brake BUICK LACROSSE 2007 Owner's Manual

Keys.............................................................. 87
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System.......... 89
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation................................................. 90
Doors and Locks.......................................... 96
Door Locks................................................. 96
Power Door Locks....................................... 97
Delayed Locking.......................................... 97
Automatic Door Lock................................... 98
Programmable Automatic Door Unlock........ 98
Rear Door Security Locks........................... 98
Lockout Protection....................................... 99
Trunk........................................................ 100
Windows...................................................... 102
Power Windows........................................ 103
Sun Visors................................................ 104
Theft-Deterrent Systems............................. 104
Content Theft-Deterrent............................. 104
PASS-Key
®III ........................................... 106
PASS-Key®III Operation........................... 107Starting and Operating Your Vehicle......... 109
New Vehicle Break-In................................ 109
Ignition Positions....................................... 109
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)............. 110
Starting the Engine.................................... 111
Engine Coolant Heater.............................. 112
Automatic Transaxle Operation.................. 114
Parking Brake........................................... 117
Shifting Into Park (P) ................................. 118
Shifting Out of Park (P)............................. 120
Parking Over Things That Burn................. 121
Engine Exhaust......................................... 122
Running the Engine While Parked............. 123
Mirrors......................................................... 124
Manual Rearview Mirror............................. 124
Manual Rearview Mirror with OnStar
®....... 124
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror.......... 124
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
with OnStar
®.......................................... 125
Outside Power Mirrors............................... 125
Outside Power Heated Mirrors................... 126
Outside Convex Mirror............................... 126
Section 2 Features and Controls
85

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the rst 500 miles
(805 km). Do not make full-throttle starts.
Avoid downshifting to brake, or slow,
the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings are not yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every time
you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. See
Towing a Trailer on page 327for the trailer
towing capabilities of your vehicle and more
information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
Ignition Positions
With the ignition key in the ignition, the key can be
turned to four different positions:
Notice:Using a tool to force the key from the
ignition switch could cause damage or
break the key. Use the correct key and turn the
key only with your hand. Make sure the key
is in all the way. If none of this works,
then your vehicle needs service.
A (OFF):This is the only position in which the
ignition key can be inserted or removed. This
position locks the ignition and transaxle. It is a
theft-deterrent feature.
109

Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your vehicle’s automatic
transaxle may have a
shift lever on the
steering column or on
the console between
the seats.
There is also a display
located on the
instrument panel cluster
that indicates the
vehicle’s gear position.{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 118.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 327.
The positions for the shift lever are:
PARK (P): This position locks the vehicle’s front
wheels. It is the best position to use when the
engine is started because the vehicle cannot
move easily.
Console Shift Lever
114

Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. The vehicle has
an electronic shift lock release system. You must
fully apply the regular brakes before shifting
from PARK (P) when the ignition is in RUN. If you
cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever by pushing it all the way into
PARK (P) as you maintain brake application.
Then move the shift lever into another gear.
SeeShifting Out of Park (P) on page 120
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage the
transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
To rock the vehicle back and forth in order to get
it out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging
the transaxle, seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 318.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine
is running at high speed is dangerous.
Unless your foot is rmly on the brake
pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while your engine is running
at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while the engine is running at
high speed may damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at
high speeds when shifting your vehicle.
Notice:Driving your vehicle if you notice that
it is moving slowly or not shifting gears as
you increase speed may damage the transaxle.
Have your vehicle serviced right away. You
can drive in SECOND (2) when you are driving
less than 35 mph (55 km/h) and DRIVE (D)
for higher speeds until then.
115

DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving.
It provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle.
If more power is needed for passing, and the
vehicle is:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator pedal all the way down.
By doing this the vehicle will automatically
shift down to the next gear and have
more power.
Downshifting the transaxle in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see Skidding
underLoss of Control on page 302.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving. However it reduces vehicle speed
more than DRIVE (D) without using your brakes.
You might choose THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D)
when driving on hilly, winding roads, when
towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between
gears and when going down a steep hill.Notice:Driving in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h) may damage the transaxle. Also,
shifting into SECOND (2) at speeds above
65 mph (105 km/h) can cause damage. Drive in
THIRD (3) or DRIVE (D) instead of SECOND (2).
SECOND (2): This position reduces vehicle
speed even more than THIRD (3) without using
your brakes. You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would
also want to use your brakes off and on.
FIRST (1): This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than SECOND (2) without using
your brakes. You can use it on very steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in
FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward, the
transmission will not shift into rst gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage the transaxle.
If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes, or parking
brake to hold the vehicle in place.
116

Parking Brake
To set the parking
brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down
with your right foot.
Push down the parking
brake pedal with
your left foot.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down with your right foot and push the
parking brake pedal with your left foot. While
you lift your left foot, the parking brake pedal will
follow it to the released position.A warning chime will sound and PARKING
BRAKE ON will display in the DIC if the parking
brake is set, the ignition is on, and the vehicle
speed is greater than 5 mph (8km/h). For more
information seeBrake System Warning Light
on page 186andDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 208.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is
off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on any
hill, seeTowing a Trailer on page 327. That
section shows what to do rst to keep the trailer
from moving.
117

Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
Your vehicle can roll. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 327.
Steering Column Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the
parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P)
like this:
Pull the lever toward you.
Move the lever up as far as it will go.3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Console Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the
parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P)
position by holding in the button on the
shift lever and pushing it all the way toward
the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
118

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle
could move suddenly if the shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch re. You or
others could be injured. Do not leave your
vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P)
and your parking brake is rmly set before you
leave it. After you have moved the shift lever into
PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift lever
away from PARK (P) without rst pushing the
button. If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transaxle. You may nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque
lock.” To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into PARK (P) properly before you
leave the driver’s seat. To nd out how, seeShifting
Into Park (P) on page 118.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift
lever out of PARK (P) before you release the
parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to
take some of the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transaxle, so you can pull the shift lever
out of PARK (P).
119

Shifting Out of Park (P)
Automatic Transaxle Shift Lock
This vehicle has an electronic shift lock release
system. The shift lock release is designed to:
Prevent ignition key removal unless the
shift lever is in PARK (P)
Prevent movement of the shift lever out of
PARK (P) unless the ignition is in a position
other than OFF.
The shift lock is always functional except in
the case of a an uncharged or low voltage
(less than 9 volt) battery.
If your vehicle has an uncharged battery or a
battery with low voltage, try charging or jump
starting the battery. SeeJump Starting on
page 385.
Console Shift
If your console shift cannot be moved out of
PARK (P)
1. Apply and maintain the regular brakes.
2. Turn the ignition to the ACESSORY or RUN
position. SeeIgnition Positions on page 109
for more information.3. Let up on the shift lever and make sure the shift
lever is pushed all the way into PARK (P).
4. Then, move the shift into the desired gear.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from
PARK (P), consult your dealer or a professional
towing service.
Column Shift
If your park lock cable cannot be moved out of
PARK (P)
1. Apply and maintain the regular brakes.
2. Turn the ignition key to the ACCESSORY or
RUN position. SeeIgnition Positions on
page 109for more information.
3. Shift out of the PARK (P) position to the
NEUTRAL (N) position.
4. Move the vehicle to a safe location.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from
PARK (P), consult your dealer or a professional
towing service.
120

Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust
into your vehicle. See the earlier caution
underEngine Exhaust on page 122.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into your
vehicle even if the climate control fan is at
the highest setting. One place this can
happen is a garage. Exhaust — with
CO — can come in easily. NEVER park in
a garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 314.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. Do not leave
your vehicle when the engine is running
unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
always set your parking brake and move
the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle
will not move. SeeShifting Into Park (P) on
page 118.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a
trailer, also seeTowing a Trailer on page 327.
123