
Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 237Passing More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination of the vehicle and
trailer will not accelerate as quickly
and is much longer than the vehicle
alone. It is necessary to go much
farther beyond the passed vehicle
before returning to the lane. Pass
on level roadways. Avoid passing
on hills if possible.
Backing Up Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move that hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you. Making Turns
CautionTurn more slowly and make wider
arcs when towing a trailer to
prevent damage to your vehicle.
Making very sharp turns could
cause the trailer to contact the
vehicle.
Make wider turns than normal when
towing, so trailer will not go over soft
shoulders, over curbs, or strike road
signs, trees, or other objects.
Always signal turns well in advance.
Do not steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downhill grade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes may overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency. The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts too
often under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes,
engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at lower altitudes.
If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle could show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run, preferably on
level ground, with the transmission
in P (Park) for a few minutes before
turning the engine off. If the
overheat warning comes on, see
Engine Overheating 0 262 .
Parking on Hills
{ Warning
To prevent serious injury or death,
always park your vehicle and
trailer on a level surface when
possible.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 239Trailer Weight Ratings When towing a trailer, the weight of
the loaded vehicle and trailer must
be within the weight ratings for the
vehicle.
.
GCWR: Gross Combined Weight
Rating
.
GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating
.
Maximum Trailer Weight Rating
.
Maximum Trailer Tongue Weight
The only way to be sure the weight
is not exceeding any of these
ratings is to weigh the tow vehicle
and trailer combination, fully loaded
for the trip, getting individual
weights for each of these items.
{ Warning
You and others could be seriously
injured or killed if the trailer is too
heavy or the trailer brakes are
inadequate for the load. The
(Continued) Warning (Continued) vehicle may be damaged, and the
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Only tow a trailer if all the steps in
this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer.
Gross Combined Weight
Rating (GCWR) GCWR is the total allowable weight
of the completely loaded vehicle
and trailer including any fuel,
passengers, cargo, equipment, and
accessories. Do not exceed the
GCWR for your vehicle. The GCWR
for the vehicle is on the Tow Rating
Chart following. Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) For information about the vehicle's
maximum load capacity, see Vehicle
Load Limits 0 177 . When calculating
the GVWR with a trailer attached,
the trailer tongue weight must be
included as part of the weight the
vehicle is carrying.
Maximum Trailer Weight
Rating The maximum trailer weight rating is
calculated assuming the tow vehicle
has a driver, a front seat passenger,
and all required trailering
equipment. Weight of additional
optional equipment, passengers,
and cargo in the tow vehicle must
be subtracted from the trailer weight
rating.
Use the tow rating chart to
determine how much the trailer can
weigh, based on the vehicle model,
powertrain and trailering options.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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242 Driving and Operating Weight-Distributing Hitch
Adjustment A weight-distributing hitch may be
useful with some trailers.
1. Front of Vehicle
2. Body to Ground Distance
When using a weight-distributing
hitch, measure the front fender
height above the front axle
distance (2) before and after
connecting the trailer. Adjust the
spring bars until the front fender
height distance (2) is approximately
half way between the first and
second measurements. Tires .
Do not tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire on the
vehicle.
.
Tires must be properly inflated to
support loads while towing a
trailer. See Tires 0 281 for
instructions on proper tire
inflation.
Safety Chains Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer, and attach
the chains to the holes on the trailer
hitch platform. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by
the hitch manufacturer or by the
trailer manufacturer.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent
the tongue from contacting the road
if it becomes separated from the
hitch. Always leave just enough
slack so the combination can turn.
Never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground. Trailer Brakes Loaded trailers over 450 kg
(1,000 lb) must be equipped with
brake systems and with brakes for
each axle. Trailer braking equipment
conforming to Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) requirement
CAN3-D313, or its equivalent, is
recommended.
State or local regulations may
require trailers to have their own
braking system if the loaded weight
of the trailer exceeds certain
minimums that can vary from state
to state.
Read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes so they are
installed, adjusted, and maintained
properly.
Never attempt to tap into your
vehicle's hydraulic brake system.
If you do, both the vehicle anti-lock
brakes and the trailer brakes may
not function, which could result in a
crash.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 243Trailer Wiring The trailer wiring harness (if
equipped), with a 7-pin connector is
located at the rear of the vehicle,
and it is tied to the vehicle's frame.
If the vehicle is not equipped with a
7-pin trailer connector, the body
harness has provisions to connect a
trailer harness and a 7-pin trailer
connector which is available through
your dealer.
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications
for proper electrical connectivity. The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
1 Stop/Turn
Signal Left Yellow/Blue
2 Tail/Parking
Lamps Gray/Brown
3 Reverse Lamps White/
Green
4 Battery Feed Red/Green
5 Stop/Turn Signal
Right Green/
Brown
6 Electric Trailer
Brake* Blue
7 Ground Black
* Circuit powered by electric trailer
brake control wiring provisions.
Electric Trailer Brake Control
Wiring Provisions
Wiring provisions for an aftermarket
electric trailer brake controller are
included with the vehicle as part of
the trailer wiring package. The
harness contains the following
circuits: Electric Trailer
Brakes Blue
Battery Feed Red/Green or
Red/Blue
Brake Apply
Signal White/Blue
Ground Black
Refer to the aftermarket electric
trailer brake controller owner's
manual to determine wire color
coding of the electric trailer brake
controller. The wire colors on the
brake controller may be different
from the vehicle. The electric trailer
brake controller should be installed
by your dealer or a qualified service
center.
If equipped, there are four blunt cut
wires inside the front driver side
instrument panel. It will be
necessary to have a technician
connect the 12-volt power to the
engine compartment fuse block.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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244 Driving and Operating Trailer Lamps Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each
trip, and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals will illuminate to indicate
the vehicle is turning, changing
lanes, or stopping. When towing a
trailer, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will illuminate even if the
trailer is not properly connected or
the bulbs are burned out.
Tow/Haul Mode For instructions on how to enter
Tow/Haul mode, see Driver Mode
Control 0 202 .
Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load. See Tow/Haul Mode 0 196 .
Tow/Haul Mode is designed to be
most effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75% of the vehicle's Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “ Weight of the Trailer ” under
Trailer Towing 0 238 .
Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
pulling a heavy trailer or a large or
heavy load:
.
through rolling terrain
.
in stop-and-go traffic
.
in busy parking lots
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or not
towing will not cause damage;
however, it is not recommended and
may result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer while
towing. If the vehicle is towing a
trailer and the TSC detects that
sway is increasing, the vehicle brakes are selectively applied at
each wheel, to help reduce
excessive trailer sway. If equipped
with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, and the
trailer has an electric brake system,
StabiliTrak/ESC may also apply the
trailer brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak/
ESC warning light will flash on the
instrument cluster. Reduce vehicle
speed by gradually removing your
foot from the accelerator. If trailer
sway continues, StabiliTrak/ESC
can reduce engine torque to help
slow the vehicle. TSC will not
function if StabiliTrak/ESC is turned
off. See Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0 200 .

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Vehicle Care 247
Vehicle Care General Information General Information . . . . . . . . . . 248
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements . . . . . 249
Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Engine Compartment
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 255
Automatic Transmission
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Engine Air Filter Life
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 257
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 262
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Battery - North America . . . . . . 266
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 267
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 267
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 268
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 269
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Headlamp Aiming Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Bulb Replacement Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 271
Electrical System High Voltage Devices and
Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Electrical System Overload . . . 272
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 273
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282 Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 283
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Different Size Tires and
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 309

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Vehicle Care 249
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
electronic keys, may contain
perchlorate materials. Perchlorate
Material – special handling may
apply. 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 0 72 .Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work
{ WarningIt 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
Publication Ordering Information
0 353 .
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 0 72 .

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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264 Vehicle Care Caution.
Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
.
Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield
washer system and paint.
.
Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
.
When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
.
Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
(Continued) Caution (Continued) for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or can
be heard all the time when the
vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal firmly.
{ Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced. CautionContinuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications. See Capacities and
Specifications 0 341 .
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service may be required.