2009 BUICK LACROSSE Owner's Manual

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
For vehicles with fog lamps, the button is located in the
center of the exterior lamps control on the left side of
the steering column.
#:Press 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.
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Interior Lamps
The 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.
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Delayed Entry Lighting
Delayed entry lighting lights the vehicle’s interior for a
period of time after all the doors have been closed.
After all the doors have been closed, the delayed entry
lighting feature will continue to work until one of the
following occurs:
The ignition is in ON/RUN.
The doors are locked.
25 seconds has passed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened, the
timed illumination period will be canceled and the interior
lamps will remain on.
Theater Dimming
This feature allows for a three to ve second fade out of
the courtesy lamps instead of immediate turn off.
Delayed Exit Lighting
This feature can be programmed either on or off
using the Driver Information Center. SeeDIC Vehicle
Personalization on page 3-74under INT (Interior)
LIGHTS KEYS REMOVED. When activated, the interior
will be lit for a short period of time after the ignition key
is removed from the ignition.
The ignition must be off and the interior lamp control
must be in the door position for delayed exit lighting
to work. When the ignition key is removed, interior
illumination will activate and remain on until one of
the following occurs:
The ignition is in ON/RUN.
The power door locks are activated.
25 seconds has passed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened, the
timed illumination period will be canceled and the interior
lamps will remain on.
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Perimeter Lighting
Perimeter lighting provides a period of exterior vehicle
lighting. Perimeter lighting activates when the key
is removed from the ignition or the vehicle is unlocked
using the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
The amount of time the exterior lamps will remain on
can be programmed using the Driver Information Center
(DIC). See “EXIT LIGHT DELAY” underDIC Vehicle
Personalization on page 3-74for additional information.
Overhead Console Reading
Lamps
The vehicle may have reading lamps located on the
overhead console. Press the lens to turn them on and off.
Rear Assist Handle Reading Lamps
The vehicle may have reading lamps located near
the rear assist handles. Press the lens to turn them
on and off.
Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM) that
estimates the battery’s temperature and state of charge.
It then adjusts the voltage for best performance and
extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage is
raised slightly to quickly bring the charge back up. When
the state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly
to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter
gage or a voltage display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the voltage move up or down.
This is normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be
displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is
because the generator (alternator) may not be spinning
fast enough at idle to produce all the power that is
needed for very high electrical loads.
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A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following are on, such as: headlamps, high beams,
fog lamps, rear window defogger, climate control fan at
high speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer
loads, and loads plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s output
and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase engine
idle speed to generate more power, whenever needed.
It can temporarily reduce the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels of
corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information Center (DIC) message
might be displayed, such as BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE,
BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW BATTERY. If this
message is displayed, it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much as possible. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-56.Battery Run-Down Protection
This helps prevent the vehicle’s battery from draining
in case the interior courtesy lamps, reading lamps, trunk
lamp, underhood lamp, glove box lamps, or sun visor
vanity lamps, if equipped, are accidently left on. If any of
these lamps are left on while the ignition is off, they will
automatically turn off after 10 minutes. The lamps will not
come back on again until one of the following occurs:
The ignition is turned on.
The interior lamps control is turned off, then to
door or on.
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Accessory Power Outlet(s)
The accessory power outlets enable power electrical
equipment, such as a cellular telephone.
The vehicle has 12-volt outlets. One outlet is located on
the center console below the climate controls. There may
be another outlet located inside the center storage
console or in the ip and fold console.
Open the cover to use the outlet. Be sure to close the
cover when the outlet is not in use.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to the
vehicle can damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Do not use
equipment exceeding maximum amperage rating
of 20 amperes. Check with your dealer/retailer before
adding electrical equipment.Certain power accessory plugs may not be compatible
to the power accessory outlet and could result in
blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a
problem, see your dealer/retailer.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by the warranty. Do not hang
any type of accessory or accessory bracket from the
plug because the power outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment plugged in for
an extended period of time while the vehicle is off
will drain the battery. Power is always supplied
to the outlets. Always unplug electrical equipment
when not in use and do not plug in equipment
that exceeds the maximum 20 ampere rating.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow
the proper installation instructions included with
the equipment.
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Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter
The vehicle may have a removable ashtray and cigarette
lighter. The cigarette lighter may be located under the
climate control system. The removable ashtray can
be placed into the front console cupholder.
Notice:If papers, pins, or other ammable items
are put in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other
smoking materials could ignite them and possibly
damage the vehicle. Never put ammable items
in the ashtray.
To use the cigarette lighter, push it in all the way, and
let go. When the heating element is ready, it will pop back
out by itself.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it is
heating will not allow the lighter to back away from
the heating element when it is hot. Damage from
overheating may occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be blown. Do not hold a
cigarette lighter in while it is heating. Do not use
equipment exceeding maximum amperage rating
of 20 amperes.
Climate Controls
Climate Control System
With this system the heating, cooling and ventilation can
be controlled.
For vehicles with the remote start feature and it is
activated, the climate control system automatically cools
the vehicle if the temperature is greater than 90°F (32°C)
and heats the vehicle if the temperature is below 37°F
(3°C). If the temperature is between 37°F (3°C) and
90°F (32°C), the last control setting selected when the
engine was running will be used. Normal operation and
the last setting of the climate control system will return
after the key is turned to the ON/RUN position.
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A. Fan Control
B. Temperature Control
C. Air Delivery Mode
ControlD. Recirculation
E. Air Conditioning
F. Rear Window
Defogger
OFF:Turn the fan control knob to this position to turn
the climate control system off.
9(Fan):Turn the knob by this symbol, located on
the left side of the climate control panel, clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the fan speed.
The fan speed is temporarily reduced when adjusting
modes, but resumes the original speed when the
transition to the new mode is complete.Temperature Control:Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the
temperature inside the vehicle.
Air Delivery Mode Control:Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to change the direction of the
airow inside the vehicle.
Select from the following air delivery modes:
H(Vent):Air is directed to the instrument panel outlets.
If driving in city traffic, and the vehicle is stopped and
idling, or the weather is hot, turning on the recirculation
mode helps to prevent the air inside the vehicle from
becoming stale. After ve minutes recirculate will allow
some outside air into the vehicle.
)(Bi-Level):Air is divided between the instrument
panel and oor outlets. Some air may be directed toward
the windshield. Slightly cooler air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets and warmer air is directed
to the oor outlets.
6(Floor):Air is directed to the oor outlets, with
some air directed toward the side window outlets and
windshield.
In this mode, the system automatically uses outside air.
The air conditioning compressor will be engaged unless
the outside temperature is 40°F (4°C) or below.
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