2023 BUICK ENCORE GX climate control

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
196 Driving and Operating
Gasoline Engine Starting Procedure
1. With the Keyless Access system, theremote key must be in the vehicle. Press
ENGINE START/STOP with the 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 remote key is not in the vehicle,
if there is interference, or if the remote
key battery is low, a Driver Information
Center (DIC) will display a message. See
Remote Key Operation 08.
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
If equipped and enabled, 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
Tachometer096. 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.
Auto Stops may not occur and/or auto
restarts may occur because:
.The climate control settings require the
engine to be running to cool or heat the
vehicle interior.
.The vehicle battery needs to charge.
.The vehicle battery has recently been
disconnected.
.Minimum vehicle speed has not been
reached since the last Auto Stop.
.The accelerator pedal is pressed.
.The engine or transmission is not at the
required operating temperature.
.The outside temperature is not in the
required operating range.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
Driving and Operating 241
.Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). If the
transmission downshifts too often, a
lower gear may be selected using Manual
Mode SeeManual Mode 0204.
If equipped, the following driver assistance
features should be turned off when towing
a trailer:
.Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
.Super Cruise Control
.Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
.Park Assist
.Automatic Parking Assist (APA)
.Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB)
If equipped, the following driver assistance
features should be turned to alert or off
when towing a trailer:
.Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
.Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA)
.Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
If equipped with Lane Change Alert (LCA),
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. If equipped with Rear Cross Traffic Alert
(RCTA), 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.
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death from
carbon monoxide (CO), when towing a
trailer:
.Do not drive with the liftgate, trunk/
hatch, or rear-most window open.
.Fully open the air outlets on or under
the instrument panel.
.Adjust the climate control system to a
setting that brings in only outside air.
See
“Climate Control Systems” in the
Index.
For more information about carbon
monoxide, see Engine Exhaust 0202.
Towing a trailer requires experience. The
combination of the vehicle and trailer is
longer and not as responsive as the vehicle
itself. Get used to the handling and braking
of the combination by driving on a level
road surface before driving on public roads. The trailer structure, the tires, and the
brakes must be all be rated to carry the
intended cargo. Inadequate trailer
equipment can cause the combination to
operate in an unexpected or unsafe manner.
Before driving, inspect all trailer hitch parts
and attachments, safety chains, electrical
connectors, lamps, tires, and mirrors. See
Towing Equipment
0246. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the combination
moving and then manually apply the trailer
brake controller to check the trailer brakes
work. During the trip, occasionally check
that the cargo and trailer are secure and
that the lamps and any trailer brakes are
working.Towing with a Stability Control System
When towing, the stability control system
might be heard. The system reacts to
vehicle movement caused by the trailer,
which mainly occurs during cornering. This is
normal when towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle
ahead as you would when driving without a
trailer. This can help to avoid heavy braking
and sudden turns.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
300 Vehicle Care
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must Conform to
Federal Safety Requirements In Addition
To These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the
tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1½)
times as well on the government course
as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.Traction
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance. Warning:
The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning,
or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade Ccorresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law. Warning:
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels were aligned and
balanced at the factory to provide the
longest tire life and best overall
performance. Adjustments to wheel
alignment and tire balancing are not
necessary on a regular basis. Consider an
alignment check if there is unusual tire wear
or the vehicle is significantly pulling to one
side or the other. Some slight pull to the
left or right, depending on the crown of the
road and/or other road surface variations

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
356 Index
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
ChargingSystem Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Check Engine Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Child Restraints
Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74, 75
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Child Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Connected Services
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Connections Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Control Traction and Electronic Stability . . . . . . . 208
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Controls Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Coolant Engine Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177, 179
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . 340
Cover Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Covers Rear Compartment/Storage Panel . . . . . . . 80
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Adaptive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Cruise Control (cont'd)
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Customer Assistance Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Customer Information
Publications Ordering Information . . . . . 342
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . 335
Cybersecurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Dashboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Data Collection Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Database Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . . 151
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Diagnostics Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Disabled Vehicle Transporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
Index 357
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
DoorAjar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205, 270
Driver
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . 108, 110
Teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Driving
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . 240
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Driving (cont'd)
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Driving the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . 179
E
ElectricBrake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Electrical
Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Electrical System Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 280
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 284
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Check Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . 100
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 Engine (cont'd)
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
F
FilterEngine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16263917) - 2023 - CRC - 2/24/22
362 Index
RecordsMaintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Reimbursement Program, GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Remote Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Key Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Replacement Parts Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . 73
Seat Belt System Parts after a Crash . . . . . 51
Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Restraints
Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . 200
Reverse Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Roads Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 338 Roof
Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . 202
S
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Safety Defects Reporting Canadian Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly . . . . . . . 45
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Seats
Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Folding Seatback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Seats (cont'd)
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Heated Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Lumbar Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Securing Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74, 75
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182 Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 250
Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Maintenance, General Information . . . . . 322
Parts Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Services Special Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Servicing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162