Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555857) - 2020 - CRC - 2/25/19
162 Driving and Operating Safe driver behavior and
understanding of the environment
can help avoid a rollover crash in
any type of vehicle, including utility
vehicles.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible:
.
Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them
off when not required.
.
Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.
Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.
Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.
When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control. .
Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.
Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.
Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.
Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.
Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area. To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
.
Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
.
Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
.
Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
.
Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
.
Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555857) - 2020 - CRC - 2/25/19
Driving and Operating 165.
Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies .
There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.
Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.
The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking. Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and
then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about
one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control Skidding There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.
Braking Skid — wheels are not
rolling.
.
Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
.
Acceleration Skid — too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555857) - 2020 - CRC - 2/25/19
166 Driving and Operating .
Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
.
Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues — such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface — and slow
down when you have any doubt.
.
Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid. Driving on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{ WarningWet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
(Continued) Warning (Continued) occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.
Allow extra following distance.
.
Pass with caution.
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555857) - 2020 - CRC - 2/25/19
226 Driving and Operating recommended trailer tongue weight
for each trailer. Never exceed the
maximum loads for your vehicle,
hitch, and trailer.
After loading the trailer, separately
weigh the trailer and then the trailer
tongue to see if the weights are
appropriate for your vehicle. If the
trailer weight is too high, it may be
possible to transfer some of the
cargo into your vehicle. If the trailer
tongue weight is too high or too low,
it may be possible to rearrange
some of the cargo inside the trailer.
Do not exceed the maximum
allowable tongue weight for your
vehicle. Use the shortest hitch
extension available to position the
hitch ball closer to your vehicle. This
will help reduce the effect of the
trailer tongue weight on the trailer
hitch and the rear axle.
If a cargo carrier is used in the
trailer hitch receiver, choose a
carrier that positions the load as
close to the vehicle as possible.
Make sure the total weight,
including the carrier, is no more than half of the maximum allowable
tongue weight for the vehicle or
227 kg (500 lb), whichever is less.
Ask your dealer for trailering
information or assistance.
Towing Equipment Hitches Always use the correct hitch
equipment for your vehicle.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by,
and rough roads can affect the
trailer and the hitch.
Never attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches. Only use
frame-mounted hitches that do not
attach to the bumper.
Always seal any holes in your
vehicle if the trailer hitch is
removed. If not sealed, dirt, water,
and carbon monoxide (CO) from the
exhaust may enter your vehicle.
See Engine Exhaust 0 181 .
Consider using mechanical sway
controls with any trailer. Ask a
trailering professional about sway controls or refer to the trailer
manufacturer's recommendations
and instructions.
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 0 265 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
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555857) - 2020 - CRC - 3/12/19
266 Vehicle Care Warning (Continued).
Replace any tires that
have been damaged by
impacts with potholes,
curbs, etc..
Improperly repaired tires
can cause a crash. Only
the dealer or an
authorized tire service
center should repair,
replace, dismount, and
mount the tires..
Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.
All-Season Tires This vehicle may come with
all-season tires. These tires are
designed to provide good overall performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original
equipment tires designed to GM's
specific tire performance criteria
have a TPC specification code
molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can be
identified by the last two characters
of this TPC code, which will
be “ MS. ”
Consider installing winter tires on
the vehicle if frequent driving on
snow or ice-covered roads is
expected. All-season tires provide
adequate performance for most
winter driving conditions, but they
may not offer the same level of
traction or performance as winter
tires on snow or ice-covered roads.
See Winter Tires 0 266 .
Winter Tires This vehicle was not originally
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered
roads. Consider installing winter
tires on the vehicle if frequent
driving on ice or snow covered roads is expected. See your dealer
for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection.
Also, see Buying New Tires 0 281 .
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise, and shorter
tread life. After changing to winter
tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.
If using winter tires:
.
Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
.
Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555857) - 2020 - CRC - 3/12/19
Vehicle Care 267
Summer Tires This vehicle may come with high
performance summer tires. These
tires have a special tread and
compound that are optimized for
maximum dry and wet road
performance. This special tread and
compound will have decreased
performance in cold climates, and
on ice and snow. It is recommended
that winter tires be installed on the
vehicle if frequent driving at
temperatures below approximately
5 °C (40 °F) or on ice or snow
covered roads is expected. See
Winter Tires 0 266 .
Caution
High performance summer tires
have rubber compounds that lose
flexibility and may develop
surface cracks in the tread area
at temperatures below − 7 °C (20 °
F). Always store high
performance summer tires
indoors and at temperatures
(Continued) Caution (Continued) above − 7 °C (20 °F) when not in
use. If the tires have been
subjected to − 7 °C (20 °F) or less,
let them warm up in a heated
space to at least 5 °C (40 °F) for
24 hours or more before being
installed or driving a vehicle on
which they are installed. Do not
apply heat or blow heated air
directly on the tires. Always
inspect tires before use. See Tire
Inspection 0 279 .
Tire Sidewall Labeling Useful information about a tire is
molded into its sidewall. The
examples show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a
compact spare tire sidewall. Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
(1) Tire Size :
The tire size is a
combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“ Tire Size ” illustration later in this
section.
(2) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification) :
Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555857) - 2020 - CRC - 3/12/19
268 Vehicle Care code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(3) DOT (Department of
Transportation) :
The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that the
tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
DOT Tire Date of
Manufacture :
The last four
digits of the TIN indicate the tire
manufactured date. The first two
digits represent the week (01 –
52) and the last two digits, the
year. For example, the third
week of the year 2010 would
have a four-digit DOT date
of 0310.
(4) Tire Identification Number
(TIN) :
The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code are the Tire Identification Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(5) Tire Ply Material :
The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(6) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG) :
Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
see Uniform Tire Quality
Grading 0 283 .
(7) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit :
Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load. Compact Spare Tire Example
(1) Tire Ply Material :
The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(2) Temporary Use Only :
The
compact spare tire or temporary
use tire should not be driven at
speeds over 80 km/h (50 mph).
The compact spare tire is for
emergency use when a regular
road tire has lost air and gone
flat. If the vehicle has a compact
spare tire, see Compact Spare
Tire 0 292 and
If a Tire Goes Flat 0 285 .
Buick Envision Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555857) - 2020 - CRC - 3/12/19
Vehicle Care 269(3) Tire Identification Number
(TIN) :
The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code are the
Tire Identification Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(4) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit :
Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
(5) Tire Inflation :
The
temporary use tire or compact
spare tire should be inflated to
420 kPa (60 psi). For more
information on tire pressure and
inflation see Tire Pressure
0 272 . (6) Tire Size :
A combination of
letters and numbers define a
tire's width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type, and service
description. The letter “ T ” as the
first character in the tire size
means the tire is for temporary
use only.
(7) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification) :
Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
Tire Designations Tire Size
The example shows a typical
passenger vehicle tire size. (1) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire :
The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The
letter “ P ” as the first character in
the tire size means a passenger
vehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association.
(2) Tire Width :
The three-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
(3) Aspect Ratio :
A two-digit
number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 60, as shown in
item (3) of the illustration, it
would mean that the tire's
sidewall is 60 percent as high as
it is wide.