seats BUICK LUCERNE 2008 User Guide

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected
from it and be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passenger(s) are
restrained properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle your
safety belts. SeeSafety Belt Reminders on page 3-34.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the
law requires wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people
who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away.
Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!
1-12

Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in your vehicle have a lap-shoulder
except for the center front passenger position (if
equipped), which has a lap belt. SeeLap Belt on
page 1-31for more information.
Here is how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can
sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.If you ever pull the shoulder portion of a passenger
belt out all the way, you may engage the child
restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let the
belt go back all the way and start again.
Engaging the child restraint locking feature may
affect the passenger sensing system. See
Passenger Sensing System on page 1-67.
1-25

Safety Belt Pretensioners
Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for front
outboard occupants. Although you cannot see them,
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 and near frontal crash if the
threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are
met. And, if your vehicle has side impact airbags, safety
belt pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in
a side crash.
Pretensioners work only once. If they activate in a
crash, you will need to get new ones, and probably other
new parts for your safety belt system. SeeReplacing
Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-75.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added
safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for some adults. When installed on
a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the belt
away from the neck and head.
There is one guide for each outside passenger position
in the rear seat. Here is how to install a comfort
guide to the safety belt:
1. Remove the guide from its storage pocket on the
rear side of the seatback.
1-28

To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown
until the belt is snug.
If the belt is not long enough, seeSafety Belt Extender
on page 1-32.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt
quickly if necessary.
If you nd that the latch plate will not go fully into the
buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Be sure
that the latch plate clicks when inserted into the
buckle.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But if a safety belt is not long enough, your
dealer/retailer will order you an extender. When you go
in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear,
so the extender will be long enough for you. To help
avoid personal injury, do not let someone else use
it, and use it only for the seat it is made to t. The
extender has been designed for adults. Never use it for
securing child seats. To wear it, attach it to the
regular safety belt. For more information, see the
instruction sheet that comes with the extender.
1-32

Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts.The manufacturer’s instructions that come with the
booster seat, state the weight and height limitations for
that booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder
belt until the child passes the below t test:
Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the knees bend
at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no, return to
the booster seat.
Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulder belt
rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, try
using the rear safety belt comfort guide. See “Rear
Safety Belt Comfort Guides” underLap-Shoulder
Belt on page 1-25for more information. If the
shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder,
then return to the booster seat.
Does the lap belt t low and snug on the hips,
touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return to
the booster seat.
Can proper safety belt t be maintained for length of
trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat.
If you have the choice, a child should sit in a position
with a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a
shoulder belt can provide.
1-33

Securing an Add-On Child Restraint in
the Vehicle
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a
crash if the child restraint is not properly
secured in the vehicle. Make sure the child
restraint is properly installed in the vehicle
using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH
system, following the instructions that came
with that restraint, and also the instructions in
this manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint
must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systems
must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the
lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH
system. SeeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-43for more information. A child can
be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle.When securing an add-on child restraint, refer to the
instructions that come with the restraint which may be on
the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to this
manual. The child restraint instructions are important, so
if they are not available, obtain a replacement copy
from the manufacturer.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure
any child restraint in your vehicle — even when no child
is in it.
Securing the Child Within the Child
Restraint
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a
crash if the child is not properly secured in the
child restraint. Because there are different
systems, it is important to refer to the
instructions that come with the restraint. Make
sure the child is properly secured, following
the instructions that came with that restraint.
1-41

Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer/retailer and the service
manual have information about servicing your vehicle
and the airbag system. To purchase a service manual,
seeService Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-16.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
airbag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an
airbag when it inates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualied to do so.
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to or change
about the vehicle that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or moving any parts
of the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing
and diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules, ceiling headliner
or pillar garnish trim, overhead console, front
sensors, side impact sensors, or airbag wiring can
affect the operation of the airbag system.
1-72

Remote Vehicle Start
Your vehicle may have a remote starting feature. This
feature allows you to start the engine from outside
the vehicle. It may also start the vehicle’s heating or air
conditioning systems, rear window defogger, and
heated seats. SeeHeated Seats on page 1-4and
Heated and Cooled Seats on page 1-5for additional
information. When the remote start system is active, the
climate control system will heat or cool the inside of
the vehicle at the setting the vehicle was set to when the
vehicle was last turned off. The rear window defogger
will be turned on by the climate control system when it is
cold outside. If the vehicle has heated seats, they
may also turn on when it is cold outside. Cooled seats
are not activated during a remote start. Normal
operation of the system will return after the key is
turned to the ON/RUN position.
Laws in some communities may restrict the use of
remote starters. For example, some laws may require a
person using the remote start to have the vehicle in
view when doing so. Check local regulations for
any requirements on remote starting of vehicles.
Do not use the remote start feature if your vehicle is low
on fuel. Your vehicle may run out of fuel.If your vehicle has remote start, the RKE transmitter
provides an increased range of operation. However, the
range may be less while the vehicle is running. As a
result, you may need to be closer to your vehicle to turn
it off than you were to turn it on.
There are other conditions which can affect the
performance of the transmitter, seeRemote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System on page 2-4for additional
information.
/(Remote Start):This button will be on the RKE
transmitter if you have remote start.
To start the vehicle using the remote start feature:
1. Aim the transmitter at the vehicle.
2. Press and release the transmitter’s lock button,
then immediately press and hold the transmitter’s
remote start button until the turn signal lights
ash or if the vehicle’s lights are not visible, press
and hold the remote start button for at least
four seconds. The vehicle’s doors will lock.
When the vehicle starts, the parking lamps will turn
on and remain on while the vehicle is running.
3. If it is the rst remote start since the vehicle has been
driven, repeat these steps, while the engine is still
running, to extend the engine running time by
10 minutes. Remote start can be extended one time.
2-8

Automatic Transmission Operation
Your vehicle may have a shift lever located either on the
steering column or on the console between the seats.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). SeeShifting Into PARK (P) on
page 2-28. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-26.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P) while the ignition is in ON/RUN. If you cannot
shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift
lever and push the shift lever all the way into PARK (P)
as you maintain brake application. Then move the
shift lever into the gear you want. SeeShifting Out of
PARK (P) on page 2-31.
2-25

Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM) that
estimates the battery’s temperature and state of
charge. It then adjusts the voltage for best performance
and extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage is
raised slightly to quickly put the charge back in. When
the state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly
to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter
gage or a voltage display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the voltage move up
or down. This is normal. If there is a problem, an alert
will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is
because the generator (alternator) may not be
spinning fast enough at idle to produce all the power
that is needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger, climate control fan at high
speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer
loads, and loads plugged into accessory power outlets.EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s output
and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase
engine idle speed to generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands of
some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels
of corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information Center (DIC)
message might be displayed, such as Battery Saver
Active or Service Battery Charging System. If this
message is displayed, it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much as possible. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-56.
Inadvertent Power Battery Saver
This feature is designed to protect your vehicle’s battery
against drainage from the interior lamps, or garage
door opener. When the ignition is turned off, the power
to these features will automatically turn off after
10 minutes. Power will be restored for an additional
10 minutes if any door is opened, the trunk is opened or
the courtesy lamp switch is turned on.
3-19