tire size BUICK ENCORE 2013 User Guide

Black plate (43,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-43
The Tire and Loading
Information label on the vehicle
indicates the original equipment
tires and the correct cold tire
inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the
minimum air pressure needed to
support the vehicle's maximum
load carrying capacity. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9-10.
How the vehicle is loaded
affects vehicle handling and ride
comfort. Never load the vehicle
with more weight than it was
designed to carry.
When to Check
Check the tires once a month or
more. Do not forget the compact
spare, if the vehicle has one.
The cold compact spare tire
pressure should be at 420 kPa
(60 psi). SeeCompact Spare
Tire on page 10-61. How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
Proper tire inflation cannot be
determined by looking at the tire.
Check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold, meaning
the vehicle has not been driven
for at least three hours or no
more than 1.6 km (1 mi).
Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gauge firmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement.
If the cold tire inflation pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label, no
further adjustment is necessary.
If the inflation pressure is low,
add air until the recommended
pressure is reached. If the
inflation pressure is high, press
on the metal stem in the center
of the tire valve to release air.Recheck the tire pressure with
the tire gauge.
Return the valve caps on the
valve stems to prevent leaks
and keep out dirt and moisture.
Tire Pressure Monitor
System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) uses radio and sensor
technology to check tire pressure
levels. The TPMS sensors monitor
the air pressure in your tires and
transmit tire pressure readings to a
receiver located in the vehicle.
Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or

Black plate (45,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-45
and wheel assembly. The TPMS
sensors monitor the air pressure in
the tires and transmit the tire
pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS illuminates
the low tire pressure warning light
located on the instrument cluster.
If the warning light comes on, stop
as soon as possible and inflate the
tires to the recommended pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. SeeVehicle Load
Limits on page 9-10.
A message to check the pressure in
a specific tire may display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC). The
low tire pressure warning light and
the DIC warning message,
if equipped, come on at each ignition cycle until the tires are
inflated to the correct inflation
pressure. Using the DIC, it may be
possible to view the tire pressure
levels. For additional information
and details about the DIC operation
and displays, see
Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5-22.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
could be an early indicator that the
air pressure is getting low and
needs to be inflated to the proper
pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information label
shows the size of the original
equipment tires and the correct
inflation pressure for the tires when
they are cold. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9-10, for an example
of the Tire and Loading Information
label and its location. Also see Tire
Pressure on page 10-42. The TPMS can warn about a low
tire pressure condition, but it does
not replace normal tire
maintenance. See
Tire Inspection
on page 10-48, Tire Rotation on
page 10-48, and Tires on
page 10-35.
Notice: Tire sealant materials are
not all the same. A non-approved
tire sealant could damage the
TPMS sensors. TPMS sensor
damage caused by using an
incorrect tire sealant is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use only the
GM-approved tire sealant
available through your dealer or
included in the vehicle.

Black plate (48,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
10-48 Vehicle Care
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 every
12 000 km (7,500 mi). See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11-3.
Tires are rotated to achieve a
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 therotation, check the wheel
alignment. See
When It Is Time
for New Tires on page 10-49
and Wheel Replacement on
page 10-54.
Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires.
Do not include the compact
spare tire in the tire rotation.

Black plate (50,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
10-50 Vehicle Care
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This also applies to the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
never used. Multiple factors
including temperatures, loading
conditions, and inflation pressure
maintenance affect how fast aging
takes place. GM recommends that
tires, including the spare if
equipped, be replaced after six
years, regardless of tread wear. The
tire manufacturer date is the last
four digits of the DOT Tire
Identification Number (TIN) which is
molded into one side of the tire
sidewall. The first two digits
represent the week (01–52) and the
last two digits, the year. For
example, the third week of the year
2010 would have a four-digit DOT
date of 0310.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight toslow aging. This area should be free
of grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. When
replacement tires are needed,
GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring
performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's
sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by MS for mud
and snow. See
Tire Sidewall
Labeling on page 10-37.
GM recommends replacing worn
tires in complete sets of four.
Uniform tread depth on all tires
will help to maintain the
performance of the vehicle.
Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time.

Black plate (51,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-51
If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires should wear out at
about the same time. SeeTire
Rotation on page 10-48.
However, if it is necessary to
replace only one axle set of
worn tires, place the new tires
on the rear axle.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment
tires may not be available for H,
V, W, Y and ZR speed rated
tires. Never exceed the winter
tires’ maximum speed capability
when using winter tires with a
lower speed rating.
{WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{WARNING
Mixing tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may cause
loss of control of the vehicle,
resulting in a crash or other
vehicle damage. Use the
correct size, brand, and type
of tires on all wheels.
{WARNING
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
after many miles of driving.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If the vehicle tires must be
replaced with a tire that does not
have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating, and
construction (radial) as the
original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire
pressure monitoring system
could give an inaccurate
low-pressure warning if non-TPC
Spec rated tires are installed.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 10-43.

Black plate (52,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
10-52 Vehicle Care
The Tire and Loading
Information label indicates the
original equipment tires on the
vehicle. SeeVehicle Load Limits
on page 9-10.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, electronic stability control,
or All-Wheel Drive, the performance
of these systems can also be
affected.
{WARNING
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10-50 andAccessories and
Modifications on page 10-2.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
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
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with

Black plate (55,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
Vehicle Care 10-55
Used Replacement Wheels
{WARNING
Replacing a wheel with a used
one is dangerous. How it has
been used or how far it has been
driven may be unknown. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash.
When replacing wheels, use a
new GM original equipment
wheel.
Tire Chains
{WARNING
Do not use tire chains. There is
not enough clearance. Tire chains
used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes,
suspension, or other vehicle(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause loss of
control and a crash.
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for the vehicle's
tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that
manufacturer's instructions. To
avoid vehicle damage, drive slow
and readjust or remove the
traction device if it contacts the
vehicle. Do not spin the wheels.
If traction devices are used, install
them on the front tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out
while driving, especially if the tires
are maintained properly. See Tires
on page 10-35. If air goes out of a
tire, it is much more likely to leak
out slowly. But if there ever is a
blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction as
used in a skid. Stop pressing the
accelerator pedal and steer to
straighten the vehicle. It may be
very bumpy and noisy. Gently brake
to a stop, well off the road,
if possible.

Black plate (60,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
10-60 Vehicle Care
Notice:Improperly tightened
wheel nuts can lead to brake
pulsation and rotor damage. To
avoid expensive brake repairs,
evenly tighten the wheel nuts in
the proper sequence and to the
proper torque specification. See
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12-2 for the wheel nut
torque specification.
13. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly with the wheel wrench in a
crisscross sequence, as
shown.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools
{WARNING
Storing a jack, a tire, or other
equipment in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or
collision, loose equipment could
strike someone. Store all these in
the proper place.
Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
1. Return the jack and tools to their original storage location.
2. Replace the trim cover.
3. Place the flat tire, lying flat, in the rear storage compartment.
4. Attach one end of the strap to a cargo tie-down in the rear of the
vehicle.
5. Route the strap through thewheel, as shown.
6. Attach the other end of the strap to the other cargo tie-down in
the rear of the vehicle.
7. Tighten the strap.
Storing the Compact Spare Tire
and Tools
Reverse the instructions for
removing the spare tire and tools to
store the spare tire.
The compact spare tire is for
temporary use only. Replace the
compact spare tire with a full-size
tire as soon as you can. See
Compact Spare Tire on page 10-61.

Black plate (11,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
INDEX i-11
Storage Areas (cont'd)Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Sunglasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Underseat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Sunglass Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
System Forward CollisionAlert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20, 7-1
Roof Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . 13-6
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . 2-10 Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6 Tires
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Inflation Monitor System . . . . 10-44
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Pressure Monitor System . . . 10-43
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-54
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36 Towing
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-64
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . 9-28
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Triangle, Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
U
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . . . 9-36
Underseat Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Black plate (12,1)Buick Encore Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 1/8/13
i-12 INDEX
V
VehicleAlarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
IdentificationNumber (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Reminder Messages . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Remote Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . 5-18
Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Ventilation, Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
W
Warning Brake System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Warning Triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Cautions and Danger . . . . . . . . . . . .iv
Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Wheels Alignment and TireBalance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49 Where to Put the Restraint . . . . 3-41
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 10-21
Wipers Rear Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4