Black plate (47,1)Buick Verano Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 1/10/12
Driving and Operating 9-47
For information on towing a disabled
vehicle, seeTowing the Vehicle on
page 10‑67. For information on
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle such as a motor home, see
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10‑69.
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
{WARNING
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well —or even at all. The driver
and passengers could be
seriously injured. The vehicle may
also be damaged; the resulting
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer
only if all the steps in this section
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
have been followed. Ask your
dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with the
vehicle.
The vehicle can tow a trailer if it is
equipped with the proper trailer
towing equipment. To identify the
trailering capacity of the vehicle,
see Trailer Towing on page 9‑50.
Trailering changes handling,
acceleration, braking, durability,
and fuel economy. With the added
weight, the engine, transmission,
wheel assemblies, and tires are
forced to work harder and under
greater loads. The trailer also adds
wind resistance, increasing the
pulling requirements. For safe
trailering, correctly use the proper
trailering equipment. The following information has
important trailering tips and rules
for your safety and that of your
passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer.
Pulling a Trailer
Here are some important points:
.There are many laws, including
speed limit restrictions that apply
to trailering. Check for legal
requirements with state or
provincial police.
.Do not tow a trailer at all during
the first 1 600 km (1,000 mi) the
new vehicle is driven. The
engine or other parts could be
damaged.
.During the first 800 km (500 mi)
that a trailer is towed, do not
drive over 80 km/h (50 mph) and
do not make starts at full throttle.
This reduces wear on the
vehicle.
Black plate (48,1)Buick Verano Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 1/10/12
9-48 Driving and Operating
.Vehicles with automatic
transmissions can tow in
D (Drive) but M (Manual Mode)
is recommended. SeeManual
Mode on page 9‑28 for more
information. Use a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often.
.Use the cruise control when
towing.
.Obey speed limit restrictions.
Do not drive faster than the
maximum posted speed for
trailers, or no more than 90 km/h
(55 mph), to reduce wear on the
vehicle.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires experience.
Get familiar with handling and
braking with the added trailer
weight. The vehicle is now longer
and not as responsive as the
vehicle is by itself.
Check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains,
electrical connectors, lamps, tires,
and mirror adjustments. If the trailer has electric brakes, start the vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes are working.
During the trip, check regularly to be
sure that the load is secure, and the
lamps and trailer brakes are working
properly.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the sound of the
stability control system might be
heard. The system is reacting to the
vehicle movement caused by the
trailer, which mainly occurs during
cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:
Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
Black plate (49,1)Buick Verano Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 1/10/12
Driving and Operating 9-49
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this
so the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The arrows on the instrument panel
flash whenever signaling a turn or
lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps also flash, telling
other drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes, or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument panel flash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. For this reason you may
think other drivers are seeing the
signal when they are not. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a
lower gear before starting down a
long or steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.
Vehicles with an automatic
transmission can tow in D (Drive)
but M (Manual Mode) is
recommended. Shift the
transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under
heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see
Engine Overheating
on page 10‑16.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill
with the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not 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.
Black plate (50,1)Buick Verano Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 1/10/12
9-50 Driving and Operating
3. When the wheel chocks are inplace, 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:
1.1. Start the engine.
1.2. Shift into a gear.
1.3. 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. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 10‑16.
Trailer Towing
Before pulling a trailer, there are
three important considerations that
have to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer.
.The weight of the trailer tongue.
.The total weight on your
vehicle's tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
454 kg (1,000 lbs). But even that
can be too heavy.
It depends on how the rig is used.
For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature, and
how much the vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can
depend on any special equipment
on the vehicle, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue”
later in this section for more
information.
Black plate (1,1)Buick Verano Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 1/10/12
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-2
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-11
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-16
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-20
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-21
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-25
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-36
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Black plate (2,1)Buick Verano Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 1/10/12
10-2 Vehicle Care
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Different Size Tires andWheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-64
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Cleaning the CenterStack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Black plate (10,1)Buick Verano Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 1/10/12
10-10 Vehicle Care
It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset the
system:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN withthe engine off.
2. Press the DIC MENU button on the turn signal lever to enter the
Vehicle Information Menu. Use
the thumbwheel to scroll through
the menu items until you reach
REMAINING OIL LIFE.
3. Press the SET/CLR button to reset the oil life at 100%.
4. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
The system is reset when the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message is off and the REMAINING
OIL LIFE 100% message is
displayed. If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not been reset. Repeat
the procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
It is not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level.
A transmission fluid leak is the
only reason for fluid loss. If a leak
occurs, take the vehicle to your
dealer and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
The vehicle is not equipped with a
transmission fluid level dipstick.
There is a special procedure for
checking and changing the
transmission fluid. Because this
procedure is difficult, this should be
done at the dealer. Contact the
dealer for additional information.
Black plate (17,1)Buick Verano Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 1/10/12
Vehicle Care 10-17
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could result
in costly brake repair. Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications in
Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes —for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.