2016 BUICK ENCORE maintenance

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 199
cleaner/filter. Lightly tap and shake
the engine air cleaner/filter (away
from the vehicle), to release loose
dust and dirt. Inspect the engine air
cleaner/filter for damage, and
replace if damaged. Do not clean
the engine air cleaner/filter with
water or compressed air.
To inspect or replace the air cleaner/
filter:
1.4L L4 LE2 Engine
1.4L L4 LUV Engine
1. Remove the two screws, tilt the cover, and slide it out of the
assembly.
2. Inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/filter.
3. Lower the cover, slide it into the assembly, then secure with
the two screws.
See Maintenance Schedule 0263
for replacement intervals.
{Warning
Operating the engine with the air
cleaner/filter off can cause you or
others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air; it
helps to stop flames if the engine
backfires. Use caution when
working on the engine and do not
drive with the air cleaner/filter off.
Caution
If the air cleaner/filter is off, dirt
can easily get into the engine,
which could damage it. Always
have the air cleaner/filter in place
when you are driving.
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.

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Vehicle Care 207
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light 0108.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid
at the specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0263.
What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 4
brake fluid from a clean, sealed
container. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0272.
{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake
fluid could result in damage to the
brake system. This could result in
the loss of braking leading to a
possible injury. Always use the
proper GM approved brake fluid.
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces, the
paint finish can be damaged.
Immediately wash off any painted
surface.
Battery - North America
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove
the cap and do not add fluid.
Refer to the replacement number
shown on the original battery label
when a new battery is needed. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0192 for battery location.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts,
terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
reproductive harm. Batteries also
contain other chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer.WASH HANDS AFTER
HANDLING.
See California Proposition
65 Warning 0188.
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. See Jump Starting -
North America 0246 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.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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208 Vehicle Care
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
maintenance 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. 2. Apply both the parking brake
and 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.

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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.
. 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 0263.
Replacement blades come in
different types and are removed in
different ways. For proper type and
length, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts 0273.
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
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
the vehicle 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.

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230 Vehicle Care
Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more
of your tires is significantly
under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tiretread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been
equipped with a TPMS malfunction
indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as
long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a varietyof reasons, including the installation
of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function
properly.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation 0230.
See Radio Frequency
Statement 0288.
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and wheel
assembly, excluding the spare tire
and wheel assembly. The TPMS
sensors monitor the air pressure in

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Vehicle Care 231
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 0151.
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) 0113.
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 0151, for an example of the
Tire and Loading Information label
and its location. Also see Tire
Pressure 0228.
The TPMS can warn about a low
tire pressure condition, but it does
not replace normal tire
maintenance. See Tire Inspection
0 233, Tire Rotation 0234, and
Tires 0221.
Caution
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.
TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire pressure warning light,
defined above, flashes for about
one minute and then stays on for
the remainder of the ignition cycle.
A DIC warning message may also
display. The malfunction light and
DIC warning message, if equipped,
come on at each ignition cycle until

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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234 Vehicle Care
.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 Schedule0263.
Tires are rotated to achieve a
more 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 the
rotation, check the wheel
alignment. See When It Is Time
for New Tires 0235 andWheel
Replacement 0239.
Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires.
Do not include the compact
spare tire in the tire rotation.
Adjust the front and rear tires to
the recommended inflation
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label after
the tires have been rotated. See
Tire Pressure 0228 and Vehicle
Load Limits 0151.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation 0230. Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See
“Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications 0276.
{Warning
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.

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Vehicle Care 235
When It Is Time for New
Tires
Factors such as maintenance,
temperatures, driving speeds,
vehicle loading, and road conditions
affect the wear rate of the tires.
Treadwear indicators are one way to
tell when it is time for new tires.
Treadwear indicators appear
when the tires have only 1.6 mm
(1/16 in) or less of tread remaining.
SeeTire Inspection 0233 andTire
Rotation 0234. The rubber in tires ages over time.
This also applies to the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
never used. Multiple factors
including temperatures, loading
conditions, and inflation pressure
maintenance affect how fast aging
takes place. GM recommends that
tires, including the spare if
equipped, be replaced after six
years, regardless of tread wear. The
tire manufacture date is the last four
digits of the DOT Tire Identification
Number (TIN) which is molded into
one side of the tire sidewall. 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.Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be free of grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. When
replacement tires are needed,
GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of the