Buick Encore: Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and affect your ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid driving through large puddles and deep-standing or flowing water.
Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a quick stop and could cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake pedal until the brakes work normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces. Driving through flowing water could cause the vehicle to be carried away. If this happens, you and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not ignore police warnings and be very cautious about trying to drive through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water can build up under the vehicle's tires so they actually ride on the water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and you are going fast enough. When the vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet weather driving tips include:
- Allow extra following distance.
- Pass with caution.
- Keep windshield wiping equipment in good shape.
- Keep the windshield washer fluid reservoir filled.
- Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires
- Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through mountains is different than driving on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
- Keep the vehicle serviced and in good shape.
- Check all fluid levels, brakes, tires, cooling system, and transmission.
- Shift to a lower gear when going down steep or long hills.
Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle on a long downhill slope can cause brake overheating, can reduce brake performance, and could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower gear to let the engine assist the brakes on a steep downhill slope.
Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the ignition off is dangerous. This can cause overheating of the brakes and loss of steering assist. Always have the engine running and the vehicle in gear.
- Drive at speeds that keep the vehicle in its own lane. Do not swing wide or cross the center line.
- Be alert on top of hills; something could be in your lane (e.g., stalled car, crash).
- Pay attention to special road signs (e.g., falling rocks area, winding roads, long grades, passing or no-passing zones) and take appropriate action.
READ NEXT:
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 ºC (32 ºF) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed opti
Tire and Loading Information
Label
Example Label
vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the center pillar
(B-pillar). The Tire and Loading
Information label shows the
number of occupant seating
positions (
SEE MORE:
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Surge Tank
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,
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
Wheel & tire supplement
Steering and suspension are complex systems made up of a variety of
interdependent components. For proper
vehicle handling, ride, and tire wear, a thorough inspection is required
whenever suspension work is being
performed. Conditions listed assume that the problem has been isolated to the
specif
