2009 BUICK LACROSSE seats

Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the
driver and right front passenger seating positions.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt
is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away
from the face and neck, but not falling off the shoulder.
Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
Press down on the release
lever (A) and move the
height adjuster to the
desired position.
After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to
move it down without pressing the release lever to make
sure it has locked into position.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for front
outboard occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they are part of the
safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety
belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe
frontal or near frontal crash if the threshold conditions for
pretensioner activation are met.
Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners
activate in a crash, they will need to be replaced, and
probably other new parts for the vehicle’s safety
belt system. SeeReplacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash on page 1-69.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added
safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for some adults. When installed on
a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the belt
away from the neck and head.
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Safety Belt Extender
If the safety belt will fasten around you, you should
use it.
But if a safety belt is not long enough, your
dealer/retailer will order you an extender. When you go
in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear,
so the extender will be long enough for you. To help
avoid personal injury, do not let someone else use
it, and use it only for the seat it is made to t. The
extender has been designed for adults. Never use it for
securing child seats. To wear it, attach it to the
regular safety belt. For more information, see the
instruction sheet that comes with the extender.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
1-29

A booster seat (C-D) is a child restraint designed to
improve the t of the vehicle’s safety belt system.
A booster seat can also help a child to see out the
window.
Securing an Add-On Child Restraint in
the Vehicle
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash
if the child restraint is not properly secured in the
vehicle. Secure the child restraint properly in the
vehicle using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH
system, following the instructions that came with
that child restraint and the instructions in this
manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint
must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systems
must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the
lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH
system. SeeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-41for more information. A child can
be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle.
1-38

Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to or change
about the vehicle that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change the vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or moving any parts
of the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing
and diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules, ceiling headliner
or pillar garnish trim, front sensors, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of the airbag system.
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger position, which
includes sensors that are part of the passenger’s
seat. The passenger sensing system may not
operate properly if the original seat trim is replaced
with non-GM covers, upholstery or trim, or with
GM covers, upholstery or trim designed for a
different vehicle. Any object, such as an aftermarket
seat heater or a comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the seat fabric,
could also interfere with the operation of thepassenger sensing system. This could either
prevent proper deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger sensing system
from properly turning off the passenger airbag(s).
SeePassenger Sensing System on page 1-61.
If you have any questions, call Customer
Assistance. The phone numbers and addresses for
Customer Assistance are in Step Two of the
Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get
my vehicle modied. How can I nd out whether
this will affect my airbag system?
A:If you have questions, call Customer Assistance.
The phone numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual. See
Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
In addition, your dealer/retailer and the service manual
have information about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic module and airbag
wiring.
1-67

Automatic Transmission Operation
The vehicle’s automatic
transmission may have a
shift lever on the steering
column or on the console
between the seats.
There is also a display
located on the instrument
panel cluster that
indicates the vehicle’s
gear position.{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift
lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake
rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the 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 the
vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly
level ground, always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park). SeeShifting Into
Park on page 2-29. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-28. Console Shift Lever
2-26

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.
3-19

Dual Automatic Climate Control
System
With this system the heating, cooling, and ventilation
can be controlled.
A. AUTO
B. OFF
C. Fan Control
D. Display
E. Air Conditioning
F. Recirculation
G. PASSH. Heated Seats
I. Rear Window
Defogger
J. Air Delivery Mode
Controls
K. Defrost
Automatic Operation
AUTO (Automatic):Press the AUTO button for
automatic control of the inside temperature, the air
delivery mode, and the fan speed. There might be a
delay of two to three minutes before the fan comes on
when the automatic operation is used in cold weather.
For the automatic system to function, the temperature
must be set between 61°F (15°C) and 89°F (32°C).
1. Adjust the temperature to a comfortable setting.
2. Press the PASS button or the
yorzon the
passenger side to turn the passenger temperature
set on and off. When turned on, the passenger
temperature will be the same as the driver setting.
Press
yorzon passenger side to adjust the
passenger temperature setting.
When the passenger’s temperature set is off,
the passenger display will be off and the driver’s set
temperature will be for the driver and passenger.
In cold weather, the system will start at reduced
fan speeds to avoid blowing cold air into the vehicle
until warmer air is available. The system will start
out blowing air at the oor but may change modes
automatically as the vehicle warms up to maintain
the chosen temperature setting. The length of time
needed for warm up will depend on the outside
temperature and the length of time that has elapsed
since the vehicle was last driven.
3-25

3. Wait for the system to regulate. This may take from
10 to 30 minutes. Then, adjust the temperature,
if necessary.
Do not cover the solar sensor located in the
center of the instrument panel, near the windshield.
For more information on the solar sensor, see
“Sensors” later in this section.
4. Press OFF to turn the climate control system off.
Only the rear defog and heated seats will function.
Press AUTO or any other button except the heated
seats or rear defog to turn the climate control system
back on.
This control has four types of operation.
Automatic can set/change the temperature only.
AUTO and temperature only will appear on the
display.
Semi-Automatic Fan can set/change the
temperature and mode. The fan operates
automatically. The temperature and mode
will appear on the display.
Semi-Automatic Mode can set/change the
temperature and fan speed. The mode operates
automatically. The fan speed and temperature
will appear on the display.
Manual can set/change the temperature, mode and
fan. The fan speed, temperature, and mode will
appear on the display.For vehicles with the remote start feature, the climate
control system automatically regulates the inside
temperature of the vehicle when the remote start system
is activated. Normal operation and the last setting of
the climate control system will return after the key
is turned on.
Manual Operation
During daylight hours, the instrument panel brightness
control might need to be adjusted to the highest setting,
in order to see the indicator lights for the various
climate control settings.
OFF:Press to turn the climate control system off.
yz(Temperature):Press to manually adjust the
temperature inside the vehicle. Press
yorzon the
driver or passenger side to increase or decrease the
temperature. The display will show the selected
temperature.
z9/9y(Fan Control):Press the fan control
buttons to increase or decrease the fan speed. Pressing
the arrows cancels the automatic operation and places
the system in manual or semi-automatic mode. Press the
AUTO button to return to automatic operation. If the
airow seems low when the fan is at the highest setting,
the passenger compartment air lter may need to
be replaced. For more information seePassenger
Compartment Air Filter on page 3-29andScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4.
3-26