BUICK LACROSSE 2013 Owner's Manual

Black plate (17,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Instruments and Controls 5-17
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing:A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
To prevent more serious damage to
the vehicle:
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard accelerations.
.Avoid steep uphill grades.
.If the vehicle is towing a trailer,
reduce the amount of cargo
being hauled as soon as it is
possible.
If the light continues to flash, find a
safe place to stop and park the
vehicle. Turn the vehicle off, wait at
least 10 seconds, and restart the
engine. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps and see
your dealer for service as soon as
possible. Light On Steady:
An emission
control system malfunction has
been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be
required.
The following may correct an
emissions control system
malfunction:
.Check that the fuel cap is fully
installed. See Filling the Tank on
page 9‑50. The diagnostic
system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap allows fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn the
light off.
.Check that good quality fuel is
used. Poor fuel quality causes
the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and may
cause stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is
changed into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration.
These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions
occurs, change the fuel brand used.
It may require at least one full tank
of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
See Recommended Fuel on
page 9‑47.
If none of the above have made the
light turn off, your dealer can check
the vehicle. The dealer has the
proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems
that might have developed.
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Depending on where you live, your
vehicle may be required to
participate in an emission control
system inspection and maintenance
program. For the inspection, the
emission system test equipment will
likely connect to the vehicle's Data
Link Connector (DLC).

Black plate (18,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
5-18 Instruments and Controls
The DLC is under the instrument
panel next to the steering wheel.
See your dealer if assistance is
needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on while the vehicle is running.
The vehicle is in ON/RUN for
keyed access, or service only
mode for keyless access and the
malfunction indicator lamp does
not come on. See your dealer for
assistance in verifying proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp.
.The OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics) system determines
that critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed. Thevehicle would be considered not
ready for inspection. This can
happen if the 12-volt battery has
recently been replaced or run
down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II
system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working.
If the warning light comes on, there
is a brake problem. Have your brake
system inspected right away.
MetricEnglish
With antilock brakes, this light
should come on when the vehicle is
placed in START. If it does not, have
the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The pedal may be harder to push or
it can go closer to the floor. It may
take longer to stop. Try turning off
and restarting the vehicle one or two
times. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on page 5‑19 and
Towing the Vehicle on page 10‑90.

Black plate (19,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Instruments and Controls 5-19
{WARNING
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Electric Parking Brake
Light
MetricEnglish
For vehicles with the Electric
Parking Brake (EPB), the parking
brake status light comes on when the parking brake is applied. If the
light continues flashing after the
parking brake is released, or while
driving, there is a problem with the
Electric Parking Brake system.
A message may also display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See
Brake System Messages on
page 5‑33 for more information.
If the light does not come on,
or remains flashing, see your dealer.
For vehicles with the Electric
Parking Brake (EPB), the parking
brake warning light should come on
briefly when ignition is placed in ON/
RUN. If it does not come on, then
have it fixed so it will be ready to
warn if there is a problem. If this light comes on, there is a
problem with a system on the
vehicle that is causing the parking
brake system to work at a reduced
level. The vehicle can still be driven,
but should be taken to a dealer as
soon as possible. See
Parking
Brake on page 9‑32 for more
information.
For vehicles with the uplevel or
eAssist cluster, this telltale displays
in the Driver Information Center
(DIC) screen.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.

Black plate (20,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
5-20 Instruments and Controls
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off.
If the light comes on while driving,
stop as soon as it is safely possible
and turn off the vehicle. Then start
the engine again to reset the
system. If the ABS light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the
vehicle needs service. A chime may
also sound when the light comes on
steady.
If the ABS light is the only light on,
the vehicle has regular brakes, but
the antilock brakes are not
functioning.
If both the ABS and the brake
system warning light are on, the
vehicle's antilock brakes are not
functioning and there is a problem
with the regular brakes. See your
dealer for service.See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑18 andBrake System
Messages on page 5‑33.
Traction Off Light
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer.
This light comes on when the
Traction Control System (TCS) has
been turned off by pressing and
releasing the TCS/StabiliTrak
button.
This light also comes on and the
system turns off if there is a problem
with the TCS. If the light comes on and stays on
for an extended period of time while
the system is turned on, the vehicle
needs service.
See
Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑34 andStabiliTrak
®
System on page 9‑35.
StabiliTrak®OFF Light
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer.
This light comes on when the
StabiliTrak system is turned off.
If the Traction Control System (TCS)
is off, wheel spin is not limited.
If StabiliTrak is off, the system does
not assist in controlling the vehicle.

Black plate (21,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Instruments and Controls 5-21
Turn on the TCS and the StabiliTrak
system and the warning light
turns off.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑34 andStabiliTrak
®
System on page 9‑35 for more
information.
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak®Light
The TCS/StabiliTrak light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have
the vehicle serviced by the dealer.
If the system is working normally,
the indicator light turns off. If the light is on while certain DIC
messages display, this indicates
that the TCS and StabiliTrak
systems are not working or are
disabled.
If the light is on and not flashing, the
TCS and potentially the StabiliTrak
system have been disabled. Check
the DIC messages to determine
which feature(s) is no longer
functioning and whether it is
because of the driver turning off the
feature(s), or because the system is
not working properly and the vehicle
requires service.
If the TCS is disabled, wheel spin is
not limited. If the StabiliTrak system
is disabled, the system does not aid
in maintaining directional control of
the vehicle.
If the indicator/warning light is on
and flashing, the TCS or the
StabiliTrak system is actively
working. Check the DIC messages
for details to determine which
system is working. If a message
appears in the DIC, the system may
be limiting wheel spin and aiding in
maintaining directional control of the
vehicle.
For vehicles with an uplevel or
eAssist cluster, this light comes on
in the Driver information
Center (DIC).
See
StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑35 andTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 9‑34.
See Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑37 for more information
on the messages associated with
this light.

Black plate (22,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
5-22 Instruments and Controls
Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning
Light
For eAssist vehicles, this light
comes on briefly while starting the
vehicle.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by the dealer. If the system
is working normally, the indicator
light goes off.
Notice:Driving with the engine
coolant temperature warning light
on could cause the vehicle to
overheat. See Engine Overheating
on page 10‑21. The vehicle's
engine could be damaged, and it
might not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Never drive with
the engine coolant temperature
warning light on.
The engine coolant temperature
warning light comes on when the
engine has overheated.
If this happens, pull over and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
See
Engine Overheating on
page 10‑21.Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the engine is
started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS. When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A Driver Information Center (DIC)
tire pressure message may also
display. See
Tire Messages on
page 5‑38. Stop as soon as
possible, and inflate the tires to the
pressure value shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label. See
Tire Pressure on page 10‑49.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minute
and then stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPMS. If the
problem is not corrected, the light
will come on at every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑52.

Black plate (23,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Instruments and Controls 5-23
Engine Oil Pressure Light
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine
oil low can also damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Check the oil level as soon as
possible. Add oil if required, but
if the oil level is within the
operating range and the oil
pressure is still low, have the
vehicle serviced. Always follow
the maintenance schedule for
changing engine oil.
The oil pressure light should come
on briefly as the engine is started.
If it does not come on have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer. If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
For vehicles with the uplevel or
eAssist cluster, this telltale displays
in the Driver Information Center
(DIC) screen.
Low Fuel Warning Light
This light, below the fuel gauge,
comes on briefly when the engine is
started.
If it does not come on, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally,
the indicator light then goes off.This light also comes on when the
fuel tank is low on fuel. When fuel is
added the light should go off. If it
does not, have your vehicle
serviced.
For vehicles with an uplevel or
eAssist cluster, this telltale displays
in the Driver Information Center
(DIC) screen.
Security Light
The immobilizer light should come
on briefly as the engine is started.
If it does not come on, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally,
the indicator light turns off.

Black plate (24,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
5-24 Instruments and Controls
If the light stays on and the engine
does not start, there could be a
problem with the theft-deterrent
system. SeeImmobilizer Operation
(Key Access) on page 2‑13 or
Immobilizer Operation (Keyless
Access) on page 2‑14.
For vehicles with an uplevel or
eAssist cluster, this light displays in
the Driver Information Center (DIC)
screen.
High-Beam On Light
This light comes on when the
high-beam headlamps are in use.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer on page 6‑2 for more
information.
Front Fog Lamp Light
For vehicles with fog lamps, this
light comes on when the fog lamps
are on.
The light goes out when the fog
lamps are turned off. See Fog
Lamps on page 6‑4 for more
information.
Lamps On Reminder
This light comes on when the
exterior lamps are in use. See
Exterior Lamp Controls on page 6‑1.
Cruise Control Light
This light is white whenever the
cruise control is set and turns green
when the cruise control is active.
The light goes out when the cruise
control is turned off. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑37.
For vehicles with the uplevel or
eAssist cluster, this telltale will be
shown in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) screen.

Black plate (25,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Instruments and Controls 5-25
Door Ajar Light
This light comes on in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) when a
door is open or not securely latched.
Before driving, check that all doors
are properly closed.
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
displays information about the
vehicle. It also displays warning
messages if a system problem is
detected. SeeVehicle Messages on
page 5‑32 for more information. All
messages appear in the DIC display
located in the center of the
instrument panel cluster.
On some models, the DIC may
show warning lights or indicators in
the top portion of the display. See
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators on page 5‑8 for more
information.
The vehicle may also have features
that can be customized through the
controls on the radio. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑39 for
more information.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC has different displays
which can be accessed by using the
DIC buttons on the turn signal lever
to the left of the steering wheel. The
DIC displays trip, fuel, vehicle
system information, and warning
messages if a system problem is
detected.
The bottom of the DIC display
shows what position the shift lever
is in, the odometer, and the direction
the vehicle is driving.
In cold weather the DIC display may
change slowly. This is normal and
will move more quickly as the
vehicle's interior temperature rises.

Black plate (26,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
5-26 Instruments and Controls
DIC Buttons
1.SET/CLR: Press to set or clear
the menu item when it is
displayed.
2.
w/x(Thumbwheel): Use to
scroll through the items in each
menu. A small marker will move
across the bottom of the page as
you scroll through the items.
This shows where each page is
in the menu.
3. MENU: Press to get to the Trip/
Fuel Menu and the Vehicle
Information Menu.
Trip/Fuel Menu Items
Press MENU on the turn signal
lever until Trip/Fuel Information
Menu is displayed. Use
w/xto
scroll through the following menu
items:
.Digital Speedometer
.Trip 1
.Trip 2
.Power Flow Gauge
(eAssist Only)
.Fuel Range
.Average Fuel Economy/
Instantaneous Fuel Economy
.Average Vehicle Speed
.Timer
.Navigation
Digital Speedometer
The speedometer shows how fast
the vehicle is moving in either
kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles
per hour (mph). The speedometer
cannot be reset. Trip 1 and Trip 2
This display shows the current
distance traveled, in either
kilometers (km) or miles (mi), since
the last reset for the trip odometer.
The trip odometer can be reset to
zero by pressing SET/CLR while the
trip odometer display is showing.
Power Flow Gauge (eAssist Only)
This display shows the operating
mode of the eAssist system and the
high voltage battery charge level.
The animation indicates the
direction of energy flow.
Fuel Range
This display shows the approximate
distance the vehicle can be driven
without refueling. The fuel range
estimate is based on an average of
the vehicle's fuel economy over
recent driving history and the
amount of fuel remaining in the fuel
tank. Fuel range cannot be reset.