warning BUICK LUCERNE 2010 Owner's Manual

STARTING DISABLED SERVICE
THROTTLE
This message displays if the starting of the engine is
disabled due to the electronic throttle control system.
Have your vehicle serviced by your dealer immediately.
This message only appears while the ignition is in
ON/RUN, and will not disappear until the problem is
resolved.
This message cannot be acknowledged.
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This message displays if the content theft-deterrent
system has detected a break-in attempt while you were
away from your vehicle. SeeContent Theft-Deterrent
on
page 3‑16for more information.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message may be displayed if the gas cap is not
on, or is not fully tightened. Check the gas cap to
ensure that it is on properly. See Filling the Tank
on
page 6‑10for more information.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays when the TPMS is
re-learning the tire positions on your vehicle. The tire
positions must be re-learned after rotating the tires or
after replacing a tire or sensor. See Tire Inspection and
Rotation
on page 6‑71, Tire Pressure Monitor Systemon page 6‑66, and Inflation - Tire Pressureon
page 6‑65for more information.
TIRE LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays when the pressure in
one or more of the vehicle's tires is low. This message
also displays LEFT FRT (left front), RIGHT FRT (right
front), LEFT RR (left rear), or RIGHT RR (right rear) to
indicate the location of the low tire. The low tire
pressure warning light will also come on. See Tire
Pressure Light
on page 4‑41. If a tire pressure
message appears on the DIC, stop as soon as you can.
Have the tire pressures checked and set to those
shown on the Tire Loading Information label. See Tires
on page 6‑57,Loading the Vehicleon page 5‑19, and
Inflation - Tire Pressureon page 6‑65. You can receive
more than one tire pressure message at a time. To read
the other messages that may have been sent at the
same time, press the set/reset button. The DIC also
shows the tire pressure values. See DIC Operation and
Displays
on page 4‑47.
4-63

TRACTION CONTROL OFF
This message displays when the Traction Control
System (TCS) is turned off. Adjust your driving
accordingly. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on
page 5‑6for more information.
TRACTION CONTROL ON
This message displays when the Traction Control
System (TCS) is turned on. See Traction Control
System (TCS)
on page 5‑6for more information.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE ENGINE
Notice: If you drive your vehicle while the
transmission fluid is overheating and the
transmission temperature warning is displayed on
the instrument panel cluster and/or DIC, you can
damage the transmission. This could lead to costly
repairs that would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not drive your vehicle with overheated
transmission fluid or while the transmission
temperature warning is displayed. This message displays when the transmission fluid
in your vehicle is too hot. Stop the vehicle and allow it
to idle until it cools down. If the warning message
continues to display, have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer as soon as possible.
TRUNK OPEN
This message displays when the trunk is not closed
completely. Make sure that the trunk is closed
completely. See
Trunk on page 3‑12.
TURN SIGNAL ON
This message displays as a reminder to turn off the turn
signal if you drive your vehicle for more than about
1.2 km (0.75 mile) with a turn signal on. See Turn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 4‑5.
This message displays and a chime sounds only when
the ignition is in ON/RUN. The message will not
disappear until the turn signal is manually turned off,
or a turn is completed.
4-64

Exiting the Feature Settings Menu
The feature settings menu will be exited when any of
the following occurs:
.The vehicle is shifted out of P (Park).
.The vehicle is no longer in ON/RUN.
.The trip/fuel or vehicle information DIC buttons are
pressed.
.The end of the feature settings menu is reached
and exited.
.A 40 second time period has elapsed with no
selection made.
Audio System(s)
Determine which radio the vehicle has and read the
following pages to become familiar with its features.
{WARNING:
Taking your eyes off the road for extended periods
could cause a crash resulting in injury or death to
you or others. Do not give extended attention to
entertainment tasks while driving.This system provides access to many audio and non
audio listings.
To minimize taking your eyes off the road while driving,
do the following while the vehicle is parked:
.Become familiar with the operation and controls of
the audio system.
.Set up the tone, speaker adjustments, and preset
radio stations.
For more information, see Defensive Driving
on
page 5‑2.
Notice: Contact your dealer before adding any
equipment.
Adding audio or communication equipment could
interfere with the operation of the vehicle's engine,
radio, or other systems, and could damage them.
Follow federal rules covering mobile radio and
telephone equipment.
The vehicle has Retained Accessory Power (RAP). With
RAP, the audio system can be played even after the
ignition is turned off. See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP)
on page 3‑21for more information.
4-74

Your Driving, the Road, and the
Vehicle
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always expect the
unexpected.” The first step in driving defensively is to
wear your safety belt —See Safety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 2‑12.
{WARNING:
Assume that other road users (pedestrians,
bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they
might do and be ready. In addition:
.Allow enough following distance between you
and the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Driver distraction can cause collisions resulting in
injury or possible death. These simple defensive
driving techniques could save your life.
Drunk Driving
{WARNING:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol. You can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after drinking. Do not
drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with a
group, designate a driver who will not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a global tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and
attentiveness.
Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have
been associated with the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.
5-2

For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person's
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking—driver or
passenger —is in a crash, that person's chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the
person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control the vehicle
while driving —brakes, steering, and accelerator. At
times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the tires and road
can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of the
vehicle. See Traction Control System (TCS)
on
page 5‑6.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer accessories can
affect vehicle performance. See Accessories and
Modifications on page 6‑3.
Braking
See Brake System Warning Light on page 4‑36.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three‐fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three‐fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels
20 m (66 feet). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between the
vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet,
dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the
weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force
applied.
5-3

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts, heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking,
rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake.
The brakes might not have time to cool between hard
stops. The brakes will wear out much faster with a lot
of heavy braking. Keeping pace with the traffic and
allowing realistic following distances eliminates a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is being
driven, brake normally but do not pump the brakes.
If the brakes are pumped, the pedal could get harder to
push down. If the engine stops, there will still be some
power brake assist but it will be used when the brake is
applied. Once the power assist is used up, it can take
longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder
to push.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer accessories can
affect vehicle performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 6‑3.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that helps prevent
a braking skid.
When the engine is started and 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 4‑37.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that the wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the brakes at each front
wheel and at both rear wheels.
5-4

StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle may have the StabiliTrak system which
combines antilock brake, traction and stability control
systems and helps the driver maintain directional
control of the vehicle in most driving conditions. This is
accomplished by selectively applying any one of the
vehicle's brakes and reducing engine power.
The StabiliTrak system comes on automatically
whenever the vehicle is started. The system cannot be
turned off.
This light will flash when
the system is operating.
The STABILITRAK NOT READY message may be
displayed in the Driver Information Center (DIC) and the
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak warning light
on the instrument panel cluster comes on after first
driving the vehicle and exceeding 19 mph (30 km/h) for
30 seconds. The StabiliTrak system is off until the light
has turned off. This could take up to 15 minutes. The TCS/StabiliTrak warning light on the instrument
panel cluster will flash when the system is operating.
See
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light
on
page 4‑38and StabiliTrak®Indicator Lighton
page 4‑39for more information. The system may be
heard or felt while it is working. This is normal.
The SERVICE STABILITRAK message is displayed and
the TCS/StabiliTrak warning light on the instrument
panel cluster comes on if there is a problem with
the system. When this light and the SERVICE
STABILITRAK message are on, the system is not
working. Adjust your driving accordingly.
Traction Control System (TCS)
The vehicle has a Traction Control System (TCS) that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that the front wheels are spinning too much or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system works the front brakes and reduces engine
power (by closing the throttle and managing engine
spark) to limit wheel spin.
5-6

The TCS and StabiliTrak®
light will flash when the
system is limiting
wheel spin.
The system may be heard or felt while it is working, but
this is normal. See Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
on page 4‑38for more information.
If the vehicle is in cruise control when TCS begins to
limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. The cruise control may be re-engaged when
road conditions allow. See Cruise Control on page 4‑9.
The SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL message in the
DIC and the TCS/StabiliTrak warning light comes on if
there is a problem with the traction control system. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 4‑55.
When this light and the SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL message are on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To turn the system off or
on, press and release this
button located in front of
the shift lever.
TCS automatically comes on whenever the vehicle is
started. To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, always leave the system turned on. TCS
can be turned off if needed.
The system can be turned on or off at any time by
pressing the TCS button. The DIC will display
TRACTION CONTROL OFF when the button is
pressed, and part of the traction control system is
disabled. The vehicle will still have brake-traction
control, but will not be able to use the engine speed
management system. System noises may be heard as
a result of the brake-traction control working. If the
controller detects excessive wheel spin in this mode,
the TCS/StabiliTrak light may blink.
5-7

It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the
system off if the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or
snow, and you want to“rock”the vehicle to attempt to
free it. See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow on page 5‑18.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer accessories can affect
the vehicle's performance. See Accessories and
Modifications
on page 6‑3for more information.
Magnetic Ride Control™
The vehicle may have Magnetic Ride Control that
automatically adjusts the ride of the vehicle. The
controller receives input from the system to determine
the proper ride. If the controller detects a problem within
the system, the Driver Information Center (DIC) displays
a SERVICE SUSPENSION SYS message. See DIC
Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑55for more
information. If this message appears, have the vehicle
serviced at your dealer.
Steering
Power Steering
If power steering assist is lost because the engine stops
or the system is not functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but it will take more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on the condition of the tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is
banked, and vehicle speed. While in a curve, speed is
the one factor that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed, do it before entering
the curve, while the front wheels are straight.
Try to adjust the speed so you can drive through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until out of the curve, and then accelerate
gently into the straightaway.
5-8

Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by
not overdriving those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond to the vehicle's
three control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip
and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid,
too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid
only the acceleration skid. If the traction control system
is off, then an acceleration skid is best handled by
easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
the vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, slow
down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is
important to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by shifting
to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the
tires to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until the vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
—such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on
the road to make a mirrored surface —and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid only the
braking skid.
5-11