climate control BUICK LACROSSE 2018 Owner's Guide

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10999169) -
2018 - crc - 3/28/17
158 Climate Controls
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 0311
for replacement intervals. For more
information, see your dealer.
Service
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.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10999169) -
2018 - crc - 3/28/17
160 Driving and Operating
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
. Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices. .
Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10999169) -
2018 - crc - 3/28/17
166 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See “Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0180.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running 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/Electronic Stability Control
0 190.
{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).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle 0297.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10999169) -
2018 - crc - 3/28/17
Driving and Operating 173
starting it. Operate the engine
and transmission gently until
the oil warms up and lubricates
all moving parts.
Stop/Start System
{Warning
Exiting the vehicle without first
shifting into P (Park) may cause
the vehicle to move. You or others
may be injured. Because the
vehicle may have an auto engine
stop/start 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 off before exiting the
vehicle.
The vehicle may be equipped with a
fuel saving Stop/Start system to
shut off the engine to help
conserve fuel.
Auto Stop (Vehicles without
eAssist)
If equipped, when the brakes are
applied and the vehicle is at a
complete stop, the engine may turn
off. When stopped, the tachometer
displays AUTO STOP. See
Tachometer 0112. When the brake
pedal is released or the accelerator
pedal is pushed, the engine will
restart.
The vehicle may remain in Auto
Stop even after it is shifted into
P (Park). Auto Stop will be
maintained until the door is opened
or the seat belt is unbuckled. There are several conditions that
may prevent an Auto Stop or cause
an Auto Start.
Auto Stop may be deactivated if:
.
A minimum vehicle speed is not
reached.
. The engine or transmission is
not at the required operating
temperature.
. The outside temperature is not
in the required operating range,
typically below −10 °C (14 °F) or
above 50 °C (122 °F).
. The transmission is in any gear
other than D (Drive).
. The battery charge is low.
. The battery has been
disconnected.
. The system may not be able to
shut off the engine in order to
maintain the air conditioning
comfort level or defrost system
settings. See Dual Automatic
Climate Control System 0152.
To maximize fuel economy, use
the ECO air conditioning mode.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10999169) -
2018 - crc - 3/28/17
174 Driving and Operating
.The Auto Stop time is greater
than two minutes.
Auto Stop (Vehicles with
eAssist)
If equipped, when the brakes are
applied and the vehicle is at a
complete stop, the engine may turn
off. When stopped, the tachometer
displays AUTO STOP. See
Tachometer 0112. When the brake
pedal is released or the accelerator
pedal is pushed, the engine will
restart.
The vehicle may remain in Auto
Stop for up to two minutes. The vehicle may remain in Auto
Stop even after it is shifted into
P (Park). If the driver opens the door
or unbuckles the seat belt the
vehicle will exit Auto Stop and
restart the engine.
There are several conditions that
may prevent an Auto Stop or cause
an Auto Start.
Auto Stop may be
deactivated when:
.
The engine, transmission,
or high voltage battery is not at
the required operating
temperature.
. The outside temperature is not
in the required operating range,
typically below −20 °C (−4 °F).
. The system may not be able to
shut off the engine in order to
maintain the air conditioning
comfort level or defrost system
settings. See Dual Automatic
Climate Control System 0152.
To maximize fuel economy, use
the ECO air conditioning mode. .
The transmission is in any gear
other than D (Drive).
. The high voltage battery charge
is low.
. The hood is not fully closed.
. The malfunction indicator lamp
is on.
. 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 besides P (Park).
. The air conditioning or defrost
system needs the compressor to
maintain interior comfort. See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0152. To maximize fuel
economy, use the ECO air
conditioning mode.
. The engine is required to run for
either heater or climate control
performance, or the climate
control system is turned from off

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10999169) -
2018 - crc - 3/28/17
Driving and Operating 175
to normal air conditioning,
or defrost. SeeDual Automatic
Climate Control System 0152.
. The high voltage battery charge
is low and requires recharging.
. Auto Stop time is greater than
two minutes.
. The hood is opened.
Engine Heater
The engine heater, if available, can
help in cold weather conditions at or
below −18 °C (0 °F) for easier
starting and better fuel economy
during engine warm-up. Plug in the
coolant heater at least four hours
before starting the vehicle. An
internal thermostat in the plug end
of the cord will prevent engine
heater operation at temperatures
above −18 °C (0 °F).
To Use the Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord.
The electrical cord is on the
driver side of the engine
compartment, between the
fender and the engine
compartment fuse block.
Check the heater cord for
damage. If it is damaged, do
not use it. See your dealer for
a replacement. Inspect the
cord for damage yearly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord
or an extension cord can damage
the cord and may result in
overheating and fire.
. Plug the cord into a
three-prong electrical utility
receptacle that is protected
by a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded
outlet could cause an
electric shock.
. Use a weatherproof,
heavy-duty, 15 amp-rated
extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the
recommended extension
cord in good operating
condition, or using a
damaged heater or
extension cord, could make
(Continued)

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10999169) -
2018 - crc - 3/28/17
222 Driving and Operating
{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 0180.
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires, and mirrors. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Caution
Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10999169) -
2018 - crc - 3/28/17
276 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires 0274 and
Accessories and Modifications
0 229.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10999169) -
2018 - crc - 3/28/17
352 Index
CheckEngine Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . 82
Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94, 96
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Climate Control Systems Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 332
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Compressor Kit, Tire Sealant . . . 280
Connections OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 Control
Traction and Electronic
Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Coolant Engine Temperature Gauge . . .114
Engine TemperatureWarning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Courtesy Transportation
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Cruise Control, Adaptive . . . . . . . . 195
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 328 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . . . 334
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . 332
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 2
Data CollectionInfotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 338
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 337
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Diagnostics
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Door
Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 324
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . 187, 248
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 203
Driver Efficiency Gauge . . . . . . . . 114
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10999169) -
2018 - crc - 3/28/17
Index 353
DrivingAssistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 207
Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 26
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 164
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 166
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
E
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . 188
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 119
Electrical Equipment,
Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 253
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 Emergency
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Energy Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 231
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Coolant Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 180
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 337
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 144
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 145
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
F
FeaturesMemory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 146
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 238
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Forward Automatic Braking . . . . . 210
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335