2008 BUICK LACROSSE brakes

{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). SeeShifting Into PARK (P) on
page 2-33. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-28.
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.Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. The vehicle has an electronic shift
lock release system. You must fully apply the regular
brakes before shifting from PARK (P) when the ignition
is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P),
ease pressure on the shift lever by pushing it all the way
into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application.
Then move the shift lever into another gear. SeeShifting
Out of PARK (P) on page 2-35
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
To rock the vehicle back and forth in order to get it out
of snow, ice, or sand without damaging the transmission,
seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or
Snow on page 4-20.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when the vehicle is being towed.
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{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
Notice:Driving your vehicle if you notice that it is
moving slowly or not shifting gears as you increase
speed may damage the transmission. Have your
vehicle serviced right away. You can drive in
SECOND (2) when you are driving less than 35 mph
(55 km/h) and DRIVE (D) for higher speeds until then.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 transmission in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding, see Skidding underLoss of
Control on page 4-12.
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.
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Notice:Driving in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h)
may damage the transmission. 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 transmission. The repair will
not be covered by your warranty. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.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 3-37andDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-58.
2-32

Console Shift
If your console shift lever cannot be moved out of
PARK (P)
1. Apply and maintain the regular brakes.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN position. SeeIgnition
Positions on page 2-24for more information.
3. Let up on the shift lever and make sure the shift
lever is pushed all the way into PARK (P).
4. Press the shift lever button
5. Then, move the shift into the desired gear.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from PARK (P),
consult your dealer/retailer or a professional towing
service.
Column Shift
If your column shift lever cannot be moved out of
PARK (P)
1. Apply and maintain the regular brakes.
2. Turn the ignition key to the ON/RUN position. See
Ignition Positions on page 2-24for more information.3. Shift out of the PARK (P) position to the
NEUTRAL (N) position.
4. Move the vehicle to a safe location.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from PARK (P),
consult your dealer/retailer or a professional towing
service.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, dry grass, or other
things that can burn.
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A trailer was attached to your vehicle, or a bicycle
or an object was hanging out of your trunk during
your last drive cycle, the red light may illuminate.
Once the attached object is removed, URPA
will return to normal operation.
A tow bar is attached to your vehicle.
The vehicle’s bumper is damaged. Take the vehicle
to your dealer/retailer to repair the system.
Other conditions may affect system performance,
such as vibrations from a jackhammer or the
compression of air brakes on a very large truck.
If the system is still disabled, after driving forward at
least 15 mph (25 km/h), take your vehicle to your
dealer/retailer.
OnStar®System
OnStar uses several innovative technologies and live
advisors to provide you with a wide range of safety,
security, information, and convenience services. If your
airbags deploy, the system is designed to make an
automatic call to OnStar Emergency advisors who can
request emergency services be sent to your location.
If you lock your keys in the vehicle, call OnStar at
1-888-4-ONSTAR and they can send a signal to unlock
your doors. If you need roadside assistance, press
the OnStar button and they can contact Roadside
Service for you.
2-43

Setting Cruise Control
Cruise control will not work if the parking brake is set, or
if the master cylinder brake uid level is low.
The cruise control light on the instrument panel cluster
comes on after the cruise control has been set to
the desired speed. SeeInstrument Panel Cluster on
page 3-31.
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you
are not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch off until you
want to use cruise control.
1. Press the cruise control on/off button.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release the SET– button located on the
steering wheel.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator.
Resuming a Set Speed
If cruise control is set at a desired speed and the
brakes are applied, this shuts off the cruise control.
However, it does not need to be reset.
Once your vehicle reaches a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more, press the +RES button
on the steering wheel. The vehicle goes back to
the previously selected speed and stays there.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
To increase the cruise speed while using cruise control:
Press and hold the +RES button on the steering
wheel until you reach your new desired speed,
then release it.
To increase vehicle speed in small increments,
press the +RES button. Each time this is done,
the vehicle will go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
3-11

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
To reduce your speed while using cruise control:
Press and hold the SET– button on the steering
wheel until you reach the desired lower speed,
then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, press
the SET– button on the steering wheel briey.
Each time this is done, the vehicle will go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase vehicle
speed. When you take your foot off the pedal,
the vehicle will slow down to the cruise speed you
set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work on hills depends
upon the vehicle speed, load and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills, you might have to
step on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you might have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. If the brakes
are applied the cruise control will turn off. Many drivers
nd this to be too much trouble and do not use
cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
Press the[button on the steering wheel.
Press theTbutton on the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory is erased by
turning off the cruise control or the ignition.
3-12

Antilock Brake System
Warning Light
For vehicles with
the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light
comes on briey when the
engine is started.
That is normal. If the light does not come on then,
have it xed so it will be ready to warn you if there
is a problem.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off, if the light
comes on when you are driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition off. Then start
the engine again to reset the system. If the ABS light
still stays on, or comes on again while you are driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake
system warning light is not on, your vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes. If the regular brake
system warning light is also on, your vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a problem with
the regular brakes. SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 3-37.For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC), see
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-58for all
brake related DIC messages.Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
Your vehicle has a Traction
Control System (TCS)
warning light.
If this warning light comes on and stays on, there may
be a problem with the TCS and, if your vehicle has
this feature, the StabiliTrak
®system.
3-38