2008 BUICK LUCERNE tow

Turn Signal On Chime
If your turn signal is left on for more than 0.8 miles
(1.3 km), a chime will sound at each ash of the turn
signal. To turn off the chime, move the turn signal lever
to the off position.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high
beam, push the turn signal lever away from you. To
change from high beam to low beam, pull the turn signal
lever toward you.
While the high beams are
on, this light located on the
instrument panel cluster
will also be on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use the high-beam headlamps to
signal the driver in front of you that you want to pass. It
works even if your headlamps are off.Pull the turn signal lever toward you briey to
ash-to-pass.
If the headlamps are off or on low beam, the high-beam
headlamps will turn on. They will stay on as long as
you hold the lever toward you and the high-beam
indicator on the instrument panel cluster will come on.
Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by turning the band
with the wiper symbol on it.
8(Mist):Turn the band to mist for a single wiping
cycle. Hold it there until the wipers start. Then let
go. The wipers stop after one wipe. For more wipe
cycles, hold the band longer on mist.
6(Delay):Turn the band to choose the delay time
between wipe cycles. The wiper speed can be set for a
long or short delay between wipes. The closer the
band is set to the top of the lever, the shorter the delay.
6(Low Speed):Turn the band away from you
to the rst solid band past the delay settings for steady
wiping at low speed.
3-9

Operation
(
(Off):Turn the left knob to this position to turn the
climate control system off. Outside air still enters the
vehicle and is directed to the oor. The airow direction
and temperature can be adjusted, as indicated below.
9(Fan):Turn the left knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the fan speed.
The fan speed is temporarily reduced between the
transition to a new mode. The fan will resume when the
new mode is complete.
If the airow seems low when the fan speed is at the
highest setting, the passenger compartment air lter may
need to be replaced. For more information, see
Passenger Compartment Air Filter on page 3-30and
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
Temperature Control:Turn the center knob clockwise
or counterclockwise to warm or cool the air coming
through the outlets.
Mode Control:Turn the right knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to change the airow direction.
H(Vent):This mode directs outside air to the
instrument panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level):This mode splits the air between the
instrument panel outlets and the oor outlets. Slightly
cooler air is directed to the instrument panel outlets and
warmer air is directed to the oor outlets.
6(Floor):This mode automatically uses outside air
and directs most to the oor outlets. Some air is directed
toward the side window outlets and to the windshield.
If recirculation is selected while in this mode, it stays on
for three minutes to reduce windshield fogging.
h(Recirculation):Press this button to recirculate
cabin air through the vehicle. An indicator light below the
button comes on to show that this mode is activated.
This mode can be used to prevent outside air and odors
from entering the vehicle or to help cool the air inside
the vehicle more quickly. This mode cannot be selected
while in the defog or defrost modes. If you try to
select the recirculation mode, the indicator light ashes
three times and turns off.
Operation in this mode during periods of high humidity
and cool outside temperatures may result in increased
window fogging. If window fogging is experienced, select
the defrost mode.
3-22

Manual Operation
9(Fan):Turn the left knob either to the left or right to
adjust the fan speed. Turning this control completely
counterclockwise turns on the automatic fan operation.
If the airow seems low when the fan speed is at
the highest setting, the passenger compartment air lter
may need to be replaced. For more information, see
Passenger Compartment Air Filter on page 3-30
andScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
9(Off):Turn the left control to this position to turn
the climate control system off. Outside air still enters the
vehicle and is directed to the oor. The airow direction
and temperature can be adjusted, as indicated below.
If the temperature is adjusted while the system is off, the
display will light to show the current settings.
Mode Control:Turn the right knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to change the airow direction.
F(Vent):This mode directs outside air to the
instrument panel outlets.
*(Bi-Level):This mode splits the air between the
instrument panel outlets and the oor outlets. In
automatic operation, cooler air is directed to the upper
outlets and warmer air to the oor outlets.
7(Floor):This mode automatically uses outside air
and directs most to the oor outlets. Some air is directed
toward the side window outlets and to the windshield.
If recirculation is selected while in this mode, it stays on
for three minutes to reduce windshield fogging.
The mode control can also be used to select the
oor/defog mode. Information on defogging and
defrosting can be found later in this section.
#(Air Conditioning):Press the center of the left
control knob to override the automatic system and turn
the air conditioning system on or off. When this
button is pressed, an indicator light below the button
comes on to show that this mode is activated.
The air conditioning system removes moisture from the
air, so a small amount of water might drip underneath
the vehicle while idling or after turning off the engine.
This is normal.
3-26

Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two
parts. If one part is not working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on briey when you start the
engine. If it does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on if your parking brake does
not release fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is
fully released, it means you have a brake problem.If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push, or the pedal may go closer to the
oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-25.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning light
on can lead to an accident. If the light is still
on after you have pulled off the road and
stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed for
service. United States
Canada
3-39

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the
pointer moves towards the H (United States) or
shaded in thermostat symbol area (Canada), the engine
is too hot.
A temperature indicator light will turn on and a chime
will sound.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, and the temperature indicator
light comes on, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
Tire Pressure Light
This light comes on briey
when the engine is started.
This light will also come on when one or more of your
tires are signicantly underinated.
A tire pressure message in the Driver Information Center
(DIC), may accompany the light. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-56for more information.
Stop and check your tires as soon as it is safe to do so.
If underinated, inate to the proper pressure. See
Tires on page 5-60for more information.
If a problem is detected with the Tire Pressure Monitor
System, this light will ash for approximately
60 seconds and then stay on solid for the remainder of
the ignition cycle. SeeTire Pressure Monitor System
on page 5-69for more information. United States
Canada
3-43

If the Light is Flashing
The following can prevent more serious damage to your
vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady, see
“If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the ignition off, wait at least 10 seconds, and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the
Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still ashing,
follow the previous steps and see your dealer/retailer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You might be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-8. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missingfuel cap allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A
few driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your vehicle’s electrical system might be wet. The
condition is usually corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-6. Poor fuel quality causes
the engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You
might notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when
you put the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation on
acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration — these
conditions might go away once the engine is warmed up.
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer/retailer can check the vehicle. Your
dealer/retailer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to x any mechanical or electrical
problems that might have developed.
3-45

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).........................4-5
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-6
Panic Brake Assist.........................................4-7
Steering........................................................4-7
Off-Road Recovery.........................................4-9
Passing........................................................4-9
Loss of Control.............................................4-10Driving at Night............................................4-11
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-12
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-13
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-13
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-14
Winter Driving..............................................4-15
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow...................................................4-18
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-19
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-19
Towing..........................................................4-25
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-25
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-25
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-26
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right to clear
the area around the front wheels. Turn off any traction
or stability system. SeeTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 4-5andStabiliTrak
®System on
page 4-6. Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent transmission wear,
wait until the wheels stop spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and
press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions, you will cause a
rocking motion that could free your vehicle. If that does
not get your vehicle out after a few tries, it might
need to be towed out. If your vehicle does need to be
towed out, seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-25.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry; the Tire and Loading
Information label and the 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.
4-19