2018 BUICK ENCORE battery

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
170 Driving and Operating
Engine Heater
Vehicles with the 1.4L engine may
have an engine heater. The engine
heater can help in cold weather
conditions at or below−18 °C (0 °F)
for easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the heater at least four hours
before starting the vehicle. An
internal thermostat in the plug end
of the cord will prevent engine
heater operation at temperatures
above −18 °C (0 °F).
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block
heater while the vehicle is parked
in a garage or under a carport.
Property damage or personal
injury may result. Always park the
vehicle in a clear open area away
from buildings or structures.
To Use the Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord. The cord is
located in the driver side of the
engine compartment, near the
battery. It is shipped from the
factory with a tie holding it in
place. Use care in removing
the tie so that the cord is not
damaged.
Check the heater cord for
damage. If it is damaged, do
not use it. See your dealer for
a replacement. Inspect the
cord for damage yearly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord
or an extension cord can damage
the cord and may result in
overheating and fire.
. Plug the cord into a
three-prong electrical utility
receptacle that is protected
by a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded
outlet could cause an
electric shock.
. Use a weatherproof,
heavy-duty, 15 amp-rated
extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the
recommended extension
cord in good operating
condition, or using a
damaged heater or
extension cord, could make
(Continued)

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
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-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
Driving and Operating 197
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information
The vehicle is neither designed nor
intended to tow a trailer.
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0116.
A device connected to the DLC —
such as an aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —
may interfere with vehicle
systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash.
Such devices may also access
information stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check
with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 076 and Adding Equipment
to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
0 76.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
198 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 199
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 200
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 209
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 210
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 215
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Battery - North America . . . . . . 219
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 220
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 220
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 221
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 222
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . 224
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps, and
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 227
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 227
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 228
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 237
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 253
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 254

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
Vehicle Care 199
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 260
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - NorthAmerica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including
this one, as well as many of its
service parts and fluids, contain
and/or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and
systems, many fluids, and some
component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0219
and Jump Starting - North America
0 261 and the back cover.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
204 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0210.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0206.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0206.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 211.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0211.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes 0217.
7. Auxiliary Fuse Block. See Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0228.
8. Battery - North America 0219.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 216.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0228.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
206 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0210.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0206.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 211.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0206.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0211.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes 0217.
7. Auxiliary Fuse Block. See Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0228.
8. Battery - North America 0219.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 216.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0228.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
. Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0209.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0203 for the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the
oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground.
Check the engine oil level after
the engine has been off for at
least two hours. Checking the
engine oil level on steep grades
or too soon after engine shutoff
can result in incorrect readings.
Accuracy improves when