ECO mode BUICK LACROSSE 2008 Owner's Manual

To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is attached to the underside of the diagonal
brace, which is located above the engine air
cleaner/lter assembly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer/retailer in the area where you will be
parking your vehicle. The dealer/retailer can give you
the best advice for that particular area.Active Fuel Management™
Your vehicle’s V8 engine may have Active Fuel
Management™. This system allows the engine to
operate on either all or half of its cylinders, depending
on your driving conditions.
When less power is required, such as cruising at a
constant vehicle speed, the system will operate in the
half cylinder mode, allowing your vehicle to achieve
better fuel economy. When greater power demands are
required, such as accelerating from a stop, passing,
or merging onto a freeway, the system will maintain
full-cylinder operation.
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Universal Home Remote System
Operation
If there is one triangular Light Emitting Diode (LED)
indicator light above the Universal Home Remote
buttons, follow the instructions below.
This system provides a way to replace up to three
remote control transmitters used to activate devices
such as garage door openers, security systems,
and home automation devices.
Do not use the Universal Home Remote with any
garage door opener that does not have the stop and
reverse feature. This includes any garage door opener
model manufactured before April 1, 1982.Read the instructions completely before attempting to
program the Universal Home Remote. Because of
the steps involved, it may be helpful to have another
person available to assist you in the programming
the Universal Home Remote.
Keep the original hand-held transmitter for use in other
vehicles as well as for future Universal Home Remote
programming. It is also recommended that upon the sale
of the vehicle, the programmed Universal Home
Remote buttons should be erased for security purposes.
See “Erasing Universal Home Remote Buttons” later
in this section.
When programming a garage door, park outside of the
garage. Park directly in line with and facing the
garage door opener motor-head or gate motor-head. Be
sure that people and objects are clear of the garage
door or gate you are programming.
It is recommended that a new battery be installed in
your hand-held transmitter for quicker and more
accurate transmission of the radio-frequency signal.
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Erasing Universal Home Remote
Buttons
Erase the programmed buttons when you sell or
terminate your lease.
To erase all programmed buttons on the Universal
Home Remote device:
1. Press and hold down the two outside buttons until
the indicator light begins to ash, after 20 seconds.
2. Release both buttons.
Reprogramming a Single Universal
Home Remote Button
To reprogram any of the three Universal Home Remote
buttons, repeat the programming instructions earlier
in this section, beginning with Step 2.
For help or information on the Universal Home Remote
System, call the customer assistance phone number
underCustomer Assistance Offices on page 7-6.
Storage Areas
Glove Box
To open the glove box, lift up on the lever.
Cupholder(s)
If your vehicle is the
ve-passenger model,
there is a cupholder in front
of the center console.
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Operation
OFF:Turn the left knob to this position to turn the
climate control system off.
9(Fan):Turn the knob by this symbol, located on
the left side of the climate control panel, clockwise
or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the
fan speed. The fan speed will be temporarily reduced
between the transition to a new mode. The fan will
resume the original speed when the transition to the new
mode is complete.
Temperature Control:Turn the center knob clockwise
or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the
temperature inside your vehicle.Use the right knob to select from the following modes:
H(Vent):This mode directs outside air to the
instrument panel outlets. If driving in city traffic, and the
vehicle is stopped and idling, or the weather is hot,
turning on the recirculation mode helps to prevent the
air inside the vehicle from becoming stale. After ve
minutes recirculate will allow some outside air into the
vehicle.
)(Bi-Level):This mode directs half of the air to the
instrument panel outlets, and the remaining air to
the oor outlets. Some air may be directed toward the
windshield. Slightly cooler air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets and warmer air is directed to
the oor outlets.
6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to the
oor outlets with some air directed toward the side
window outlets and a little air directed to the windshield.
In this mode, the system will automatically use outside
air. The air conditioning compressor will be engaged
unless the outside temperature is 40°F (4°C) or below.
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You can also select modes by using the following
buttons:
h(Recirculate):Press this button to recirculate
cabin air through the vehicle. It can be used to
help reduce the outside air and odors that enter your
vehicle or to help heat or cool the air inside your vehicle
quicker. An indicator light below the button will come
on in this mode. Operation in this mode during periods of
high humidity and cool outside temperatures may
result in increased window fogging. If window fogging is
experienced, select the defrost mode. To prevent the
air inside the vehicle from becoming stale, after
ve minutes recirculate will allow some outside air into
the vehicle.
#(Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn the
air conditioning system on or off. When this button
is pressed, an indicator light below the button will come
on to let you know the air conditioning is activated.
Air conditioning can be selected in any mode as long as
the fan switch is on. The indicator light will change
with each button press even when conditions prevent
operation.
On hot days during the vehicle’s initial start-up, open
the windows to let hot inside air escape; then close
them. This helps to reduce the time it takes for
the vehicle to cool down. It also helps the system to
operate more efficiently.For quicker cool down on hot days, do the following:
1. Select the vent air mode.
2. Select the recirculation mode.
3. Select the air conditioner.
4. Select the coolest temperature.
5. Select the highest fan speed.
The air conditioning system removes moisture from the
air, so you may sometimes notice a small amount of
water dripping underneath your vehicle while idling
or after turning off the engine. This is normal.
Using these settings together for long periods of time
may cause the air inside the vehicle to become too dry.
To prevent this, after ve minutes recirculate will
allow some outside air into the vehicle.
Defogging and Defrosting
Fog on the inside of the vehicle is a result of high humidity
causing moisture to condense on the cool window glass.
This can be minimized if the climate control system is
used properly. There are two modes to clear frost or fog
from the windshield. Use the defog mode to clear the
windows of condensation and to warm the vehicle’s
occupants. Use the defrost mode to remove frost or
condensation from the windshield quickly.
See “Rear Window Defogger” later in this section for
information on clearing the rear window of fog or ice.
3-22

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.
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DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC has different modes which can be accessed by
pressing the DIC buttons located on the center of the
instrument panel. Depending on whether your vehicle
has the base level or uplevel DIC, the buttons and
modes available will differ.
The base level buttons are the trip/odometer and
English/Metric buttons.
The uplevel buttons are the trip/odometer, fuel, gages,
set/reset, and option buttons.
The button functions are detailed in the following pages.
DIC Buttons
TRIP/ODO (Trip/Odometer):For vehicles with the
base level DIC, press this button to display the odometer
and trip distance.
For vehicles with the uplevel DIC, press this button to
display the odometer, trip distance, time elapsed,
and average speed.
E/M (English/Metric)**:For vehicles with the base
level DIC, press this button to select between English or
Metric units.
For vehicles with the uplevel DIC, to select between
English or Metric units, see “Units” later in this section.
.(Fuel)*:Press this button to display the fuel
range and average fuel economy.Uplevel shown
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There is also a retroactive trip odometer function that
performs the following for each trip odometer:
If the vehicle’s speed has exceeded 3 mph (5 km/h)
during the current ignition cycle, this function will
set the trip odometer to the distance driven
during the current ignition cycle.
If the vehicle’s speed has not exceeded
3 mph (5 km/h), this function will set the trip
odometer to the distance driven during the previous
ignition cycle plus the distance driven during the
current ignition cycle.
Press and hold the set/reset button on vehicles with the
uplevel DIC or the trip/odometer button on vehicles
with the base level DIC for three seconds, then release
the button. The retroactive trip odometer value will
be set into the currently displayed trip odometer.
Time Elapsed (Uplevel Only)
Press the trip/odometer button until TIME ELAPSED :00
displays. This mode is like a stopwatch, in that you
can clock the time it takes to get from one point
to another. Each of the elds for the hours, minutes,
and seconds are two numeric digits.Once TIME ELAPSED :00 is displayed, press the
set/reset button on vehicles with the uplevel DIC to start
the timing feature. Press the set/reset button again to
stop it. If you will be starting and stopping your vehicle,
during a trip for instance, the TIME ELAPSED feature
will automatically start timing where it left off when
you last stopped. To reset it, press and hold the
set/reset button for about 1.5 seconds. The display will
return to zero. Press the trip/odometer button to exit
from the TIME ELAPSED display.
Average Speed (Uplevel Only)
Press the trip/odometer button until AVERAGE SPEED
displays. This mode shows the average speed of
the vehicle in miles per hour (mph) or kilometers per
hour (km/h). This average is calculated based on
the various vehicle speed recorded since the last reset
of this value. To reset the value, press the trip/odometer
button to display AVERAGE SPEED, then press and
hold the set/reset button on vehicles with the uplevel
DIC. The display will return to zero.
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Fuel Menu Items (Uplevel Only)
.
(Fuel):Press this button to scroll through the
following menu items:
Fuel Range
Press the fuel button until FUEL RANGE displays. This
mode shows the approximate number of remaining
miles or kilometers the vehicle can be driven without
refueling.
Fuel range is based on several factors, including
distance traveled, fuel used, fuel capacity, etc. This
estimate will change if driving conditions change. For
example, if driving in traffic and making frequent
stops, this mode may read one number, but if the vehicle
is driven on a freeway, the number may change even
though the same amount of fuel is in the fuel tank. This
is because different driving conditions produce
different fuel economies. Generally, freeway driving
produces better fuel economy than city driving.
Fuel range cannot be reset.
If your vehicle is low on fuel, FUEL RANGE LOW will
display followed by the LOW FUEL message. See “LOW
FUEL” underDIC Warnings and Messages on
page 3-58for more information.
Average Fuel Economy
Press the fuel button until AVG ECONOMY displays.
This mode shows the approximate average miles per
gallon (mpg) or liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km). This
number is calculated based on the number of mpg
(L/100 km) recorded since the last time this menu item
was reset. To reset AVG ECONOMY, press and hold the
set/reset button. The display will return to zero.
Gages Menu Items (Uplevel Only)
2
(Gages):Press this button to scroll through the
following menu items:
Battery
Press the gages button until BATTERY displays. This
mode shows the current battery voltage.
Your vehicle’s charging system regulates voltage based
on the state of the battery. The battery voltage may
uctuate when viewing this information on the DIC. This
is normal.
If there is a problem with the battery charging system, a
DIC message will display. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-58for more information.
SeeElectric Power Management on page 3-18for more
information.
3-53

Oil Life
Press the gages button until OIL LIFE displays. This
mode shows an estimate of the oil’s remaining useful
life. If you see OIL LIFE 99% on the display, that means
99% of the current oil life remains. The engine oil life
system will alert you to change your oil on a schedule
consistent with your driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low, the CHANGE OIL
SOON message will appear on the display. You should
change your oil as soon as possible. SeeEngine Oil
on page 5-18. In addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. SeeScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4for
more information.
Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE yourself after
each oil change. It will not reset itself. Also, be
careful not to reset the OIL LIFE accidentally at any
time other than when the oil has just been changed. It
cannot be reset accurately until the next oil change.
To reset the engine oil life system, seeEngine Oil Life
System on page 5-21. The display will show 100%
when the system is reset.
Tire Pressure
Press the gages button until FRONT TIRE PRESSURE
displays. This mode shows the pressure for the front
tires. To view the pressure for the rear tires, press the
gages button again until REAR TIRE PRESSURE
displays. The tire pressure will be shown in either
pounds per square inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa).
If a low tire pressure condition is detected by the system
while driving, a message advising you to check the
pressure in a specic tire will appear in the display. See
Inflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-70andDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-58for more
information.
If the tire pressure display shows dashes or blanks
instead of a value, there may be a problem with your
vehicle. If this consistently occurs, see your
dealer/retailer for service.
3-54