key BUICK LACROSSE 2013 Workshop Manual

Black plate (29,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Vehicle Care 10-29
3. With the engine off, turn theignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
While parked, and with the parking
brake set, try to turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF in each shift lever
position.
.The ignition should turn to
LOCK/OFF only when the shift
lever is in P (Park).
.With the key access ignition
system, the ignition key should
come out only in LOCK/OFF.
See Ignition Positions (Keyless
Access) on page 9‑15 orIgnition
Positions (Key Access) on
page 9‑17. Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set
the parking brake.
.To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only.
.To check the P (Park)
mechanism's holding ability:
With the engine running, shift to
P (Park). Then release the
parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear and cracking.
See Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑2 for more information.
Replacement blades come in
different types and are removed in
different ways. For proper type and
length, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts on page 11‑13.

Black plate (54,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
10-54 Vehicle Care
.Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning
properly it cannot detect or signal a
low tire condition. See your dealer
for service if the TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message comes on
and stays on.
TPMS Sensor Matching
Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. The identification
code needs to be matched to a new
tire/wheel position after rotating the
vehicle’s tires or replacing one or
more of the TPMS sensors. The
TPMS sensor matching process
should also be performed after
replacing a spare tire with a road
tire containing the TPMS sensor.
The malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off at the next
ignition cycle. The sensors are
matched to the tire/wheel positions, using a TPMS relearn tool, in the
following order: driver side front tire,
passenger side front tire, passenger
side rear tire, and driver side rear.
See your dealer for service or to
purchase a relearn tool.
There are two minutes to match the
first tire/wheel position, and
five minutes overall to match all four
tire/wheel positions. If it takes
longer, the matching process stops
and must be restarted.
The TPMS sensor matching
process is:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with
the engine off or place the
vehicle power mode in ON/RUN/
START. See Ignition Positions
(Keyless Access) on page 9‑15
or Ignition Positions (Key
Access) on page 9‑17.
3. Use the MENU button to select the Vehicle Information Menu in
the Driver Information
Center (DIC). 4. Use the thumbwheel to scroll to
the Tire Pressure Menu Item
screen.
5. Press the SET/CLR button to begin the sensor matching
process.
A message asking if the process
should begin should appear.
6. Press the SET/CLR button again to confirm the selection.
The horn sounds twice to signal
the receiver is in relearn mode
and the TIRE LEARNING
ACTIVE message displays on
the DIC screen.
7. Start with the driver side front tire.
8. Place the relearn tool against the tire sidewall, near the valve
stem. Then press the button to
activate the TPMS sensor.
A horn chirp confirms that the
sensor identification code has
been matched to this tire and
wheel position.

Black plate (87,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Vehicle Care 10-87
Jump Starting
Jump Starting (On-board
with eAssist Only)
If the vehicle fails to crank, it may
be jump started by using the eAssist
battery to charge the 12-volt battery.
Use the following procedure to
activate the on-board jump start
using the DIC controls.
DIC Buttons
1. SET/CLR
2.
w x(Thumbwheel)
3. MENU With the ignition key in the run
position, proceed as follows:
1. Press MENU (3) on the turn
signal lever until Vehicle
Information Menu is displayed.
Use
w x(Thumbwheel) (2) to
scroll through the menu items
until Jump Start is displayed.
2. Press SET/CLR (1) to activate the jump start.
3. The system will then ask for confirmation. If yes is selected,
the jump start will begin and the
display will show JUMP START
ACTIVE, WAIT TO START.
4. When the jump start is complete, the display will show JUMP
START COMPLETE. ATTEMPT
START.
If the vehicle is started, the
on-board jump start function will be
automatically disabled. If the vehicle
cranks but does not start, the
procedure may be repeated again.
If the vehicle start is still
unsuccessful, the jump start can be attempted using the following jump
starting procedure under
“Jump
Starting (with or without eAssist).”
On-board jump starting may be
unavailable due to the 12-volt
battery charge level, the eAssist
battery charge level, power
capability, or an issue with the
eAssist system. In these cases, the
display will not be available because
of the power issue, or the DIC will
display JUMP START DISABLED.
SEE OWNERS MANUAL.
Jump Starting (with or
without eAssist)
For more information about the
vehicle battery, see Battery on
page 10‑27.
If the battery has run down, try to
use another vehicle and some
jumper cables to start your vehicle.
Be sure to use the following steps to
do it safely.

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 (12,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
11-12 Service and Maintenance
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
UsageFluid/Lubricant
Engine Oil Use only engine oil licensed to the dexos1 specfication, or equivalent, of
the proper SAE viscosity grade. ACDelco dexos1 Synthetic Blend is
recommended. See Engine Oil on page 10‑11.
Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL Coolant.
See Engine Coolant on page 10‑18.
Hydraulic Brake System DOT 3 Hydraulic Brake Fluid (GM Part No. 88862806, in Canada 88863462).
Windshield Washer Automotive windshield washer fluid that meets regional freeze protection requirements.
Hydraulic Power Steering System DEXRON
®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Automatic Transmission DEXRON
®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Key Lock Cylinders Multi-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube (GM Part No. 12346241, in Canada 10953474).
Hood Latch Assembly, Secondary Latch, Pivots, Spring Anchor, and
Release Pawl Lubriplate Lubricant Aerosol (GM Part No. 89021668, in
Canada 89021674) or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI #2,
Category LB or GC-LB.

Black plate (20,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
13-20 Customer Information
OnStar Terms and Conditions and
Privacy Statement on the OnStar
website.
Infotainment System
If the vehicle is equipped with a
navigation system as part of the
infotainment system, use of the
system may result in the storage of
destinations, addresses, telephone
numbers, and other trip information.
See the infotainment manual for
information on stored data and for
deletion instructions.
Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID)
RFID technology is used in some
vehicles for functions such as tire
pressure monitoring and ignition
system security, as well as in
connection with conveniences such
as Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitters for remote door locking/
unlocking and starting, and
in-vehicle transmitters for garage
door openers. RFID technology inGM vehicles does not use or record
personal information or link with any
other GM system containing
personal information.
Radio Frequency
Statement
This vehicle has systems that
operate on a radio frequency that
comply with Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and with Industry Canada
Standards RSS‐GEN/210/220/310.
Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
1. The device may not cause
harmful interference.
2. The device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause
undesired operation of the
device.
Changes or modifications to any of
these systems by other than an
authorized service facility could void
authorization to use this equipment.

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
OnStar 14-1
OnStar
OnStar Overview
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Services
Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
OnStar Additional Information
OnStar AdditionalInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
OnStar Overview
If equipped, this vehicle has a
comprehensive, in-vehicle system
that can connect to a live Advisor
for Emergency, Security, Navigation,
Connection, and Diagnostic
Services.
The OnStar system status light is
next to the OnStar buttons. If the
status light is:
.Solid Green: System is ready.
.Flashing Green: On a call.
.Red: Indicates a problem.
Press
Qor call 1-888-4ONSTAR
(1-888-466-7827) to speak to an
Advisor. Press
=to:
.Make a call, end a call,
or answer an incoming call.
.Give OnStar Hands-Free Calling
voice commands.
.Give OnStar Turn-by-Turn
Navigation voice commands.
Requires the available Directions
and Connections service plan.
Press
Qto connect to a live
Advisor to:
.Verify account information or
update contact information.
.Get driving directions. Requires
the available Directions and
Connections service plan.
.Receive On-Demand
Diagnostics for a check of the
vehicle’s key operating systems.
.Receive Roadside Assistance.

Black plate (6,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
i-6 INDEX
High Voltage Devices andWiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . 9-15, 9-17
Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-36
Keyless Entry Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-44
Lamps Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-2
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36 Lamps (cont'd)
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Sun Visor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
LATCH System Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47
LATCH, Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Lighting Adaptive Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Lights
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-18
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 5-19

Black plate (7,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
INDEX i-7
Lights (cont'd)Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 5-22
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-13
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . . 9-37
Locks Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-23 Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-15
Maintenance Schedule Recommended Fluidsand Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-12
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-16
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Messages Battery Voltage and
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . 5-34
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35 Messages (cont'd)
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Object Detection System . . . . . 5-36
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Starting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Mirrors Automatic DimmingRearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Park Tilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16

Black plate (9,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
INDEX i-9
Pregnancy, Using SafetyBelts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Privacy Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) . . . . . . . 13-20
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . 13-12
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
R
Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) . . . . . . . . 13-20
Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
Radios AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . 9-43
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47 Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-15
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Reimbursement Program,
GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2, 2-3
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Replacement Parts
Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-13
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . 3-31
Replacing LATCH System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47
Replacing Safety Belt System Parts after a Crash . . . 3-19
Reporting Safety Defects
Canadian Government . . . . . . 13-18
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17
Restraints
Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Ride Control Systems Enhanced TractionSystem (ETS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Selective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Roads Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-9
Roof Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . 12-4
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
S
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14