windshield wipers BUICK LACROSSE 2010 Owner's Manual

Instruments and Controls 4-7
Heated Steering Wheel
For vehicles with a heated steering
wheel, the button for this feature is
located on the climate control
system.
(:Press to turn the heated
steering wheel on or off. A light on
the button displays when the feature
is turned on.
The steering wheel takes about
three minutes to start heating.
Horn
Press near or on the horn symbols
on the steering wheel pad to sound
the horn.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper lever is on the
side of the steering column. With
the ignition in ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN, move the windshield
wiper lever to select the wiper
speed.
2: Fast wipes.
1: Slow wipes.
&(Adjustable Interval Wipes):
Turn the band up for more frequent
wipes or down for less frequent
wipes.
9(Off): Turns the windshield
wipers off.
3(Mist): Single wipe, briefly
move the wiper lever down. Several
wipes, hold the wiper lever down.
Clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If frozen
to the windshield, carefully loosen or
thaw them. Damaged wiper blades
should be replaced. See Wiper
Blade Replacement on page 9‑29.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the
wipers. A circuit breaker stops them
until the motor cools.

4-8 Instruments and Controls
Wipe Parking
If the ignition is turned LOCK/OFF
while the wipers are on 1, 2 or
&,
they will immediately stop.
If the windshield wiper lever is then
moved to OFF before the driver
door is opened or within 10 minutes,
the wipers will restart and move to
the base of the windshield.
If the ignition is turned to LOCK/
OFF while the wipers are performing
wipes due to windshield wash, the
wipers continue to run until they
reach the base of the windshield.
Windshield Washer
Pull the windshield wiper lever to
spray windshield washer fluid and
activate the wipers.
The wipers will continue until the
lever is released or the maximum
wash time is reached. When the windshield wiper lever is
released, additional wipes may
occur depending on how long the
windshield washer had been
activated. See
Washer Fluid
on
page 9‑23for information on filling
the windshield washer fluid
reservoir.
{WARNING
In freezing weather, do not use
your washer until the windshield
is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the
windshield, blocking your vision.
Compass
The vehicle may have a compass
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The compass receives
its heading and other information
from Global Positioning
System (GPS) antenna, StabiliTrak,
and vehicle speed information. Avoid covering the GPS antenna for
long periods of time with objects
that may interfere with the antenna's
ability to receive a satellite signal.
See
Backglass Antenna
on
page 6‑19and Satellite Radio
Antennaon page 6‑19for the
location of the vehicle's antennas.
The compass system is designed to
operate for a certain number of
miles or degrees of turn before
needing a signal from the GPS
satellites. When the compass
display shows CAL, drive the
vehicle for a short distance in an
open area where it can receive a
GPS signal. The compass system
will automatically determine when
GPS signal is restored and provide
a heading again. See Compass
Messages
on page 4‑33for more
information on the messages that
may be displayed for the compass.

9-38 Vehicle Care
Electrical System
Electrical System
Overload
The vehicle has fuses and circuit
breakers to protect against an
electrical system overload.
When the current electrical load is
too heavy, the circuit breaker opens
and closes, protecting the circuit
until the current load returns to
normal or the problem is fixed. This
greatly reduces the chance of circuit
overload and fire caused by
electrical problems.
Fuses and circuit breakers protect
the following in the vehicle:
.Headlamp Wiring
.Windshield Wiper Motor
.Power Windows and other
Power Accessories
Headlamp Wiring
An electrical overload may cause
the lamps to go on and off, or in
some cases to remain off. Have the
headlamp wiring checked right away
if the lamps go on and off or
remain off.
Windshield Wipers
If the wiper motor overheats due to
heavy snow or ice, the windshield
wipers will stop until the motor cools
and will then restart.
Although the circuit is protected
from electrical overload, overload
due to heavy snow or ice, may
cause wiper linkage damage.
Always clear ice and heavy snow
from the windshield before using the
windshield wipers.
If the overload is caused by an
electrical problem and not snow or
ice, be sure to get it fixed.
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers
The wiring circuits in the vehicle are
protected from short circuits by a
combination of fuses and circuit
breakers. This greatly reduces the
chance of damage caused by
electrical problems.
To check a fuse, look at the
silver-colored band inside the fuse.
If the band is broken or melted,
replace the fuse. Be sure to replace
a bad fuse with a new one of the
identical size and rating.
Fuses of the same amperage can
be temporarily borrowed from
another fuse location, if a fuse goes
out. Replace the fuse as soon as
possible.
To identify and check fuses, circuit
breakers, and relays, seeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block
on
page 9‑39, Instrument Panel Fuse
Blockon page 9‑41, and Rear
Compartment Fuse Blockon
page 9‑43.