traction control BUICK ENCORE GX 2020 Owner's Guide

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Driving and Operating 259
automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control0254. When road
conditions allow ACC to be safely
used, ACC can be turned back on.
Disabling the TCS or StabiliTrak/
ESC system will disengage and
prevent engagement of ACC.
ACC may operate differently in a
sharp curve. It may reduce the
vehicle speed if the curve is too
sharp.
ACC can reduce the need for you to
frequently brake and accelerate,
especially when used on
expressways, freeways, and
interstate highways. When used on
other roads, you may need to take
over the control of braking or
acceleration more often.
{Warning
ACC has limited braking ability
and may not have time to slow
the vehicle down enough to avoid
a collision with another vehicle
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
you are following. This can occur
when vehicles suddenly slow or
stop ahead, or enter your lane.
Also see“Alerting the Driver” later
in this section. Complete attention
is always required while driving
and you should be ready to take
action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving 0226
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake for
children, pedestrians, animals,
or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
. On winding and hilly roads
or when the camera sensor
is blocked by snow, ice,
or dirt. The system may not
detect a vehicle ahead.
Keep the windshield and
headlamps clean.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.When visibility is poor due
to rain, snow, fog, dirt,
insect residue, or dust;
when other foreign objects
obscure the camera’s view;
or when the vehicle in front
or oncoming traffic causes
additional environmental
obstructions, such as road
spray. ACC performance is
limited under these
conditions.
. On slippery roads where
fast changes in tire traction
can cause excessive
wheel slip.
. With extremely heavy cargo
loaded in the cargo area or
rear seat.
. When towing a trailer.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
266 Driving and Operating
.The Traction Control System
(TCS) or StabiliTrak/ESC system
has activated or been disabled.
. There is a fault in the system.
. A DIC message displays to
indicate that ACC is temporarily
unavailable.
The ACC indicator will turn white
when ACC is no longer active.
In some cases, when ACC is
temporarily unavailable, regular
cruise control may be used. See
“Switching Between ACC and
Regular Cruise Control” in this
section. Always consider driving
conditions before using either cruise
control system.
Notification to Resume ACC
ACC will maintain a follow gap
behind a detected vehicle and slow
your vehicle to a stop behind that
vehicle.
If the stopped vehicle ahead has
driven away and ACC has not
resumed, the vehicle ahead indicator will flash as a reminder to
check traffic ahead before
proceeding.
When the vehicle ahead drives
away, ACC resumes automatically if
the stop was brief. If necessary,
press RES+ up or the accelerator
pedal to resume ACC. If stopped for
more than two minutes or if the
driver door is opened and the driver
seat belt is unbuckled, the ACC
automatically applies the Electric
Parking Brake (EPB) to hold the
vehicle. The EPB status light will
turn on. See
Electric Parking Brake
0 252. To release the EPB, press
the accelerator pedal.
A DIC warning message may
display indicating to shift to P (Park)
before exiting the vehicle. See
Vehicle Messages 0134.
{Warning
If ACC has stopped the vehicle,
and if ACC is disengaged, turned
off, or canceled, the vehicle will
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
no longer be held at a stop. The
vehicle can move. When ACC is
holding the vehicle at a stop,
always be prepared to manually
apply the brakes.
{Warning
Leaving the vehicle without
placing it in P (Park) can be
dangerous. Do not leave the
vehicle while it is being held at a
stop by ACC. Always place the
vehicle in P (Park) and turn off
the ignition before leaving the
vehicle.
ACC Override
If using the accelerator pedal while
ACC is active, the ACC indicator
turns blue on the instrument cluster
indicating ACC braking will not

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Vehicle Care 305
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
electronic keys, may contain
perchlorate materials. Perchlorate
Material–special handling may
apply. 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
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 suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
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, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 071.
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 ’s 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
Publication Ordering Information
0 415.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 071.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
360 Vehicle Care
equipped, be replaced after six
years, regardless of tread wear. To
identify the age of a tire, use the tire
manufacture date, which is the last
four digits of the DOT Tire
Identification Number (TIN) molded
into one side of the tire sidewall.
The last four digits of the TIN
indicate the tire manufactured date.
The first two digits represent the
week and the last two digits, the
year. For example, the third week of
the year 2020 would have a 4-digit
DOT date of 0320. Week 01 is the
first full week (Sunday through
Saturday) of each year.
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 to
slow 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 whiledriving. 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 0346 for additional
information.
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.
If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires should wear out at
about the same time. However,
if it is necessary to replace only
one axle set of worn tires, place
the new tires on the rear axle.
See Tire Rotation 0358.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Vehicle Care 361
{Warning
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{Warning
Mixing tires of different sizes
(other than those originally
installed on the vehicle),
brands, tread patterns,
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 tire 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.
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
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.
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. The Tire and Loading
Information label indicates the
original equipment tires on the
vehicle. See
Vehicle Load Limits
0 232.
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
(Continued)

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
362 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
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 0360 and
Accessories and Modifications
0 305.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
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
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
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
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled 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.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Vehicle Care 363
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 indoorlaboratory 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.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
364 Vehicle Care
Some aluminum wheels can be
repaired. See your dealer if any of
these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of
wheel that is needed.
Each new wheel should have the
same load-carrying capacity,
diameter, width, offset, and be
mounted the same way as the one it
replaces.
Replace wheels, wheel bolts, wheel
nuts, or Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) sensors with new
GM original equipment parts.
{Warning
Using the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel
nuts can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of
the vehicle. Tires can lose air,
and cause loss of control, causing
a crash. Always use the correct
wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts for replacement.
Caution
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp
aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and
chassis.
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
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.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Vehicle Care 371
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 Tire0371.
Compact Spare Tire
{Warning
Driving with more than one
compact spare tire at a time could
result in loss of braking and
handling. This could lead to a
crash and you or others could be
injured. Use only one compact
spare tire at a time.
If this vehicle has a compact spare
tire, it was fully inflated when new;
however, it can lose air over time.
Check the inflation pressure
regularly. It should be 420 kPa
(60 psi).
Stop as soon as possible and check
that the spare tire is correctly
inflated after being installed on the
vehicle. The compact spare tire is
designed for temporary use only. The vehicle will perform differently
with the spare tire installed and it is
recommended that the vehicle
speed be limited to 80 km/h
(50 mph). To conserve the tread of
the spare tire, have the standard tire
repaired or replaced as soon as
convenient and return the spare tire
to the storage area.
When using a compact spare tire,
the AWD (if equipped), ABS, and
Traction Control systems may
engage until the spare tire is
recognized by the vehicle,
especially on slippery roads. Adjust
driving to reduce possible
wheel slip.
Caution
When the compact spare is
installed, do not take the vehicle
through an automatic car wash
with guide rails. The compact
spare can get caught on the rails
which can damage the tire, wheel,
and other parts of the vehicle.
Do not use the compact spare on
other vehicles.
Do not mix the compact spare tire or
wheel with other wheels or tires.
They will not fit. Keep the spare tire
and its wheel together.
Caution
Tire chains will not fit the compact
spare. Using them can damage
the vehicle and the chains. Do not
use tire chains on the compact
spare.

Buick Encore GX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14018934) - 2020 - CRC - 2/27/20
Index 431
Carbon MonoxideEngine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Management System . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 3
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . 93
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Charging Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 115
Check Engine Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . 74
Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86, 88
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383 Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 216
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 413
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Connected Services
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
Connections
Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . 427
Control Traction and ElectronicStability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Controls
Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Coolant Engine Temperature Gauge . . .112
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216, 218 Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Courtesy Transportation
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Cover Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . 182
Covers
Rear Compartment/StoragePanel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Cruise Control, Adaptive . . . . . . . . 258
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 409 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Customer Information Publications Ordering
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Cybersecurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418