Driver info BUICK LACROSSE 2008 User Guide

The cupholder has an arm that adjusts to two positions
to t either a large cup or two smaller cups.
If your vehicle is the six-passenger model, there is a
cupholder located underneath the seat. To access, pull
the center seat forward. The cupholder has a support
that adjusts to two positions to t either a large cup
or two smaller cups.Center Console Storage
If your vehicle has a ve-passenger console, the center
console has a padded lid that can be used as an
armrest. Lift the armrest lid to access a storage bin with
a coin holder and a CD holder. Located under the lid
is a card clip.
If your vehicle has a six-passenger console, there is a
ip and fold center armrest that allows you to choose
between a three-passenger front row bench seat or a
center console. For more information seeCenter Seat on
page 1-7. In the upward position the armrest acts as a
back support for the front row bench seat. Flip the center
armrest down and it can be used as an armrest for the
driver and passenger seat. Lift the armrest lid to access
the storage area.
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Low Coolant Warning Light............................3-41
Tire Pressure Light.......................................3-41
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-42
Oil Pressure Light.........................................3-45
Change Engine Oil Light................................3-45
Security Light...............................................3-45
Cruise Control Light......................................3-46
Reduced Engine Power Light.........................3-46
Highbeam On Light.......................................3-46
Headlamps Suggested Light...........................3-47
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light.....................3-47
Door Ajar Light.............................................3-47
Trunk Ajar Light............................................3-47
Service Vehicle Soon Light............................3-48
Fuel Gage...................................................3-48
Low Fuel Warning Light.................................3-48
Check Gas Cap Light....................................3-49Driver Information Center (DIC).......................3-49
DIC Operation and Displays...........................3-50
DIC Compass (Uplevel Only)..........................3-56
DIC Warnings and Messages.........................3-58
DIC Vehicle Personalization............................3-76
Audio System(s).............................................3-84
Setting the Clock..........................................3-85
Radio(s)......................................................3-86
Using an MP3..............................................3-97
XM Radio Messages...................................3-100
Theft-Deterrent Feature................................3-101
Audio Steering Wheel Controls......................3-102
Radio Reception.........................................3-103
Backglass Antenna......................................3-104
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System............3-105
Chime Level Adjustment...............................3-105
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-2

Telescoping Column
If the vehicle has a telescoping column on the steering
wheel it adjusts the distance of the steering wheel
to the driver without having to move the driver’s seat.
The lever that makes this
adjustment is located on
the left side of the steering
column and behind the
tilt lever, if the vehicle has
this feature.
To adjust the steering wheel, pull the steering wheel
column lever down and push or pull the steering wheel
to a comfortable position. Then pull the lever up to
lock the wheel in place.
Do not drive the vehicle unless the telescoping column
is locked.
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
GTurn and Lane Change Signals. SeeTurn and
Lane-Change Signals on page 3-8.
2Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer. See
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-8.
Flash-to-Pass. SeeFlash-to-Pass on page 3-8.
NWindshield Wipers. SeeWindshield Wipers on
page 3-9.
LQWindshield Washer. SeeWindshield Washer
on page 3-9.
For information on the headlamps, seeExterior Lamps
on page 3-13.
3-7

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.
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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

Overhead Console Reading Lamps
Your vehicle may have reading lamps located on
the overhead console. Press the lens to turn them on
and off.
Rear Assist Handle Reading Lamps
Your vehicle may have reading lamps located near
the rear assist handles. Press the lens to turn them on
and off.
Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM) that
estimates the battery’s temperature and state of
charge. It then adjusts the voltage for best performance
and extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage is
raised slightly to quickly put the charge back in. When the
state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter gage
or voltage display on the Driver Information Center (DIC),
you may see the voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be displayed.The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is
because the generator (alternator) may not be
spinning fast enough at idle to produce all the power
that is needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger, climate control fan at high
speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer
loads, and loads plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s output
and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase
engine idle speed to generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands of
some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels
of corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, the Driver Information Center (DIC)
message might display Battery Saver Active. If this
message is displayed, it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much as possible. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-58.
3-18

Dual Automatic Climate Control
System
With this system you can control the heating, cooling,
and ventilation for the vehicle.
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.
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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.
This control has four types of operation.
Automatic can set/change the temperature only.
AUTO and temperature only will appear on the
display.
Semi-Automatic Fan can set/change the
temperature and mode. The fan operates
automatically. The temperature and mode will
appear on the display.
Semi-Automatic Mode can set/change the
temperature and fan speed. The mode operates
automatically. The fan speed and temperature will
appear on the display.
Manual can set/change the temperature, mode and
fan. The fan speed, temperature, and mode will
appear on the display.
If your vehicle has the remote start feature, the climate
control system will automatically regulate the inside
temperature of your vehicle when the remote start
system is activated. Normal operation and the last
setting of the climate control system will return after the
key is turned on.
Manual Operation
During daylight hours, the instrument panel brightness
control might need to be adjusted to the highest setting,
in order to see the indicator lights for the various
climate control settings.
OFF:Press this button to turn the climate control
system off.
yz(Temperature):Press these buttons to manually
adjust the temperature inside the vehicle. Press the
up arrow on the driver or passenger side to raise
the temperature, and press the down arrow to lower the
temperature. The display will show the selected
temperature.
z9(Fan):Press this button to decrease the fan
speed. Pressing the arrows cancels the automatic
operation and places the system in manual or
semi-automatic mode. Press the AUTO button to return
to automatic operation. If the airow seems low when
the fan is at the highest setting, the passenger
compartment air lter may need to be replaced. For
more information seePassenger Compartment Air Filter
on page 3-29andScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
3-25

9y(Fan):Press this button to increase the fan
speed. Pressing the arrows cancels the automatic
operation and places the system in manual or
semi-automatic mode. Press the AUTO button to return
to automatic operation. If the airow seems low when
the fan is at the highest setting, the passenger
compartment air lter may need to be replaced. For
more information seePassenger Compartment Air Filter
on page 3-29andScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to the
oor, with some air directed to the side window
outlets and a small amount to the windshield.
)(Bi-Level):This setting directs airow to the
instrument panel and oor outlets. A small amount of air
is also directed to the windshield and the side window
outlets.
Y(Vent):This mode directs air through the instrument
panel outlets.
h(Recirculation):Press this button to turn
recirculation mode on or off. This mode keeps outside
air from coming into the vehicle. It can be used to
help reduce the outside air and odors that enter your
vehicle or help cool the air inside the vehicle quicker.
Recirculation is not available while in the oor, defrost,
or oor/defog modes. Using recirculation for long
periods of time may cause the air inside your vehicle to
become too dry. Recirculation mode has a ve minute
timer after which the system allows for some fresh
outside air into the vehicle to maintain interior air quality.
#(Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn the
air conditioning compressor on and off. The indicator
light on the button will come on when the air conditioning
is on. The indicator light will change with each button
press even when conditions prevent operation.
((Heated Seats):Press this button to turn the driver
or passenger heated seats on and off. SeeHeated
Seats on page 1-3for additional information.
3-26

Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both
miles per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).
Your vehicle’s odometer works together with the driver
information center. You can set a Trip A and Trip B
odometer. See “Trip Information” underDIC Operation
and Displays on page 3-50.
The odometer mileage can be checked without the
vehicle running. Simply press the odometer/trip switch
on the instrument panel cluster.
If your vehicle ever needs a new odometer installed, the
new one will be set to the correct mileage total of the
old odometer.
Tachometer
Your tachometer displays the engine speed in
revolutions per minute (rpm).
Safety Belt Reminders
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the engine is started, a chime will come on for
several seconds to remind people to fasten their safety
belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for several seconds, then it
will ash for several more.
This chime and light is repeated if the driver remains
unbuckled and the vehicle is in motion. If the driver’s belt
is already buckled, neither the chime nor the light will
come on.
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