transmission BUICK LACROSSE 2015 Owner's Guide

Black plate (19,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707475) - 2015 - CRC - 10/9/14
Driving and Operating 9-19
{Caution
If the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
while starting the vehicle, damage
may occur to the hydraulic power
steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.
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 key.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine warms. Do not race
the engine immediately after
starting it. Allow the oil to warm
up and lubricate all moving
parts.
{Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
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 after five 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
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, 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. With the Keyless Access system, the RKE transmitter
must be in the vehicle. Press the
ENGINE START/STOP button
with the brake pedal applied.
When the engine begins
cranking, let go of the button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.

Black plate (20,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707475) - 2015 - CRC - 10/9/14
9-20 Driving and Operating
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or the RKE battery
is low, the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will display a
message. SeeKey and Lock
Messages on page 5-39 and
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2-3.
{Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
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 after five 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 press the ENGINE
START/STOP 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 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.
eAssist Automatic Engine
Start/Stop
{Warning
Exiting the vehicle without first
shifting into P (Park) may cause
the vehicle to move. You or others
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
may be injured. Because the
vehicle has the automatic engine
start/stop feature, the vehicle's
engine might seem to be shut off;
however, once the brake pedal is
released, the engine will start up
again.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF, before
exiting the vehicle.
Vehicles with eAssist have an
automatic engine start/stop feature.
After the engine is started and has
reached operating temperature, the
auto stop feature may cause the
engine to turn off when the brakes
are applied and the vehicle comes
to a complete stop. The vehicle may
remain in auto stop for up to
two minutes. When the brake is
released or the accelerator pedal
applied, the engine will start. The
engine will continue to run until the
next auto stop.

Black plate (21,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707475) - 2015 - CRC - 10/9/14
Driving and Operating 9-21
AUTO STOP on the tachometer
signifies that the engine is in auto
stop mode. SeeTachometer on
page 5-11. When the vehicle is
turned off, the tachometer will move
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 interior comfort. See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8-1 When it is
very warm or humid, the system
may not be able to shut the
engine off while maintaining
interior comfort. 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 interior 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 interior
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.

Black plate (24,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707475) - 2015 - CRC - 10/9/14
9-24 Driving and Operating
Power to the power windows and
sunroof will continue to operate for
up to 10 minutes or until any door is
opened.
All of these features will work when
the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY.
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down andset the parking brake. See
Parking Brake on page 9-31.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pushing the lever all the way
toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition off.
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park on
page 9-24. If you are towing a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9-63.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold down the regular brake pedal. See if
you can move the shift lever away
from P (Park) without first pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that
the shift lever was not fully locked
into P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly and then it is difficult
to shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see "Shifting Into P (Park)"
listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).

Black plate (25,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707475) - 2015 - CRC - 10/9/14
Driving and Operating 9-25
If you are towing a trailer and
parking on a hill, seeDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9-63.
Shifting out of Park
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The shift lock control
system is designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park).
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN and the
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock is always functional
except in the case of an uncharged
or low voltage (less than 9‐volt)
battery. If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See
Jump Starting
(On-board with eAssist Only) on
page 10-78 orJump Starting (with
or without eAssist) on page 10-79.
If the shift lever cannot be moved
out of P (Park):
1. Apply and maintain the regular brakes.
2. Turn the ignition to the ON/RUN position. See Ignition Positions
(Key Access) on page 9-15 or
Ignition Positions (Keyless
Access) on page 9-16 for more
information.
3. Let up on the shift lever and make sure the shift lever is
pushed all the way into P (Park).
4. Press the shift lever button.
5. Move the shift lever into the desired gear. If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), consult your
dealer or a professional towing
service.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.

Black plate (27,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707475) - 2015 - CRC - 10/9/14
Driving and Operating 9-27
Automatic
Transmission
Shift Lever without Selective RideControl Shown
P (Park): This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park on
page 9-24 andDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on page 9-63.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The regular brake must be
fully applied first and then the shift lever button pressed before shifting
from P (Park) when the ignition key
is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out
of P (Park), ease pressure on the
shift lever, then push the shift lever
all the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then
press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever into another
gear. See
Shifting out of Park on
page 9-25.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
{Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.

Black plate (28,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707475) - 2015 - CRC - 10/9/14
9-28 Driving and Operating
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, seeIf
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9-9.
N (Neutral): In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
{Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for
normal driving. It provides good fuel
economy when pushing the
accelerator pedal around a quarter
of the way down. If more power is
needed for passing, press the
accelerator pedal over half, or all
the way down.
{Caution
If the vehicle accelerates slowly,
or does not shift gears, the
transmission could be damaged.
Have the vehicle serviced
right away.
M (Manual Mode) or M/S (Manual
Mode/Sport Mode): This position
allows the driver to select the gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions, and to activate Selective
Ride Control (if equipped). See
Manual Mode on page 9-29 and
Selective Ride Control on
page 9-36.

Black plate (29,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707475) - 2015 - CRC - 10/9/14
Driving and Operating 9-29
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
{Caution
Driving with the engine at a high
rpm without upshifting while using
Driver Shift Control (DSC), could
damage the vehicle. Always
upshift when necessary while
using DSC.
DSC allows the automatic
transmission to be shifted similar to
a manual transmission. To use the
DSC feature:
With Selective Ride Control
1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) to M/S (Manual Mode/
Sport Mode).
The vehicle will be in Sport
Mode. The vehicle will remain in
Sport Mode until the shift lever is
moved back to the D (Drive) position. The gear indicator in
the instrument cluster will still
display an S for Sport Mode, and
the SPORT MODE ON message
will display momentarily. See
Ride Control System Messages
on page 5-42. When in Sport
Mode, the vehicle will still shift
automatically, but chassis tuning
is modified. See
Selective Ride
Control on page 9-36. If you
press the +/− switch on the side
of the shift lever, the
transmission will enter Manual
Mode, and the DIC gear
indicator will change to an M
followed by a number
representing the gear the vehicle
is currently in.
2. In Manual Mode, press the + (Plus) end of the switch on the
side of the shift lever to upshift,
or the −(Minus) end to
downshift. Without Selective Ride Control
1. Move the shift lever from
D (Drive) to M (Manual Mode).
The transmission will enter
Manual Mode. The DIC gear
indicator will change to an M
followed by a number
representing the gear the vehicle
is currently in.
2. In Manual Mode, press the + (Plus) end of the switch on the
side of the shift lever to upshift,
or the −(Minus) end to
downshift.
The display on the instrument
cluster will show which gear the
vehicle is in. The number indicates
the requested gear when pressing
the +/− switch on the shift lever.
The transmission will only allow
shifting into gears appropriate for
the vehicle speed and engine
revolutions per minute (rpm). The
transmission will not automatically
shift to the next lower gear if the

Black plate (30,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707475) - 2015 - CRC - 10/9/14
9-30 Driving and Operating
engine rpm is too high, nor to the
next higher gear when the maximum
engine rpm is reached.
While in Manual Mode, the
transmission will automatically
downshift when the vehicle comes
to a stop. This will allow for more
power during take-off.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
you may want to shift into
2 (Second) gear. A higher gear
allows the vehicle to gain more
traction on slippery surfaces.Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature always
send engine power to all four
wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system
performance will be automatically
reduced when the compact spare
tire is in use. To restore full AWD
performance, and prevent excessive
wear to the AWD system, replace
the compact spare tire with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on
page 10-77.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has ABS, an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5-20.

Black plate (39,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707475) - 2015 - CRC - 10/9/14
Driving and Operating 9-39
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. SeeInstrument Cluster on
page 5-8. The increment value used
depends on the units displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previously set cruise speed. While
pressing the accelerator pedal or
shortly following the release to
override cruise control, briefly
pressing SET− will result in cruise
set to the current vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your
speed. When going downhill, you
might have to brake or shift to a lower gear to keep your speed
down. If the brake pedal is applied,
cruise control will disengage.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press*.
.Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
.To turn off cruise control,
press
5.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is pressed
or the ignition is turned off.
Adaptive Cruise Control
If equipped with Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), it allows the driver to
select the cruise control set speed
and following gap. Read this entire
section before using this system. The following gap is the following
time between your vehicle and a
vehicle detected directly ahead in
your path, moving in the same
direction. If no vehicle is detected in
your path, ACC works like regular
cruise control. ACC uses a radar
sensor. See
Radio Frequency
Statement on page 13-12.
If a vehicle is detected in your path,
ACC can apply acceleration or
limited, moderate braking to
maintain the selected following gap.
To disengage ACC, apply the brake.
If ACC is controlling your vehicle
speed when the traction control
system (TCS) or electronic stability
control system activates, the ACC
may automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control on page 9-34. When road
conditions allow ACC to be safely
used, the ACC can be turned
back on.
ACC will not engage if the TCS or
electronic stability control system is
disabled.