2010 BUICK LACROSSE maintenance schedule

2010 Buick LaCrosse Owner ManualM
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-75
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-79
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-82
Service and Maintenance . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . 10-2
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . . 10-7
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 10-10
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 12-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 12-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 12-13
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-15
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Seats and Restraints 2-39
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.
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See
Airbag Readiness Light
on
page 4‑16for more information.
Notice: If an airbag covering is
damaged, opened, or broken, the
airbag may not work properly. Do
not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers,
have the airbag covering and/or
airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbag modules,
see What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
on page 2‑30. See your
dealer/retailer for service.
Replacing Airbag System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the airbag
systems in your vehicle.
A damaged airbag system may
not work properly and may not
protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash, resulting
in serious injury or even death.
To help make sure your airbag
systems are working properly
after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible. If an airbag inflates, you will need to
replace airbag system parts. See
your dealer/retailer for service.
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on when you are driving, the airbag
system may not work properly. Have
the vehicle serviced right away. See
Airbag Readiness Light
on
page 4‑16for more information.

Instruments and Controls 4-23
SeeTraction Control System (TCS)on page 8‑34andElectronic
Stability Control (ESC)on
page 8‑35for more information
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with a tire pressure
monitoring system, this light comes
on briefly when the engine is
started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System.
When the Light is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A tire pressure message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), can
accompany the light. See Tire
Messages
on page 4‑37for more information. Stop and check the
tires as soon as it is safe to do so.
If underinflated, inflate to the proper
pressure. See
Tire Pressure
on
page 9‑53for more information.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then is On Steady
This indicates that there may be a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System. The light flashes
for about a minute and stays on
steady for the remainder of the
ignition cycle. This sequence
repeats with every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
on page 9‑55for more
information.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule in this manual for
changing engine oil.
The oil pressure light should come
on briefly as the engine is started.
If it does not come on have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer/
retailer.

4-28 Instruments and Controls
Unit
Move
w xto switch between
Metric or US when the Unit display
is active. Press SET to confirm the
setting. This will change the
displays on the cluster and DIC to
either metric or English (US)
measurements.
Tire Pressure
The display will show a vehicle with
the approximate pressures of all
four tires. Tire pressure is displayed
in either kilopascal (kPa) or pounds
per square inch (psi). See Tire
Pressure Monitor System
on
page 9‑54and Tire Pressure
Monitor Operationon page 9‑55for
more information.
Remaining Oil Life
This display shows an estimate of
the oil's remaining useful life.
If Remaining Oil Life 99% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains. When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See
Engine Oil Messages
on
page 4‑35. The oil should changed
as soon as possible. See Engine Oil
on page 9‑11. In addition to the
engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Scheduled Maintenance
on
page 10‑2for more information.
Remember, the Oil Life display must
be reset after each oil change. It will
not reset itself. Also, be careful not
to reset the Oil Life display
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system press SET
while the Oil Life display is active.
See Engine Oil Life System
on
page 9‑13.
Compass
The vehicle may have a compass
display in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See Compass
on
page 4‑8for more information.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{WARNING
If the HUD image is too bright or
too high in your field of view, it
may take you more time to see
things you need to see when it is
dark outside. Be sure to keep the
HUD image dim and placed low in
your field of view.
For vehicles with the Head-Up
Display (HUD), some information
concerning the operation of the
vehicle is projected onto the
windshield. This includes the
speedometer reading, RPM reading,
transmission position, outside air
temperature, compass heading and
a brief display of the current radio

Instruments and Controls 4-35
Engine Overheated—Idle
Engine
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down.
Engine Overheated —Stop
Engine
This message displays and a
continuous chime sounds if the
engine cooling system reaches
unsafe temperatures for operation.
Stop and turn off the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so to avoid
severe damage. This message
clears when the engine has cooled
to a safe operating temperature.
High Coolant Temperature
This message displays if the coolant
temperature is hot, see Engine
Overheating on page 9‑20.
Engine Oil Messages
Change Engine Oil Soon
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message. See Engine
Oil Life System
on page 9‑13and
Driver Information Center (DIC)on
page 4‑25for information on how to
reset the message. See Engine Oil
on page 9‑11andScheduled
Maintenanceon page 10‑2for
more information.
Engine Oil Hot, Idle Engine
This message displays when the
engine oil temperature is too hot.
Stop and allow the vehicle to idle
until it cools down.
Engine Oil Low –Add Oil
This message displays when the
engine oil level is too low. Check the
oil level. See Engine Oil
on
page 9‑11.
Oil Pressure Low –Stop
Engine
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check the oil as soon as
possible and have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer/retailer.
Engine Power Messages
Engine Power Is Reduced
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there is no
reduction in performance, proceed
to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
maximum acceleration and speed
may be reduced. Anytime this

7-8 Climate Controls
Air Vents
Use the louvers located on the air
vents to change the direction of the
airflow.
To open the vent, move the
thumbwheel to
R. To close the vent,
move the thumbwheel to
(.
Operation Tips
.Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance.
.Keep the path under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle more
effectively.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Maintenance
Air Intake
Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves
from the air intake at the base of the
windshield that can block the flow of
air into the vehicle.
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
See Scheduled Maintenance
on
page 10‑2for replacement
intervals. To find out what type of
filter to use, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts on page 10‑9. The passenger compartment air
filter can be accessed by removing
the entire glove box.
1. Open the passenger side door.
Remove the end cover located
on the side of the instrument
panel in the top right corner.
Remove the screw affixed to the
side of the glove box.
2. Open the glove box door and remove the attached screws
from around the glove box.
3. Lower the loosened glove box housing.
4. Unplug both wire cables and remove the glove box.
5. Pull the three tabs to release and open the filter door.

8-2 Driving and Operating
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-54
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-54
Trailer Towing (2.4L L4
Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-58
Trailer Towing (3.0L and 3.6L V6 Engines) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-58
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 8-59
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-60
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control, if equipped.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.

Driving and Operating 8-57
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but donot shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.Start the engine.
.Shift into a gear.
.Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. Inspect these before
and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.