ignition BUICK LACROSSE 2008 Owner's Guide

Turn and Lane-Change Signals
To signal a turn, move the lever up or down. The lever
returns to its original position when the turn is completed.
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will ash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the lever until
the arrow starts to ash. Hold it there until the lane
change is completed. The lever will return to its original
position when released.
Arrows that ash rapidly when signaling for a turn or
lane change, or that fail to work, may indicate a
burned-out signal bulb or fuse. Other drivers will not see
the signal. SeeTaillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps on page 5-59for turn
signal bulb replacement procedures. Also seeFuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 5-109for location of fuses.
A chime will sound if the turn signal is left on for more
than 3/4 mile (1.2 km).
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high beam,
push the turn signal/multifunction lever away from you.
This light comes on in the
instrument panel cluster if
the high beam lamps
are turned on while the
ignition is in ON/RUN.
To change the headlamps from high beam to low beam,
pull the turn signal lever toward you.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps
momentarily to signal a driver in front of you that
you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction lever toward
you until the high-beam headlamps come on, then
release the lever to turn them off.
3-8

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
To reduce your speed while using cruise control:
Press and hold the SET– button on the steering
wheel until you reach the desired lower speed,
then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, press
the SET– button on the steering wheel briey.
Each time this is done, the vehicle will go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase vehicle
speed. When you take your foot off the pedal,
the vehicle will slow down to the cruise speed you
set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work on hills depends
upon the vehicle speed, load and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills, you might have to
step on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you might have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. If the brakes
are applied the cruise control will turn off. Many drivers
nd this to be too much trouble and do not use
cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
Press the[button on the steering wheel.
Press theTbutton on the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory is erased by
turning off the cruise control or the ignition.
3-12

2(Headlamps):Turn the control to this position to
turn on the headlamps together with the following lamps
listed below.
A warning chime will sound if the driver’s door is
opened when the ignition switch is turned to LOCK/OFF
or ACC/ACCESSORY and the headlamps or parking
lamps are on.
Parking Lamps
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
-(Foglamps) (If Equipped):Push the fog lamps
button to turn them on and off. SeeFog Lamps on
page 3-15for additional information.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)/
Automatic Headlamp System
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day. DRL
can be helpful in many different driving conditions, but
they can be especially helpful in the short periods after
dawn and before sunset. DRL lamps are required to
function at all times on all vehicles rst sold in Canada.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work, so be sure it is not covered.
The DRL system will make the low-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is off.
The parking brake is released.
While the DRL are on, only the vehicle’s low-beam
headlamps will be on at reduced brightness. The turn
signal, taillamps, sidemarker, and other lamps will not be
on. The instrument panel will not be lit up either.
3-14

When it is dark enough outside, the DRL will turn off
and the vehicle’s headlamps and parking lamps will turn
on. The other lamps that come on with the headlamps
will also come on.
When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps will go
off and the DRL will come on.
To idle the vehicle with the DRL off, turn the exterior
lamp control off and then do one of the following:
Turn the exterior lamp control to the parking lamp
position.
Turn the exterior lamp control to the headlamp
position.
Turn the exterior lamp control from AUTO to off and
back to AUTO.
This feature is not available for vehicles rst sold in
Canada.
To turn off the automatic headlamp feature when it is
dark outside, move the exterior lamp control to the
parking lamp position. The parking lamps remain on and
the headlamps turn off. The fog lamps also go on if
they were on previously.
As with any vehicle, the regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
Fog Lamps
If your vehicle has fog
lamps, the button is
located in the center of the
exterior lamps control
on the left side of
the steering column.
Press the fog lamps button to turn the lamps on or off.
While the high-beam headlamps are on, the fog
lamps are off.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the parking lamps or headlamps have been left on
after the ignition has been turned to off, the exterior
lamps will turn off after about 10 minutes. This protects
the battery from being drained.
Use the exterior lamp control to turn the lamps back on,
if they are still needed.
3-15

Interior Lamps
Your interior lamps
control is located next to
the exterior lamps
control and to the left of
the steering wheel on
the instrument panel.
9(Off):Turn the control to this position to disable
courtesy lamps, entry lighting, delayed entry lighting, and
delayed exit lighting.
1(Door):Turn the control to this position to turn the
interior lamps on when any door is open and when
the ignition key is removed from the ignition.
+(On):Turn the control to this position to turn on
the interior lamps.
The interior lamps can be controlled, or automatically
turned on or off under certain conditions. They are
explained in the following text.
Instrument Panel Brightness
The instrument panel lights can be brightened or
dimmed by pressing the center knob of the interior lamp
controls until it pops out. Turn the knob clockwise to
brighten the lights or counterclockwise to dim them.
Courtesy Lamps
Courtesy lamps come on to make it easier to enter and
exit the vehicle. These lamps will come on when the
interior lamp control is in the door position and any door
is opened.
Entry Lighting
The courtesy lamps come on and stay on for a set time
whenever the interior lamp control is in the door
position and the UNLOCK button on the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter is pressed.
The lamps stay on while a door is opened and then turn
off automatically about 25 seconds after it is closed. If
the UNLOCK button is pressed and a door is not
opened, the lamps will turn off after about 25 seconds.
The courtesy lamps turn off when the ignition key is
turned to ON/RUN or START. They will come on again
when a door is opened.
3-16

Delayed Entry Lighting
Delayed entry lighting lights the vehicle’s interior for a
period of time after all the doors have been closed.
After all the doors have been closed, the delayed entry
lighting feature will continue to work until one of the
following occurs:
The ignition is in ON/RUN.
The doors are locked.
25 seconds has passed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened, the
timed illumination period will be canceled and the interior
lamps will remain on.
Theater Dimming
This feature allows for a three to ve second fade out of
the courtesy lamps instead of immediate turn off.
Delayed Exit Lighting
This feature can be programmed either on or off using
the Driver Information Center. SeeDIC Vehicle
Personalization on page 3-76under INT (Interior)
LIGHTS KEYS REMOVED. When activated, the interior
will be lit for a short period of time after the ignition
key is removed from the ignition.The ignition must be off and the interior lamp control
must be in the door position for delayed exit lighting to
work. When the ignition key is removed, interior
illumination will activate and remain on until one of the
following occurs:
The ignition is in ON/RUN.
The power door locks are activated.
25 seconds has passed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened, the
timed illumination period will be canceled and the interior
lamps will remain on.
Perimeter Lighting
Perimeter lighting provides a period of exterior vehicle
lighting. Perimeter lighting activates when the key
is removed from the ignition or the vehicle is unlocked
using the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
The amount of time the exterior lamps will remain on
can be programmed using the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See “EXIT LIGHT DELAY” underDIC
Vehicle Personalization on page 3-76for additional
information.
3-17

Battery Run-Down Protection
This helps prevent the vehicle’s battery from draining
in case the interior courtesy lamps, reading lamps, trunk
lamp, underhood lamp, glove box lamps, or sun visor
vanity lamps, if equipped, are accidently left on.
If any of these lamps are left on while the ignition is off,
they will automatically turn off after 10 minutes. The
lamps will not come back on again until one of the
following occurs:
The ignition is turned on.
The interior lamps control is turned off, then to door
or on.
Accessory Power Outlet(s)
The accessory power outlets enable power electrical
equipment such as a cellular telephone or a CB radio to
be used inside the vehicle.
Your vehicle has 12-volt outlets. One outlet is located
on the center console below the climate controls. There
may be another outlet located inside the center
storage console or in the ip and fold console.
Open the cover to use the outlet. Be sure to close the
cover when the outlet is not in use.Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to your
vehicle may damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not use equipment
exceeding maximum amperage rating of 20 amperes.
Check with your dealer/retailer before adding
electrical equipment.
Certain power accessory plugs may not be compatible
to the power accessory outlet and could result in
blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a
problem, see your dealer/retailer.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by your warranty. Do not
hang any type of accessory or accessory bracket
from the plug because the power outlets are
designed for accessory power plugs only.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment plugged in for
an extended period of time while the vehicle is off
will drain the battery. Power is always supplied
to the outlets. Always unplug electrical equipment
when not in use and do not plug in equipment
that exceeds the maximum 20 ampere rating.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow the
proper installation instructions included with the
equipment.
3-19

Turn the right knob to select the defog or defrost mode.
Do not drive the vehicle until all windows are clear.
-(Defog):This mode directs half of the air to
the windshield and the side window outlets and half to
the oor outlets. When you select this mode, the system
turns recirculation off and runs the air conditioning
compressor unless the outside temperature is near or
below freezing. Pressing the recirculation button
will have no effect other than turning on the indicator
light while in defog mode.
0(Defrost):This mode directs most of the air to the
windshield and the side window outlets, with some
air directed to the oor outlets. When you select this
mode, the system turns recirculation off and runs the air
conditioning compressor unless the outside temperature
is near or below freezing. Pressing the recirculation
button will have no effect other than turning on
the indicator light while in defrost mode.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the rear window.
<(Rear):Press the button to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light below the button will
come on to let you know that the rear window defogger
is activated.
The rear window defogger will only work when the ignition
is in ON/RUN. The rear window defogger will stay on for
about 20 minutes after the button is pressed. If turned on
again, the defogger will only run for about 20 minutes
before turning off. The defogger can also be turned off by
pressing the button again or by turning off the engine.
Do not drive the vehicle until all windows are clear.
Notice:Do not use anything sharp on the inside of
the rear window. If you do, you could cut or
damage the warming grid, and the repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not attach a
temporary vehicle license, tape, a decal or anything
similar to the defogger grid.
3-23

Passenger Compartment Air Filter
The passenger compartment air lter is located in
the engine compartment below the air inlet grille, near
the passenger’s side windshield wiper arm. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12.
The lter traps most of the pollen from the air entering
the air conditioning module. The lter needs to be
changed periodically to keep the air conditioning working
at its best. For information on how often to change
the passenger compartment air lter, seeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4.
To change the passenger compartment air lter, use the
following steps:
1. Turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY and turn the
windshield wipers on.
2. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF when the windshield
wipers are in the upright position.
3. Raise the hood.4. Disconnect the windshield washer pump hose from
the fender rail and air inlet grille.
5. Peel back the hood weather-strip from the
passenger’s side of the vehicle halfway to the center
of the hood.
6. Remove the three air inlet grille retainers.
7. Remove the air inlet grille.
8. Remove the water deector panel.
3-29

If, after several seconds, both status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the passenger sensing
system. See your dealer/retailer for service.
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on, it
means that something may be wrong with the
airbag system. If this ever happens, have the
vehicle serviced promptly, because an
adult-size person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the protection
of the airbag(s). SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 3-33for more on this, including
important safety information.
Charging System Light
This light will come on
briey when you turn on
the ignition key, but
the engine is not running,
as a check to show
you it is working.
It should go out once the engine is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while driving, there could be a problem
with the charging system. A charging system Driver
Information Center (DIC) message may also appear.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-58
for more information. This light could indicate that there
are problems with a generator drive belt, or that
there is an electrical problem. Have it checked right
away. If you must drive a short distance with the light on,
be certain to turn off all the accessories, such as the
radio and air conditioner.
3-36