Control arm BUICK LACROSSE 2013 User Guide

Black plate (7,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Climate Controls 8-7
Operation Tips
.Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance.
.Keep the path under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle more
effectively.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Maintenance
Air Intake
Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves
from the air intake at the base of the
windshield that can block the flow of
air into the vehicle.
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
SeeMaintenance Schedule on
page 11‑2 for replacement intervals.
For more information, see your
dealer.
Service
This vehicle may have the new
environmentally friendly refrigerant,
R1234yf. This refrigerant has a
significantly reduced global warming impact on the environment,
compared to the traditional
automotive refrigerant, R-134a. All
vehicles have a label underhood
that identifies the refrigerant used in
the vehicle.
The refrigerant system should only
be serviced by trained and certified
technicians. The air conditioning
evaporator should never be repaired
or replaced by one from a salvage
vehicle. It should only be replaced
by a new evaporator to ensure
proper and safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants
should be reclaimed with proper
equipment. Venting refrigerants
directly to the atmosphere is harmful
to the environment and may also
create unsafe conditions based on
inhalation, combustion, frostbite,
or other health-based concerns.

Black plate (9,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Driving and Operating 9-9
WARNING (Continued)
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems” in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑26.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See Traction
Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑34.
{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).

Black plate (19,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Driving and Operating 9-19
The key lock release will not work if
the battery is charged less than
9 volts, or uncharged. Try charging
or jump starting the battery. See
Jump Starting (On-board with
eAssist Only) on page 10‑87or
Jump Starting (with or without
eAssist) on page 10‑87
If charging or jump starting the
battery does not work, there is a
manual key lock release. Locate the
hole below the ignition lock. Insert a
tool or key into the opening. Locate
the lever, and press it toward the
driver while removing the key from
the ignition.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only. Notice:
Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Notice: If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
on page 9‑57.
Starting Procedure (Key Access)
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to
START. When the engine starts,
let go of the ignition.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
to allow the oil to warm up and
lubricate all moving parts. The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for
a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start and the key is held in
START for many seconds,
cranking will be stopped after
15 seconds to prevent cranking
motor damage. To prevent gear
damage, this system also
prevents cranking if the engine
is already running. Engine
cranking can be stopped by
turning the ignition switch to
ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage

Black plate (20,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
9-20 Driving and Operating
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start afterfive to 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below −18°C
or 0°F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you hold the key in START,
or press the START button, for
up to a maximum of 15 seconds.
Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down.
When the engine starts, let go of
the key or button, and the
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the
extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Starting Procedure (Keyless
Access)
1. If the vehicle has the keyless access system, the transmitter
must be in the vehicle. Put your
foot on the brake pedal and
push the START button. When
the engine begins cranking, let
go of the button.
The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
to allow the oil to warm up and
lubricate all moving parts.
If the transmitter is not in the
vehicle or something is
interfering with the transmitter,
the Driver Information Center
(DIC) will display a message.
See Key and Lock Messages on
page 5‑36 for more information. If the battery in the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
needs replacing, the DIC will
display a message. The vehicle
can still be driven. See
“Starting
the Vehicle with a Low
Transmitter Battery” inRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑3 for more
information.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the START
button is pressed, and then
released when the engine
begins cranking, the engine will
continue cranking for a few
seconds or until the vehicle
starts. If the engine does not
start and the button is pressed
for many seconds, cranking will
be stopped after 15 seconds to
prevent cranking motor damage.
To prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if
the engine is already running.

Black plate (22,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
9-22 Driving and Operating
to OFF. If the driver door is opened
while in auto stop mode, a chime
will sound.
To restart the engine during auto
stop, release the brake pedal or
press the accelerator pedal. The
engine starts immediately. The
vehicle continues to run until the
next stop.
There are several conditions that
may prevent an auto stop or cause
an auto start.
The Engine Will Remain
Running When:
.The engine, transmission,
or high voltage battery is not
warmed up yet.
.The outside temperature is less
than−20°C (−4°F).
.The air conditioning or defrost
system need the compressor to
maintain vehicle comfort. See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1 The warmer
it is outside, the shorter the time
before the engine is restarted to provide cabin cooling. To
maximize fuel economy, use the
eco air conditioning mode.
.The shift lever is in P (Park),
N (Neutral), R (Reverse),
or M (Manual Mode).
.The high voltage battery pack
charge is low.
.The hood is not fully closed.
.Brake pedal pressure is low.
.If the malfunction indicator lamp
is on, auto stop may be
prevented.
.High humidity is detected.
The Engine Will Restart When:
.The brake pedal is released.
.The accelerator pedal is applied.
.Shifting out of D (Drive) to any
other gear.
.The air conditioning or defrost
system need the compressor to
maintain vehicle comfort. See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1. The warmer it is outside, the shorter
the time before the engine is
restarted to provide cabin
cooling. To maximize fuel
economy, use the eco air
conditioning mode.
.The climate control system is
turned from off to normal air
conditioning or defrost. See
Dual
Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1.
.The engine is required to run for
either heater or climate control
performance. See Dual
Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1.
.The high voltage battery pack
charge is low and requires
recharging.
.Auto stop time is greater than
two minutes.
.The hood is opened.

Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Vehicle Care 10-3
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non‐GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑30.

Black plate (95,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Vehicle Care 10-95
leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Visually
check constant velocity joints,
rubber boots, and axle seals for
leaks.
Body Component Lubrication
Lubricate all key lock cylinders,
hood hinges, liftgate hinges, and the
steel fuel door hinge unless the
components are plastic. Applying
silicone grease on weatherstrips
with a clean cloth will make them
last longer, seal better, and not stick
or squeak.
Underbody Maintenance
Use plain water to flush dirt and
debris from the vehicle's underbody.
Your dealer or an underbody car
washing system can do this. If not
removed, rust and corrosion can
develop.
Sheet Metal Damage
If the vehicle is damaged and
requires sheet metal repair or
replacement, make sure the body
repair shop applies anti-corrosionmaterial to parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion
protection.
Original manufacturer replacement
parts will provide the corrosion
protection while maintaining the
vehicle warranty.
Finish Damage
Quickly repair minor chips and
scratches with touch-up materials
available from your dealer to avoid
corrosion. Larger areas of finish
damage can be corrected in your
dealer's body and paint shop.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Airborne pollutants can fall upon
and attack painted vehicle surfaces
causing blotchy, ring-shaped
discolorations, and small, irregular
dark spots etched into the paint
surface.
Interior Care
To prevent dirt particle abrasions,
regularly clean the vehicle's interior.
Immediately remove any soils. Note
that newspapers or dark garments
that can transfer color to home
furnishings can also permanently
transfer color to the vehicle's
interior.
Use a soft bristle brush to remove
dust from knobs and crevices on the
instrument cluster. Using a mild
soap solution, immediately remove
hand lotions, sunscreen, and insect
repellent from all interior surfaces or
permanent damage may result.
Your dealer may have products for
cleaning the interior. Use cleaners
specifically designed for the
surfaces being cleaned to prevent
permanent damage. Apply all
cleaners directly to the cleaning
cloth. Do not spray cleaners directly
on any switches or controls.
Cleaners should be removed
quickly. Never allow cleaners to

Black plate (6,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
14-6 OnStar
available and operating for features
to function properly. These systems
may not operate if the battery is
discharged or disconnected.
OnStar service cannot work unless
your vehicle is in a place where
OnStar has an agreement with a
wireless service provider for service
in that area, and the wireless
service provider has coverage,
network capacity, reception, and
technology compatible with OnStar
service. Service involving location
information about the vehicle cannot
work unless GPS signals are
available, unobstructed, and
compatible with the OnStar
hardware. OnStar service may not
work if the OnStar equipment is not
properly installed or it has not been
properly maintained. If equipment or
software is added, connected,
or modified, OnStar service may not
work. Other problems beyond the
control of OnStar may prevent
service such as hills, tall buildings,
tunnels, weather, electrical system
design and architecture of thevehicle, damage to the vehicle in a
crash, or wireless phone network
congestion or jamming.
See
Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑20 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
Services for People with
Disabilities
Advisors provide services to help
subscribers with physical disabilities
and medical conditions.
Press
Qfor help with:
.Locating a gas station with an
attendant to pump gas.
.Finding a hotel, restaurant, etc.,
that meets accessibility needs.
.Providing directions to the
closest hospital or pharmacy in
urgent situations.
TTY Users
OnStar has the ability to
communicate to the deaf,
hard-of-hearing, or speech-impaired
customers while in the vehicle. The
available dealer-installed TTY
system can provide in-vehicle
access to all of the OnStar services,
except Virtual Advisor and OnStar
Turn-by-Turn Navigation.
OnStar.com (U.S.) or OnStar.ca
(Canada)
The website provides access to
account information, allows
management of the OnStar
subscription, and viewing of videos
of each service. Get subscription
plan pricing and sign up for OnStar
Vehicle Diagnostics. Click on the
“My Account” tab on the home
page. The website navigation and
services provided may vary by
country.

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Additional Information OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-15
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Air Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Airbag System
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26 Airbag System (cont'd)
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-21
Airbags
Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-15
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Alarm Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . 10-28, 9-30
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Antenna Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19 Appearance Care
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-92
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-95
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-9
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14 CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Audio System Backglass Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Shift Lock ControlFunction Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Auxiliary
Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18

Black plate (10,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
i-10 INDEX
Safety Belts (cont'd)Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . 3-19
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 3-17
Safety Defects Reporting Canadian Government . . . . . . 13-18
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 13-12
Sealant Kit, Tire . . . . . . .10-64, 10-71
Seats
Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Heated and Ventilated Front . . . 3-8
Lumbar Adjustment, Front . . . . . 3-4
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . 3-4
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Securing Child
Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47, 3-49 Security
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Selective Ride Control . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Maintenance Records . . . . . . .11-15
Maintenance, General
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 12-1
Publications Ordering
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
Scheduling Appointments . . . 13-12
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25 Side Blind Zone Alert . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Signals, Turn and
Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Spare Tire Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Start Assist, Hills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Starting the Vehicle Messsages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4 Fluid, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-33