headlamp BUICK LUCERNE 2010 User Guide

6(Low Speed): Slow wipes.
1 (High Speed): Fast wipes.
9 (Off): Turns the wipers off.
Clear ice and snow from the wiper blades before using
them. If frozen to the windshield, carefully loosen or
thaw them. Damaged blades should be replaced.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the wiper motor.
A circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools.
The vehicle has wiper-activated headlamps. After the
windshield wipers have completed eight wipe cycles
within four minutes, the headlamps automatically turn
on. See Wiper Activated Headlamps
on page 4‑13for
more information.
Rainsense™ II Wipers
If the vehicle has this feature, the moisture sensor is
mounted on the interior of the windshield beside the
rearview mirror and is used to automatically operate the
wipers. This system operates by monitoring the amount
of moisture build-up on the windshield. Wipes occur as
needed to clear the windshield depending on the driving
conditions and the sensitivity setting. In light rain or
snow, fewer wipes will occur. In heavy rain or snow,
wipes will occur more frequently. The system operates
in the delay mode. If the system is left on for long
periods of time, occasional wipes may occur without
any moisture on the windshield. This is normal and
indicates that the Rainsense™ system is active.
4-7

Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory is erased from
memory by pressing
Tor if the ignition is turned off.
Exterior Lamps
The exterior lamps
control is located on the
instrument panel to the
left of the steering wheel.
It controls the following systems:
.Headlamps
.Taillamps
.Parking Lamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Fog Lamps (If Equipped) The exterior lamps control has four positions:
O(Off):
Turn the control to this position to turn off the
exterior lamps.
AUTO (Automatic): Turn the control to this position
to automatically turn on the headlamps at normal
brightness, together with the following:
.Parking Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
; (Parking Lamps): Turn the control to this position to
turn on the parking lamps together with the following:
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
2 (Headlamps): Turn the control to this position to turn
on the headlamps together with the following lamps
listed below. A warning chime sounds if the driver's door
is opened while the ignition switch is off and the
headlamps are on.
.Parking Lamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
# (Fog Lamps): Push the exterior lamps control in to
turn on the fog lamps.
See Fog Lamps on page 4‑14.
4-12

Wiper Activated Headlamps
This feature activates the headlamps and parking lamps
after the windshield wipers are turned on and have
completed eight wipe cycles within four minutes.
When the ignition is turned to LOCK/OFF, the
wiper-activated headlamps immediately turn off. The
wiper-activated headlamps also turn off if the windshield
wipers are turned off.
Headlamps on Reminder
If you leave the exterior lamp buttons for the headlamps
or parking lamps on, remove the key from the ignition
and open the driver's door, you will hear a continuous
warning chime. The chime will turn off when the lamps
are turned off.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running lamps are required on
all vehicles first sold in Canada.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel monitors
the exterior light level for the operation of DRL, so be
sure it is not covered.The DRL system makes the low-beam headlamps turn
on at reduced brightness in daylight when the following
conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamp button for the headlamps is off.
.The automatic transmission is not in P (Park).
When the DRL are on, only the low-beam headlamps
will be on. The parking lamps, taillamps, sidemarker
and other lamps will not be on.
When it is dark enough outside, the low-beam
headlamps will come on. The other lamps that turn on
with the headlamps will also turn on. When it is bright
enough outside, the regular lamps will go off, and the
low-beam headlamps change to the reduced brightness
of DRL.
To turn off all exterior lighting at night when the
vehicle is parked, turn the exterior lamp control to
the off position. The exterior lamps will turn back on
automatically when the transmission is moved out of
P (Park). See Exterior Lamps
on page 4‑12for more
information.
The regular headlamp system should be turned on
when needed.
4-13

Fog Lamps
The fog lamps button is on the exterior lamps control to
the left of the steering column.
#(Fog Lamps):Press the exterior lamps button to
turn the fog lamps on or off. A light comes on in the
instrument panel cluster when the fog lamps are in use.
See Instrument Panel Cluster
on page 4‑30. The
ignition must be in the ON/RUN position for the fog
lamps to work.
The fog lamps will go off when the headlamps are
changed to high-beam.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
Cornering Lamps
For vehicles with this feature, the cornering lamps come
on when: the headlamps or parking lamps are on, the
vehicle is not in P (Park), and you signal a turn with the
turn signal/multifunction lever. They provide more light
for cornering.
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the exterior lamp button has been left on, the exterior
lamps will turn off about 10 minutes after the ignition is
turned to LOCK/OFF and a door has been opened. This
protects against draining the battery if the headlamps or
parking lamps are accidentally left on. If you need to
leave the lamps on for more than 10 minutes, use the
exterior lamp control to turn the lamps back on after the
ignition is turned to LOCK/OFF and any door is opened.
Instrument Panel Brightness
D (Instrument Panel Brightness): This feature
controls the brightness of the instrument panel lights.
The knob for this control is located next to the exterior
lamps control.
Push the knob in and release when it pops out. Turn
the knob clockwise to increase the brightness of the
instrument panel lights and counter clockwise to
decrease the brightness. Turning the knob completely
clockwise to the detent will turn on the courtesy lamps.
4-14

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 bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered
slightly to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a
voltmeter gauge 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 are on, such as: 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, BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW
BATTERY. 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 4‑55.
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.
4-16

Battery Run-Down Protection
This feature helps prevent the battery from being
drained, if the interior courtesy lamps, reading/map
lamps, visor vanity lamps or trunk lamp are accidentally
left on. If any of these lamps are left on, they
automatically turn off after 10 minutes, if the ignition is
off. The lamps will not come back on again until one of
the following occurs:
.The ignition is turned on.
.The exterior lamps control is turned off, then on
again.
The headlamps will timeout after 10 minutes, if they are
manually turned on with the ignition on or off.
Accessory Power Outlet(s)
The accessory power outlets can be used to plug in
electrical equipment, such as a cellular telephone.
The vehicle may have up to three power outlets
depending on the type of front seat installed. If
the vehicle has front bucket seats with a center
console, there are two outlets inside the rear storage
compartment. An extra power outlet can be found under
the climate control system next to the ashtray.
The vehicle may have a small cap that must be pulled
down to access the accessory power outlet. Cover the
outlet with the protective cap when it is not being used. Notice:
Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain the battery. Always
turn off electrical equipment when not in use
and do not plug in equipment that exceeds the
maximum amperage rating.
Certain electrical accessories may not be compatible to
the accessory power outlets and could result in blown
vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a problem
see your dealer for additional information on the
accessory power outlets.
Notice: Adding any electrical equipment to the
vehicle can damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle warranty. Do not use
equipment exceeding maximum amperage rating of
20 amperes. Check with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow
the proper installation instructions included with the
equipment.
Notice: Improper use of the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by the vehicle warranty. Do not
hang any type of accessory or accessory bracket
from the plug because the power outlets are
designed for accessory power plugs only.
4-17

If the light comes on and stays on, it means that oil is
not flowing through the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might have some other
system problem.
Security Light
For information regarding
this light and the vehicle's
security system, see
Content Theft-Deterrent
on page 3‑16.
Fog Lamp Light
The fog lamp light comes
on when the fog lamps
are in use.
The light goes out when the fog lamps are turned off.
See Fog Lamps
on page 4‑14for more information.
Cruise Control Light
The cruise control light
comes on whenever the
cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise control is turned off.
See Cruise Control
on page 4‑9for more information.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on when
the high-beam headlamps
are in use.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
on page 4‑6for more information.
4-45

DIC Warnings and Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC to notify the driver
that the status of the vehicle has changed and that
some action may be needed by the driver to correct the
condition. Multiple messages may appear one after
another. Some messages may not require immediate
action, but you can press the set/reset button to
acknowledge that you received the message and clear
it from the DIC display. Pressing any of the DIC buttons
also acknowledges and clears any messages. Some
messages cannot be cleared from the DIC display
because they are more urgent. These messages require
action before they can be cleared. You should take any
messages that appear on the display seriously and
remember that clearing the messages will only make
the messages disappear, not correct the problem. The
following are the possible messages that can be
displayed and some information about them.
AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL OFF
This message displays when the automatic headlamps
are turned off. SeeExterior Lampson page 4‑12for
more information.
AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL ON
This message displays when the automatic headlamps
are turned on. See Exterior Lampson page 4‑12for
more information.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the system detects that
the battery voltage is dropping beyond a reasonable
level. The battery saver system starts reducing certain
features of the vehicle that you may be able to notice.
At the point that the features are disabled, this message
is displayed. It means that the vehicle is trying to save
the charge in the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories to allow the
battery to recharge.
The normal battery voltage range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when service is required for the
vehicle. See your dealer. See Engine Oilon page 6‑17andScheduled Maintenanceon page 7‑3for more
information.
Acknowledging the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will not reset the OIL LIFE REMAINING. That
must be done at the OIL LIFE screen under the vehicle
information menu. See “Oil Life”underDIC Operation
and Displays
on page 4‑47and Engine Oil Life Systemon page 6‑20.
4-55

WASHER FLUID LOW ADD FLUID
This message displays when the windshield washer
fluid is low. Fill the windshield washer reservoir as soon
as possible. SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on
page 6‑14for the location of the windshield washer
reservoir. Also, see Windshield Washer Fluidon
page 6‑39for more information.
DIC Vehicle Customization
Your vehicle has customization capabilities that allow
you to program certain features to one preferred setting.
Customization features can only be programmed to one
setting on the vehicle and cannot be programmed to a
preferred setting for two different drivers.
All of the customization options may not be available
on your vehicle. Only the options available will be
displayed on the DIC.
The default settings for the customization features were
set when your vehicle left the factory, but may have
been changed from their default state since then.
The customization preferences are automatically
recalled. To change customization preferences, use the following
procedure.
Entering the Feature Settings Menu
1. Turn the ignition on and place the vehicle in
P (Park).
To avoid excessive drain on the battery, it is
recommended that the headlamps are turned off.
2. Press the customization button to enter the feature settings menu.
If the menu is not available, FEATURE SETTINGS
AVAILABLE IN PARK will display. Before entering
the menu, make sure the vehicle is in P (Park).
Feature Settings Menu Items
The following are customization features that allow you
to program settings to the vehicle:
DISPLAY IN ENGLISH
This feature will only display if a language other than
English has been set. This feature allows you to change
the language in which the DIC messages appear to
English.
Press the customization button until the PRESS
VTO
DISPLAY IN ENGLISH screen appears on the DIC
display. Press the set/reset button once to display all
DIC messages in English.
4-65

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired—by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
.Drive defensively.
.Do not drink and drive.
.Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
.Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because headlamps can only light
up so much road ahead.
.Watch for animals.
.When tired, pull off the road.
.Do not wear sunglasses.
.Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
.Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean —inside and out.
.Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But, as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and
affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive
slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and deep‐standing or
flowing water.
{WARNING:
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They might not
work as well in a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of the
vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a
car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake pedal
until the brakes work normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
Driving through flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this happens, you
and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very cautious about
trying to drive through flowing water.
5-12