sensor BUICK LACROSSE 2007 Owner's Manual

When Should an Airbag Inate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal
airbags are designed to inate in moderate to
severe frontal or near-frontal crashes. But they are
designed to inate only if the impact exceeds a
predetermined deployment threshold. Deployment
thresholds take into account a variety of desired
deployment and non-deployment events and are
used to predict how severe a crash is likely to be in
time for the airbags to inate and help restrain the
occupants. Whether your frontal airbags will or
should deploy is not based on how fast your vehicle
is traveling. It depends largely on what you hit, the
direction of the impact and how quickly your vehicle
slows down.In addition, your vehicle has “dual-stage” frontal
airbags, which adjust the restraint according to
crash severity. Your vehicle has electronic frontal
sensors which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts,
these airbags inate at a level less than full
deployment. For more severe frontal impacts, full
deployment occurs. If the front of your vehicle goes
straight into a wall that does not move or deform,
the threshold level for the reduced deployment is
about 12 to 16 mph (19 to 26 km/h), and the
threshold level for a full deployment is about
18 to 22 mph (29 to 35.5 km/h). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specic vehicle design, so
that it can be somewhat above or below this range.
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The passenger sensing system works with sensors
that are part of the right front passenger’s seat. The
sensors are designed to detect the presence of a
properly-seated occupant and determine if the
passenger’s frontal airbag should be enabled
(may inate) or not.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if
they are restrained in the rear rather than the front
seat. We recommend that child restraints be
secured in a rear seat, including an infant riding
in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat, and an older child riding
in a booster seat.
Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint. A label on your sun
visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat
in the front.” This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger’s airbag inates. This is
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
inating airbag.
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the
passenger’s frontal airbag if the system
detects a rear-facing child restraint,
no system is fail-safe, and no one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend
that rear-facing child restraints be secured
in the rear seat, even if the airbag is off.
CAUTION: (Continued)
76

Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front
or sides of the vehicle that could keep the
airbags from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your
vehicle’s frame, bumper system, height, front
end or side sheet metal, they may keep the
airbag system from working properly. Also, the
airbag system may not work properly if you
relocate any of the airbag sensors. If you have
any questions about this, you should contact
Customer Assistance before you modify your
vehicle. The phone numbers and addresses for
Customer Assistance are in Step Two of the
Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. SeeCustomer Satisfaction
Procedure on page 478.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get
my vehicle modied. How can I nd out
whether this will affect my airbag system?
A:Changing or moving any parts of the front
seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing and
diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, ceiling headliner, ceiling and pillar
garnish trim, roof-mounted airbag modules,
or airbag wiring can affect the operation of the
airbag system. If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The phone numbers
and addresses for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure in this manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure on page 478.
81

<(Parking Lamps):Turn the control to this
position to turn on the parking lamps together with
the following:
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
2(Headlamps):Turn the control to this position
to turn your headlamps on, together with the
previously listed lamps and lights.
A warning chime will sound if the driver’s door is
opened when the ignition switch is turned to
OFF or ACCESSORY and the headlamps or
parking lamps are on.
-(Foglamps):If your vehicle has fog lamps,
press this button to turn them on and off. SeeFog
Lamps on page 160for 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.
159

The rst time an object is detected while in
REVERSE (R), a chime will sound and the
following will occur in sequence, depending on the
distance from the object:
At 5 feet (1.5 m) a chime will sound and
one amber light will be lit.
At 40 inches (1.0 m) both amber lights will
be lit.
At 20 inches (0.5 m) a continuous chime will
sound and all three lights (amber/amber/red)
will be lit.
At 1 foot (0.3 m) a continuous chime will
sound and all three lights (amber/amber/red)
will ash.
URPA can detect objects 3 inches (7.6 cm) and
wider, and at least 10 inches (25.4 cm) tall,
but it cannot detect objects that are above trunk
level. In order for the rear sensors to recognize an
object, it must be within operating range.
If the URPA system is not functioning properly, the
display will ash red, indicating that there is a
problem. The light will also ash red while driving if
a trailer is attached to your vehicle, or a bicycle or
object is on the back of, or hanging out of yourtrunk. The light will continue to ash until the trailer
or the object is removed and your vehicle is driven
forward at least 15 mph (25 km/h).
It may also ash red if the ultrasonic sensors are
not kept clean. So be sure to keep your rear
bumper free of mud, dirt, snow, ice and slush or
materials such as paint or the system may
not work properly. If after cleaning the rear bumper
and driving forward at least 15 mph (25 km/h),
the display continues to ash red, see your
GM dealer. For cleaning instructions, seeWashing
Your Vehicle on page 442.
It may also ash red if your vehicle is moving in
REVERSE (R) at a speed greater than 3 mph
(5 km/h). Other conditions that may affect system
performance include things like the vibrations
from a jackhammer or the compression of
airbrakes on a very large truck.
As always, drivers should use care when backing
up a vehicle. Always look behind you, being
sure to check for other vehicles, obstructions and
blind spots.
166

Automatic Operation
AUTO (Automatic):Press the AUTO button for
automatic control of the inside temperature, the air
delivery mode, and the fan speed. There might
be a delay of two to three minutes before the fan
comes on when the automatic operation is
used in cold weather. For the automatic system to
function, the temperature must be set between
61°F (15°C) and 89°F (32°C).
1. Adjust the temperature to a comfortable
setting.
2. Press the PASS button or the up or down
arrows on the passenger side to turn the
passenger temperature set on and off. When
turned on, the passenger temperature will
be the same as the driver setting. Press the
up or down arrow on passenger side to adjust
the passenger temperature setting.
When the passenger’s temperature set is off,
the passenger display will be off and the
driver’s set temperature will be for the driver
and passenger.In cold weather, the system will start at
reduced fan speeds to avoid blowing cold air
into the vehicle until warmer air is available.
The system will start out blowing air at the oor
but may change modes automatically as the
vehicle warms up to maintain the chosen
temperature setting. The length of time needed
for warm up will depend on the outside
temperature and the length of time that has
elapsed since the vehicle was last driven.
3. Wait for the system to regulate. This may take
from 10 to 30 minutes. Then, adjust the
temperature, if necessary.
Do not cover the solar sensor located in the
center of the instrument panel, near the
windshield. For more information on the solar
sensor, see “Sensors” later in this section.
4. Press OFF to turn the climate control system
off. Only the rear defog and heated seats will
function. Press AUTO or any other button
except the heated seats or rear defog to turn
the climate control system back on.
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Defogging and Defrosting
Fog on the inside of windows is a result of high
humidity (moisture) condensing on the cool window
glass. This can be minimized if the climate
control system is used properly. There are
two modes to clear fog or frost from your
windshield. Use the oor/defog mode to clear the
windows of fog or moisture and warm the
passengers. Use defrost to remove fog or frost
from the windshield more quickly.
-(Floor/Defog):Press this button to direct the
air between the windshield, oor outlets and
side windows. 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
oor/defog mode.
1(Defrost):Press this button to direct most of
the air to the windshield, with some air directed to
the side windows. In this mode, the system will
automatically turn off the recirculation and run 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.
Do not drive the vehicle until all windows are clear.
Sensors
The solar sensor on the vehicle monitors the solar
heat and the air inside of the vehicle. This
information is used to maintain the selected
temperature by initiating needed adjustments to the
temperature, the fan speed, and the air delivery
system. The system may also supply cooler air to
the side of the vehicle facing the sun. The
recirculation mode will also be activated, as
necessary. Do not cover the solar sensor located in
the center of the instrument panel, near the
windshield, or the system will not work properly.
176

SERVICE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM
This message displays if a part on the Tire
Pressure Monitor (TPM) system is not working
properly. If you drive your vehicle while any of the
four sensors are missing or inoperable, the
warning comes on in about 10 minutes. A sensor
would be missing, for example, if you put
different wheels on your vehicle without
transferring the sensors. If the warning comes on
and stays on, there may be a problem with the
TPM. See your dealer.
This message displays while the ignition is in RUN.
Press any of the DIC buttons to acknowledge this
message and to clear it from the screen.
This message continues to display for two seconds
if it has not been acknowledged when the engine is
turned off. It also re-displays for two seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM
If your vehicle has the Traction Control
System (TCS), this message displays when the
system is not functioning properly. A warning light
also appears on the instrument panel cluster.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) Warning Light
on page 187. SeeTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 294for more information. Have the
TCS serviced by your dealer as soon as possible.
This message displays only while the ignition is in
RUN. Press any of the DIC buttons to acknowledge
this message and to clear it from the screen.
This message continues to display for two seconds
if it has not been acknowledged when the engine is
turned off. It also re-displays for two seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
225

Tire Pressure Monitor System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) uses
radio and sensor technology to check tire pressure
levels. TPMS sensors are mounted onto each
tire and wheel assembly, except for the spare tire.
The TPMS sensors monitor the air pressure in
your vehicle’s tires and transmit 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 in the instrument panel
cluster. If your vehicle has the uplevel Driver
Information Center (DIC), a warning message to
check the pressure in a specic tire displays at
the same time the low tire pressure warning light
comes on. The low tire pressure warning light
and the DIC warning message CHECK TIRE
PRESSURE come on at each ignition cycle
until the tires are inated to the correct
ination pressure. Vehicles that have the
uplevel DIC buttons can also check tire
pressure levels by pressing the gages button.For additional information and details about the
DIC operation and displays seeDIC Operation and
Displays on page 200andDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 208.
During cooler weather conditions, the low tire
pressure warning light and the DIC warning
message, if your vehicle has this feature, may
come on when the vehicle is rst started, and then
turn off as you start to drive. This could be an
early indicator that the air pressure in the tire(s)
are getting low and need to be inated to the
proper pressure.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should
be checked monthly when cold and inated
to the ination pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
ination pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires
of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire ination pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire ination
pressure for those tires.)
411

When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the
system may not be able to detect or signal low
tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may
occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. Always check the TPMS
malfunction telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
A tire and Loading Information label, attached to
your vehicle, shows the size of your vehicle’s
original equipment tires and the correct ination
pressure for your vehicle’s tires when they
are cold. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 319,
for an example of the Tire and Loading
Information label and its location on your vehicle.
Also seeInation - Tire Pressure on page 409.
Your vehicle’s TPMS system can warn you
about a low tire pressure condition but it does
not replace normal tire maintenance. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on page 416and
Tires on page 402.Notice:Do not use a tire sealant if your
vehicle has Tire Pressure Monitors. The liquid
sealant can damage the tire pressure monitor
sensors.
The TPMS will not function properly if one or more
of the TPMS sensors are missing or inoperable.
When the system detects a missing or inoperable
sensor, an error message SERVICE TIRE
MONITOR SYSTEM appears on the DIC display,
if your vehicle has this feature. If you have
replaced a tire/wheel assembly without transferring
the TPMS sensors, the error message displays.
Once you re-install the TPMS sensors, the
error message should go off. See your dealer for
service if all TPMS sensors are installed and
the error message comes on and stays on.
413