2024 BUICK ENCORE GX coolant temperature

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
166 Driving and Operating
Engine Heater
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block heater
while the vehicle is parked in a garage or
under a carport. 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.
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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.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 extension cord, could make it
overheat and cause a fire, property
damage, electric shock, and injury.
.Do not operate the vehicle with the
heater cord permanently attached to
the vehicle. Possible heater cord and
thermostat damage could occur.
.While in use, do not let the heater
cord touch vehicle parts or sharp
edges. Never close the hood on the
heater cord.
.Before starting the vehicle, unplug the
cord, reattach the cover to the plug,
and securely fasten the cord. Keep the
cord away from any moving parts.
The length of time the heater should remain
plugged in depends on several factors,
including where you park your vehicle. See
your local dealer for advice.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Driving and Operating 207
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with
one hand. To move the trailer to the left,
move that hand to the left. To move the
trailer to the right, move that hand to the
right.
Always back up slowly and, if possible, have
someone guide you.
Making TurnsCaution
Turn more slowly and make wider arcs
when towing a trailer to prevent damage
to your vehicle. Making very sharp turns
could cause the trailer to contact the
vehicle.
Make wider turns than normal when towing,
so trailer will not go over soft shoulders,
over curbs, or strike road signs, trees,
or other objects. Always signal turns well in
advance. Do not steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before starting down a long or steep
downhill grade. If the transmission is not
shifted down, the brakes may overheat and
result in reduced braking efficiency.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive). Shift the
transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under heavy
loads and/or hilly conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes, engine
coolant will boil at a lower temperature
than at lower altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the vehicle
could show signs similar to engine
overheating. To avoid this, let the engine
run, preferably on level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a few minutes
before turning the engine off. If the
overheat warning comes on, see Engine
Overheating 0229.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death,
always park your vehicle and trailer on a
level surface when possible.
When parking your vehicle and your trailer
on a hill: 1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn the wheels into
the curb if facing downhill or into traffic
if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, gradually release the brake pedal to
allow the chocks to absorb the load of
the trailer.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
226 Vehicle Care
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the engine to
maintain the correct working temperature.
1.2L L3 Engine (LIH)
1.3L L3 Engine (L3T)
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can start up
even when the engine is not running and
can cause injury. 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 five
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 0229.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. With plain water or
(Continued)

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Vehicle Care 227
Warning (Continued)
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.
.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.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Vehicle Care 229
6. Verify coolant level after the engine isshut off and the coolant is cold.
If necessary, repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 1–6.
If the coolant still is not at the proper
level when the system cools down again,
see your dealer.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly installed,
coolant loss and engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly and
tightly secured.
Automatic Coolant Service Fill Instruction
If equipped, this feature assists in filling and
removing air from the cooling system after
service of components or when coolant is
added after being too low.
To activate the fill and air removal process:
1. With a cold system, open the surge tank cap and add coolant to the indicated
mark on the surge tank.
2. Connect the vehicle to a battery charger.
3. Turn the ignition to Service Mode. See Ignition Positions 0162.
4. Turn off the air conditioning. 5. Set the parking brake.
6. At the same time, press the accelerator
and the brake for two seconds, then
release.
At the end of the cycle, check the coolant
level in the surge tank and add coolant if it
is low. Turn off the vehicle, allow the Engine
Control Module (ECM) to go to sleep, about
two minutes, and repeat Steps 3-7.
Listen for pump activation and movement of
the control valves while watching the level
of the coolant in the surge tank. If the tank
empties, turn the ignition off, carefully
remove the surge tank cap, refill to the
indicated mark, and repeat Steps 4-7. The fill
and air removal process will run for
approximately 10 minutes.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an engine coolant
temperature gauge to warn of the engine
overheating. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge 099.
If the decision is made not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, get service help
right away. See Roadside Assistance Program
0 301. If the decision is made to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked on a level
surface.
Then check to see if the engine cooling fan
is running. If the engine is overheating, the
fan should be running. If it is not, do not
continue to run the engine. Have the vehicle
serviced.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a leak
in the engine cooling system. This can
cause a loss of all coolant and can
damage the system and vehicle. Have
any leaks fixed right away.
If Steam Is Coming from the Engine
Compartment
{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,
(Continued)

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
230 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
including the pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and pressure cap
to cool.
If No Steam Is Coming from the Engine
Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is displayed
but no steam can be seen or heard, the
problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day
.Stops after high-speed driving
If the overheat warning is displayed with no
sign of steam: 1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest fan
speed. Open the windows as necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral), and
let the engine idle. If the engine coolant temperature gauge is
no longer in the overheat zone, the vehicle
can be driven. Continue to drive the vehicle
slowly for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the vehicle in front.
If the warning does not come back on,
continue to drive normally and have the
cooling system checked for proper fill and
function.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and
park the vehicle right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine
for three minutes while parked. If the
warning is still displayed, turn off the
engine until it cools down.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When the vehicle needs windshield washer
fluid, be sure to read the manufacturer's
instructions before use. If operating the
vehicle in an area where the temperature
may fall below freezing, use a fluid that has
sufficient protection against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer symbol on it.
Add washer fluid until the tank is full. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0218 for
reservoir location.
Caution
.Do not use washer fluid that contains
any type of water repellent coating.
This can cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip, and may also clog the
washer nozzle.
.Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze)
in the windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield washer system
and paint.
.Do not mix water with ready-to-use
washer fluid. Water can cause the
solution to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other parts of
the washer system.
(Continued)

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
320 Index
Carbon MonoxideEngine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Management System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Check Engine Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78, 80
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Child Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Cleaning (cont'd)
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Collision Alert
Forward (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Connected Services Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Connections Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Control Traction and Electronic Stability . . . . . . . 174
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Controls Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Coolant
Engine Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Engine Temperature Warning Light . . . . 107
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144, 146
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . 303
Cover Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Covers Rear Compartment/Storage Panel . . . . . . . 84
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Adaptive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Customer Assistance Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Customer Information Publications Ordering Information . . . . . 306
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . 298
Cybersecurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Dashboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Index 321
Data CollectionInfotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Diagnostics Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Disabled Vehicle Transporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171, 234
Driver Assistance Systems, Advanced . . . . . . . . . 187
Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Driving
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . 205
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Driving the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . 146
E
ElectricBrake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Electrical System Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 243 Electrical System (cont'd)
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 247
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Emergency
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Check Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . 102
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Coolant Temperature WarningLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211