light 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 (9,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-9
Heated and Ventilated
Seats
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.
For more information, see
Heated
and Ventilated Front Seats on
page 3‑10.
Head Restraint
Adjustment
Do not drive until the head restraints
for all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
To achieve a comfortable seating
position, change the seatback
recline angle as little as necessary
while keeping the seat and the head
restraint height in the proper
position.
For more information see Head
Restraints on page 3‑2 andSeat
Adjustment on page 3‑4.
Safety Belts
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly:
.Safety Belts on page 3‑13.
.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3‑14.
.Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑15.
.Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑44.

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 (12,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
1-12 In Brief
Reading Lamps
There are front and rear reading
lamps.
The front reading lamps are located
in the overhead console.
The rear reading lamps are located
in the headliner.
#or$:Press to turn each lamp
on or off.
For more information, see:
.Dome Lamps on page 6‑6.
Exterior Lighting
The exterior lamp control is located
on the instrument panel on the
outboard side of the steering wheel.
Turn the control to the following
positions:
O: Turns off the exterior lamps.
The knob returns to the AUTO
position after it is released. Turn to
off again to reactivate the
AUTO mode.
AUTO: Automatically turns the
exterior lamps on and off,
depending on outside lighting.

Black plate (13,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-13
;:Turns on the parking lamps,
together with the sidemarker lamps,
taillamps, license plate lamps, and
instrument panel lights.
2: Turns on the headlamps,
together with the parking lamps,
sidemarker lamps, taillamps, license
plate lamps, and instrument panel
lights.
For more information, see:
.Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
.Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
on page 6‑2.
.Fog Lamps on page 6‑5.
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.
3:Move the lever to3, then
turn the band up for more frequent
wipes or down for less frequent
wipes.
9: Use to turn the windshield
wipers off.
3: Briefly move the wiper lever
down for a single wipe or hold down
for several wipes.
Windshield Washer
Pull the windshield wiper lever to
spray windshield washer fluid and
activate the wipers.
See Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑3.

Black plate (20,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
1-20 In Brief
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The DIC display is located in the
center of the instrument panel
cluster. It shows the status of many
vehicle systems. The controls for
the DIC are located on the turn
signal lever.
A.SET/CLR: Press to set or clear
the menu item when it is
displayed.
B.
w/x: Use the thumbwheel
to scroll through the items in
each menu. C.
MENU: Press to display the
Trip/Fuel Menu and the Vehicle
Information Menu. This button is
also used to return to or exit the
last screen displayed on
the DIC.
For more information, see Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑27.
Vehicle Personalization
Some vehicle features can be
programmed by using the audio
system controls. These features
include:
.Climate and Air Quality
.Comfort and Convenience
.Collision/Detection Systems
.Language
.Lighting
.Power Door Locks
.Remote Lock/Unlock
.Return to Factory Settings See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑43.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
If available, Ultrasonic Rear Parking
Assist (URPA) system uses sensors
on the rear bumper to assist with
parking and avoiding objects while
in R (Reverse). It operates at
speeds less than 8 km/h (5 mph).
URPA uses audible beeps to
provide distance and system
information.
Keep the sensors on the vehicle's
rear bumper clean to ensure proper
operation.
See Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑44 for more information.

Black plate (22,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
1-22 In Brief
Express-open/Express-close:To
express-open the sunroof, fully
press and release the rear of the
switch (B). To express-close, fully
press and release the front of the
switch (A). To stop the sunroof
partway, press either switch a
second time.
The sunshade opens automatically
with the sunroof.
To express-open the sunshade, fully
press and release the rear of the
switch (C). To stop the sunshade
partway, press the switch a second
time. To express-close, fully press
and release the front of the
switch (D). To stop the sunshade
partway, press the switch a
second time.
See Sunroof on page 2‑22.eAssist Features
eAssist®Overview
If the vehicle has eAssist, there are
several additional features which
contribute to increased efficiency.
Vehicles with eAssist have an
automatic engine start/stop feature.
This feature saves fuel by shutting
the engine off when the vehicle is
stopped. When the engine shuts off
automatically, all the accessories
will continue to operate normally. In
very hot or cold conditions, the
engine will only shut off
automatically part of the time. See
Starting the Engine on page 9‑22.
There are two air conditioning
settings available. The comfort
setting maximizes cabin comfort.
The eco setting maximizes
efficiency allowing more frequent,
and longer engine stops than the
comfort setting. See Dual Automatic
Climate Control System on
page 8‑5. This vehicle has a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature, which may be useful
when the vehicle is stopped on a
grade. See
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
on page 9‑38.
Vehicles with eAssist have a slightly
different instrument cluster, which
includes an efficiency gauge, and
an AUTO STOP indicator on the
tachometer. See Instrument Cluster
on page 5‑10. There is also a Power
Flow Gauge in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑27.
The eAssist system uses a high
voltage battery, which is cooled with
air drawn from the vehicle interior.

Black plate (26,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
1-26 In Brief
Tire Pressure Monitor
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS warning light alerts you
to a significant loss in pressure of
one of the vehicle's tires. If the
warning light comes on, stop as
soon as possible and inflate the
tires to the recommended pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. SeeVehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑12. The warning
light will remain on until the tire
pressure is corrected. During cooler conditions, the low tire
pressure warning light may appear
when the vehicle is first started and
then turn off. This may be an early
indicator that the tire pressures are
getting low and the tires need to be
inflated to the proper pressure.
The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. It is the
driver
’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressures.
See Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10‑56.
Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit
This vehicle may come with a spare
tire and tire changing equipment or
a tire sealant and compressor kit.
The kit can be used to temporarily
seal small punctures in the tread
area of the tire.
See Tire Sealant and Compressor
Kit (With Pressure Relief Button) on
page 10‑71 orTire Sealant and
Compressor Kit (With Pressure
Deflation Button) on page 10‑78 for
complete operating information.
If the vehicle came with a spare tire
and tire changing equipment, see If
a Tire Goes Flat on page 10‑69.