steering BUICK LESABRE 2003 Owner's Guide

3. Now press the image height adjuster switch to
position the image as low as possible, while still
keeping it in full view.
4. Slide the dimmer lever downward until the HUD
image is no brighter than necessary.
To turn the HUD display off, slide the dimmer lever all
the way down.
If the sun comes out and the sky becomes cloudy, you
may need to adjust the HUD brightness using the
dimmer lever. Polarized sunglasses could make the
HUD image harder to see.
To change the display from English to metric units, push
the ENG/MET button located to the left of the steering
column.
Clean the inside of the windshield as necessary to
remove any dirt or ®lm that reduces the sharpness or
clarity of the HUD image.
To clean the HUD lens, spray household glass cleaner
on a soft, clean cloth. Gently wipe and dry the HUD
lens. Do not spray cleaner directly on the lens to avoid
cleaner leaking inside the unit.
If the ignition is on and you can't see the HUD image,
check to see if:
·Something is covering the HUD unit.
·The HUD dimmer lever is adjusted properly.
·The HUD image is adjusted to the proper height.
·A fuse is blown. SeeFuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 5-86
.Keep in mind that your windshield is part of the HUD
system. If you ever have your windshield replaced,
be sure to get one that is designed for HUD or your HUD
image may look blurred or out of focus.
Accessory Power Outlets
The accessory power outlets can be used to plug in
electrical equipment such as a cellular telephone or
CB radio.
Your vehicle may have up to three power outlets
depending on the type of front seat you have. If your
vehicle has front bucket seats with a center console, you
will ®nd two outlets inside the rear storage compartment.
(An extra power outlet can be found in the ashtray.)
Your vehicle may have a small cap that must be pulled
down to access the accessory power outlet. If it
does, when not using the outlet be sure to cover it with
the protective cap.
The accessory power outlets will only operate when the
ignition key is in RUN and for 10 minutes after turning
the ignition off. If you would like the outlets to operate
regardless of ignition position, and for extended periods
of time, see ªEngine Compartment Fuse Blockº under
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-86or contact
your dealer.
3-22

Operation Tips
·
Clear away any ice, snow or leaves from the air
inlets at the base of the windshield that may
block the ¯ow of air into your vehicle.
·Use of non-GM approved hood de¯ectors may
adversely affect the performance of the system.
·Keep the path under the front seats clear of objects
to help circulate the air inside of your vehicle more
effectively.
Steering Wheel Climate Controls
If your vehicle has this
feature, you can control
the temperature function
by using the switch located
on your steering wheel.
wTEMPx(Temperature):Press the up or down
arrow on this switch to increase or decrease the
temperature.
Climate Controls Personalization
If your vehicle is equipped with this feature, up to two
drivers are able to store and recall climate control
settings for the temperature, the fan speed and the
direction of the air¯ow.
Memory buttons 1 and 2 are located on the driver's
door panel and correspond to the numbers 1 or 2 found
on the back of each remote keyless entry transmitter.
To store settings, do the following:
1. Select the desired temperature, fan speed and
air¯ow mode. If desired, a separate temperature
setting may also be selected for the front seat
passenger. For information on how to do this, see
Dual Automatic Climate Control System on
page 3-26.
2. Locate memory buttons 1 and 2 on the driver's
door panel.
3. Press the memory button on the door panel that
corresponds to the number on the back of the
transmitter you are programming, until you hear two
beeps. The beeps con®rm that your selection has
been saved and can now be recalled. For more
information on the memory feature, see
Memory
Seat and Mirrors on page 2-44.
Follow these steps each time you want to change the
stored settings.
3-31

DIC Controls and Displays
When you turn the ignition on, the DIC will display your
DRIVER NUMBER. You can have your dealer
program your name to appear on this display line. See
your dealer for more information.
The system will then perform a status check and display
any messages if a problem is detected. If there are
no problems detected, the display will return to the mode
selected by that driver the last time the ignition was
turned off.
If a problem is detected, a diagnostic message will
appear in the display. The following pages will show the
messages you may see on the DIC display.
The message center is continuously updated with the
vehicle's performance status.The following buttons are
on the DIC control panel
which is located to
the left of the steering
column:
ODO/TRIP (Odometer/Trip):When this button is
pressed, the display will show the total mileage, and
Trip 1 or Trip 2 miles. Trip 1 and Trip 2 will display the
miles traveled since the last reset. To reset the trip
odometer, press the ODO/TRIP button until the preferred
trip number (1 or 2) is shown in the DIC display, then
press the RESET button. The trip odometer will
now accumulate miles until the next reset.
3-46

DIC Warnings and Messages
Other messages or warnings may appear in the DIC
display. For Canadian drivers, in addition to the
DIC message your DIC will display EXP with a number
after it which re¯ects the following messages:
EXP
(Export ID) Warning Message
20 TURN SIGNAL STILL ON?
24 TRUNK AJAR
25 WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID LOW
27 BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
36 ENGINE OIL LOW ± CHECK LEVEL
40 THEFT ATTEMPT DETECTED
54 SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM
55 STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE
61 GAS CAP LOOSE ± CHECK CAP
81 CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
91
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ACTIVE
102 CHECK CHARGE SYSTEM
139 DOOR AJAR
144 CHECK TIRE PRESSURES
The EXP codes are used to make translation from
English to other languages easier.
Pressing any of the DIC control buttons will remove
the messages or warnings from the DIC display.SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM ± 54:If you ever see
the SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM message, it
means there may be a problem with your stability
enhancement system. If you see this message, try to
reset the system (stop; turn off the engine; then start the
engine again). If the SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM
message still comes on, it means there is a problem.
You should see your dealer for service. Reduce
your speed and drive accordingly.
STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE ± 55:You may see the
STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver
Information Center. It means that an advanced,
computer-controlled system has come on to help your
vehicle continue to go in the direction in which you're
steering. This stability enhancement system activates
when the computer senses that your vehicle is just
starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of ice or
other slippery spot on the road. When the system is on,
you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal.
When the STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE message is on,
you should continue to steer in the direction you want
to go. The system is designed to help you in bad
weather or other difficult driving situations by making the
most of whatever road conditions will permit. If the
STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE message comes on, you'll
know that something has caused your vehicle to start
to spin, so you should consider slowing down.
3-49

Audio Steering Wheel Controls
If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain
radio functions using the buttons on your steering
wheel.
QSEEKR:Press the up arrow to seek to the next
station and the down arrow to seek to the previous
station. The sound will mute while seeking. When
playing a cassette tape or a compact disc, press the up
arrow to hear the next selection.
BAND:Press this button to choose FM1, FM2, or AM,
XM1 or XM2 (USA only, if your radio is equipped
with XMŸ Satellite Radio Service).SCAN:Press this button to scan your radio preset
stations. The radio will scan to the ®rst preset station
stored on your pushbuttons, play for a few seconds, then
go on to the next preset station. The radio will scan
preset stations with a strong signal only. Press
this button again to stop scanning.
SOURCE:Press this button to play a cassette tape or
compact disc when listening to the radio. If a cassette
tape and a compact disc are both loaded, the system will
go to the tape play ®rst.
MUTE:Press this button to silence the system. Press it
again to turn on the sound.
QVOL (Volume)R:Press the up or down arrow to
increase or decrease volume.
Understanding Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
3-78

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-6
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-9
Steering......................................................4-10
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-13
Passing.......................................................4-13
Loss of Control.............................................4-15
Driving at Night............................................4-16
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-17
City Driving..................................................4-20Freeway Driving...........................................4-21
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-22
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-24
Winter Driving..............................................4-25
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-30
Towing..........................................................4-31
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-31
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-32
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-33
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-35
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your re¯exes, perceptions, attentiveness and
judgment can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You can have a serious Ð or
even fatal Ð collision if you drive after drinking.
Please don't drink and drive or ride with a driver
who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if
you're with a group, designate a driver who will
not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering
and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their
work at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you're driving on snow or ice, it's
easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. Also see
Traction Control System
(TCS) on page 4-9.
4-5

The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the
vehicle in front of you, you won't have time to apply
your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
®rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
4-8

To turn the system off, press the TRACTION OFF
button located at the end of the shift lever on the right
side of the steering wheel.
The traction control system warning light will come on
and stay on. If the system is limiting wheel spin
when you press the button, the warning light will come
on ± but the system won't turn off right away. It will
wait until there's no longer a current need to limit wheel
spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button again. The traction control system
warning light should go off.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here's why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you've ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll
understand this.
4-10

The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you're in a curve, speed is the one factor you can
control.
Suppose you're steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems Ð steering and acceleration Ð have to do their
work where the tires meet the road. Adding the
sudden acceleration can demand too much of those
places. You can lose control. See
Traction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
If you have Stabilitrak
ž, you may see the STABILITY
SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver Information
Center. See ªStability System Active Messageº
under
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-49.Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you'll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can ªdriveº through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
4-11