air condition BUICK LACROSSE 2014 Owner's Manual

Black plate (4,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6043609) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 10/17/13
iv Introduction
{Warning
Text marked{Warning provides
information on risk of accident or
injury. Disregarding this
information may lead to injury.
{Caution
Text marked{Caution provides
information that may indicate a
hazard that could result in injury
or death. It could also result in
possible damage to the vehicle.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means “Do
Not,” “Do not do this,” or“Do not let
this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message,
gauge, or indicator.
M: This symbol is shown when
you need to see your owner manual
for additional instructions or
information.
*: This symbol is shown when
you need to see a service manual
for additional instructions or
information. 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)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®(if equipped)
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
g:First Responder
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer

Black plate (10,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6043609) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 10/17/13
1-10 In Brief
The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. No other airbag
is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible on the
overhead console when the vehicle
is started. SeePassenger Sensing
System on page 3-25 for important
information.Mirror Adjustment
Exterior
To adjust the mirrors:
1. Turn the control knob to select the L (Left) or R (Right) mirror.
2. Push the control knob left, right, up, or down to adjust the mirror.
Vehicles with the memory feature
can store a preferred mirror position.
See Memory Seats on page 3-7 and
Power Mirrors on page 2-18. Manual Folding Mirrors
The outside mirrors can be folded
inward to prevent damage when
going through an automatic car
wash. To fold, pull the mirror toward
the vehicle. Push the mirror outward
to return it to the original position.
See
Folding Mirrors on page 2-18.
Automatic Dimming Feature
If equipped, the driver outside mirror
automatically dims to reduce the
glare of headlamps from behind.
See Power Mirrors on page 2-18.Interior
Adjust the rearview mirror for a clear
view of the area behind your
vehicle.
Manual Rearview Mirror
If equipped, push the tab forward for
daytime use and pull it for nighttime
use to avoid glare from headlamps.
SeeManual Rearview Mirror on
page 2-19.

Black plate (14,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6043609) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 10/17/13
1-14 In Brief
Climate Controls
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled with
this system.
1. Driver and PassengerTemperature Controls
2. Heated and Ventilated Front Seats
3. Fan Control 4. Air Delivery Mode Controls
5. Defrost
6. SYNC (Synchronized
Temperature) 7. Power
8. A/C (Air Conditioning)
9. Recirculation/Auto Recirculation
10. Rear Window Defogger
11. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8-1.
Transmission
Automatic Transmission
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Driver Shift Control (DSC) allows
shifting an automatic transmission
similar to a manual transmission.
DSC can be enabled through the
shift lever. See Manual Mode on
page 9-29.

Black plate (19,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6043609) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 10/17/13
In Brief 1-19
To express-open the sunshade, fully
press and release the rear of the
switch (3). To stop the sunshade
partway, press the switch a second
time. To express-close, fully press
and release the front of the
switch (4). To stop the sunshade
partway, press the switch a
second time.
SeeSunroof on page 2-22.eAssist Features
eAssist®Overview
If the vehicle has eAssist, there are
several additional features that
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 may not shut off. See
Starting the Engine on page 9-18.
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 8-1. 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 9-33.
Vehicles with eAssist include an
AUTO STOP indicator on the
tachometer. See Instrument Cluster
on page 5-8.
The eAssist system uses a high
voltage battery, which is cooled with
air drawn from the vehicle interior.

Black plate (16,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6043609) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 10/17/13
3-16 Seats and Restraints
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt
height adjuster for the driver and
right front passenger seating
positions.
Adjust the height so the shoulder
portion of the belt is on the shoulder
and not falling off of it. The belt
should be close to, but not
contacting, the neck. Improper
shoulder belt height adjustment
could reduce the effectiveness of
the safety belt in a crash. SeeHow
to Wear Safety Belts Properly on
page 3-13.
Press the release button and move
the height adjuster to the desired
position. The adjuster can be moved
up by pushing the slide/trim up.
After the adjuster is set to the
desired position, try to move it down
without pushing the release button
to make sure it has locked into
position.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for front outboard
occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they
are part of the safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety
belts during the early stages of a
moderate to severe frontal, near
frontal, or rear crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner
activation are met. And, on vehicles
with side impact airbags, safety belt
pretensioners can help tighten the
safety belts in a side crash or
rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash,
the pretensioners and probably
other parts of the vehicle's safety
belt system will need to be replaced.
See
Replacing Safety Belt System
Parts after a Crash on page 3-19.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides
This vehicle may have rear shoulder
belt comfort guides. If not, they are
available through your dealer. The
guides may provide added safety
belt comfort for older children who
have outgrown booster seats and
for some adults. When installed and

Black plate (26,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6043609) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 10/17/13
3-26 Seats and Restraints
passenger airbag status indicator
will light on the overhead console
when the vehicle is started.
United States
Canada and Mexico
The words ON and OFF, or the
symbol for on and off, will be visible
during the system check. When the
system check is complete, either the
word ON or OFF, or the symbol for
on or off, will be visible. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5-15. The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. No other airbag
is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the front outboard passenger seat.
The sensors are designed to detect
the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
should be allowed to inflate or not.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight
and size.
Whenever possible, children aged
12 and under should be secured in
a rear seating position.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front. This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag inflates.
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the passenger frontal
airbag inflates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to
the inflating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
passenger frontal airbag inflates
and the passenger seat is in a
forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the
passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
inflate under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag is off.
(Continued)

Black plate (49,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6043609) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 10/17/13
Seats and Restraints 3-49
5. To tighten the belt, push downon the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt,
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing
a forward-facing child restraint, it
may be helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 4 and 5. 6. If the child restraint has a top
tether, follow the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions
regarding the use of the top
tether. See Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3-40 for more
information.
7. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it. If the
head restraint was removed,
reinstall it before the seating
position is used. See “Head
Restraint Removal and
Reinstallation” underLower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3-40
for additional
information on installing the head
restraint properly.
Securing Child Restraints
(Front Passenger Seat)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3-38.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
under certain conditions. See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3-25 andPassenger Airbag
Status Indicator on page 5-15 for
more information, including
important safety information.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front. This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great if the
airbag deploys.

Black plate (16,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6043609) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 10/17/13
5-16 Instruments and Controls
Charging System Light
The charging system light comes on
briefly when the ignition is turned
on, but the engine is not running, as
a check to show the light is working.
The light turns off when the engine
is started. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the light stays on, or comes on
while driving, there could be a
problem with the electrical charging
system. Have it checked by your
dealer. Driving while this light is on
could drain the battery.
If a short distance must be driven
with the light on, be sure to turn off
all accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors the operation
of the vehicle to ensure emissions
are at acceptable levels, helping to
maintain a clean environment. The
malfunction indicator lamp comes
on when the vehicle is placed in
ON/RUN for key access or Service
Only Mode for Keyless Access, as a
check to show it is working. If it
does not, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer. SeeIgnition
Positions (Key Access) on
page 9-15 orIgnition Positions
(Keyless Access) on page 9-16 for
more information.
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running, this indicates that the
OBD II system has detected a
problem and diagnosis and service
might be required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system also
assists the dealer technician in
correctly diagnosing any
malfunction.
{Caution
If the vehicle is continually driven
with this light on, the emission
controls might not work as well,
the vehicle fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine
might not run as smoothly. This
could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.

Black plate (17,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6043609) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 10/17/13
Instruments and Controls 5-17
{Caution
Modifications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake,
or fuel system of the vehicle or
the replacement of the original
tires with other than those of the
same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect the vehicle's
emission controls and can cause
this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems
could lead to costly repairs not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
This could also result in a failure
to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10-3.
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 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
emission control system
malfunction:
.Check that the fuel cap is fully
installed. See
Filling the Tank on
page 9-61. 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.

Black plate (36,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6043609) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 10/17/13
5-36 Instruments and Controls
SHIFT TO PARK BEFORE
EXITING
This message may display if
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is
engaged holding the vehicle at a
stop, and the driver attempts to exit
the vehicle. Put the vehicle in
P (Park) before exiting.
Door Ajar Messages
DRIVER DOOR OPEN
This message will display when the
driver door is open. Close the door
completely.
HOOD OPEN
This message will display when the
hood is open. Close the hood
completely.
LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN
This message will display when the
driver side rear door is open. Close
the door completely.
PASSENGER DOOR OPEN
This message will display when the
front passenger door is open. Close
the door completely.
RIGHT REAR DOOR OPEN
This message will display when the
passenger side rear door is open.
Close the door completely.
TRUNK OPEN
This message will display when the
trunk is open. Close the trunk
completely.
Engine Cooling System
Messages
A/C OFF DUE TO HIGH
ENGINE TEMP
This message displays when the
engine coolant becomes hotter than
the normal operating temperature.
To avoid added strain on a hot
engine, the air conditioning
compressor automatically turns off.
When the coolant temperaturereturns to normal, the air
conditioning compressor turns back
on. You can continue to drive the
vehicle.
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
COOLANT LEVEL LOW ADD
COOLANT
This message will display if the
coolant is low. See
Engine Coolant
on page 10-19.
ENGINE OVERHEATED —
IDLE ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down.
ENGINE OVERHEATED —
STOP ENGINE
This message displays and a
continuous chime sounds if the
engine cooling system reaches
unsafe temperatures for operation.