SECTION 2 BUICK LUCERNE 2010 Owner's Guide

Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning lights and gauges can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to the
warning lights and gauges could prevent injury.
Warning lights come on when there might be or there is
a problem with one of the vehicle's functions. Some
warning lights come on briefly when the engine is
started to indicate they are working.
Gauges can indicate when there might be or there is a
problem with one of the vehicle's functions. Often
gauges and warning lights work together to indicate a
problem with the vehicle.When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
while driving, or when one of the gauges shows there
could be a problem, check the section that explains
what to do. Follow this manual's advice. Waiting to do
repairs can be costly and even dangerous.
Instrument Panel Cluster
The instrument panel cluster is designed to show how
the vehicle is running. It shows how fast the vehicle is
going, how much fuel has been used, and many other
things needed to drive safely and economically.
The vehicle has this cluster or one very similar to it.
It includes indicator warning lights and gauges that are
explained on the following pages. Be sure to read
about them.
4-30

Compass Calibration
The compass can be manually calibrated. Only calibrate
the compass in a magnetically clean and safe location,
such as an open parking lot, where driving the vehicle
in circles is not a danger. It is suggested to calibrate
away from tall buildings, utility wires, manhole covers,
or other industrial structures, if possible.
If CAL should ever appear in the DIC display, the
compass should be calibrated.
If the DIC display does not show a heading, for
example, N for North, or the heading does not change
after making turns, there may be a strong magnetic field
interfering with the compass. Interference may be
caused by a magnetic antenna mount, magnetic note
pad holder, or any other magnetic item. Turn off the
vehicle, move the magnetic item, then turn on the
vehicle and calibrate the compass.To calibrate the compass, use the following procedure:Compass Calibration Procedure
1. Before calibrating the compass, check that the
compass zone is set to the variance zone in which
the vehicle is located. See “Compass Variance
(Zone) Procedure” earlier in this section.
Do not operate any switches such as window,
sunroof, climate controls, seats, etc. during the
calibration procedure.
2. Press the vehicle information button until PRESS
VTO CALIBRATE COMPASS displays.
3. Press the set/reset button to start the compass calibration.
4. The DIC will display CALIBRATING: DRIVE IN CIRCLES. Drive the vehicle in tight circles at less
than 5 mph (8 km/h) to complete the calibration.
The DIC will display CALIBRATION COMPLETE
for a few seconds when the calibration is complete.
The DIC display will then return to PRESS
VTO
CALIBRATE COMPASS.
4-54

Radio Messages
Calibration Error:The audio system has been
calibrated for the vehicle from the factory. If Calibration
Error displays, it means that the radio has not been
configured properly for the vehicle and it must be
returned to your dealer for service.
Loc or Locked: If Loc or Locked displays, it means the
THEFTLOCK
®system has locked up. Take the vehicle
to your dealer for service.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your dealer.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM is a satellite radio service that is based in the
48 contiguous United States and 10 Canadian
provinces. XM Satellite Radio has a wide variety
of programming and commercial-free music,
coast-to-coast, and in digital-quality sound. A service
fee is required to receive the XM service. For more
information, contact XM at www.xmradio.com or call
1-800-929-2100 in the U.S. and www.xmradio.ca or
call 1-877-438-9677 in Canada.
Radio Messages for XM™ Only
SeeXM Radio Messageson page 4‑92later in this
section for further detail.
Playing a CD
Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The
player pulls it in and the CD should begin playing.
If the ignition or radio is turned off while a CD in the
player it stays in the player. When the ignition or radio is
turned on, the CD starts to play where it stopped, if it
was the last selected audio source.
When the CD is inserted, the CD symbol displays. As
each new track starts to play, the track number displays.
The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single
CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the smaller
CDs are loaded in the same manner.
4-82

Care of CDs
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality can be reduced
due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the
quality of the music that has been recorded, and the
way the CD-R has been handled. Handle them
carefully. Store CD-R(s) in their original cases or other
protective cases and away from direct sunlight and
dust. The CD player scans the bottom surface of the
disc. If the surface of a CD is damaged, such as
cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD does not play
properly or not at all. Do not touch the bottom side of a
CD while handling it; this could damage the surface.
Pick up CDs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of
the hole and the outer edge.
If the surface of a CD is soiled, take a soft, lint free
cloth or dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral
detergent solution mixed with water, and clean it.
Make sure the wiping process starts from the center to
the edge.
Care of the CD Player
Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the
CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer
and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of
the recorded CD with a marking pen.
The use of CD lens cleaners for CDs is not advised,
due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD
optics with lubricants internal to the CD player
mechanism.
Notice:If a label is added to a CD, or more than one
CD is inserted into the slot at a time, or an attempt
is made to play scratched or damaged CDs, the CD
player could be damaged. While using the CD
player, use only CDs in good condition without any
label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player
and the loading slot free of foreign materials,
liquids, and debris.
If an error displays, see “CD Messages”later in this
section.
4-85

Playing an MP3 CD-R or CD-RW Disc
The radio may have MP3 CD-R or CD-RW disc
capability. For more information, seeUsing an MP3on
page 4‑87later in this section.
CD Messages
CHECK DISC: If an error message displays and/or
the CD comes out, it could be for one of the following
reasons:
.It is very hot. When the temperature returns to
normal, the CD should play.
.The road is very rough. When the road becomes
smoother, the CD should play.
.The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down.
.The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and
try again.
.There could have been a problem while burning
the CD.
.The label could be caught in the CD player.
If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your dealer. If the radio displays an
error message, write it down and provide it to your
dealer while reporting the problem.
Using the Auxiliary Input Jack
The radio system has an auxiliary input jack located on
the lower right side of the faceplate. This is not an audio
output; do not plug the headphone set into the front
auxiliary input jack. However, an external audio device
such as an iPod, laptop computer, MP3 player, CD
changer, or cassette tape player, etc. can be connected
to the auxiliary input jack for use as another source for
audio listening.
Drivers are encouraged to set up any auxiliary device
while the vehicle is in P (Park). See Defensive Driving
on page 5‑2for more information on driver distraction.
To use a portable audio player, connect a 3.5 mm
(1/8 inch) cable to the radio's front auxiliary input jack.
While a device is connected, press the radio CD/AUX
button to begin playing audio from the device over the
vehicle speakers.
O(Power/Volume): Turn to increase or decrease
the volume of the portable player. Additional volume
adjustments might need to be made from the portable
device.
4-86

Audio System
When using the in‐vehicle Bluetooth system, sound
comes through the vehicle's front audio system
speakers and overrides the audio system. Use the
audio system volume knob, during a call, to change the
volume level. The adjusted volume level remains in
memory for later calls. To prevent missed calls, a
minimum volume level is used if the volume is turned
down too low.
Bluetooth Controls
Use the buttons located on the steering wheel to
operate the in‐vehicle Bluetooth system. SeeAudio
Steering Wheel Controls
on page 4‑105for more
information.
b g(Push To Talk) : Press to answer incoming calls,
to confirm system information, and to start speech
recognition.
c x(Phone On Hook): Press to end a call, reject a
call, or to cancel an operation.
Pairing
A Bluetooth enabled cell phone must be paired to the
in‐vehicle Bluetooth system first and then connected
to the vehicle before it can be used. See the cell
phone manufacturers user guide for Bluetooth functions
before pairing the cell phone. If a Bluetooth phone is
not connected, calls will be made using OnStar
®
Hands‐Free Calling, if available. Refer to the OnStar
owner's guide for more information.
Pairing Information:
.Up to five cell phones can be paired to the
in‐vehicle Bluetooth system.
.The pairing process is disabled when the vehicle is
moving.
.The in‐vehicle Bluetooth system automatically links
with the first available paired cell phone in the
order the phone was paired.
.Only one paired cell phone can be connected to
the in‐vehicle Bluetooth system at a time.
.Pairing should only need to be completed once,
unless changes to the pairing information have
been made or the phone is deleted.
To link to a different paired phone, see Linking to a
Different Phone later in this section.
4-94

Sending a Stored Name Tag During a Call
1. Pressbg. The system responds with “Ready”
followed by a tone.
2. Say “Send name tag.” The system responds with
“Say a name tag to send tones” followed by a tone.
3. Say the name tag to send.
.If the system clearly recognizes the name tag it
responds with “OK, Sending ” and
the dial tones are sent and the call continues.
.If the system is not sure it recognized the name
tag properly, it responds “Dial ,
Please say yes or no?” followed by a tone.
If the name tag is correct, say “Yes”. The
system responds with “OK, Sending tag>” and the dial tones are sent and the call
continues.
Clearing the System
Unless information is deleted out of the in‐vehicle
Bluetooth system, it will be retained indefinitely. This
includes all saved name tags in the phonebook and
phone pairing information. For information on how to
delete this information, see the above sections on
Deleting a Paired Phone and Deleting Name Tags.
Other Information
The Bluetooth®word mark and logos are owned by the
Bluetooth®SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by
General Motors is under license. Other trademarks and
trade names are those of their respective owners.
See Radio Frequency Statement
on page 8‑20for FCC
information.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
THEFTLOCK®is designed to discourage theft of the
vehicle's radio by learning a portion of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN). The radio does not operate
if it is stolen or moved to a different vehicle.
4-104

Section 5 Driving Your Vehicle
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle. . . . . . . . . .5-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Braking in Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Magnetic Ride Control™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Passing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10 Driving at Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Before Leaving on a Long Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Loading the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Towing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Towing a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
5-1

Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off the edge of a
road onto the shoulder while driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that the vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
Turn the steering wheel 8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches),
about one-eighth turn, until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Passing
Passing another vehicle on a two-lane road can be
dangerous. To reduce the risk of danger while passing:
.Look down the road, to the sides, and to
crossroads for situations that might affect a
successful pass. If in doubt, wait.
.Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and
lines that could indicate a turn or an intersection.
Never cross a solid or double‐solid line on your
side of the lane.
.Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass. Doing so can reduce your visibility.
.Wait your turn to pass a slow vehicle.
.When you are being passed, ease to the right.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems—brakes,
steering, and acceleration —do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of less
danger.
5-10

The Tire and Loading Information label also lists
the tire size of the original equipment tires (C) and
the recommended cold tire inflation pressures (D).
For more information on tires and inflation, see
Tires
on page 6‑57andInflation - Tire Pressureon
page 6‑65
.
There is also important loading information on
the Certification label. It tells you the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axle, see “Certification Label” later in this
section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the statement “The combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your vehicle's placard.
2.Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the“XXX”amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400 −750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5-20