2021 BUICK ENCORE GX tow bar

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
Driving and Operating 227
Down can be enabled or disabled by
pressing the Top Down View button multiple
times.
Park Assist
With RPA, and if equipped with FPA, as the
vehicle moves at speeds of less than 8 km/h
(5 mph) the sensors on the bumpers may
detect objects up to 2.5 m (8 ft) behind the
vehicle and 1.2 m (4 ft) in front of the
vehicle within a zone 25 cm (10 in) high off
the ground and below bumper level. These
detection distances may be shorter during
warmer or humid weather.
Blocked sensors will not detect objects and
can also cause false detections. Keep the
sensors clean of mud, dirt, snow, ice, and
slush; and clean sensors after a car wash in
freezing temperatures.
{Warning
The Park Assist system does not detect
children, pedestrians, bicyclists, animals,
or objects located below the bumper or
that are too close or too far from the
vehicle. It is not available at speeds
greater than 8 km/h (5 mph). To prevent
injury, death, or vehicle damage, even(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
with Park Assist, always check the area
around the vehicle and check all mirrors
before moving forward or backing.
The instrument cluster may have a Park
Assist display with bars that show “distance
to object” and object location information
for the Park Assist system. As the object
gets closer, more bars light up and the bars
change color from yellow to amber to red.
When an object is first detected in the rear,
one beep will be heard from the rear. When
an object is very close (< 0.6 m (2 ft) in the
vehicle rear, or < 0.3 m (1 ft) in the vehicle
front), five beeps will sound from the front
or rear depending on object location. Beeps
for FPA are higher pitched than for RPA.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
If equipped, when the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse), RCTA displays a red warning
triangle with a left or right pointing arrow
on the infotainment display to warn of
traffic coming from the left or right. This
system detects objects coming from up to
20 m (65 ft) from the left or right side of
the vehicle. When an object is detected,
either three beeps sound from the left or
right depending on the direction of the
detected vehicle.
Use caution while backing up when towing
a trailer, as the RCTA detection zones that
extend out from the back of the vehicle do
not move further back when a trailer is
towed.
Turning the Features On or Off
To turn PA on or off, pressXon the
center console. The indicator light next to
the button comes on when the features are
on and turns off when the features have
been disabled.
RCTA and Rear Park Assist symbols can be
turned on or off through vehicle
personalization. See “Collision/Detection
Systems” underVehicle Personalization
0 114.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
236 Driving and Operating
The LCA sensor covers a zone of
approximately one lane over from both
sides of the vehicle, or 3.5 m (11 ft). The
height of the zone is approximately between
0.5 m (1.5 ft) and 2 m (6 ft) off the ground.
The Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) warning
area starts at approximately the middle of
the vehicle and goes back 5 m (16 ft). Drivers
are also warned of vehicles rapidly
approaching from up to 70 m (230 ft) behind
the vehicle.
How the System Works
The LCA symbol lights up in the outside
mirrors when the system detects a moving
vehicle in the next lane over that is in the
side blind zone or rapidly approaching that
zone from behind. A lit LCA symbol indicates
it may be unsafe to change lanes. Before
making a lane change, check the LCA
display, check mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and use the turn signals.
Left Outside MirrorDisplayRight Outside Mirror Display When the vehicle is started, both outside
mirror LCA displays will briefly come on to
indicate the system is operating. When the
vehicle is in a forward gear, the left or right
outside mirror display will light up if a
moving vehicle is detected in the next lane
over in that blind zone or rapidly
approaching that zone. If the turn signal is
activated in the same direction as a
detected vehicle, this display will flash as an
extra warning not to change lanes.
LCA can be disabled. When you disable LCA,
Side Blind Zone Alert is also disabled. See
“Collision/Detection Systems”
underVehicle
Personalization 0114. If LCA is disabled by
the driver, the LCA mirror displays will not
light up.
When the System Does Not Seem to
Work Properly
The LCA system requires some driving for
the system to calibrate to maximum
performance. This calibration may occur
more quickly if the vehicle is driving on a
straight highway road with traffic and
roadside objects (e.g., guardrails, barriers).
LCA displays may not come on when
passing a vehicle quickly, for a stopped
vehicle, or when towing a trailer. The LCA detection zones that extend back from the
side of the vehicle do not move further back
when a trailer is towed. Use caution while
changing lanes when towing a trailer. LCA
may alert to objects attached to the vehicle,
such as a trailer, bicycle, or object extending
out to either side of the vehicle. Attached
objects may also interfere with the
detection of vehicles. This is normal system
operation; the vehicle does not need service.
LCA may not always alert the driver to
vehicles in the next lane over, especially in
wet conditions or when driving on sharp
curves. The system does not need to be
serviced. The system may light up due to
guardrails, signs, trees, shrubs, and other
non-moving objects. This is normal system
operation; the vehicle does not need service.
LCA may not operate when the LCA sensors
in the left or right corners of the rear
bumper are covered with mud, dirt, snow,
ice, or slush, or in heavy rainstorms. For
cleaning instructions, see "Washing the
Vehicle" under
Exterior Care0314. If the DIC
still displays the system unavailable
message after cleaning both sides of the
vehicle toward the rear corners of the
vehicle, see your dealer.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
Driving and Operating 245
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating conditions.
SeeEngine Overheating 0266.
Trailer Towing
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can damage
the vehicle and result in costly repairs
not covered by the vehicle warranty. To
tow a trailer correctly, follow the
directions in this section and see your
dealer for important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing capacity for
your vehicle.
Safe trailering requires monitoring the
weight, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature, dimensions of the front of the
trailer, and how frequently the vehicle is
used to tow a trailer.
Trailer 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
See “Weight-Distributing Hitch Adjustment”
under Towing Equipment 0248 to
determine if equalizer bars are required to
obtain the maximum trailer weight rating.
See “Trailer Brakes” underTowing
Equipment 0248 to determine if brakes are
required based on your trailer's 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 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 later
in this section.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
246 Driving and Operating
To check that the weight of the vehicle and
trailer are within the GCWR for the vehicle,
follow these steps:1. Start with the "curb weight" from the Trailering Information label.
2. Add the weight of the trailer loaded with cargo and ready for the trip.
3. Add the weight of all passengers.
4. Add the weight of all cargo in the vehicle.
5. Add the weight of hitch hardware such as a draw bar, ball, load equalizer bars,
or sway bars.
6. Add the weight of any accessories or aftermarket equipment added to the
vehicle. The resulting weight cannot exceed the
GCWR value on the Trailering Information
label.
The gross combined weight can also be
confirmed by weighing the truck and trailer
on a public scale. The truck and trailer
should be loaded for the trip with
passengers and cargo.Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
For information about the vehicle's
maximum load capacity, see
Vehicle Load
Limits 0193. 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 Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14608036) - 2021 - CRC - 9/21/20
248 Driving and Operating
The trailer tongue weight (1) should be 10–
15% of the loaded trailer weight (2). Some
specific trailer types, such as boat trailers,
fall outside of this range. Always refer to
the trailer owner’s manual for the
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 and
calculate the trailer load balance percentage
to see if the weights and distribution 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 of 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.
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.
Proper hitch equipment for your vehicle
helps maintain control of the vehicle-trailer
combination. Many trailers can be towedusing a weight-carrying hitch which has a
coupler latched to the hitch ball, or a tow
eye latched to a pintle hook. Other trailers
may require a weight-distributing hitch that
uses spring bars to distribute the trailer
tongue weight between your vehicle and
trailer axles. See
“Maximum Trailer Tongue
Weight” underTrailer Towing 0245 for
weight limits with various hitch types.
Never attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches. Only use
frame-mounted hitches that do not attach to
the bumper.
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
0 286 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.