lock BUICK LACROSSE 2012 Owner's Manual

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
2012 Buick LaCrosse Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
eAssist Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Performance and
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-43
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-49
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-28
Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-47
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-57
Trademarks and License Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-80 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-17
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-31
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-38
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-44
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-63
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47

Black plate (5,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Trunk Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . 1-9
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10 Steering Wheel
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-13
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-18
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-18
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . 1-20
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-20
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Universal Remote System . . . 1-21
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
eAssist Features
eAssist®Overview . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
High Voltage Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Driver Efficiency Gauge . . . . . . 1-23
Automatic Engine Start/Stop Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . 1-24
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-26
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-27
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28

Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-3
A.Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑5
(If Equipped).
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑5.
Head-Up Display (HUD) on
page 5‑31 (If Equipped).
B. Air Vents on page 8‑10.
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 5‑27.
D. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑10.
Driver Information Center
Display. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑27.
E. Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑3.
F. Infotainment Display Screen. G.
Infotainment on page 7‑1.
H. Front Storage on page 4‑1.
I. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑17.
J. Cruise Control on page 9‑42.
K. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
L. Horn on page 5‑3.
M. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2 (If Equipped).
N. Ignition Positions (Key Access)
on page 9‑18 orIgnition
Positions (Keyless Access) on
page 9‑20.
O. Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats on page 3‑10
(If Equipped).
P. Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1
(If Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑5
(If Equipped). Q.
Parking Brake on page 9‑36.
R. Shift Lever Position Indicator. See Automatic Transmission on
page 9‑31.
S. Shift Lever. See Shifting Into
Park on page 9‑27.
T. Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑38.
StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑40 (If Equipped).
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑44.
Rear Window Sunshade on
page 2‑21 (If Equipped).
U. Power Door Locks on
page 2‑12.
Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑4.
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑29.

Black plate (4,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
1-4 In Brief
Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter will work up to 20 m
(65 ft) away from the vehicle. On
vehicles with remote start the
distance will be greater.
Press the button to extend the key.
The key can be used for all locks.
This key is also used for the
ignition, if the vehicle does not have
pushbutton start.
K:Press to unlock the driver door
or all doors.
Q: Press to lock all doors.
Lock and unlock feedback can be
personalized.
V: Press and hold to open the
trunk.
7: Press and release one time to
locate the vehicle. Press and hold
for at least two seconds to sound
the panic alarm. Press again to
cancel the panic alarm.
See Keys on page 2‑2 andRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑4.
Remote Vehicle Start
For vehicles with this feature, the
engine can be started from outside
the vehicle.
Starting the Vehicle
1. Aim the RKE transmitter at the vehicle.
2. Press and release
Q.
3. Immediately after completing Step 2, press and hold
/until
the turn signal lamps flash, or for
about two seconds if the vehicle
is not in view.

Black plate (5,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-5
When the engine starts, the parking
lamps will turn on and remain on as
long as the engine is running. The
doors will be locked and the climate
control system may come on.
The engine will continue to run for
10 minutes. Repeat the steps for a
10-minute time extension. Remote
start can be extended only once.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do one of
the following:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold
/
until the parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the vehicle on and then off.
See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑9.
Door Locks
To lock or unlock the doors:
.From inside the vehicle, use the
door lock knob or the power
door lock controls, pull once on
the door handle to unlock it, and
a second time to open it.
.From outside, use the key,
or press
QorKon the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
See Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation on
page 2‑4.
See Door Locks on page 2‑11.
Power Door Locks
K:Press to unlock the doors.
Q:Press to lock the doors.
See Power Door Locks on
page 2‑12.

Black plate (6,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
1-6 In Brief
Trunk Release
The trunk may be opened by
pressing
Von the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter or
the touch pad located on the rear of
the trunk above the license plate.
See Trunk on page 2‑13 for more
information.
Windows
Press the switch to lower the
window. Pull the switch up to
raise it. For more information, see
Power
Windows on page 2‑20.
Seat Adjustment
Manual Seats
A. Seatback Recline Lever
B. Height Adjustment Switch
C. Seat Position Handle To adjust the seat position:
1. Pull the handle (C) under the
front of the seat cushion.
2. Slide the seat to the desired position and release the
handle (C).
3. Try to move the seat back and forth to be sure it is locked in
place.
Press and hold the top or bottom of
the switch (B) to raise or lower the
seat. Release the switch (B) when
the desired height is reached.
To raise or recline the seatback, use
the lever (A) on the outboard side of
the seat.
See Seat Adjustment on page 3‑4
and Reclining Seatbacks on
page 3‑6 for more information.

Black plate (8,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
1-8 In Brief
Memory Features
On vehicles with the memory
feature, the“1”and “2”buttons on
the outboard side of the driver seat
are used to manually save and
recall the driver seat and outside
mirror positions. These manually
stored positions are referred to as
Button Memory positions.
The vehicle will also automatically
save driver seat and outside mirror
positions to the current driver
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter when the ignition is placed in OFF. These automatically
stored positions are referred to as
RKE Memory positions.
Storing Button Memory Positions
To save positions into Button
Memory:
1. Adjust the driver seat, seatback
recliner, and both outside mirrors
to the desired driving positions.
2. Press and hold MEM (Memory) and “1”at the same time until a
beep sounds.
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for a second driver using “2.”
To recall the manually saved Button
Memory positions, press and hold
“1” or“2.” The driver seat and
outside mirrors move to the
positions stored to those buttons
when pressed. Releasing “1”or“2”
before the stored positions are
reached stops the recall.
To automatically recall RKE Memory
positions, unlock the driver door
with the RKE transmitter, and open the driver door. On vehicles with
Keyless Access, opening the driver
door when an RKE transmitter is
present will activate the RKE
Memory recall. If the driver door is
already open, pressing the RKE
transmitter
Kbutton will also
activate the RKE Memory recall.
The driver seat and outside mirrors
will move to the previously saved
RKE Memory positions.
See Memory Seats on page 3‑8 for
more information.
Easy Exit Driver Seat
This feature moves the seat
rearward allowing the driver more
room to exit the vehicle.
To activate, place the ignition in
OFF and open the driver door. If the
driver door is already open, placing
the ignition in OFF will activate the
easy exit driver seat.
This feature is turned on or off using
the vehicle personalization menu.
See Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑43 for more information.

Black plate (11,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-11
Interior
Adjust this mirror for a clear view of
the area behind the vehicle. Hold
the mirror in the center to move it
up, down, or side to side. To reduce
headlamp glare from behind, push
the tab forward for daytime and pull
it for nighttime use.
Vehicles with OnStar
®have three
control buttons at the bottom of the
mirror. See your dealer for more
information on the system and how
to subscribe to OnStar. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1.
See Manual Rearview Mirror on
page 2‑18.
Steering Wheel
Adjustment
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Pull the lever (A) down.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down.
3. Pull or push the steering wheel closer or away from you.
4. Pull the lever (A) up to lock the steering wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while driving.
Interior Lighting
Dome Lamps
The interior lamps control located in
the overhead console controls both
the front and rear interior lamps.
(: Turns the lamps off.
H:Turns the lamps on when any
door is opened.
': Keeps the lamps on all
the time.

Black plate (17,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-17
Vehicle Features
Radio(s)
VOL/O:Press to turn the system
on and off. Turn to increase or
decrease the volume.
RADIO/BAND or SOURCE: Press
to choose between FM, AM,
or XM™, if equipped.
Menu Knob: Turn to select radio
stations.
g: Press to seek the previous
station or track.
l: Press to seek the next station
or track.
Buttons 1‐6: Press to save and
select favorite stations.
INFO: Press to show available
information about the current station
or track.
See Overview (Radio with CD) on
page 7‑3 orOverview (Radio with
CD/DVD and MEM) on page 7‑5 or
Overview (Radio with CD and Touchscreen) on page 7‑7
for more
information about these and other
radio features.
Storing a Favorite Station
Stations from all bands can be
stored in the favorite lists in any
order. Up to six stations can be
stored in each favorite page and the
number of available favorite pages
can be set.
To store the station to a position in
the list, press the corresponding
numeric button 1 to 6 until a beep is
heard.
See “Storing a Station as a
Favorite” inAM-FM Radio (Radio
with CD/DVD/MEM) on page 7‑18 or
AM-FM Radio (Radio with CD and
Touchscreen) on page 7‑21.
Setting the Clock
See Clock (Radio with CD and
Touchscreen) on page 5‑5 for more
information.
Satellite Radio
Vehicles with an XM™ satellite radio
tuner and a valid XM satellite radio
subscription can receive XM
programming.
XM Satellite Radio Service
XM is a satellite radio service based
in the 48 contiguous United States
and 10 Canadian provinces. XM
satellite radio has a wide variety of
programming and commercial-free
music, coast to coast, and in
digital-quality sound. A fee is
required to receive the XM service.
For more information refer to:
.www.xmradio.com or call
1-800-929-2100 (U.S.).
.www.xmradio.ca or call
1-877-438-9677 (Canada).
For more information, see Satellite
Radio on page 7‑24.