warning BUICK LACROSSE 2016 Owner's Manual

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
220 Driving and Operating
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information
Only use towing equipment that has
been designed for the vehicle.
Contact your dealer or trailering
dealer for assistance with preparing
the vehicle for towing a trailer. Read
the entire section before towing a
trailer.
For towing a disabled vehicle, see
Towing the Vehicle0301. For
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle such as a motor home, see
Recreational Vehicle Towing 0301.
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
Driving with a Trailer
When towing a trailer:
.
Become familiar with the state
and local laws that apply to
trailer towing. .
Do not tow a trailer during the
first 800 km (500 mi) to prevent
damage to the engine, axle,
or other parts.
. Then during the first 800 km
(500 mi) of trailer towing, do not
drive over 80 km/h (50 mph) and
do not make starts at full throttle.
. Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts
too often under heavy loads and/
or hilly conditions.
. Do not use Adaptive Cruise
Control when towing.
. The Automatic Collision
Preparation System should be
set to Off when towing. See
Front Automatic Braking (FAB)
System 0210.
. Turn off Park Assist when
towing.
{Warning
When towing a trailer, exhaust
gases may collect at the rear of
the vehicle and enter if the
liftgate, trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window is open.
When towing a trailer:
. Do not drive with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch,
or rear-most window open.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Also adjust the climate
control system to a setting
that brings in only outside
air. See “Climate Control
Systems” in the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust 0185.
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
222 Driving and Operating
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, seeEngine
Overheating 0245.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill: 1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if
facing uphill. 2. Have someone place chocks
under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular
brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0314.
Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing (Except
eAssist)
Before pulling a trailer, three
important considerations have to do
with weight:
. Weight of the trailer.
. Weight of the trailer tongue.
. Total weight on your vehicle's
tires.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
Driving and Operating 225
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0114.
A device connected to the DLC —
such as an aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —
may interfere with vehicle
systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash.
Such devices may also access
information stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check
with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 075 and Adding Equipment
to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 076.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
226 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 227
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 228
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 238
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 239
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 245
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Power Steering Fluid (2.4L L4
Engine and 3.6L V6 Engine
with FWD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Power Steering Fluid (3.6L V6 Engine with AWD) . . . . . . . 247
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Battery - North America . . . . . . 250
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 251
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 252
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 253
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 253
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 Headlamps, Front Turn Signal
and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . 255
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 256
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Electrical System Overload . . . 257
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 258
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
Vehicle Care 227
Tire Pressure MonitorSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 282
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 296
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America (On-board with
eAssist Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Jump Starting - North America (with or without eAssist) . . . . . 298
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
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

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
Vehicle Care 229
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
eAssist Vehicles Only
{Warning
Never try to do your own service
on eAssist components. You can
be injured and the vehicle can be
damaged if you try to do your own
service work. Service and repair
of these eAssist components
should only be performed by a
trained service technician with the
proper knowledge and tools.All Vehicles
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering
Information 0340. This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see
Airbag System
Check 076.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records 0325.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
236 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0239.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0236.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0236.
4. Engine Cover.
5. Transmission Fluid Cap and Dipstick. See Automatic
Transmission Fluid 0239.
6. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0249.
7. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0243.
8. Battery Cover. See Battery -
North America 0250.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0259.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0247.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
. Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0238.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 231 for the location of the engine
oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
2. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all
the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and
check the level.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
238 Vehicle Care
Viscosity Grade
Use SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade
engine oil.
Cold Temperature Operation: In an
area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below−29 °C
(−20 °F), an SAE 0W-30 oil may be
used. An oil of this viscosity grade
will provide easier cold starting for
the engine at extremely low
temperatures. When selecting an oil
of the appropriate viscosity grade, it
is recommended to select an oil of
the correct specification. See
“Specification” earlier in this section.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine
Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils meeting the
dexos1 specification are all that is
needed for good performance and
engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause
engine damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on
your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer's warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on a combination of factors which include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on. See
Engine Oil Messages
0133.
Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 1 000 km (600 mi).
It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and at this time the system must be
reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
Vehicle Care 241
To inspect or replace the engine air
cleaner/filter:1. Open the hood. See Hood 0230.
2. Disconnect the outlet duct by loosening the air duct
clamp (2).
3. Disconnect the electrical connector (1).
4. Remove the screws (3) on top of the engine air cleaner/filter
housing.
5. Lift the filter cover housing away from the engine air
cleaner/filter housing.
6. Pull out the filter.
7. Inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/filter.
8. Reverse Steps 2–4 to reinstall the filter cover housing.
3.6L V6 Engine FWD
1. Electrical Connector
2. Air Duct Clamp
3. Screws
4. Secondary Air Hose
To inspect or replace the engine air
cleaner/filter:
1. Open the hood. See Hood 0230.
2. Disconnect the outlet duct by loosening the air duct
clamp (2).
3. Disconnect the electrical connector (1). 4. Remove the screws (3) on top
of the engine air cleaner/filter
housing.
5. Disconnect the secondary air hose (4).
6. Lift the filter cover housing away from the engine air
cleaner/filter housing.
7. Pull out the filter.
8. Inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/filter.
9. Reverse Steps 2–5 to reinstall the filter cover housing.
{Warning
Operating the engine with the air
cleaner/filter off can cause you or
others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air; it
helps to stop flames if the engine
backfires. Use caution when
working on the engine and do not
drive with the air cleaner/filter off.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
242 Vehicle Care
Caution
If the air cleaner/filter is off, dirt
can easily get into the engine,
which could damage it. Always
have the air cleaner/filter in place
when you are driving.
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.
2.4L L4 Engine
1. Engine Cooling Fans (Outof View) 2. Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap
3.6L V6 Engine AWD
1. Engine Cooling Fans (Outof View)
2. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
3.6L V6 Engine FWD
1. Engine Cooling Fans (Outof View)
2. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{Warning
An electric engine cooling fan
under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can cause injury. Keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.