2008 BUICK LACROSSE steering

When it is dark enough outside, the DRL will turn off
and the vehicle’s headlamps and parking lamps will turn
on. The other lamps that come on with the headlamps
will also come on.
When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps will go
off and the DRL will come on.
To idle the vehicle with the DRL off, turn the exterior
lamp control off and then do one of the following:
Turn the exterior lamp control to the parking lamp
position.
Turn the exterior lamp control to the headlamp
position.
Turn the exterior lamp control from AUTO to off and
back to AUTO.
This feature is not available for vehicles rst sold in
Canada.
To turn off the automatic headlamp feature when it is
dark outside, move the exterior lamp control to the
parking lamp position. The parking lamps remain on and
the headlamps turn off. The fog lamps also go on if
they were on previously.
As with any vehicle, the regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
Fog Lamps
If your vehicle has fog
lamps, the button is
located in the center of the
exterior lamps control
on the left side of
the steering column.
Press the fog lamps button to turn the lamps on or off.
While the high-beam headlamps are on, the fog
lamps are off.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the parking lamps or headlamps have been left on
after the ignition has been turned to off, the exterior
lamps will turn off after about 10 minutes. This protects
the battery from being drained.
Use the exterior lamp control to turn the lamps back on,
if they are still needed.
3-15

Interior Lamps
Your interior lamps
control is located next to
the exterior lamps
control and to the left of
the steering wheel on
the instrument panel.
9(Off):Turn the control to this position to disable
courtesy lamps, entry lighting, delayed entry lighting, and
delayed exit lighting.
1(Door):Turn the control to this position to turn the
interior lamps on when any door is open and when
the ignition key is removed from the ignition.
+(On):Turn the control to this position to turn on
the interior lamps.
The interior lamps can be controlled, or automatically
turned on or off under certain conditions. They are
explained in the following text.
Instrument Panel Brightness
The instrument panel lights can be brightened or
dimmed by pressing the center knob of the interior lamp
controls until it pops out. Turn the knob clockwise to
brighten the lights or counterclockwise to dim them.
Courtesy Lamps
Courtesy lamps come on to make it easier to enter and
exit the vehicle. These lamps will come on when the
interior lamp control is in the door position and any door
is opened.
Entry Lighting
The courtesy lamps come on and stay on for a set time
whenever the interior lamp control is in the door
position and the UNLOCK button on the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter is pressed.
The lamps stay on while a door is opened and then turn
off automatically about 25 seconds after it is closed. If
the UNLOCK button is pressed and a door is not
opened, the lamps will turn off after about 25 seconds.
The courtesy lamps turn off when the ignition key is
turned to ON/RUN or START. They will come on again
when a door is opened.
3-16

SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM
This message displays when the traction system is not
functioning properly. A warning light also appears
on the instrument panel cluster. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) Warning Light on page 3-38. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-6orEnhanced
Traction System (ETS) on page 4-7for more
information. Have the system serviced by your
dealer/retailer as soon as possible.
This message displays only while the ignition is in
ON/RUN. Press any of the DIC buttons to acknowledge
this message and to clear it from the screen.
This message continues to display for two seconds if it
has not been acknowledged when the engine is
turned off. It also re-displays for two seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the condition still
exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
SERVICE VARIABLE EFFORT
STEERING
If your vehicle has variable effort steering, this message
displays when if this system is not functioning properly.
SeeSteering on page 4-9for more information.
Have the system serviced by your dealer/retailer as
soon as possible.
This message displays only while the ignition is in
ON/RUN. Press any of the DIC buttons to acknowledge
this message and to clear it from the screen.
This message continues to display for two seconds if it
has not been acknowledged when the engine is
turned off. It also re-displays for two seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the condition still
exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
3-73

Audio System(s)
Determine which radio your vehicle has and then read
the pages following to familiarize yourself with its
features.
{CAUTION:
This system provides you with far greater
access to audio stations and song listings.
Giving extended attention to entertainment
tasks while driving can cause a crash and you
or others can be injured or killed. Always keep
your eyes on the road and your mind on the
drive — avoid engaging in extended searching
while driving.Keeping your mind on the drive is important for safe
driving. SeeDefensive Driving on page 4-2. Here
are some ways in which you can help avoid distraction
while driving.
While your vehicle is parked:
Familiarize yourself with all of its controls.
Familiarize yourself with its operation.
Set up your audio system by presetting your
favorite radio stations, setting the tone, and
adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving
conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite
radio stations using the presets and steering wheel
controls if the vehicle has them.
3-84

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..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-4
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-6
Enhanced Traction System (ETS).....................4-7
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-8
Steering........................................................4-9
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-11
Passing.......................................................4-11
Loss of Control.............................................4-12Driving at Night............................................4-13
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-14
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-15
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-15
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-16
Winter Driving..............................................4-17
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow...................................................4-20
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-21
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-21
Towing..........................................................4-27
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-27
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-27
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-28
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

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

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