climate control BUICK LACROSSE 2012 User Guide

Black plate (9,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9
The battery is not rechargeable. To
replace the battery:
1. Push the button on thetransmitter to extend the key.
2. Remove the battery cover by prying it with a finger.
3. Remove the battery by pushing on the battery and sliding it
toward the key blade.
4. Insert the new battery, positive side facing up. Push the battery
down until it is held in place.
Replace with a CR2032 or
equivalent battery.
5. Snap the battery cover back on to the transmitter.Remote Vehicle Start
If available, this feature allows the
engine to be started from outside
the vehicle.
The
/button will be on the RKE
transmitter if the vehicle has remote
start.
Laws in some local communities
may restrict the use of remote
starters. For example, some laws
may require a person using remote
start to have the vehicle in view.
Check local regulations for any
requirements.
Starting the Engine Using Remote
Start
To start the engine using the remote
start feature:
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.
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.
Turn the ignition to ON/RUN (key
access), or select the ON/RUN/
START ignition position (keyless
access), to drive the vehicle.
The engine will shut off after
10 minutes unless a time extension
is done or the ignition is put in ON/
RUN (key access) or ON/RUN/
START (keyless access).

Black plate (10,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
2-10 Keys, Doors, and Windows
When the vehicle is started
remotely, the climate control remote
start. system will use the last setting
before the vehicle was shut off. See
“Remote Start Climate Control
Operation”inAutomatic Climate
Control System on page 8‑1 orDual
Automatic Climate Control System
on page 8‑5. Vehicles with heated
or heated and ventilated front seats
can have this feature turn on
automatically during a remote start.
See “Remote Start Heated Seats”
and “Remote Start Cooled Seats”
under Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑43 for more information.
Extending Engine Run Time
The engine will continue to run for
10 minutes. Repeat the steps for a
10-minute time extension. Remote
start can only be extended once.
When remote start is extended, the
second 10 minutes will start
immediately. For example, if the vehicle has been
running for five minutes, and
10 minutes are added, the engine
will run for a total of 15 minutes.
A maximum of two remote starts or
remote start attempts are allowed
between ignition cycles.
The vehicle's ignition must be
turned on and then back off before
the remote start procedure can be
used again.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do any 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.
Conditions in Which Remote Start
Will Not Work
The remote start will not operate if:
.The key is in the ignition (key
access) or the ignition is in any
position other than OFF (keyless
access).
.The transmitter is in the vehicle
(keyless access).
.The hood is not closed.
.The hazard warning flashers
are on.
.There is an emission control
system malfunction.
.The engine coolant temperature
is too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Two remote vehicle starts have
already been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).

Black plate (13,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-13
Doors
Trunk
{WARNING
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate, or trunk/hatch open:
.Close all of the windows.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See “Climate
Control Systems” in the
Index.
.If the vehicle has a power
liftgate, disable the power
liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑30.
Remote Trunk Release
To open the trunk from outside the
vehicle, press
Von the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter,
or press the touch pad above the
license plate.

Black plate (18,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
2-18 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Heated Mirrors
For vehicles with heated mirrors:
1(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to heat the mirrors.
See “Rear Window Defogger” under
Automatic Climate Control System
on page 8‑1 for more information.
Park Tilt Mirrors
If the vehicle is equipped with
memory mirrors, there is an option
to have the mirrors tilt down, when
in R (Reverse), to more easily see
the ground near the vehicle.
When the vehicle is shifted to
R (Reverse), both the driver and
passenger mirrors will tilt downward.
They will return to their previous
position when the vehicle is shifted
out of R (Reverse), the ignition is
turned to OFF, or the vehicle is left
in R (Reverse) for an extended
period of time.
This feature can be turned on or off.
SeeVehicle Personalization on
page 5‑43.
Interior Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
Adjust the inside rearview mirror for
a clear view of the area behind your
vehicle. To avoid glare of the
headlamps 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 about OnStar and how
to subscribe to it. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1.

Black plate (10,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
3-10 Seats and Restraints
Heated and Ventilated
Front Seats
{WARNING
If you cannot feel temperature
change or pain to the skin, the
seat heater may cause burns
even at low temperatures. To
reduce the risk of burns, people
with such a condition should use
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of
time. Do not place anything on
the seat that insulates against
heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to
overheat. An overheated seat
heater may cause a burn or may
damage the seat.
Heated and Ventilated Seat
Buttons Shown, Heated Seat Buttons Similar
If available, the buttons are on the
climate control panel. To operate,
the ignition must be on. Press
Lto heat the seat cushion
and seatback or
{, if equipped, to
ventilate the seat.
Press the button once for the
highest setting. With each press of
the button, the seat will change to
the next lower setting, and then to
the off setting. The lights indicate
three for the highest setting and one
for the lowest.
The passenger seat may take
longer to heat up.

Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-3
b/g(Push to Talk):For vehicles
with a Bluetooth®, OnStar,
or navigation system, press to
interact with those systems. See
Bluetooth (Overview) on page 7‑57
or Bluetooth (Infotainment Controls)
on page 7‑59 orBluetooth (Voice
Recognition) on page 7‑63 or
Bluetooth (UHP Mexico Only) on
page 7‑69, OnStar Overview on
page 14‑1, or the navigation manual
for more information.
$/i(Mute/End Call): Press to
silence the vehicle speakers only.
Press again to turn the sound on.
For vehicles with OnStar or
Bluetooth systems, press to reject
an incoming call, or end a
current call.
_SRC^(Thumbwheel Control):
Turn to select an audio source.
Press
_or^to select the next or
previous favorite radio station, CD,
or MP3 track. +
x−
(Volume): Press + to
increase the volume. Press −to
decrease the volume.
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
Pressaon the steering wheel
pad to sound the horn.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper lever is on the
right 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: Use for fast wipes.
1: Use for slow wipes.

Black plate (43,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-43
Vehicle
Personalization
The audio system controls are used
to access the personalization
menus for customizing vehicle
features.
CONFIG (Configuration):Press to
access the Configuration
Settings menu.
Menu Knob: Turn to scroll through
the menus.
SELECT: Press to enter the menus
and select menu items.
/BACK: Press to exit or move
backward in a menu. Entering the Personalization
Menus
1. Press CONFIG to access the
Configuration Settings menu.
2. Turn the Menu knob to highlight Vehicle Settings.
3. Press SELECT to select the Vehicle Settings menu.
The following list of menu items may
be available:
.Climate and Air Quality
.Comfort and Convenience
.Collision/Detection Systems
.Language
.Lighting
.Power Door Locks
.Remote Lock/Unlock/Start
.Return to Factory Settings
Turn the Menu knob to highlight the
menu. Press SELECT to select it.
Each of the menus is detailed in the
following information.
Climate and Air Quality
Select the Climate and Air Quality
menu and the following may be
displayed:
.Auto Fan Speed
.Air Quality Sensor
.Auto Heated Seats
.Air Conditioning Mode
.Remote Start Auto Heated Seats
.Remote Start Cooled Seats
.Auto Defog
.Auto Rear Defog
Auto Fan Speed
This will allow you to select the
automatic fan speed. It can be
adjusted to run lower or higher than
normal.
Press SELECT when Auto Fan
Speed is highlighted to open the
menu. Turn the Menu knob to
highlight High, Medium, or Low.

Black plate (44,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
5-44 Instruments and Controls
Press SELECT to confirm the
selection. Press
/BACK to move to
the last menu.
Air Quality Sensor
This will allow you to select whether
the system will operate at high or
low sensitivity. Only vehicles with
the dual zone climate control will
have this option.
Press SELECT when Air Quality
Sensor is highlighted to open the
menu. Turn the Menu knob to
highlight High or Low. Press
SELECT to confirm the selection.
Press
/BACK to move to the
last menu.
Auto Heated Seats
If equipped and turned on, this
feature will automatically activate
heated seats at the level required by
the interior temperature. The auto
heated seats can be turned off by
using the heated seat buttons on
the climate control panel. Press SELECT when Auto Heated
Seats is highlighted to open the
menu. Turn the Menu knob to
highlight On or Off. Press SELECT
to confirm the selection. Press
/BACK to move to the last menu.
Air Conditioning Mode
This allows selection of automatic
start of the air conditioning upon
vehicle start. Selecting On indicates
the air conditioning will be on when
the vehicle is started. Selecting Off
turns the air conditioning off each
time the vehicle is started. Last
Setting will resume the last setting
when the vehicle was shut off.
Press SELECT when Air
Conditioning Mode is highlighted to
open the menu. Turn the Menu knob
to highlight Off, On, or Last Setting.
Press SELECT to confirm the
selection. Press
/BACK to move to
the last menu. Remote Start Auto Heated Seats
If equipped and turned on, this
feature will turn the heated seats on
when using remote start on
cold days.
Press SELECT when Remote Start
Auto Heated Seats is highlighted.
Turn the Menu knob to select On or
Off. Press SELECT to confirm the
selection. Press
/BACK to move to
the last menu.
Remote Start Cooled Seats
If equipped and turned on, this
feature will turn the cooled seats on
when using remote start on
warm days.
Press SELECT when Remote Start
Cooled Seats is highlighted. Turn
the Menu knob to select On or Off.
Press SELECT to confirm the
selection. Press
/BACK to move to
the last menu.

Black plate (45,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-45
Auto Defog
This will allow you to turn the auto
defog on or off. Only vehicles with
the dual zone climate control will
have this option.
Press SELECT when Auto Defog is
highlighted to open the menu. Turn
the Menu knob to highlight On or
Off. Press SELECT to confirm the
selection. Press
/BACK to move to
the last menu.
Auto Rear Defog
If equipped, this will allow you to
turn the auto rear defog on or off.
This feature will automatically turn
on the rear defogger when it is cold
outside.
Press SELECT when Auto Rear
Defog is highlighted to open the
menu. Turn the Menu knob to
highlight On or Off. Press SELECT
to confirm the selection. Press
/BACK to move to the last menu.
Comfort and Convenience
Select the Comfort and
Convenience menu and the
following will be displayed:
.Chime Volume
.Driver Seat Easy Exit
.Park Tilt Mirrors
Chime Volume
This allows selection of the chime
volume level.
Press SELECT when Chime Volume
is highlighted. Turn the Menu knob
to select Normal or High. Press
SELECT to confirm the selection.
Press
/BACK to move to the
last menu.
Driver Seat Easy Exit
When on, this feature will move the
driver seat rearward upon turning
the ignition off and opening the
driver door. This may be performed
to make it easier to exit the vehicle. See
“Easy Exit Driver Seat” under
Power Seat Adjustment on page 3‑5
for more information.
This allows you to turn the easy exit
seat feature on or off.
Press SELECT when Driver Seat
Easy Exit is highlighted. Turn the
Menu knob to select On or Off.
Press SELECT to confirm the
selection. Press
/BACK to move to
the last menu.
Park Tilt Mirrors
When on, both the driver and
passenger mirrors will tilt downward
when the vehicle is shifted to
R (Reverse) to improve visibility of
the ground near the rear wheels.
They will return to their previous
driving position when the vehicle is
shifted out of R (Reverse), the
ignition is turned to OFF, or the
vehicle is left in R (Reverse). See
Park Tilt Mirrors on page 2‑18 for
more information.

Black plate (8,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
6-8 Lighting
The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all of the
power needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a DIC message might
be displayed and it is recommended
that the driver reduce the electrical
loads as much as possible. See
Battery Voltage and Charging
Messages on page 5‑35.Battery Power Protection
The battery saver feature is
designed to protect the vehicle's
battery.
If the exterior lamps or any interior
light is left on and the ignition is
turned off, the battery rundown
protection system automatically
turns the lamp off after about
10 minutes.