2011 BUICK LACROSSE engine

Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-3
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, seat 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.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories
to the vehicle can affect vehicle
performance and safety, including
such things as airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling,
emissions systems, aerodynamics,
durability, and electronic systems
like antilock brakes, traction control,
and stability control. Some of
these accessories could even
cause malfunction or damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty.

Black plate (6,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
10-6 Vehicle Care
Engine Compartment Overview
2.4 L L4 Engine

Black plate (7,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-7
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑15.
B. Engine Cover.
C. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑9.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑9.
E. Transmission Fluid Cap and Dipstick. See Automatic
Transmission Fluid on
page 10‑15.
F. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Brakes on
page 10‑24. G. Power Steering Reservoir and
Cap. See Power Steering Fluid
on page 10‑23.
H. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑18.
I. Battery Cover. See Battery on
page 10‑27.
J. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑39.
K. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer
Fluid on page 10‑24.

Black plate (8,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
10-8 Vehicle Care
3.6 L V6 Engine

Black plate (9,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-9
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑15.
B. Power Steering Reservoir and Cap. See Power Steering Fluid
on page 10‑23.
C. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑9.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑9.
E. Engine Cover.
F. Transmission Fluid Cap and Dipstick. See Automatic
Transmission Fluid on
page 10‑15. G. Brake Master Cylinder
Reservoir. See Brakes on
page 10‑24.
H. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑18.
I. Battery Cover. See Battery on
page 10‑27.
J. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑39.
K. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑24.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life,
careful attention must be paid
to engine oil. Following these
simple, but important steps will
help protect your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and
of the proper viscosity grade.
See “Selecting the Right Engine
Oil” in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine
Oil Life System on page 10‑13.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.

Black plate (10,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
10-10 Vehicle Care
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the
engine oil level at each fuel fill.
In order to get an accurate
reading, the vehicle must be
on level ground. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a yellow loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6 for the location of
the engine oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or cloth,
then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip
down, and check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick, add
1 L (1 qt) of the recommended
oil and then recheck the level.
See “Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” in this section for an
explanation of what kind of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2. Notice:
Do not add too much
oil. Oil levels above or below
the acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that
you have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the cross-hatched
area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine
could be damaged. You should
drain out the excess oil or limit
driving of the vehicle and seek a
service professional to remove
the excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6 for the location of the
engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.

Black plate (11,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-11
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade:
Specification
Use and ask for engine oils
with the dexos™certification mark.
Oils meeting the requirements of
the vehicle should have the dexos
certification mark on the container.
This certification mark indicates that
the oil has been approved to the
dexos specification.
This vehicle was filled at the factory
with dexos‐approved engine oil.
Notice: Use only engine oil
that is approved to the dexos
specification or an equivalent
engine oil of the appropriate
viscosity grade. Engine oils
approved to the dexos
specification will show the
dexos symbol on the container. Failure to use the recommended
engine oil or equivalent can
result in engine damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
If you are unsure whether the
oil is approved to the dexos
specification, ask your service
provider.
Use of Substitute Engine Oils if
dexos is unavailable: In the event
that dexos‐approved engine oil is
not available at an oil change or
for maintaining proper oil level,
you may use substitute engine oil
displaying the API Starburst symbol
and of SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade.

Black plate (12,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
10-12 Vehicle Care
Use of oils that do not meet the
dexos specification, however, may
result in reduced performance under
certain circumstances.
Viscosity Grade
SAE 5W-30 is the best viscosity
grade for the vehicle. Do not
use other viscosity oils such as
SAE 10W‐30, 10W‐40, or 20W-50.Cold Temperature Operation:
In an area of extreme cold,
where the temperature falls
below−29°C (−20°F), an
SAE 0W-30 oil should be used.
An oil of this viscosity grade
will provide easier cold starting
for the engine at extremely low
temperatures. When selecting an oil
of the appropriate viscosity grade,
be sure to always select an oil that
meets the required specification,
dexos. See “Specification” earlier in
this section for more information.