Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
214 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 215
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 215
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 218
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps (Base
Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps
(Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . 243
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 247
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 252
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 255
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . 255
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 260
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 262
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . 262
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 263
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 270
Towing the Vehicle
Transporting a Disabled Vehicle . . . . . . . 273
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Vehicle Care 259
active. TheTIRE LEARN orTIRE LEARNING
ACTIVE message on the DIC display
screen goes off.
12. Turn the vehicle off.
13. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressure level as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
Tire Inspection
We recommend that the tires, including
the spare tire, if the vehicle has one, be
inspected for signs of wear or damage
at least once a month.
Replace the tire if:
.The indicators at three or more
places around the tire can be seen.
.There is cord or fabric showing
through the tire's rubber.
.The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut,
or snagged deep enough to show
cord or fabric.
.The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.
.The tire has a puncture, cut, or other
damage that cannot be repaired well
because of the size or location of the
damage.
Tire Rotation
Tires should be rotated according to the
interval specified in the Maintenance
Schedule. See Maintenance Schedule
0 286.
Tires are rotated to achieve a more
uniform wear for all tires. The first
rotation is the most important.
Anytime unusual wear is noticed, rotate
the tires as soon as possible, check for
proper tire inflation pressure, and check
for damaged tires or wheels. If the
unusual wear continues after the
rotation, check the wheel alignment.
See When It Is Time for New Tires
0 260 and
Wheel Replacement 0263.
Use this rotation pattern when rotating
the tires.
Do not include the compact spare tire
in the tire rotation.
Adjust the front and rear tires to the
recommended inflation pressure on the
Tire and Loading Information label after
the tires have been rotated. See Tire
Pressure 0253 and
Vehicle Load Limits 0159.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor System.
See Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
0 255.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Vehicle Care 263
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 C
corresponds 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
such as troughs or ruts, is normal. If the
vehicle is vibrating when driving on a
smooth road, the tires and wheels may
need to be rebalanced. See your dealer for
proper diagnosis.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked,
or badly rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts
keep coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it. Some aluminum
wheels can be repaired. See your dealer if
any of these conditions exist.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
286 Service and Maintenance
Because of the way people use vehicles,
maintenance needs vary. There may need to
be more frequent checks and services. The
Additional Required Services - Normal are for
vehicles that:
.Carry passengers and cargo within
recommended limits on the Tire and
Loading Information label. SeeVehicle
Load Limits 0159.
.Are driven on reasonable road surfaces
within legal driving limits.
.Use the recommended fuel. See
Recommended Fuel 0202.
Refer to the information in the Maintenance
Schedule Additional Required Services -
Normal chart.
The Additional Required Services - Severe are
for vehicles that are:
.Mainly driven in heavy city traffic in hot
weather.
.Mainly driven in hilly or mountainous
terrain.
.Frequently towing a trailer.
.Used for high speed or competitive
driving.
.Used for taxi, police, or delivery service. Refer to the information in the Maintenance
Schedule Additional Required Services -
Severe chart.
{Warning
Performing maintenance work can be
dangerous and can cause serious injury.
Perform maintenance work only if the
required information, proper tools, and
equipment are available. If they are not,
see your dealer to have a trained
technician do the work. See
Doing Your
Own Service Work 0215.
Maintenance Schedule
Tire Rotation and Required Services
Every 12 000 km (7,500 mi)
Tires are rotated to achieve a more uniform
wear for all tires. The first rotation is the
most important.
Anytime unusual wear is noticed, rotate the
tires as soon as possible, check for proper
tire inflation pressure, and check for
damaged tires or wheels. If the unusual
wear continues after the rotation, check the wheel alignment. See
When It Is Time for
New Tires 0260 and
Wheel Replacement 0263.
.Perform Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection.
See Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection (MPVI)
0 288.
.Lubricate body components. See Exterior
Care 0277.
Additional Required Services —Normal
Service
Every 12 000 km (7,500 mi)
.Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed, change engine
oil and filter, and reset oil life system. Or
when the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message displays, have the engine oil and
filter changed within the next 1 000 km
(600 mi). If driven under the best
conditions, the engine oil life system may
not indicate the need for vehicle service
for up to a year. The engine oil and filter
must be changed at least once a year and
the oil life system must be reset. Your
trained dealer technician can perform this
work. If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle within
5 000 km (3,000 mi) since the last service.
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
Index 327
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Software Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Spare TireCompact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Special Application Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Start Assist, Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Status Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154 Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Stoplamps and Back-Up Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238, 241
Storage Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Rear Compartment/Storage Panel
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Storage Areas
Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Cargo Management System . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Struts Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Surround Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
System
Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Brake Pad Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine Air Filter Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Roof Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
TaillampsBulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238, 241
Teen Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Tires (cont'd)
All-Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253, 254
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . 262
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 263
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . 260
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16897608) - 2024 - CRC - 1/23/23
328 Index
Towing (cont'd)Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Traction Control System (TCS)/ElectronicStability Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . 174
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Trademarks and License Agreements . . . . . . 141
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . 303
Transporting a Disabled Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
TTY Users
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Turn Signal Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238, 241
U
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Updates
Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
USB Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Using Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
V
VehicleAhead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Identification Number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Remote Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Vehicle Care Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Ventilation, Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
W
Warning
Brake System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Caution and Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . 96
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Wheels Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Winter
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Rear Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94