2008 BUICK LACROSSE Page 5

BAND:Press to listen to the radio while a CD is
playing. The inactive CD remains inside the radio for
future listening.
CD:Press to play a CD while listening to the radio. The
CD symbol displays when a CD is loaded.
EQ (Equalization):Press to select an equalization
setting while playing a CD. The equalization is set while
a CD is played. See “EQ” listed previously for more
information. If an EQ setting is selected for a CD, it is
activated each time a CD is played.
Z(Eject):Press to eject a CD. Eject is activated
while either the ignition or radio is off. CDs can be
loaded while the ignition and radio is off if this button is
pressed rst.
Playing an MP3 CD-R Disc
Your vehicle’s radio may have the MP3 CD-R disc
capability feature. For more information, seeUsing an
MP3 on page 3-97later in this section.
Using List Mode
The Six-Disc CD player has a feature called song list.
This feature is capable of saving 20 track selections.
To save tracks into the song list feature, perform
the following steps:
1. Turn the CD player on and load it with at least one
CD. See “LOAD” listed previously in this section for
more information.
2. Check to see that the CD player is not in song list
mode. LIST should not display. If LIST is displayed,
press the LIST button to turn it off.
3. Select the desired CD by pressing the numbered
pushbutton and then use the
parrow to locate
the track to be saved. The track begins to play.
4. Press and hold the LIST button to save the track
into memory. When LIST is pressed, one beep
sounds immediately. After two seconds of
continuously pressing the LIST button, TRACK
ADD displays and two beeps sound to conrm the
track has been saved.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for saving other selections.
S-LIST FULL displays if more than 20 selections
are saved.
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File System and Naming
The song name that displays is the song name that is
contained in the ID3 tag. If the song name is not present
in the ID3 tag, then the radio displays the le name
without the extension (such as .mp3) as the track name.
Track names longer than 32 characters or four pages
are shortened. The display does not show parts of words
on the last page of text, and the extension of the
lename is not displayed.
Preprogrammed Playlists
Preprogrammed playlists which were created by
WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or Real Jukebox™ software
can be accessed, however, there is no editing
capability. These playlists are treated as special folders
containing compressed audio song les.
Playing an MP3
Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The
player pulls it in, and READING DISC displays. The CD
should begin playing and the CD symbol displays.
See “Playing a CD” earlier in this section.3
N(Repeat):Repeat lets one track, the entire
folder, or playlist be repeated.
Press and release this button until REPEAT TRACK,
REPEAT FOLDER, or REPEAT P-LIST displays.
The current track, folder or playlist continues to repeat.
Press and release this button until REPEAT OFF
displays to turn off repeated play.
4 RDM (Random):Press this pushbutton to hear tracks
in random, rather than sequential order. The entire
folder, playlist, or CD can be played in random order.
Press and release this pushbutton until RANDOM
FOLDER, RANDOM P-LIST (playlist), or RANDOM
DISC displays. Once all of the tracks in the current folder
or playlist have played, the system moves on to the
next folder or playlist, and plays all of the tracks
in random order.
While in random, pressing and releasing
oorp
SEEK arrow takes you to the previous or to the next
random track.
Press and release this pushbutton until RANDOM OFF
displays, to turn off random play.
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5!(Previous Folder):Press this button to go to the
rst track in the previous folder. Press this button
while in random folder mode to go to the previous folder
and randomly play the tracks in that folder.
6
#(Next Folder):Press this button to go to the
rst track in the next folder. Press this button while in
random folder mode to go to the next folder and
randomly play the tracks in that folder.
DISP (Display):Press this button to chance between
track mode, folder/playlist mode, and ID3 tag. The display
shows only eight characters, but there can be up to four
pages of text. If there are more than eight characters in
the song, folder, or playlist name, pressing this knob
within two seconds goes to the next page of text. If there
are no other pages to be shown, pressing this button
within two seconds goes to the next display mode.
Song name and time of day mode displays the
current song name and time of day.
Folder/playlist mode displays the current folder or
playlist number the track number and the elapsed
time of the track.
Song name and track number mode displays the
current song name and track number.
ID3 Tag and folder mode displays the ID3 tag
information and the folder number.
Song and folder mode displays the number of songs
in the folder and the folder number.
INFO (Information):INFO displays when a current
track has ID3 tag information. Press this button to
display the artist name and album contained in the tag.
BAND:Press this button to listen to the radio when
a CD is playing. The inactive CD remains inside
the radio for future listening.
XM Radio Messages
XL (Explicit Language Channels):These channels, or
any others, can be blocked at a customer’s request,
by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
Updating:The encryption code in the receiver is being
updated, and no action is required.
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Audio Steering Wheel Controls
If your vehicle has this
feature, some audio
controls can be adjusted at
the steering wheel. They
include the following:
xw(Seek):Press the seek arrows to go to the next or
to the previous radio station. The radio seeks stations
only with a strong signal that are in the selected band.
To scan stations, press and hold either arrow for
two seconds until a beep sounds. The radio goes to a
station, play for a few seconds, then goes to the next
station. Press either seek arrow again to stop scanning.
While a CD is playing, press the seek arrows to go to the
next or previous track.
>(Mute/OnStar®):Press this button to silence the
system. Press this button again, or any other radio
button, to turn the sound on.
If your vehicle has OnStar
®, press and hold this button
for more than two seconds to interact with the
OnStar
®system. See theOnStar®System on page 2-43
in this manual for more information.
BAND:Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2,
AM, or XM1™ or XM2™ (if equipped).
1–6 (Preset Pushbuttons):Press this button to play
stations that are programmed on the radio preset
pushbuttons. The radio seeks preset stations only with a
strong signal that are in the selected band.
When a CD is playing in the six-disc CD changer, press
this button to go to the next available CD, if multiple
CDs are loaded.
+
x/−x(Volume):Press the plus or minus volume
button to increase or to decrease the volume.
3-102

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always expect the
unexpected.” The rst step in driving defensively is to
wear your safety belt — SeeSafety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-9.
{CAUTION:
Assume that other road users (pedestrians,
bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what
they might do and be ready. In addition:
Allow enough following distance between
you and the driver in front of you.
Focus on the task of driving.
Driver distraction can cause collisions
resulting in injury or possible death. These
simple defensive driving techniques could
save your life.
Drunk Driving
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You can have a serious — or
even fatal — collision if you drive after drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with a driver who
has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you
are with a group, designate a driver who will
not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a global tragedy.
4-2

Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and
attentiveness.
Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been
associated with the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.
For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the
person had not been drinking.Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control your vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator. At
times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the tires and
road can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of your
vehicle. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 4-6,Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on
page 4-7, andStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-8.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-37.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to bring
up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
4-3

Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force
applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. The brakes might not have time to cool
between hard stops. The brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are driving,
brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If you do,
the pedal could get harder to push down. If the
engine stops, you will still have some power brake
assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the
power assist is used up, it can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start the engine and begin to drive away,
ABS will check itself. You might hear a momentary
motor or clicking noise while this test is going on, and
you might even notice that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
4-4

If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light will
stay on. SeeAntilock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-38.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any
driver could. The computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road conditions. This can
help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, the computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.Remember: ABS does not change the time you need to
get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle
in front of you, you will not have time to apply the brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you
have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let antilock work for you. You might hear
the antilock pump or motor operate, and feel the
brake pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
4-5