fuel BUICK LACROSSE 2009 User Guide

Instrument Panel Cluster
The instrument panel cluster is designed to let the driver know at a glance how the vehicle is running. It will show
how fast the vehicle is going, about how much fuel is in the fuel tank and many other things needed to drive safely
and economically.
Base level shown, Uplevel similar
3-31

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
A computer system called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition, and emission control systems.
It ensures that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment.
This light should come on
when the ignition is on, but
the engine is not running,
as a check to show it
is working. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer/retailer.
If the check engine light comes on and stays on, while
the engine is running, this indicates that there is an
OBD II problem and service is required.Malfunctions often are indicated by the system before
any problem is apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage to the vehicle.
This system assists the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:If the vehicle is continually driven with
this light on, after a while, the emission controls
might not work as well, the vehicle’s fuel economy
might not be as good, and the engine might not
run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs
that might not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of
the vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect the vehicle’s emission
controls and can cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty.
This could also result in a failure to pass a required
Emission Inspection/Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on page 5-3.
3-40

This light comes on during a malfunction in one of
two ways:
Light Flashing:A misre condition has been detected.
A misre increases vehicle emissions and could damage
the emission control system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
To prevent more serious damage to the vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds, and restart
the engine. If the light is still ashing, follow the previous
steps and see your dealer/retailer for service as soon
as possible.
Light On Steady:An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.An emission system malfunction might be corrected by
doing the following:
Make sure the fuel cap is fully installed. SeeFilling
the Tank on page 5-8. The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap
allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
If the vehicle has been driven through a deep puddle
of water, the vehicle’s electrical system might be wet.
The condition is usually corrected when the electrical
system dries out. A few driving trips should turn the
light off.
Make sure to fuel the vehicle with quality fuel. Poor
fuel quality causes the engine not to run as efficiently
as designed and can cause: stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is changed into gear,
misring, hesitation on acceleration, or stumbling
on acceleration. These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions occurs, change the
fuel brand used. It will require at least one full tank of
the proper fuel to turn the light off.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 5-6.
If none of the above have made the light turn off, your
dealer/retailer can check the vehicle. The dealer/retailer
has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to
x any mechanical or electrical problems that might have
developed.
3-41

Fuel Gage
The fuel gage indicates
about how much fuel is left
in the fuel tank when the
ignition is on.
An arrow on the fuel gage indicates the side of the
vehicle the fuel door is on.
When the indicator nears empty, there is still a little fuel
left, but you should get more fuel soon.Here are four things that some owners ask about.
All these things are normal and do not indicate that
anything is wrong with the fuel gage:At the gas station, the pump shuts off before the
gage reads full.
It takes more, or less, fuel to ll up than the gage
reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but
it took more, or less, than half of the tank’s capacity
to ll it.
The gage pointer may move while cornering,
braking or accelerating.
The gage may not indicate empty when the ignition
is turned off.
3-46

Low Fuel Warning Light
Your vehicle may have a low fuel light. It is a circle
located on the fuel gage and will come on and a chime
will sound periodically when the vehicle is low on fuel.
The light will go off when fuel is added to the fuel tank.
It will also come on for a few seconds when the ignition
is turned on as a check to indicate it is working. If it
does not come on then, have it xed.
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC), a
LOW FUEL message will appear. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-56for more information.
Check Gas Cap Light
If your vehicle has this
light, it will come on if your
gas cap is not securely
fastened.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-40for more
information.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Your vehicle may have a Driver Information
Center (DIC).
All messages will appear in the DIC display located in
the instrument panel cluster, below the speedometer.
The DIC buttons are located on the center of the
instrument panel, below the center outlets.
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. After a
short delay, the uplevel DIC will display the WELCOME
DRIVER (1 or 2) if a personalized key 1 or 2 is used, and
then the information that was last displayed before the
engine was turned off.
The base level DIC displays the odometer and trip
odometers only.
The uplevel DIC displays the odometer, trip odometers,
fuel economy, trip computer, vehicle system, and
compass display information. It also displays warning
messages if a system problem is detected. In addition,
the uplevel DIC displays phone numbers that are
called using the OnStar
®system, if equipped.
SeeOnStar®System on page 2-39.
3-47

The outside air temperature automatically appears in
the bottom right corner of the uplevel DIC display when
viewing the trip/odometer screens, fuel screens and
some of the gages screens. If the outside air temperature
is at or below 37°F (3°C), the temperature reading will
toggle between displaying the outside temperature and
the word ICE for two minutes. If there is a problem with
the system that controls the temperature display, the
letters OC (open circuit) or SC (short circuit) will appear
on the display. If this occurs, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer/retailer.
The uplevel DIC also allows some features to be
customized or personalized. SeeDIC Vehicle
Personalization on page 3-74for more information.
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.
2(Gages)*:Press this button to display the battery
voltage, oil life, and tire pressure readings, if equipped.Uplevel shown
3-48

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 3-56
for 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 3-56for more information.
SeeElectric Power Management on page 3-18for more
information.
3-51

DIC Compass (Uplevel Only)
Your vehicle may have a compass in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
Compass Zone
The zone is set to zone eight upon leaving the factory.
Your dealer/retailer will set the correct zone for your
location.
Under certain circumstances, such as during a long
distance cross-country trip or moving to a new state
or province, it will be necessary to compensate for
compass variance by resetting the zone through
the DIC if the zone is not set correctly.
Compass variance is the difference between the earth’s
magnetic north and true geographic north. If the compass
is not set to the zone where you live, the compass may
give false readings. The compass must be set to the
variance zone in which the vehicle is traveling.
To adjust for compass variance, use the following
procedure:
Compass Variance (Zone) Procedure
1. Do not set the compass zone when the vehicle is
moving. Only set it when the vehicle is in Park (P).
Press the option button until COMPASS ZONE
displays.2. Find the vehicle’s current location and variance
zone number on the map.
Zones 1 through 15 are available.
3. Press the set/reset button to scroll through and
select the appropriate variance zone.
4. Press the trip or fuel button until the vehicle
heading, for example, N for North, is displayed
in the DIC.
5. If calibration is necessary, calibrate the compass.
See “Compass Calibration Procedure” following.
3-54

CHECK GAS CAP
This message may display if the fuel cap is not on, or is
not fully tightened. The check gas cap light also appears
on the instrument panel cluster. SeeCheck Gas Cap
Light on page 3-47. Check the fuel cap to ensure that it is
on properly. The diagnostic system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed. A loose
or missing fuel cap allows fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn this message off. SeeFilling the
Tank on page 5-8for more information.
This message displays while the ignition is in ON/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.
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays when the pressure in one
or more of the vehicle’s tires needs to be checked. This
message also displays LEFT FRONT, RIGHT FRONT,
LEFT REAR, or RIGHT REAR to indicate which tire
needs to be checked. You can receive more than one tire
pressure message at a time. To read the other messages
that may have been sent at the same time, press the
set/reset button. If a tire pressure message appears on
the DIC, stop as soon as you can. Have the tire pressures
checked and set to those shown on the Tire Loading
Information label. SeeTires on page 5-54,Loading the
Vehicle on page 4-20, andInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-61. The DIC also shows the tire pressure values.
SeeDIC Operation and Displays on page 3-48. If the tire
pressure is low, the low tire pressure warning light comes
on. SeeTire Pressure Light on page 3-39.
This message displays while the ignition is in ON/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.
3-58

This message displays and a chime sounds only while
the ignition is in ON/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.
LOW FUEL
This message displays when your vehicle is low on fuel.
Rell the fuel tank as soon as possible. SeeFuel Gage
on page 3-46andFilling the Tank on page 5-8for more
information.
The message displays and a chime sounds while the
ignition is in ON/RUN. Press any of the DIC buttons to
acknowledge this message and to clear it from the
screen.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
LOW OIL PRESSURE
Notice:If the LOW OIL PRESSURE warning
message appears on the DIC display, stop the
vehicle immediately. Do not drive the vehicle until
the cause of the low oil pressure is corrected.
Severe engine damage can result from driving a
vehicle with low oil pressure. SeeEngine Oil
on page 5-15for more information.
This message displays when the vehicle’s engine oil
pressure is low. The oil pressure light also appears on
the instrument panel cluster. SeeOil Pressure Light
on page 3-42.
Stop the vehicle immediately, as engine damage can
result from driving a vehicle with low oil pressure.
Have the vehicle serviced by your dealer/retailer as
soon as possible when this message is displayed.
This message displays only when the ignition is
in ON/RUN. A chime sounds continuously when
this message is displayed.
This message cannot be acknowledged and cleared
from the screen. This message re-displays for a few
seconds if 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.
3-63