windshield.

Black plate (35,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
Vehicle Care 10-35
Mini Fuses Usage13 Heated Steering Wheel
14 Trailer Socket (N/A)
15 EVP Switch
16 Water In Fuel Sensor
17 Inside Rearview Mirror/Regulated
Voltage Control
18 Spare/LPG Module Run/Crank
S/B Fuses Usage 1 Driver Power Seat Switch/Memory
Module
2 Passenger Power Seat Switch
3 Trailer Module (N/A)
4 A/C-D/C Inverter
5 Battery S/B Fuses Usage
6 Headlamp Washer
7 Spare
8 Spare
9 Spare
Relays Usage 1 Ignition Relay
2 Run RelayWheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. See
the warranty manual for
information regarding the tire
warranty and where to get
service. For additional
information refer to the tire
manufacturer.
{Warning
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can
cause overheating as a
result of too much flexing.
There could be a blowout
(Continued)

Black plate (36,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
10-36 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
and a serious crash. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9-10.
.Underinflated tires pose
the same danger as
overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could
cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently
to maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires
are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact —such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep
tires at the recommended
pressure.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Worn or old tires can
cause a crash. If the tread
is badly worn,
replace them.
.Replace any tires that
have been damaged by
impacts with potholes,
curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires
can cause a crash. Only
the dealer or an
authorized tire service
center should repair,
replace, dismount, and
mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.
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 10-37.

Black plate (38,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
10-38 Vehicle Care
and service description. See the
“Tire Size”illustration later in this
section.
(2) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(3) DOT (Department of
Transportation)
:The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that the
tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
DOT Tire Date of
Manufacture
:The last four
digits of the TIN indicate the tire
manufactured date. The first two digits represent the week
(01–52) and the last two digits,
the year. For example, the third
week of the year 2010 would
have a four-digit DOT date
of 0310.
(4) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code are the
Tire Identification Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(5) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(6) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
see
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 10-53.
(7) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
Compact Spare Tire Example
(1) Tire Ply Material:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.

Black plate (39,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
Vehicle Care 10-39
(2) Temporary Use Only:The
compact spare tire or temporary
use tire should not be driven at
speeds over 80 km/h (50 mph).
The compact spare tire is for
emergency use when a regular
road tire has lost air and gone
flat. If the vehicle has a compact
spare tire, see Compact Spare
Tire on page 10-61 andIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 10-56.
(3) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code are the
Tire Identification Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture. (4) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
(5) Tire Inflation
:The
temporary use tire or compact
spare tire should be inflated to
420 kPa (60 psi). For more
information on tire pressure and
inflation see Tire Pressure on
page 10-43.
(6) Tire Size
:A combination of
letters and numbers define a
tire's width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type, and service
description. The letter T as the
first character in the tire size
means the tire is for temporary
use only.
(7) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance 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 passenger vehicle tire

Black plate (40,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014813) - 2014 - crc - 10/22/13
10-40 Vehicle Care
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
windows, power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship
of a tire's height to its width.
Belt
:A rubber coated layer of
cords between the plies and the
tread. Cords may be made from
steel or other reinforcing
materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains
steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto
the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire
in which the plies are laid at
alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a tire,
measured in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch)