warning BUICK ENCORE 2013 Owners Manual

Black plate (38,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
9-38 Driving and Operating
washing the vehicle in cold
weather. The message may not
clear until the frost or ice has
melted.
.A trailer was attached to the
vehicle, or an object was
hanging out of the liftgate during
the last drive cycle. Once the
object is removed, UFRPA will
return to normal operation.
.An object or cover is attached to
the front of the vehicle.
.A tow bar is attached to the
vehicle.
.The bumper is damaged. Take
the vehicle to your dealer to
repair the system.
.Other conditions, such as
vibrations from a jackhammer or
the compression of air brakes on
a very large truck, are affecting
system performance.
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
The vehicle may have an RVC
system. Read this entire section
before using it.
The RVC can assist the driver when
backing up by displaying a view of
the area behind the vehicle.
{WARNING
The RVC system does not display
children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
animals, or any other object
located outside the camera's field
of view, below the bumper,
or under the vehicle. Perceived
distances may be different from
actual distances. Do not back the
vehicle using only the RVC
screen, during longer, higher
speed backing maneuvers,
or where there could be cross
traffic. Failure to use proper care
before backing may result in(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
injury, death, or vehicle damage.
Always check behind and around
the vehicle before backing.
An image appears on the radio
screen with the message Check
Surroundings for Safety when the
vehicle is shifted into R (Reverse).
The radio screen goes to the
previous screen after approximately
10 seconds once the vehicle is
shifted out of R (Reverse).
To see the previous screen sooner,
do one of the following:
.Press a hard key on the
infotainment system.
.Shift into P (Park).
.Reach a vehicle speed of
8 km/h (5 mph).

Black plate (40,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
9-40 Driving and Operating
camera and its position and
mounting angle checked at your
dealer.
.There are extreme temperature
changes.
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW)
The vehicle may have an LDW
system. Read this entire section
before using the system.
LDW may help avoid crashes due to
unintentional lane departures. It may
provide a warning if the vehicle is
crossing a lane without using a turn
signal. LDW uses a camera sensor
to detect the lane markings. It only
operates at speeds of 56 km/h
(35 mph) or greater.
When the vehicle crosses a
detected lane marking, the LDW
indicator will flash and either three
beeps will be sounded from the left
or right, depending on the lanedeparture direction. LDW will not
warn if the turn signal is on or if a
sharp maneuver is made.
{WARNING
The LDW system is an aid to help
the vehicle stay in the driving
lane. It does not steer the vehicle.
The LDW system may not:
.Provide enough time to avoid
a crash.
.Detect lane markings under
bad weather conditions or if
the windshield is dirty.
.Detect lane markings and will
not detect road edges.
.Warn that the vehicle is
crossing a lane marking if the
system does not detect the
lane marking.
If LDW only detects lane
markings on one side of the road,
it will only warn you when (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
departing the lane on the side
where it has detected a lane
marker. Even with LDW, always
keep your attention on the road
and maintain proper vehicle
position within the lane, or vehicle
damage, injury, or death could
occur. Always keep the
windshield clean and do not use
LDW in bad weather conditions.
How the System Works
The LDW camera sensor is on the
windshield ahead of the rearview
mirror.
To turn LDW on and off, press
@on
the center stack, forward of the shift
lever. The control indicator will light
when LDW is on.

Black plate (41,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Driving and Operating 9-41
When the vehicle is started, the
LDW indicator will come on briefly.
LDW operates at speeds of 56 km
(35 mph) or greater. If LDW is on,
the LDW indicator will appear green
if the system detects a left or right
lane marking. This indicator will
change to amber, flash, and sound
three beeps if the vehicle crosses a
detected lane marking without using
the turn signal.
When the System Does Not
Seem To Work Properly
If the system is on and the vehicle is
traveling 56 km/h (35 mph) or
greater, and LDW symbol does not
appear:
.The lane markings on the road
may not be seen.
.The camera sensor may be
blocked by dirt, snow, or ice.
.The windshield may be
damaged.
.The weather may be limiting
visibility.
This is normal operation; the vehicle
does not need service. Clean the
windshield.
{WARNING
LDW does not provide a warning
to help avoid a crash, unless it
detects the lane markings. LDW
may not detect the lane markings
if the camera sensor is blocked
by dirt, snow, or ice, or if the
windshield is damaged. It may
also not detect a lane on winding
or hilly roads, or in conditions that
can limit visibility such as fog,
rain, or snow, or if the headlamps
or windshield are not cleaned or
in proper condition. Keep the (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
windshield, headlamps, and
camera sensors clean and in
good repair.
LDW warnings may occasionally
occur due to tar marks, shadows,
cracks in the road, or other road
imperfections. This is normal system
operation; the vehicle does not need
service.
LDW Messages
SERVICE LANE DEPARTURE
WARNING: This message may
appear on the DIC to indicate that
LDW is not working properly. If this
message remains on after continued
driving, the system needs service.
Take your vehicle to your dealer.
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING
UNAVAILABLE: This message
may appear in the DIC if LDW does
not activate due to a temporary
condition.

Black plate (44,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
9-44 Driving and Operating
marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.
For customers who do not use TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline regularly,
one bottle of Fuel System Treatment
PLUS, part number 88861013,
added to the fuel tank at every
engine oil change, can help clean
deposits from fuel injectors and
intake valves. GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors. It is available at
your dealer.
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might be
available in your area. We
recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
15% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.Notice:
This vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under the
vehicle warranty.
Some gasolines that are not
reformulated for low emissions can
contain an octane-enhancing
additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant
where you buy gasoline whether the
fuel contains MMT. We recommend
against the use of such gasolines.
Fuels containing MMT can reduce
spark plug life and affect emission
control system performance. The
malfunction indicator lamp might
turn on. If this occurs, return to your
dealer for service.Filling the Tank
{WARNING
Fuel vapors and fuel fires burn
violently and can cause injury or
death.
.To help avoid injuries to you
and others, read and follow
all the instructions on the fuel
pump island.
.Turn off the engine when
refueling.
.Keep sparks, flames, and
smoking materials away
from fuel.
.Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended.
.Do not reenter the vehicle
while pumping fuel.
.Keep children away from the
fuel pump and never let
children pump fuel.
(Continued)

Black plate (45,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 3/6/13
Driving and Operating 9-45
WARNING (Continued)
.Fuel can spray out if the fuel
cap is opened too quickly.
This spray can happen if the
tank is nearly full, and is
more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and
wait for any hiss noise to stop
then unscrew the cap all
the way
The tethered fuel cap is behind a
hinged fuel door on the right rear
side of the vehicle. If equipped, the
fuel door is locked when the vehicle
doors are locked. Press
Kon the
RKE to unlock.
To open the fuel door, push the
rearward center edge in and release
and it will open.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it
slowly counterclockwise. The fuel
cap has a spring in it; if the cap is
released too soon, it will spring back
to the right.
While refueling, hang the tethered
fuel cap from the hook on the
fuel door. Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not
top off or overfill the tank and wait a
few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the
nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care on page 10-67.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn it
clockwise until it clicks. Make sure
the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if
the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. This would
allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5-14.

Black plate (46,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
9-46 Driving and Operating
{WARNING
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Notice: If a new fuel cap is
needed, be sure to get the right
type of cap from your dealer. The
wrong type of fuel cap might not
fit properly, might cause the
malfunction indicator lamp to
light, and could damage the fuel
tank and emissions system. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5-14.
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{WARNING
Filling a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle can cause
fuel vapors that can ignite either
by static electricity or other
means. You or others could be
badly burned and the vehicle
could be damaged. Always:
.Use approved fuel
containers.
.Remove the container from
the vehicle, trunk, or pickup
bed before filling.
.Place the container on the
ground.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Place the nozzle inside the fill
opening of the container
before dispensing fuel, and
keep it in contact with the fill
opening until filling is
complete.
.Fill the container no more
than 95% full to allow for
expansion.
.Do not smoke, light matches,
or use lighters while
pumping fuel.
.Avoid using cell phones or
other electronic devices.

Black plate (1,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-2
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-10
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-15
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-20
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-21
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-26
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27 Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-37
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52

Black plate (2,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
10-2 Vehicle Care
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-61
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Recreational Vehicle
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and

Black plate (3,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-3
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non‐GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, seeAdding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3-34.Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 13-16. This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3-33.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records on
page 11-13.
Notice: Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the
fluids, reservoir caps,
or dipsticks.

Black plate (7,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-7
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10-10.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil on page 10-7.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System on
page 10-11.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10-7.
5. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 10-11.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes on page 10-17.
7. Auxiliary Fuse Block. See Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10-28.
8. Battery on page 10-19.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid on
page 10-16.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10-28.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10-9.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 10-6 for the location of the
engine oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
{WARNING
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.