Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11354409) - 2018 - crc - 11/8/17
178 Driving and Operating
The transmission will only allow you
to shift into gears appropriate for the
vehicle speed and engine
revolutions per minute (rpm):
.The transmission will not allow
shifting to the next higher gear if
the vehicle speed or engine rpm
is too low.
. The transmission will not allow
shifting to the next lower gear if
the vehicle speed or engine rpm
is too high.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. See Vehicle Messages
0 127. 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
0 260.
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 an Antilock Brake
System (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
may be heard while this test is going
on, and it may 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
0 119.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 189
Detecting the Vehicle Ahead
FCA warnings will not occur unless
the FCA system detects a vehicle
ahead. When a vehicle is detected,
the vehicle ahead indicator will
display green. Vehicles may not be
detected on curves, highway exit
ramps, or hills, due to poor visibility;
or if a vehicle ahead is partially
blocked by pedestrians or other
objects. FCA will not detect another
vehicle ahead until it is completely
in the driving lane.
{Warning
FCA does not provide a warning
to help avoid a crash, unless it
detects a vehicle. FCA may not
detect a vehicle ahead if the FCA
sensor is blocked by dirt, snow,(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
or ice, or if the windshield is
damaged. It may also not detect a
vehicle on winding or hilly roads,
or in conditions that can limit
visibility such as fog, rain,
or snow, or if the headlamps or
windshield are not cleaned or in
proper condition. Keep the
windshield, headlamps, and FCA
sensors clean and in good repair.
Collision Alert
When your vehicle approaches
another detected vehicle too rapidly,
the FCA display will flash on the
windshield. Also, eight rapid
high-pitched beeps will sound from
the front. When this Collision Alert
occurs, the brake system may prepare for driver braking to occur
more rapidly which can cause a
brief, mild deceleration. Continue to
apply the brake pedal as needed.
Cruise control may be disengaged
when the Collision Alert occurs.
Selecting the Alert Timing
The Collision Alert control is on the
steering wheel. Press
[to set the
FCA timing to far, medium, or near,
or on some vehicles, Off. The first
button press shows the current
setting on the DIC. Additional button
presses will change this setting. The
chosen setting will remain until it is
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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192 Driving and Operating
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW)
If equipped, LDW may help avoid
crashes due to unintentional lane
departures. It may provide an alert if
the vehicle is crossing a lane
without using a turn signal in that
direction. LDW uses a camera
sensor to detect the lane markings
at speeds of 56 km/h (35 mph) or
greater.
{Warning
The LDW system does not steer
the vehicle. The LDW system
may not:. Provide enough time to
avoid a crash.
. Detect lane markings under
poor weather or visibility
conditions. This can occur if
the windshield or
headlamps are blocked by
dirt, snow, or ice; if they are
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
not in proper condition; or if
the sun shines directly into
the camera.
. Detect road edges.
. Detect lanes on winding or
hilly roads.
If LDW only detects lane
markings on one side of the road,
it will only warn you when
departing the lane on the side
where it has detected a lane
marking. Always keep your
attention on the road and
maintain proper vehicle position
within the lane, or vehicle
damage, injury, or death could
occur. Always keep the
windshield, headlamps, and
camera sensors clean and in
good repair. Do not use LDW in
bad weather conditions.
How the System Works
The LDW camera sensor is on the
windshield ahead of the rearview
mirror.
To turn LDW on and off, press
@on
the center stack, forward of the shift
lever. The control indicator will light
when LDW is on.
When LDW is on,@is green if
LDW is available to warn of a lane
departure. If the vehicle crosses a
detected lane marking without using
the turn signal in that direction,
@
changes to amber and flashes.
Additionally, there will be three
beeps on the right or left, depending
on the lane departure direction.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 195
Warning (Continued)
.Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended.
. Do not use a cell phone
while refueling.
. Do not reenter the vehicle
while pumping fuel.
. Keep children away from
the fuel pump and never let
children pump fuel.
. Fuel can spray out if the
refueling nozzle is inserted
too quickly. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly
full, and is more likely in hot
weather. Insert the refueling
nozzle slowly and wait for
any hiss noise to stop prior
to beginning to flow fuel.
The fuel door is on the passenger
rear side of the vehicle. If equipped,
the fuel door is locked when the
vehicle doors are locked. Press
K
on the RKE transmitter to unlock.
To open the fuel door, push and
release the rearward center edge of
the door.
The vehicle has a capless refueling
system and does not have a fuel
cap. The filling nozzle must be fully
inserted and latched prior to starting
fuel flow.
{Warning
Overfilling the fuel tank by more
than three clicks of a standard fill
nozzle may cause:
. Vehicle performance issues,
including engine stalling and
damage to the fuel system.
. Fuel spills.
. Potential fuel fires.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Wait a
few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the
nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care 0267.
{Warning
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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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-
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200 Vehicle Care
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.Damage to suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 076.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner ’s manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering Information
0 301.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 076.
Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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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-
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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