2007 BUICK LACROSSE steering

While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or
braking, including reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
If you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If
you do not have ABS, then in a braking skid,
where the wheels are no longer rolling, release
enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels
rolling again. This restores steering control.
Push the brake pedal down steadily when you
have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are
rolling, you will have steering control.Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night
vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need
to slow down and keep more space between
you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.
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Unless you have the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), you will want to brake very gently, too. If
you do have ABS, seeAnti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) on page 291. ABS improves your vehicle’s
stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Whether you have ABS or not, you
will want to begin stopping sooner than you
would on dry pavement. Without ABS, if you feel
your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the brakes
a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily to get
the most traction you can.
Remember, unless you have ABS, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you will just
slide. Brake so your wheels always keep rolling
and you can still steer.
Whatever your braking system, allow greater
following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
ne until you hit a spot that is covered with
ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches
may appear in shaded areas where the
sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear.If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake
before you are on it. Try not to brake while
you are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay
with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you
are near help and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some things to do to summon
help and keep yourself and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police
that you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around
you. If you do not have blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, oor
mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to
keep warm.
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Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front wheels. If
your vehicle has traction control, you should
turn the traction control system off. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 294. Then
shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you
shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transaxle is in gear. By slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions,
you will cause a rocking motion that may free your
vehicle. If that does not get your vehicle out
after a few tries, it may need to be towed out. If
your vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing Your Vehicle on page 325.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. Two labels on your vehicle
show how much weight it may properly carry, the
Tire and Loading Information label and the
Vehicle Certication label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
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Dolly Towing
Your vehicle can be towed using a dolly. To tow
your vehicle using a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the gear shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the
ignition key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position.
5. Release the parking brake.
Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment
and drive properly, you can lose control
when you pull a trailer. For example, if the
trailer is too heavy, the brakes may not
work well — or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured. You
may also damage your vehicle; the
resulting repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Pull a trailer only if you have
followed all the steps in this section. Ask
your dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with
the proper trailer towing equipment. To identify
the trailering capacity of your vehicle, read
the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section. Trailering is different
than just driving the vehicle by itself.
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Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead
as when driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help avoid situations that require heavy
braking and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed up ahead when
towing a trailer. And, because the vehicle is a
good deal longer with the trailer, you will need to
go much farther beyond the vehicle you have
passed before you can return to the proper lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one
hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left,
move that hand to the left. To move the trailer to
the right, move your hand to the right. Always
back up slowly and, if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to come in
contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very sharp turns while
trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal. Do this so the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal
well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When towing a trailer, the vehicle may need a
different turn signal asher and/or extra wiring.
Check with your dealer. The arrows on the
instrument panel will ash whenever signaling a
turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lamps will also ash, telling other drivers you are
about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on the instrument
panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs on the
trailer are burned out. You may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It is
important to check occasionally to be sure the
trailer bulbs are still working.
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Service........................................................ 340
Accessories and Modications................... 341
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 341
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 342
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...................................... 343
Fuel............................................................. 343
Gasoline Octane........................................ 343
Gasoline Specications.............................. 344
California Fuel........................................... 344
Additives................................................... 344
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 345
Filling the Tank......................................... 346
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 348
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 348
Hood Release........................................... 349
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 350
Engine Oil................................................. 353
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 356
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 358
Automatic Transaxle Fluid......................... 360Engine Coolant.......................................... 363
Radiator Pressure Cap.............................. 367
Engine Overheating................................... 367
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode..................................... 370
Cooling System......................................... 370
Power Steering Fluid ................................. 378
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 380
Brakes...................................................... 381
Battery...................................................... 384
Jump Starting............................................ 385
Headlamp Aiming........................................ 391
Bulb Replacement....................................... 394
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 394
Headlamps and Sidemarker Lamps........... 395
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps....... 397
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps.............. 398
License Plate Lamp................................... 400
Replacement Bulbs................................... 400
Windshield Replacement............................ 401
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
337

Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the interior hood
release handle with
this symbol on it.
It is located to the
left of the steering
column below the
instrument panel.
2. Push the secondary hood release lever,
located under the center of the hood
above the grille, up and to the right to
disengage it.
3. Lift the hood.
Before closing the hood, make sure all the ller
caps are properly secured. Pull the hood down
and close it rmly.
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A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
“Adding Washer Fluid” underWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 380.
B. Battery. SeeBattery on page 384.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump
Starting on page 385.
D. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeUnderhood Fuse
Block on page 452.
E. Passenger Compartment Air Filter. See
Passenger Compartment Air Filter on page 178.
F. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling
System on page 370.
G. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower
Steering Fluid on page 378.
H. Pressure Cap. SeeRadiator Pressure Cap
on page 367.I. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine
Oil” underEngine Oil on page 353.
J. Electric Engine Cooling Fans. SeeCooling
System on page 370.
K. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 353.
L. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick. See
“Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transaxle Fluid on page 360.
M. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake
Fluid” underBrakes on page 381.
N. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine
Air Cleaner/Filter on page 358.
351