engine overheat BUICK LUCERNE 2010 Owner's Manual

The vehicle has a Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in starting the engine
and protects components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position, and then released
when the engine begins cranking, the engine will
continue cranking for a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does not start and the
key is held in START, cranking will be stopped
after 15 seconds to prevent cranking motor
damage. To prevent gear damage, this system also
prevents cranking if the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped by turning the
ignition switch to the ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/
OFF position.
Notice: Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by returning the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has ended, can overheat
and damage the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds between each try,
to let the cranking motor cool down. 2. If the engine does not start after 5‐10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather (below 0°F or
−18°C), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing the accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for up to a maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briefly but then stops again, repeat
these steps. This clears the extra gasoline from the
engine. Do not race the engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine and transmission
gently until the oil warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Notice: The engine is designed to work with the
electronics in the vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer. If you do not,
the engine might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
3-22

Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater can provide easier starting
and better fuel economy during engine warm‐up in cold
weather conditions at or below 0°F (−18°C). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater should be plugged in at
least four hours before starting.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.On vehicles with the 3.9L V6 engine, the coolant
heater cord is located on the driver side of the
vehicle, near the strut tower. On vehicles with the
4.6L V8 engine, the cord is located on the driver
side of the vehicle on the right side of the engine
air cleaner. It is between the engine cover and the
engine air cleaner.
{WARNING:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet could
cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong kind of
extension cord could overheat and cause a fire.
You could be seriously injured. Plug the cord into
a properly grounded three-prong 110-volt AC
outlet. If the cord will not reach, use a heavy-duty
three-prong extension cord rated for at least
15 amps.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the cord as it was before to keep it away from
moving engine parts, and prevent damage.
The length of time the heater should remain plugged in
depends on several factors. Ask a dealer in the area
where you will be parking the vehicle for the best advice
on this.
3-23

A warning chime will sound if the parking brake is set,
the ignition is on, and the vehicle speed is greater than
5 mph (8 km/h). The brake light will come on and stay
on until the parking brake is released. SeeBrake
System Warning Light
on page 4‑36for more
information.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down, then push the parking brake pedal down.
When you lift your foot off the parking brake pedal, the
pedal will follow your foot to the released position.
Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see Towing a Trailer on page 5‑27.
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can roll. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow.
If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer
on
page 5‑27
.
3-27

Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat
and even catch fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine
running.If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure your vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is firmly set before you leave it. See
Parking
Brake
on page 3‑26for more information.
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of the vehicle puts too
much force on the parking pawl in the transmission.
This happens when parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not done properly and then
it is difficult to shift out of P (Park). To prevent torque
lock, set the parking brake and then shift into P (Park).
To find out how, see “Shifting Into Park”in this section.
If torque lock does occur, your vehicle may need to be
pushed uphill by another vehicle to relieve the parking
pawl pressure, so you can shift out of P (Park).
3-29

Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
This light comes on briefly
while starting the vehicle.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by the dealer.
If the system is working normally the indicator light
goes off.
Notice: Driving with the engine coolant temperature
warning light on could cause the vehicle to
overheat. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑35.
The vehicle's engine could be damaged, and it
might not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Never
drive with the engine coolant temperature warning
light on.
The engine coolant temperature warning light comes on
when the engine has overheated.
If this happens pull over and turn off the engine as soon
as possible. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑35for
more information.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
United StatesCanada
This gauge shows the engine coolant temperature.
If the pointer moves towards the H (United States) or
shaded in thermostat symbol area (Canada), the engine
is too hot.
A temperature indicator light will turn on and a chime
will sound.
If the vehicle has been operating under normal driving
conditions, and the temperature indicator light comes
on, pull off the road, stop the vehicle and turn off the
engine as soon as possible.
4-40

DRIVER DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the driver door is not
closed properly. Make sure that the door is closed
completely.
ENGINE HOT A/C
(Air Conditioning) OFF
This message displays when the engine coolant
becomes hotter than the normal operating temperature.
To avoid added strain on a hot engine, the air
conditioning compressor is automatically turned off.
When the coolant temperature returns to normal, the
A/C operation automatically resumes. You can continue
to drive your vehicle. If this message continues to
appear, have the system repaired by your dealer as
soon as possible to avoid compressor damage.
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the engine is
overheating, severe engine damage may occur. If an
overheat warning appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. Do not increase the engine speed above
normal idling speed. See Engine Overheating
on
page 6‑35for more information.
This message displays when the engine coolant
temperature is too hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down.
ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE
Notice: If you drive your vehicle while the engine is
overheating, severe engine damage may occur. If an
overheat warning appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑35for
more information.
This message displays along with a continuous chime
when the engine has overheated. Stop and turn the
engine off immediately to avoid severe engine damage.
See Engine Overheating on page 6‑35.
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays when the vehicle's engine power
is reduced. Reduced engine power can affect the
vehicle's ability to accelerate. If this message is on, but
there is no reduction in performance, proceed to your
destination. The performance may be reduced the next
time the vehicle is driven. The vehicle may be driven
at a reduced speed while this message is on, but
acceleration and speed may be reduced. Anytime this
message stays on, the vehicle should be taken to your
dealer for service as soon as possible.
ERROR
This message displays while viewing the odometer or
trip odometers if there is a problem with the instrument
panel cluster. See your dealer for service.
4-56

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

If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free the
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 5‑18.
If the vehicle has a traction system, it can often help to
free a stuck vehicle. Refer to the vehicle's traction
system in the Index. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the traction system off
and use the rocking method.
{WARNING:
If the vehicle's tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be injured.
The vehicle can overheat, causing an engine
compartment fire or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and avoid going above
55 km/h (35 mph) as shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on the vehicle,
see Tire Chains on page 6‑80.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the area
around the front wheels. Turn off any traction or stability
system. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. Slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions causes
a rocking motion that could free the vehicle. If that does
not get the vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to
be towed out. If the vehicle does need to be towed out,
seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 5‑24.
5-18

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on the instrument panel flash whenever
signaling a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps also flash, telling other drivers the
vehicle is turning, changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on the instrument
panel flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. For this reason you may think other drivers
are seeing the signal when they are not. It is important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Notice:Do not tow on steep continuous grades
exceeding 6 miles (9.6 km). Extended, higher than
normal engine and transmission temperatures may
result and damage the vehicle. Frequent stops are
very important to allow the engine and transmission
to cool.
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear beforestarting
down a long or steep downgrade. If the transmission is
not shifted down, the brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no longer work well. On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce the
vehicle's speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce
the possibility of the engine and the transmission
overheating. If the engine does overheat, see
Engine
Overheating on page 6‑35.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING:
Parking the vehicle on a hill with the trailer
attached can be dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move. People can be
injured, and both the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always park the rig on
a flat surface.
5-32

If parking the rig on a hill:1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn the wheels into the curb if facing downhill
or into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brake pedal until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift the transmission into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.start the engine,
.shift into a gear, and
.release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a
trailer. See Scheduled Maintenanceon page 7‑3for
more information. Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid,
engine oil, belts, cooling system and brake system. It is
a good idea to inspect these before and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑35.
Changing a Tire When Trailer Towing
If the vehicle gets a flat tire while towing a trailer, be
sure to secure the trailer and disconnect it from the
vehicle before changing the tire.
5-33