park assist BUICK LACROSSE 2011 Owner's Manual

Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑8.
B. Head-Up Display (HUD) on
page 5‑29 (If Equipped).
C. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑4.
Driver Information Center
Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑25.
D. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑10.
Driver Information Center
Display. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑25.
E. Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑3.
F. Infotainment Display Screen.
G. Infotainment on page 7‑1.
H. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑5
(If Equipped).
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑5. I.
Front Storage on page 4‑1.
J. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑17.
K. Cruise Control on page 9‑39.
L. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
M. Horn on page 5‑3.
N. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2 (If Equipped).
O. Ignition Positions (Key Access)
on page 9‑17 orIgnition
Positions (Keyless Access) on
page 9‑19.
P. Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats on page 3‑10.
Q. Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1
(If Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System on page 8‑4
(If Equipped). R.
Power Door Locks on
page 2‑11.
Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑4.
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑37.
S. Parking Brake on page 9‑33.
T. Shift Lever Position Indicator. See Automatic Transmission on
page 9‑28.
U. Shift Lever. See Shifting Into
Park on page 9‑25.
V. Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑36.
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) on page 9‑37.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑42.
Rear Window Sunshade
(If Equipped). See Rear
Window Sunshade on
page 2‑20.
W. Glove Box on page 4‑1.

Black plate (34,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
5-34 Instruments and Controls
RELEASE PARK BRAKE
SWITCH
This message is displayed if the
electric parking brake is on while
the vehicle is in motion. Release
it before you attempt to drive.
SeeParking Brake on page 9‑33
for more information.
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST
This message may be displayed
when there is a problem with
the brake boost assist system.
When this message is displayed,
the brake boost assist motor
might be heard operating and
you might notice pulsation in the
brake pedal. This is normal under
these conditions. Take the vehicle
to your dealer for service.
SERVICE PARKING BRAKE
This message is displayed when
there is a problem with the electric
parking brake. See Parking Brake
on page 9‑33 for more information.
Take the vehicle to your dealer.
Compass Messages
CAL
This message is displayed when
the compass needs to be calibrated.
See Compass on page 5‑5.
– – –
Three dashes will be displayed if the
compass needs service. See your
dealer for service.
Cruise Control Messages
APPLY BRAKE BEFORE
CRUISE
If this message displays when
attempting to activate cruise control,
apply the brake pedal and try again.
CRUISE SET TO XXX
This message displays when the
cruise control is set and shows the
speed it was set to. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑39 for more
information.
Door Ajar Messages
DRIVER DOOR OPEN
This message will display when the
driver door is open. Close the door
completely.
HOOD OPEN
This message will display when
the hood is open. Close the hood
completely.
LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN
This message will display when the
driver side rear door is open. Close
the door completely.
PASSENGER DOOR OPEN
This message will display when the
front passenger door is open. Close
the door completely.
RIGHT REAR DOOR OPEN
This message will display when the
passenger side rear door is open.
Close the door completely.

Black plate (37,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-37
Lamp Messages
AFL (Adaptive Forward
Lighting) LAMPS NEED
SERVICE
This message displays
when the Adaptive Forward
Lighting (AFL) system is disabled
and needs service. See your
dealer. SeeAdaptive Forward
Lighting (AFL) on page 6‑4 for
more information.
Object Detection System
Messages
PARK ASSIST OFF
This message is displayed when the
park assist system has been turned
off. See Ultrasonic Parking Assist
on page 9‑42.
SERVICE PARK ASSIST
This message is displayed if there
is a problem with the park assist
system. Take the vehicle to your
dealer for service.
Ride Control System
Messages
SERVICE REAR AXLE
This message displays when there
is a problem with the All-Wheel
Drive (AWD) System. See your
dealer for service.
SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL
This message displays when there
is a problem with the Traction
Control System (TCS). When this
message is displayed, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly. See your dealer
for service.
SERVICE STABILITRAK
This message displays if there
is a problem with the StabiliTrak®
system. If this message appears, try
to reset the system. Stop; turn off
the engine for at least 15 seconds;
then start the engine again. If this
message still comes on, it means
there is a problem. See your dealer
for service. The vehicle is safe to
drive, however, you do not have the
benefit of StabiliTrak, so reduce
your speed and drive accordingly.
SPORT MODE ON
This message displays when
using the selective ride control.
See Selective Ride Control on
page 9‑38 for more information.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF
This message displays when the
Traction Control System (TCS) is
turned off. Adjust your driving
accordingly.

Black plate (42,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
5-42 Instruments and Controls
Collision/Detection Systems
Select the Collision/Detection
Systems menu and the following
will be displayed:
.Side Blind Zone Alert System
Side Blind Zone Alert System
This allows the Side Blind Zone
Alert System feature to be turned
on or off.
Press the MENU/SELECT knob
when Park Assist is highlighted.
Turn the knob to select On or Off.
Press the knob to confirm and go
back to the last menu.
Language
Select the Language menu and the
following will be displayed:
.English
.French
.Spanish Turn the MENU/SELECT knob
to select the language. Press the
knob to confirm and go back to the
last menu.
Lighting
Select the Lighting menu and the
following will be displayed:
.Exit Lighting
.Vehicle Locator Lights
Exit Lighting
This allows the selection of how
long the exterior lamps stay on
when leaving the vehicle when
it is dark outside.
Press the MENU/SELECT knob
when Exit Lighting is highlighted.
Turn the knob to select Off,
30 Seconds, 1 Minute, or 2 Minutes.
Press the knob to confirm and go
back to the last menu. Vehicle Locator Lights
This allows the vehicle locator
lights to be turned on or off. The
vehicle locator lights come on when
unlocking the vehicle with the RKE
transmitter.
Press the MENU/SELECT knob
when Vehicle Locator Lights is
highlighted. Turn the knob to select
On or Off. Press the knob to confirm
and go back to the last menu.
Power Door Locks
Select Power Door Locks and the
following will be displayed:
.Unlocked Door Anti Lock Out
.Delayed Door Lock
.Auto Door Unlock

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-11
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-16
Ignition Positions(Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Parking Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-28
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-35
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . 9-38
Selective Ride Control . . . . . . . 9-38
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-42
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46

Black plate (4,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
9-4 Driving and Operating
And, of course, actual stopping
distances vary greatly with the
surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition
of the road, whether it is wet, dry,
or icy; tire tread; the condition of the
brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force
applied.
Avoid needless heavy
braking. Some people drive in
spurts—heavy acceleration
followed by heavy braking —rather
than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. The brakes
might not have time to cool
between hard stops. The brakes
will wear out much faster with a
lot of heavy braking. Keeping pace
with the traffic and allowing realistic
following distances eliminates a lot
of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life. If the engine ever stops while
the vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. If the brakes are pumped,
the pedal could get harder to push
down. If the engine stops, there
will still be some power brake assist
but it will be used when the brake
is applied. Once the power assist is
used up, it can take longer to stop
and the brake pedal will be harder
to push.
Adding non‐dealer accessories
can affect vehicle performance.
See
Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3.
Steering
Power Steering
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
power steering system is not
functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but it will take more effort.
Speed Variable Assist Steering
The vehicle has a steering system
that varies the amount of effort
required to steer the vehicle in
relation to the speed of the vehicle.
The amount of steering effort
required is less at slower
speeds to make the vehicle more
maneuverable and easier to park.
At faster speeds, the steering effort
increases to provide a sport-like
feel to the steering. This provides
maximum control and stability.
If the vehicle seems harder to steer
than normal when parking or driving
slowly, there may be a problem
with the system. You will still have
power steering, but steering will be
stiffer than normal at slow speeds.
See your dealer for service.

Black plate (8,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
9-8 Driving and Operating
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑46.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention
to your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find
a safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep interior temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.

Black plate (17,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-17
Vehicle speeds above
110 km/h (68 mph) should
be limited to five minutes
per use.
.Avoid making hard stops
for the first 322 km (200 mi)
or so. During this time the
new brake linings are not
yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. SeeDriving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips on page 9‑56 for the
trailer towing capabilities
of your vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine
speed and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
(Key Access)
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
Notice: Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer. The key must be fully extended to
start the vehicle.
To shift out of P (Park), turn the
ignition to ON/RUN and apply the
brake pedal.
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):
When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑24 for more information.
This is the only position from
which the key can be removed.
This locks the ignition and automatic
transmission.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause
a loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.

Black plate (18,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
9-18 Driving and Operating
In an emergency, if the vehicle must
be shut off while driving:
1. Brake using a firm and steadypressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park)
to turn the ignition switch to
the LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on
page 9‑33.{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
5. If the vehicle must be shut off while driving, turn the ignition to
ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition switch can bind in the
LOCK/OFF position with the wheels
turned off center. If this happens,
move the steering wheel from
right to left while turning the key
to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this does
not work, then the vehicle needs
service.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This
position provides power to some of
the electrical accessories. It unlocks
the ignition. To move the key from
ACC/ACCESSORY to LOCK/OFF,
the shift lever must be in P (Park). C (ON/RUN):
The ignition
switch stays in this position
when the engine is running.
This position can be used to
operate the electrical accessories,
including the ventilation fan and
12‐volt power outlet, as well as to
display some warning and indicator
lights. The transmission is also
unlocked in this position.
The battery could be drained if the
key is left in the ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN position with the engine
off. The vehicle might not restart if
the battery is allowed to drain for an
extended period of time.
D (START): This position starts
the engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch
will return to ON/RUN for normal
driving.
A warning tone sounds when the
driver door is opened when the
ignition is still in ACC/ACCESSORY
and the key is in the ignition.

Black plate (19,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-19
Ignition Positions
(Keyless Access)
The vehicle has an electronic
keyless ignition with push‐button
start.
Pressing the button cycles it through
three modes, ACC/ACCESSORY,
ON/RUN/START, and Stopping the
Engine/OFF.
The transmitter must be in the
vehicle for the system to operate.
If the push-button start is not
working, the vehicle may be neara strong radio antenna signal
causing interference to the keyless
access system. See
Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑4 for more
information.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be in ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN and the brake pedal must
be applied.
Stopping the Engine/OFF
(No LED Lights): When the
vehicle is stopped, press the
engine START/STOP button
once to turn the engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9‑24 for
more information.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park),
the ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the
Driver Information Center (DIC). See
Transmission Messages on
page 5‑38 for more information.
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition system will
switch to OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
In an emergency, if the vehicle must
be shut off while driving:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.