remote start BUICK REGAL 2012 User Guide

Black plate (8,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
2-8 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Remote Vehicle Start
The vehicle may have this feature
that allows you to start the engine
from outside the vehicle.
/(Remote Vehicle Start):This
button will be on the RKE
transmitter if the vehicle has
remote start.
Vehicles with an automatic climate
control system will default to a
heating or cooling mode depending
on the outside temperature during a
remote start. A vehicle without
automatic climate control will default
to the last used heating or cooling
mode. Once the key is turned to
ON/RUN, the climate control system
will turn on at the setting the vehicle
was last set to. If the vehicle has
heated seats, they may come on
during a remote start. See Heated
Front Seats on page 3‑7 for more
information.
Laws in some local communities
may restrict the use of remote
starters. For example, some laws
require a person using remote start to have the vehicle in view. Check
local regulations for any
requirements.
There are other conditions that can
affect the performance of the
transmitter. See
Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System on page 2‑3 for
additional information.
Starting the Vehicle
To start the engine using the remote
start feature:
1. Aim the RKE transmitter at the vehicle.
2. Press and release
Q.
3. Immediately after completing Step 2, press and hold
/until
the turn signal lamps flash, or for
about two seconds if the vehicle
is not in view.
When the engine starts, the parking
lamps will turn on and remain on as
long as the engine is running. The
doors will be locked and the climate
control system may come on. The engine will continue to run for
10 minutes. Repeat the steps for a
10-minute time extension. Remote
start can be extended only once.
Start the vehicle before driving.
Extending Engine Run Time
For a 10-minute extension, repeat
Steps 1 through 3 while the engine
is still running. The remote start can
be extended once.
When the remote start is extended,
the second 10 minutes will start
immediately.
For example, if the engine has been
running for five minutes, and
10 minutes are added, the engine
will run for a total of 15 minutes.
A maximum of two remote starts,
or a single start with an extension,
is allowed between ignition cycles.
The vehicle's ignition must be
turned on and then back off before
the remote start procedure can be
used again.

Black plate (9,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do one of
the following:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold
/
until the parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the vehicle on and then off.
Conditions in Which Remote Start
Will Not Work
The remote vehicle start feature will
not operate if:
.The key is in the ignition (key
access) or if the key is in the
vehicle (keyless access).
.The hood is not closed.
.The hazard warning flashers
are on.
.The malfunction indicator lamp
is on.
.The engine coolant temperature
is too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Two remote vehicle starts, or a
single remote start with an
extension, have already
been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven. (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when slowing or stopping the
vehicle. Lock the doors to
help prevent this from
happening.
To lock and unlock the door, use
the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter or the key from the
outside, and the door lock knob or
switch from the inside.

Black plate (14,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
2-14 Keys, Doors, and Windows
If the engine still does not start with
the other key, the vehicle needs
service. If the vehicle does start,
the first key may be damaged. See
your dealer who can service the
theft-deterrent system and have a
new key made.
Do not leave the key or device that
disarms or deactivates the
theft-deterrent system in the vehicle.
Immobilizer Operation
(Keyless Access)
This vehicle has a passive
theft-deterrent system.
The system does not have to be
manually armed or disarmed.
The vehicle is automatically
immobilized when the transmitter
leaves the vehicle.
The immobilization system is
disarmed when the ignition button is
pushed in and a valid transmitter is
found in the vehicle.
The security light, located in the
instrument panel cluster, comes on
if there is a problem with arming or
disarming the theft-deterrent
system.
The system has one or more
transmitters matched to an
immobilizer control unit in your
vehicle. Only a correctly matched
transmitter will start the vehicle.
If the transmitter is ever damaged,
you may not be able to start your
vehicle.
When trying to start the vehicle, the
security light comes on briefly when
the ignition is turned on.If the engine does not start and the
security light stays on, there is a
problem with the system. Turn the
ignition off and try again.
If the RKE transmitter appears to be
undamaged, try another transmitter.
Or, you may try placing the
transmitter in the transmitter pocket
located in the center console. See
“No Remote Detected”
underKey
and Lock Messages on page 5‑32.
If the engine does not start with the
other transmitter or when the
transmitter is in the pocket in the
center console, your vehicle needs
service. See your dealer who can
service the theft-deterrent system
and have a new transmitter
programmed to the vehicle.
Do not leave the key or device that
disarms or deactivates the
theft-deterrent system in the vehicle.

Black plate (8,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
3-8 Seats and Restraints
Uplevel Buttons Shown, BaseButtons Similar
If available, the buttons are on the
climate control panel. To operate,
the ignition must be on. Press
MorLto heat the driver or
passenger seat cushion and
seatback. Indicator lights on the
button or on the climate control
display show the current setting.
Press the button once for the
highest setting. With each press of
the button, the heated seat will
change to the next lower setting,
and then to the off setting. The
lights indicate three for the highest
setting and one for the lowest.
The passenger seat may take
longer to heat up. Remote Start Heated Seats
When it is cold outside, the
heated seats can be turned on
automatically during a remote
vehicle start. The heated seats will
be canceled when the ignition is
turned on. Press the button to use
the heated seats after the vehicle is
started.
The heated seat indicator lights do
not turn on during a remote start.
The temperature performance of an
unoccupied seat may be reduced.
This is normal.
The heated seats will not turn on
during a remote start unless the
heated seat feature is enabled in
the vehicle personalization menu.
See
Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑8 andVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑35 for
more information.

Black plate (27,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-27
the hazard warning flashers by
using the controls for those
features.
{WARNING
A crash severe enough to inflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to
inflate the airbag, windshields are
broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may
also occur from the front outboard
passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate
only once. After an airbag
inflates, you will need some new
parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the
airbag system will not be there
to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly
other parts. The service manual
for the vehicle covers the need
to replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing
and diagnostic module which
records information after a
crash. See
Vehicle Data
Recording and Privacy on
page 13‑18 andEvent Data
Recorders on page 13‑19.
.Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag systems.
Improper service can mean that an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for
service.
Passenger Sensing
System
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front
outboard passenger position. The
passenger airbag status indicator
will light on the instrument panel
when the vehicle is started.
The words ON and OFF will be
visible during the system check.
If you use remote start, if equipped,
to start the vehicle from a distance
you may not see the system check.

Black plate (2,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
5-2 Instruments and Controls
Object Detection SystemMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Anti-theft Alarm System
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Starting the Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Transmission Messages . . . . . 5-34
Window Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . 5-35
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . 5-39
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Universal Remote System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
Controls
Steering Wheel
Adjustment
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Pull the lever (A) down.
2. Move the steering wheel up
or down.
3. Pull or push the steering wheel closer or away from you.
4. Pull the lever (A) up to lock the steering wheel in place. Do not adjust the steering wheel
while driving.
Steering Wheel Controls
For vehicles with audio steering
wheel controls, some audio controls
can be adjusted at the steering
wheel.
b/g(Push to Talk):
For vehicles
with a Bluetooth, OnStar,
or navigation system, press to
interact with those systems. See
Bluetooth (Overview) on page 7‑36
or Bluetooth (Infotainment Controls)

Black plate (7,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-7
Power Outlet 110 Volt Alternating
Current
The vehicle may have a power
outlet that can be used to plug in
electrical equipment with a
maximum limit of 150 watts.
The power outlet is located on the
rear of the center console.
An indicator light on the outlet
comes on when in use. The light
comes on when the ignition is in
ON/RUN, equipment requiring lessthan 150 watts is plugged into the
outlet, and no system fault is
detected.
The indicator light on the outlet will
not turn on if the plug is not fully
seated.
If you try to connect equipment
using more than 150 watts or a
system fault is detected, the
equipment may operate for a
short period and turn itself off.
A protection circuit shuts off the
power supply and the indicator light
turns off. To reset the circuit, unplug
the item and plug it back in or turn
the Remote Accessory Power (RAP)
off and then back on. See
Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑24. Prolonged usage of the
power outlet at the maximum load of
150 watts may cause the outlet to
overheat and automatically shut
down. The power restarts when
equipment that operates within the
limit is plugged into the outlet and a
system fault is not detected. The power outlet is not designed for
the following equipment, and may
not work properly if any of the
following is plugged in:
.Equipment with high initial
peak wattage such as:
compressor-driven refrigerators
and electric power tools.
.Other equipment requiring
an extremely stable
power supply such as:
microcomputer-controlled
electric blankets, touch sensor
lamps, etc.

Black plate (14,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
5-14 Instruments and Controls
This cycle continues several times if
the front passenger remains or
becomes unbuckled while the
vehicle is moving.
If the front passenger safety belt is
buckled, neither the chime nor the
light comes on.
The front passenger safety belt
reminder light and chime may turn
on if an object is put on the seat
such as a briefcase, handbag,
grocery bag, laptop, or other
electronic device. To turn off the
reminder light and/or chime, remove
the object from the seat or buckle
the safety belt.
Airbag Readiness Light
This light shows if there is an
electrical problem. The system
check includes the airbag sensor(s),
passenger sensing system, the
pretensioners, the airbag modules,
the wiring, and the crash sensingand diagnostic module. For more
information on the airbag system,
see
Airbag System on page 3‑21.
The airbag readiness light comes on
and stays on for several seconds
when the vehicle is started. Then
the light goes out.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light stays
on after the vehicle is started or
comes on while driving, it means
the airbag system might not be
working properly. The airbags in
the vehicle might not inflate in a
crash, or they could even inflate
without a crash. To help avoid
injury, have the vehicle serviced
right away.
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system. See Passenger
Sensing System on page 3‑27 for
important safety information. The
instrument panel has a passenger
airbag status indicator.
When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF for several
seconds as a system check.
If you are using remote start,
if equipped, to start the vehicle from
a distance, you may not see the
system check. Then, after several
more seconds, the status indicator

Black plate (32,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
5-32 Instruments and Controls
ENGINE OIL HOT, IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine oil temperature is too hot.
Stop and allow the vehicle to idle
until it cools down.
ENGINE OIL LOW—ADD OIL
This message displays when the
engine oil level is too low. Check the
oil level. See Engine Oil on
page 10‑11.
OIL PRESSURE LOW —STOP
ENGINE
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check the oil as soon as
possible and have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
Engine Power Messages
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
maximum 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.
Fuel System Messages
FUEL LEVEL LOW
This message displays when the
vehicle is low on fuel. Refuel as
soon as possible.
Key and Lock Messages
NO REMOTE DETECTED
This message displays when the
transmitter battery is weak on
vehicles with keyless access. See
“Starting the Vehicle with a Low
Transmitter Battery” underRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑3 for more
information.
REPLACE BATTERY IN
REMOTE KEY
This message displays when the
battery in the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitter needs to be
replaced.

Black plate (36,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
5-36 Instruments and Controls
3. Press the center of theMultifunction knob to select the
Vehicle Settings menu.
The following list of menu items will
be available:
.Climate and Air Quality
.Comfort and Convenience
.Collision/Detection Systems
.Languages
.Lighting
.Power Door Locks
.Remote Lock/Unlock/Start
.Return to Factory Settings
Turn the Multifunction knob to
highlight the menu. Press the knob
to select it. Each of the menus is
detailed in the following information.
Climate and Air Quality
Select the Climate and Air Quality
menu and the following will be
displayed:
.Auto Fan Speed (Auto Climate
System Only)
.Remote Start Heated Seats
.Auto Area Zone Temp (Auto
Climate System Only)
.Auto Defog (Auto Climate
System Only)
.Auto Rear Defog
Auto Fan Speed
This allows selection of the
automatic fan speed to run lower or
higher than normal.
Press the Multifunction knob when
Auto Fan Speed is highlighted to
open the menu. Turn the knob to
highlight High, Medium, or Low.
Press the knob to confirm the
selection and move back to the
last menu. Remote Start Heated Seats
When on, this feature will turn the
heated seats on when using remote
start on cold days.
Press the Multifunction knob when
Remote Start Heated Seats is
highlighted. Turn the knob to
highlight On or Off. Press the knob
to confirm the selection and go back
to the last menu.
Auto Area Zone Temp
This allows selection of the number
of zones of temperature control
upon vehicle start. Selecting Single
Zone automatically resets the
passenger temperature setting the
same as the driver's for every
vehicle start. The air conditioning
system will operate using only the
driver's setting until the passenger
temperature setting is changed.
Selecting Dual Zone or Last Setting
will keep the passenger temperature
adjustment separate from the
driver's setting all the time.