instrument cluster BUICK REGAL 2012 User Guide

Black plate (25,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-25
Cruise Control Light
The cruise control light is white
whenever the cruise control is set,
and turns green when the cruise
control is active.
The light turns off when the cruise
control is turned off. SeeCruise
Control on page 9‑42 for more
information.
Door Ajar Light
When the ignition is on, this light
stays on until all doors are closed
and completely latched.
If a door is not closed properly, a
chime sounds after the engine is
started and the vehicle is not in
P (Park).
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
displays information about the
vehicle. It also displays warning
messages if a system problem is
detected. See Vehicle Messages on
page 5‑29 for more information. All
messages appear in the DIC display
located in the center of the
instrument panel cluster.
On some models, the DIC may have
some warning lights or indicators
shown in the top portion of the
display. See Warning Lights,
Gauges, and Indicators on page 5‑8
for more information.
The vehicle may also have features
that can be customized through the
controls on the radio. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑35 for
more information.

Black plate (28,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
5-28 Instruments and Controls
Battery Level
This display, available on some
vehicles, shows the current battery
voltage. If the voltage is in the
normal range, the value will display.
For example, the display may read
Battery Voltage 15.0 Volts. The
vehicle's charging system regulates
voltage based on the state of the
battery. The battery voltage can
fluctuate while viewing this
information on the DIC. This is
normal.
Power Flow (eAssist Only)
This display shows the operating
mode of the eAssist system and the
high voltage battery charge level.
The animation indicates the
direction of energy flow.Vehicle Information Menu
Items
Press MENU on the turn signal
lever until Vehicle Information Menu
is displayed. Use
w/xto scroll
through the following menu items:
.Unit
.Tire Pressure
.Remaining Oil Life
.Jump Start (eAssist Only)
Unit
Move
w/xto switch between
metric or US when the Unit display
is active. Press SET/CLR to confirm
the setting. This will change the
displays on the cluster and DIC to
either metric or English (US)
measurements.
Tire Pressure
The display will show a vehicle with
the approximate pressures of all
four tires. Tire pressure is displayed
in either kilopascal (kPa) or pounds
per square inch (psi). See TirePressure Monitor System on
page 10‑55
andTire Pressure
Monitor Operation on page 10‑55 for
more information.
Remaining Oil Life
This display shows an estimate of
the oil's remaining useful life.
If REMAINING OIL LIFE 99% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑31. The oil should be
changed as soon as possible. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑11. In
addition to the Engine Oil Life
System monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3 for more information.
Remember, the Remaining Oil Life
display must be reset after each oil
change. It will not reset itself. Also,

Black plate (2,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
6-2 Lighting
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
A warning chime sounds if the driver
door is opened while the ignition is
off and the exterior lamps are on.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
2 3
(Headlamp High/Low‐Beam
Changer): Push the turn signal/
lane change lever away from you
and release, to turn the high beams
on. To return to low beams, push
the lever again or pull it toward you
and release.
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument panel cluster when the
high‐beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
To flash the high beams, pull the
turn signal/lane change lever toward
you, and release.
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.
The DRL system turns on the
low-beam headlamps at a reduced
brightness. For vehicles with
High Intensity Discharge (HID)
headlamps, the dedicated DRL will
come on when all of the following
conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamps control is
in AUTO.
.The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
.The parking brake is released or
the vehicle is not in P (Park).
When the DRL are on, the
low-beam headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker lamps,
instrument panel lights, and other
lamps will not be on.
The DRL turn off when the
headlamps are turned to
Oor the
ignition is off.
This vehicle may have a DRL
disabling function. When the DRL
are on and a turn signal is activated,
the DRL on that side will be off until
the turn signal goes off.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When the exterior lamp control is
set to AUTO and it is dark enough
outside, the headlamps come on
automatically.

Black plate (3,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-3
There is a light sensor located on
top of the instrument panel. Do not
cover the sensor. Otherwise the
headlamps will come on when they
are not needed.
The system may also turn on the
headlamps when driving through
a parking garage or tunnel.
When it is bright enough outside,
the headlamps will turn off or may
change to daytime running
lamps (DRL).
The automatic headlamp system
turns off when the exterior lamp
control is turned to
Oor the ignition
is off.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|(Hazard Warning Flashers):
Press this button located on the
instrument panel above the audio
system, to make the front and rear
turn signal lamps flash on and off.
Press again to turn the flashers off.
The hazard warning flashers turn on
automatically if the airbags deploy.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
Move the lever all the way up or
down to signal a turn.
An arrow on the instrument panel
cluster flashes in the direction of
the turn or lane change.
Raise or lower the lever until the
arrow starts to flash to signal a lane
change. Hold it there until the lane
change is completed. If the lever is
briefly pressed and released, the
turn signal flashes three times.

Black plate (4,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
6-4 Lighting
The turn and lane‐change signal
can be turned off manually by
moving the lever back to its original
position.
If after signaling a turn or lane
change, the arrow flashes rapidly or
does not come on, a signal bulb
might be burned out.
Replace any burned out bulbs. If the
bulb is not burned out, check the
fuse. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 10‑38.Fog Lamps
To turn on the fog lamps, the ignition
and the headlamps or parking lamps
must be on.
If the fog lamps are turned on while
the exterior lamp switch is in the
AUTO position, the headlamps
come on automatically.
#(Fog Lamps): Press to turn on
or off. An indicator light on the
instrument panel cluster comes on
when the fog lamps are on.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on
along with the fog lamps.
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
The brightness of the instrument
panel lighting and steering wheel
controls can be adjusted.
D(Instrument Panel
Illumination): Move and hold the
thumbwheel up or down to brighten
or dim the lights.

Black plate (29,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-29
The mode or selected gear is shown
in the instrument cluster.
P (Park):This position locks the
drive wheels. It is the best position
to use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{WARNING
It is 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.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Do not leave the 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 the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on level ground, always
set the parking brake and move
the shift lever to P (Park). See
Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑25.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The regular brake must be
fully applied first and then the shift
lever button pressed before shifting
from P (Park) when the ignition key
is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out
of P (Park), ease pressure on the
shift lever, then push the shift lever
all the way into P (Park) as you maintain brake application. Then
press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever into another
gear. See
Shifting out of Park
(Automatic Transmission) on
page 9‑26.
Without the brake pedal applied, the
control indicator will be on.
If the shift lever is not in P (Park)
when the ignition is turned to OFF,
the control indicator and P will flash.

Black plate (32,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
9-32 Driving and Operating
Manual Transmission
This is the shift pattern for the
six-speed manual transmission.
To operate the transmission:
Notice:Do not rest your hand on
the shift lever while driving. The
pressure could cause premature
wear in the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Notice: Do not rest your foot on
the clutch pedal while driving or
while stopped. The pressure can cause premature wear in the
clutch. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
1 (First):
Press the clutch pedal
fully to the pedal stop and shift into
1 (First). Then slowly let up on the
clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
If you come to a complete stop and
it is hard to shift into 1 (First), put
the shift lever in Neutral and let up
on the clutch. Press the clutch pedal
back down. Then shift into 1 (First).
2 (Second): Press the clutch pedal
as you let up on the accelerator
pedal and shift into 2 (Second).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator
pedal.
3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth), and
6 (Sixth): Shift into 3 (Third),
4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth), and 6 (Sixth) the
same way you do for 2 (Second).
Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal. For the best fuel economy, use 6 (Sixth)
gear whenever vehicle speed and
driving conditions allow.
The vehicle may have an up‐shift
light in the instrument cluster. See
Up-Shift Light on page 5‑20.
{WARNING
If you skip a gear when you
downshift, you could lose control
of the vehicle. You could injure
yourself or others. Do not shift
down more than one gear at a
time when you downshift.
Notice: Do not skip gears while
upshifting. This can cause
premature wear in the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake
pedal, and shift to Neutral.

Black plate (42,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
9-42 Driving and Operating
Drive Mode Control
Drive Mode Control (DMC) analyzes
the driving style and the active state
of the vehicle and automatically
changes the settings within the
selected driving mode. When there
is a more noticeable change in
driving style or conditions, the
driving mode is changed to Sport
until the previous driving style
returns.
If Standard mode is selected and
sport driving is detected, several
settings of the Standard mode
change to sport settings. If sport
driving increases, DMC changes to
Sport mode.
If Tour mode is selected and sudden
braking or cornering is necessary,
DMC changes the suspension
settings to Sport mode to increase
vehicle stability.
When the driving characteristic or
the active state of the vehicle
returns to the previous style, DMC
changes the settings to the
preselected driving mode.
Cruise Control
With cruise control, the vehicle can
maintain a speed of about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below 40 km/h (25 mph).
On vehicles with the Traction
Control System (TCS) or StabiliTrak,
the system may begin to limit wheel
spin while you are using cruise
control. If this happens, the cruise
control will automatically disengage.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑37 orStabiliTrak
®System
on page 9‑39.
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
1(On/Off):Press to turn the
cruise control system on and off. An
indicator light will turn on or off in
the instrument panel cluster.

Black plate (43,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-43
*(Cancel):Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
RES/+ (Resume/Accelerate):
Move the thumbwheel up to make
the vehicle resume to a previously
set speed or to accelerate.
SET/− (Set/Coast): Move the
thumbwheel down to set the speed
and activate cruise control or make
the vehicle decelerate.
Setting Cruise Control
If the cruise button is on when not in
use, it could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control switch off when cruise
is not being used.
1. Press
1to turn the cruise
control system on. The indicator
light in the instrument panel
cluster comes on.
2. Get to the speed desired. 3. Move the thumbwheel down
toward SET/− and release it.
The desired set speed briefly
appears in the instrument panel
cluster.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied or the
*button is
pressed, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory.
Once the vehicle reaches about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more, move the
thumbwheel up toward RES/+
briefly. The vehicle returns to the
previous set speed and stays there. Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
.Move the thumbwheel up toward
RES/+ and hold it until the
vehicle accelerates to the
desired speed, then release it.
.To increase the speed in small
amounts, move the thumbwheel
up toward RES/+ briefly and
then release it. Each time this is
done, the vehicle goes about
1.6 km/h (1 mph) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
.Move the thumbwheel toward
SET/− and hold until the desired
lower speed is reached, then
release it.
.To slow down in small amounts,
move the thumbwheel toward
SET/− briefly and then release it.

Black plate (43,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-43
Number Usage5 Radio Displays,
Park Assist,
Infotainment,
Module Tunnel
Control
6 Power Outlet 1
7 Power Outlet 2
8 Body Control
Module 3
9 Body Control
Module 4
10 Body Control
Module 8
11 Front Heater
Ventilation Air
Conditioning/Blower Number Usage
12 Right‐Hand Power
Front Seat
13 Left‐Hand Power
Front Seat
14 Diagnostic Link
Connector
15 Airbag
16 Trunk Release
17 Heating Ventilation
Air Conditioning
Controller
18 Service Fuse,
Logistic Relay
19 Not Used Number Usage
20 Automatic Occupant
Sensing
21 Instrument Panel
Cluster
22 Discrete Logic
Ignition Switch
23 Body Control
Module 1
24 Body Control
Module 2
25 OnStar
26 Power Outlet, Trunk