Seats and Restraint Systems
....................... 7
Front Seats
.............................................. 9
Rear Seats
............................................. 14
Safety Belts
............................................ 16
Child Restraints
...................................... 39
Airbag System
........................................ 66
Restraint System Check
......................... 82
Features and Controls
................................ 85
Keys
....................................................... 87
Doors and Locks
.................................... 96
Windows
............................................... 102
Theft-Deterrent Systems
....................... 104
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
..... 109
Mirrors
.................................................. 124
OnStar
®System
................................... 126
Universal Home Remote System
.......... 130
Storage Areas
...................................... 141
Sunroof
................................................ 143Instrument Panel
....................................... 145
Instrument Panel Overview
................... 148
Climate Controls
................................... 168
Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators
.......................................... 179
Driver Information Center (DIC)
............ 199
Audio System(s)
................................... 238
Driving Your Vehicle
................................. 285
Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
..................................... 286
Towing
................................................. 325
Service and Appearance Care
.................. 337
Service
................................................. 340
Fuel
...................................................... 343
Checking Things Under
the Hood
........................................... 348
Headlamp Aiming
................................. 391
Bulb Replacement
................................ 394
2007 Buick LaCrosse Owner ManualM
1
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the
instrument panel cluster ever comes on
and stays on, it means that something may
be wrong with the airbag system. If this
ever happens, have the vehicle serviced
promptly, because an adult-size person
sitting in the right front passenger’s seat
may not have the protection of the frontal
airbag. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 182for more on this, including
important safety information.
A thick layer of additional material such as a
blanket, or aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers, can
affect how well the passenger sensing system
operates. Remove any additional material from
the seat cushion before reinstalling or securing
the child restraint and before a small occupant,
including a small adult, sits in the right front
passenger’s seat. You may want to consider notusing seat covers or other aftermarket equipment if
your vehicle has the passenger sensing system.
SeeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 81for more information about
modi cations that can affect how the system
operates.
The passenger sensing system may suppress the
airbag deployment when liquid is soaked into the
seat. If this happens, the off indicator in the
passenger airbag status indicator and the airbag
readiness light on the instrument panel will be lit.
The system should resume normal operation after
the seat is allowed to dry. If the system operates
incorrectly after the seat has dried, have your
dealer check the system.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat
cushion and seatback may interfere with
the proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
79
Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the rst 500 miles
(805 km). Do not make full-throttle starts.
Avoid downshifting to brake, or slow,
the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings are not yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every time
you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. See
Towing a Trailer on page 327for the trailer
towing capabilities of your vehicle and more
information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
Ignition Positions
With the ignition key in the ignition, the key can be
turned to four different positions:
Notice:Using a tool to force the key from the
ignition switch could cause damage or
break the key. Use the correct key and turn the
key only with your hand. Make sure the key
is in all the way. If none of this works,
then your vehicle needs service.
A (OFF):This is the only position in which the
ignition key can be inserted or removed. This
position locks the ignition and transaxle. It is a
theft-deterrent feature.
109
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your vehicle’s automatic
transaxle may have a
shift lever on the
steering column or on
the console between
the seats.
There is also a display
located on the
instrument panel cluster
that indicates the
vehicle’s gear position.{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your 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 your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 118.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 327.
The positions for the shift lever are:
PARK (P): This position locks the vehicle’s front
wheels. It is the best position to use when the
engine is started because the vehicle cannot
move easily.
Console Shift Lever
114
DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving.
It provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle.
If more power is needed for passing, and the
vehicle is:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator pedal all the way down.
By doing this the vehicle will automatically
shift down to the next gear and have
more power.
Downshifting the transaxle in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see Skidding
underLoss of Control on page 302.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving. However it reduces vehicle speed
more than DRIVE (D) without using your brakes.
You might choose THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D)
when driving on hilly, winding roads, when
towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between
gears and when going down a steep hill.Notice:Driving in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h) may damage the transaxle. Also,
shifting into SECOND (2) at speeds above
65 mph (105 km/h) can cause damage. Drive in
THIRD (3) or DRIVE (D) instead of SECOND (2).
SECOND (2): This position reduces vehicle
speed even more than THIRD (3) without using
your brakes. You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would
also want to use your brakes off and on.
FIRST (1): This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than SECOND (2) without using
your brakes. You can use it on very steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in
FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward, the
transmission will not shift into rst gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage the transaxle.
If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes, or parking
brake to hold the vehicle in place.
116
Parking Brake
To set the parking
brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down
with your right foot.
Push down the parking
brake pedal with
your left foot.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down with your right foot and push the
parking brake pedal with your left foot. While
you lift your left foot, the parking brake pedal will
follow it to the released position.A warning chime will sound and PARKING
BRAKE ON will display in the DIC if the parking
brake is set, the ignition is on, and the vehicle
speed is greater than 5 mph (8km/h). For more
information seeBrake System Warning Light
on page 186andDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 208.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is
off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on any
hill, seeTowing a Trailer on page 327. That
section shows what to do rst to keep the trailer
from moving.
117