2020 BUICK ENCORE check engine

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Driving and Operating 185
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 -
Capless) 0101 or
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light - Capped)
0 103. 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 060 and
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 061.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
186 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 187
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 188
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 194
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 196
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 200
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Battery - North America . . . . . . 204
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 204
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 205
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 206
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 207
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . 208
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . 209
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps, and
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 212
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 212
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 213
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 222
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 238
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
190 Vehicle Care
3. Lift the hood and release thehood prop rod from its retainer,
in the front of the engine
compartment. Securely insert
the rod end into the slot
marked with an arrow, on the
underside of the hood. To close the hood:
1. Before closing the hood, be sure all filler caps are on
properly, and all tools are
removed.
2. Lift the hood and remove the hood prop rod from the
underside of the hood. Return
the prop rod to its retainer. The
prop rod must click into place
when returning it to the retainer
to prevent hood damage.
3. Lower the hood 20 cm (8 in) above the vehicle and release
it. Check to make sure the
hood is latched completely.
Repeat this process with
additional force if necessary.
{Warning
Do not drive the vehicle if the
hood is not latched completely.
The hood could open fully, block
your vision, and cause a crash.
You or others could be injured.
Always close the hood completely
before driving.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
192 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0196.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0192.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 197.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0192.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0197.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes 0202.
7. Auxiliary Fuse Block. See Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0213.
8. Battery - North America 0204.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 201.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0213.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 0194.
. 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
0
191 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
checking a cold engine prior to
starting. Remove the dipstick
and check the level.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Vehicle Care 193
.If unable to wait two hours, the
engine must be off for at least
15 minutes if the engine is
warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out
the dipstick, wipe it with a clean
paper towel or cloth, then push it
back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and
check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick and
the engine has been off for at least
15 minutes, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then recheck
the level. See “Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for
an explanation of what kind of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications 0276.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil
levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that you
have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the MAX mark, the
engine could be damaged. You
should drain out the excess oil or
limit driving of the vehicle and
seek a service professional to
remove the excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 191 for the location of the engine
oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range between the MIN and MAX
marks. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0272.
Specification
Use full synthetic engine oils that
meet the dexos1 specification.
Engine oils that have been
approved by GM as meeting the
dexos1 specification are marked
with the dexos1 approved logo. See
www.gmdexos.com.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Vehicle Care 195
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset the
system:1. Press the MENU button to show Remaining Oil Life on the
display. This display shows an estimate of the oil’s remaining
useful life. If 99% is displayed,
that means that 99% of the
current oil life remains.
2. To reset the engine oil life system, press the SET/CLR
button while the oil life display
is active. After a few seconds,
there will be a single chime and
the oil life will be reset
to 100%.
Be careful not to reset the oil life
display accidentally at any time
other than after the oil is changed.
It cannot be reset accurately.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
DIC message comes back on when
the vehicle is started, the engine oil
life system has not reset. Repeat
the procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
transmission fluid level.
A transmission fluid leak is the only
reason for fluid loss. If a leak
occurs, take the vehicle to your
dealer and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
There is a special procedure for
checking and changing the
transmission fluid. Because this
procedure is difficult, you should
have this done at your dealer.
Caution
Use of the incorrect automatic
transmission fluid may damage
the vehicle, and the damage may
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use the correct
automatic transmission fluid. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0272.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
Vehicle Care 197
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Outof View)
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can
start up even when the engine is
not running and can cause injury.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts.
They can be very hot and can
burn you. Do not run the engine if
there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an
engine fire and can burn you. Fix
any leak before driving the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first. The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see
Engine Overheating 0200.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such
as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. With
plain water or the wrong mixture,
the engine could get too hot but
there would not be an overheat
warning. The engine could catch
fire and you or others could be
burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down
to−37 °C (−34 °F), outside
temperature.
. Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F), engine
temperature.

Buick Encore Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13710474) -
2020 - CRC - 10/7/19
198 Vehicle Care
.Protects against rust and
corrosion.
. Will not damage aluminum parts.
. Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
Do not use anything other than a
mix of DEX-COOL coolant that
meets GM Standard
GMW3420 and clean, drinkable
water. Anything else can cause
damage to the engine cooling
system and the vehicle, which
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on
the ground, or into sewers, streams,
or bodies of water. Have the coolant
changed by an authorized service
center, familiar with legal
requirements regarding used
coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
It is normal to see coolant moving in
the upper coolant hose return line
when the engine is running.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down. If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is not at or above the mark
pointed to, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean drinkable water and
DEX-COOL coolant.
Be sure the cooling system is cool
before this is done.
If no coolant is visible in the coolant
surge tank, add coolant as follows:
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.