wiper fluid BUICK LACROSSE 2012 Owner's Manual

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 (4,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
5-4 Instruments and Controls
3(Adjustable Interval Wipes):
Move the lever to
3, then turn the
band up for more frequent wipes or
down for less frequent wipes.
9(Off): Use to turn the windshield
wipers off.
3(Mist): Briefly move the wiper
lever down for a single wipe or hold
down for several wipes.
Clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If they
are frozen to the windshield,
carefully loosen or thaw them.
Damaged wiper blades should be
replaced. See Wiper Blade
Replacement on page 10‑29. Heavy snow or ice can overload the
wipers. A circuit breaker stops them
until the motor cools.
Wipe Parking
If the ignition is turned to LOCK/
OFF while the wipers are on 1, 2,
or
3, they will immediately stop.
If the windshield wiper lever is then
moved to
9before 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 during a windshield wash, the
wipers will stop when they reach the
base of the windshield.
Windshield Washer
Pull the windshield wiper lever
toward you to spray windshield
washer fluid and activate the wipers.
The washer and 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 10‑22 for information on filling
the windshield washer fluid
reservoir.
{WARNING
In freezing weather, do not use
the washer until the windshield is
warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the
windshield, blocking your vision.

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-19
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21 Power Steering Fluid (2.4L
L4 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Power Steering Fluid (3.6L V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-27
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-28
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
High Intensity Discharge(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33 Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-36
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51

Black plate (103,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-103
Protecting Exterior Bright Metal
Parts
Regularly clean bright metal parts
with water or chrome polish on
chrome or stainless steel trim,
if necessary.
For aluminum, never use auto or
chrome polish, steam, or caustic
soap to clean. A coating of wax,
rubbed to a high polish, is
recommended for all bright metal
parts.
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/
Lenses and Emblems
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a
soft cloth, and a car washing soap
to clean exterior lamps and lenses.
Follow instructions under "Washing
the Vehicle" later in this section.
Windshield and Wiper Blades
Clean the outside of the windshield
with glass cleaner.
Clean rubber blades using a lint-free
cloth or paper towel soaked with
windshield washer fluid or a mild
detergent. Wash the windshield
thoroughly when cleaning the
blades. Bugs, road grime, sap, and
a buildup of vehicle wash/wax
treatments may cause wiper
streaking.
Replace the wiper blades if they are
worn or damaged. Damage can be
caused by extreme dusty
conditions, sand, salt, heat, sun,
snow, and ice.
Weatherstrips
Apply silicone grease on
weatherstrips to make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or
squeak. SeeRecommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11‑12.
Tires
Use a stiff brush with tire cleaner to
clean the tires.
Notice: Using petroleum-based
tire dressing products on the
vehicle may damage the paint
finish and/or tires. When applying
a tire dressing, always wipe off
any overspray from all painted
surfaces on the vehicle.
Wheels and Trim —Aluminum
or Chrome
Use a soft, clean cloth with mild
soap and water to clean the wheels.
After rinsing thoroughly with clean
water, dry with a soft, clean towel.
A wax may then be applied.

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-1
Service and
Maintenance
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application Services
Special ApplicationServices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Additional Maintenance
and Care
Additional Maintenanceand Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Maintenance Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-14
Maintenance Records
Maintenance Records . . . . . . 11-15
General Information
Your vehicle is an important
investment. This section describes
the required maintenance for the
vehicle. Follow this schedule to help
protect against major repair
expenses resulting from neglect or
inadequate maintenance. It may
also help to maintain the value of
the vehicle if it is sold. It is the
responsibility of the owner to have
all required maintenance performed.
Your dealer has trained technicians
who can perform required
maintenance using genuine
replacement parts. They have
up‐to‐date tools and equipment for
fast and accurate diagnostics. Many
dealers have extended evening and
Saturday hours, courtesy
transportation, and online
scheduling to assist with service
needs.
Your dealer recognizes the
importance of providing
competitively priced maintenance
and repair services. With trained technicians, the dealer is the place
for routine maintenance such as oil
changes and tire rotations and
additional maintenance items like
tires, brakes, batteries, and wiper
blades.
Notice:
Damage caused by
improper maintenance can lead to
costly repairs and may not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Maintenance intervals, checks,
inspections, recommended fluids,
and lubricants are important to
keep the vehicle in good working
condition.
The Tire Rotation and Required
Services are the responsibility of the
vehicle owner. It is recommended to
have your dealer perform these
services every 12 000 km/7,500 mi.
Proper vehicle maintenance helps to
keep the vehicle in good working
condition, improves fuel economy,
and reduces vehicle emissions.

Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-3
Maintenance
Schedule
Owner Checks and Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Check the engine oil level. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
Once a Month
.Check the tire inflation
pressures. See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑54.
.Inspect the tires for wear. See
Tire Inspection on page 10‑60.
.Check the windshield washer
fluid level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑22.
Engine Oil Change
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message displays, have the
engine oil and filter changed within
the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven
under the best conditions, the
engine oil life system might not
indicate the need for vehicle service
for more than a year. The engine oil
and filter must be changed at least
once a year and the oil life system
must be reset. Your trained dealer
technician can perform this work.
If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since the
last service. Reset the oil life
system when the oil is changed.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12.
Tire Rotation and Required
Services Every 12 000 km/
7,500 mi
Rotate the tires, if recommended for
the vehicle, and perform the
following services. See Tire
Rotation on page 10‑61.
.Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑9 andEngine Oil
Life System on page 10‑12.
.Check engine coolant level. See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑16.
.Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑22.
.Visually inspect windshield wiper
blades for wear, cracking,
or contamination. See Exterior
Care on page 10‑102. Replace
worn or damaged wiper blades.
See Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 10‑29.

Black plate (2,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
i-2 INDEX
AutomaticClimate Control System . . . . . . . . 8-1
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Shift Lock Control
Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . 10-94, 10-95
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-29
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . 7-57, 7-59, 7-63, 7-69Brake
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-20
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36 Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-36
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and
Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
California
Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Camera, Rear Vision . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Cautions, Danger, and
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-28
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-30
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-2
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-17

Black plate (14,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
i-14 INDEX
Vehicle CareStoring the Tire Sealant
and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . 10-87
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Ventilation, Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
W
WarningBrake System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Cautions and Danger . . . . . . . . . . . .iv
Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22 Wheels
Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . 3-43
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19 Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 10-29
Wiring, High Voltage
Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37