2020 BUICK ENCORE GX engine overheat

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
48 Seats and Restraints
Heated Front Seats
{Warning
If temperature change or pain to
the skin cannot be felt, the seat
heater may cause burns. To
reduce the risk of burns, use care
when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of
time. Do not place anything on
the seat that insulates against
heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to
overheat. An overheated seat
heater may cause a burn or may
damage the seat.
If equipped, the controls are on the
climate control panel. The engine
must be running to operate the
heated seats.
Press
MorLto heat the driver or
passenger seat cushion and
seatback.
Press the control once for the
highest setting. With each press of
the control, the heated seat will
change to the next lower setting,
and then the off setting. Three lights
indicate the highest setting and one
light the lowest.
The passenger seat may take
longer to heat up. Remote Start Heated Seats
When it is cold outside, the heated
seats can be turned on
automatically during a remote
vehicle start. The heated seats will
be canceled when the ignition is
turned on. Press the heated seat
controls to use the heated seats
after the vehicle is started.
The heated seat indicator lights on
the control do not turn on during a
remote start.
The temperature performance of an
unoccupied seat may be reduced.
This is normal.
The heated seats will not turn on
during a remote start unless the
heated seat feature is enabled in
the vehicle personalization menu.
See
Remote Vehicle Start 015 and
Vehicle Personalization 0135.
Folding Seatback
The front passenger seatback may
fold flat.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
112 Instruments and Controls
When the ignition is on, the fuel
gauge indicates about how much
fuel is left in the tank.
An arrow on the fuel gauge
indicates the side of the vehicle the
fuel door is on.
When the indicator nears empty, the
low fuel light comes on. There is a
small amount of fuel left, but the fuel
tank should be filled soon.
Here are things that some owners
ask about. None of these show a
problem with the fuel gauge:
.At the service station, the fuel
pump shuts off before the gauge
reads full.
. It takes a little more or less fuel
to fill up than the gauge
indicated. For example, the
gauge indicated the tank was
half full, but it actually took a
little more or less than half the
tank's capacity to fill the tank.
. The gauge moves a little while
turning a corner or speeding up. .
The gauge takes a few seconds
to stabilize after the ignition is
turned on, and goes back to
empty when the ignition is
turned off.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
English Base Level, Metric Similar
English Uplevel, Metric Similar
This gauge shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the pointer moves toward the
warning area at the high end of the
gauge, the engine is too hot.
If the engine coolant has
overheated and the vehicle has
been operating under normal driving
conditions, pull off the road, stop the
vehicle, and turn off the engine as
soon as possible. See Engine
Overheating 0321.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Instruments and Controls 117
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The light is on when the engine
is running.
. The light does not come on
when the ignition is in
Service Mode.
. Critical emission control systems
have not been completely
diagnosed. If this happens, the
vehicle would not be ready for
inspection and might require
several days of routine driving
before the system is ready for
inspection. This can happen if
the 12-volt battery has recently
been replaced or run down, or if
the vehicle has been recently
serviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle will
not pass or cannot be made ready
for the test.Brake System Warning
Light
MetricEnglish
The vehicle brake system consists
of electronically controlled hydraulic
brake circuits. If a fault is detected,
valves are adjusted to allow the
brake pedal to push brake fluid
directly into the hydraulic brake
circuits.
When a fault occurs, the brake
system warning light comes on, and
Driver Information Center (DIC)
messages may display.
Vehicle speed may also be limited
and the amount of brake pedal force
applied may need to increase. Have
the vehicle brake system serviced
as soon as possible. This light should come on briefly
when the vehicle is turned on. If it
does not come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
The brake system warning light may
also come on when the parking
brake is set, if the vehicle has low
brake fluid, or if the brakes are
severely faded. See
Brake Fluid
0 324. If the brakes are overheated,
DIC messages may display, and the
vehicle speed may be limited. If the
brake fluid is not low, if the brakes
are not overheated, and if the
parking brake is fully released, then
the vehicle has a brake problem.
Have the vehicle brake system
serviced as soon as possible.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The pedal might be harder to push,
or the pedal may go closer to the
floor. It could take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See
Towing the Vehicle 0374.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Instruments and Controls 131
Caution
If you try to use the HUD image
as a parking aid, you may
misjudge the distance and
damage your vehicle. Do not use
the HUD image as a parking aid.
The HUD information can be
displayed in various languages. The
speedometer reading and other
numerical values can be displayed
in either English or metric units.
The language selection is changed
through the radio and the units of
measurement is changed through
the instrument cluster. See Vehicle
Personalization 0135. and
“Options” underInstrument Cluster
0 107. HUD Display
The HUD may display some of the
following vehicle information and
vehicle messages or alerts:
.
Speed
. Tachometer
. Audio
. Phone
. Navigation
. Collision Alert
. Adaptive Cruise Control and set
speed .
Lane Departure Warning/Lane
Keep Assist
. Oil Pressure Low
. Engine Overheated
. Transmission Hot
. Engine Oil Hot
. Press Brake
. Vehicle Ahead
. Auto Stop
. Pedestrian Advisory
. Pedestrian Alert
Some vehicle messages or alerts
displayed in the HUD may be
cleared by using the steering wheel
controls. See Vehicle Messages
0 134.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
230 Driving and Operating
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0344.
. Turn off cruise control.
. Activate All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
mode. See All-Wheel Drive
0 250.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.
Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering assist. Always
have the engine running and the
vehicle in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line. .
Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, crash).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
. Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Mode. See All-Wheel Drive
0 250.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.
Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
232 Driving and Operating
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 254.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Mode. See All-Wheel Drive 0250.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle 0374.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can carry.
This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the
weight of all occupants, cargo, and
all nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may show
how much weight it may properly
carry, the Tire and Loading
Information label and the
Certification/Tire label.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Driving and Operating 239
brake pedal applied. When the
engine begins cranking, let go
of the button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
battery is low, a Driver
Information Center (DIC) will
display a message. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation08
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down. 2. If the engine does not start
after five to 10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather
(below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you press ENGINE START/
STOP. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try,
to allow the cranking motor to
cool down. When the engine
starts, release the accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, do the same
thing. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. Do
not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Stop/Start System
The Stop/Start system will shut off
the engine to help conserve fuel.
It has components designed for the
increased number of starts.
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature causes the engine to shut
off while the vehicle is still on. Do
not exit the vehicle before shifting
to P (Park). The vehicle may
restart and move unexpectedly.
Always shift to P (Park), and then
turn the ignition off before exiting
the vehicle.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and
the vehicle is at a complete stop,
the engine may turn off. When
stopped, the tachometer
displays AUTO STOP. See
Tachometer 0111. When the brake
pedal is released or the accelerator
pedal is pressed, the engine will
restart.
To maintain vehicle performance,
other conditions may cause the
engine to automatically restart
before the brake pedal is released.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Driving and Operating 243
3. Repeat for all hooks to fullyengage cover to grille.
4. Make sure all clips remain engaged during installation.
Cover should be stretched to a
tight fit when properly installed.
Engine Heater
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block
heater while the vehicle is parked
in a garage or under a carport.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Property damage or personal
injury may result. Always park the
vehicle in a clear open area away
from buildings or structures.
The engine heater, if available, 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
engine heater at least four hours
before starting the vehicle. An
internal thermostat in the plug end
of the cord will prevent engine
coolant heater operation at
temperatures above −18 °C (0 °F).
To Use the Engine Heater 1. Turn off the engine.
2. Remove the heater cord from the rear compartment.
3. 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. 4. Plug the cord into the
receptacle in the front fascia.
5. Plug the other end of the cord 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
(Continued)