Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Driving and Operating 205
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information
Only use towing equipment that has been
designed for the vehicle. Contact your dealer
or trailering dealer for assistance with
preparing the vehicle to tow a trailer. Read
the entire section before towing a trailer.
To tow a disabled vehicle, seeTransporting
a Disabled Vehicle 0273. To tow the vehicle
behind another vehicle such as a motor
home, see Recreational Vehicle Towing
0 274.
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips
{Warning
You can lose control when towing a
trailer if the correct equipment is not
used or the vehicle is not driven properly.
For example, if the trailer is too heavy or
the trailer brakes are inadequate for the
load, the vehicle may not stop as
expected. You and others could be
seriously injured. The vehicle may also be
damaged, and the repairs would not be
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
covered by the vehicle warranty. Pull a
trailer only if all the steps in this section
have been followed. Ask your dealer for
advice and information about towing a
trailer with the vehicle.
Driving with a Trailer
Trailering is different than just driving the
vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking, durability,
and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering
takes correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips and
safety rules. Many of these are important
for your safety and that of your passengers.
Read this section carefully before pulling a
trailer.
When towing a trailer:
.Become familiar with and follow all state
and local laws that apply to trailer
towing. These requirements vary from
state to state.
.State laws may require the use of
extended side view mirrors. Even if not
required, you should install extended side
view mirrors if your visibility is limited or
restricted while towing.
.Do not tow a trailer during the first
800 km (500 mi) of vehicle use to
prevent damage to the engine, axle,
or other parts.
.It is recommended to perform the first oil
change before heavy towing.
.During the first 800 km (500 mi) of
trailer towing, do not drive over 80 km/h
(50 mph) and do not make starts at full
throttle.
.Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). If the
transmission downshifts too often, a
lower gear may be selected using Manual
Mode SeeManual Mode 0171.
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)
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
Customer Information 301
I:View service records from your
dealership and add your own.
D: Select a dealer and view locations,
maps, phone numbers, and hours.
r: Track your vehicle’s warranty
information.
J: View active recalls by Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN). See Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) 0294.
H:Manage your profile and payment
information. View your GM Rewards Card
earnings and My Buick Rewards points.
F: Chat with online help representatives.
Visit buick.com and create an account today.
Buick Owner Centre (Canada) mybuick.ca
Visit the Buick Owner Centre at mybuick.ca
(English) or my.buick.ca (French) to access
similar benefits to the U.S. site.
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program
This program is available to qualified
applicants for cost reimbursement, up to
certain limits, of eligible aftermarket
adaptive equipment required for the vehicle,
such as hand controls or a wheelchair/
scooter lift for the vehicle.
To learn about the GM Mobility program,
see www.gmmobility.com or call the GM
Mobility Assistance Center at 1-800-323-9935.
Text Telephone (TTY) users, please dial the
national 711 relay service and contact
1-800-323-9935.
General Motors of Canada also has a
Mobility program. See www.gm.ca, or call
1-800-GM-DRIVE (800-463-7483) for details.
TTY users call 1-800-263-3830.
Roadside Assistance Program
For U.S.-purchased vehicles, call
1-800-252-1112; (Text Telephone (TTY):
1-888-889-2438).
For Canadian-purchased vehicles, call
1-800-268-6800.
Service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days
a year.
Calling for Assistance
When calling Roadside Assistance, have the
following information ready:
.Your name, home address, and home
telephone number
.Telephone number of your location
.Location of the vehicle
.Model, year, color, and license plate
number of the vehicle
.Odometer reading and Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN)
.Description of the problem
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Customer Information 305
GM vehicle by limiting compensation for
damage repairs through the use of
aftermarket collision parts. Some insurance
companies will not specify aftermarket
collision parts. When purchasing insurance,
we recommend that you ensure that the
vehicle will be repaired with GM original
equipment collision parts. If such insurance
coverage is not available from your current
insurance carrier, consider switching to
another insurance carrier.
If the vehicle is leased, the leasing company
may require you to have insurance that
ensures repairs with Genuine GM Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts or
Genuine Manufacturer replacement parts.
Read the lease carefully, as you may be
charged at the end of the lease for poor
quality repairs.
If a Crash Occurs
If there has been an injury, call emergency
services for help. Do not leave the scene of
a crash until all matters have been taken
care of. Move the vehicle only if its position
puts you in danger, or you are instructed to
move it by a police officer.Give only the necessary information to
police and other parties involved in the
crash.
For emergency towing see
Roadside
Assistance Program 0301.
Gather the following information:
.Driver name, address, and telephone
number
.Driver license number
.Owner name, address, and telephone
number
.Vehicle license plate number
.Vehicle make, model, and model year
.Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
.Insurance company and policy number
.General description of the damage to the
other vehicle
Choose a reputable repair facility that uses
quality replacement parts. See “Collision
Parts” earlier in this section.
If the airbag has inflated, see What Will You
See after an Airbag Inflates? 060.
Managing the Vehicle Damage Repair
Process
In the event that the vehicle requires
damage repairs, GM recommends that you
take an active role in its repair. If you have
a pre-determined repair facility of choice,
take the vehicle there, or have it towed
there. Specify to the facility that any
required replacement collision parts be
original equipment parts, either new
Genuine GM parts or recycled original GM
parts. Remember, recycled parts will not be
covered by the GM vehicle warranty.
Insurance pays the bill for the repair, but
you must live with the repair. Depending on
your policy limits, your insurance company
may initially value the repair using
aftermarket parts. Discuss this with the
repair professional, and insist on Genuine
GM parts. Remember, if the vehicle is
leased, you may be obligated to have the
vehicle repaired with Genuine GM parts,
even if your insurance coverage does not
pay the full cost.
If another party's insurance company is
paying for the repairs, you are not obligated
to accept a repair valuation based on that
insurance company's collision policy repair
limits, as you have no contractual limits
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
306 Customer Information
with that company. In such cases, you can
have control of the repair and parts choices
as long as the cost stays within reasonable
limits.
Publication Ordering Information
Service Manuals
Service manuals have the diagnosis and
repair information on the engine/propulsion,
transmission, axle, suspension, brakes,
electrical system, steering system, body, etc.
Customer Literature
Owner’s manuals are written specifically for
owners and are intended to provide basic
operational information about the vehicle.
The owner’s manual includes the
Maintenance Schedule for all models.
Customer literature publications available for
purchase include owner’s manuals, warranty
manuals, and portfolios. Portfolios include an
owner’s manual, warranty manual,
if applicable, and zip lock bag or pouch.
Current and Past Models
Service manuals and customer literature are
available for many GM vehicles.To check availability and to order, call
1-800-551-4123 Monday–Friday,
8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Eastern Time
For credit card orders only (VISA,
MasterCard, or Discover), see Helm, Inc. at:
www.helminc.com.
To order by mail, write to:
Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
Make checks payable in U.S. funds.
Radio Frequency Statement
This vehicle uses license-exempt
transmitters / receivers / systems that
operate on a radio frequency that complies
with Part 15/Part 18 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) rules and
with Innovation, Science and Economic
Development (ISED) Canada's license-exempt
RSS(s) / RSP-100 / ICES-GEN.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
1. The device may not cause harmful interference. 2. The device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Changes or modifications to any of these
systems by other than an authorized service
facility could void authorization to use this
equipment.
Reporting Safety Defects
Reporting Safety Defects to the
United States Government
If you believe that your vehicle has a
defect which could cause a crash or
could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying General
Motors.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it
may open an investigation, and if it
finds that a safety defect exists in a
group of vehicles, it may order a recall
and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA
cannot become involved in individual
problems between you, your dealer,
or General Motors.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
324 Index
Lights (cont'd)Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Gauges and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Lane Keep Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Service Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . 104
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Traction Control System (TCS)/Electronic Stability Control
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Locks Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286 Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Media
Avoiding Untrusted Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Messages Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Vehicle Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Mirrors Automatic Dimming Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Mirrors (cont'd)
Interior Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Rear Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Tilt in Reverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Multi-band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection (MPVI) . . . . 288
N
Navigation
Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Net, Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
O
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Oil
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Online Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312