
Black plate (39,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-39
Audio/Video (A/V) Jacks
If available, the A/V jacks are
located on the rear of the floor
console. They allow audio or
video cables to be connected
from an auxiliary device such as
a camcorder or a video game
system.
The A/V jacks are color coded:
.Yellow for video input.
.White for left audio input.
.Red for right audio input.
Power for auxiliary devices is not
supplied by the radio system.
To use the auxiliary inputs of the
RSE system:
1. Connect the auxiliary device cables to the A/V jacks.
2. Power on both the auxiliary device and the RSE video
screen. Changing the Source on the Video
Display Screens
The image from the auxiliary device
can be switched between the video
display screens.
To change the display:
1. Press the AUX button on the
remote control to change the
source of both video screens
from the DVD player to the
auxiliary device.
2. Press the AUX button a second time to change the left video
screen source to the DVD player
and the right video screen to the
auxiliary device. 3. Press the AUX button a third
time to change the left video
screen source to the auxiliary
device and the right video
screen to the DVD player.
4. Press the AUX button a fourth time to change the source of
both video screens to the DVD
player.
Changing the RSE Video Screen
Settings
The screen display mode,
brightness, and language can
be changed from the setup menu
using the remote control. To change
a setting:
1. Press
z.
2. Use
n,q,p,o, andrto
select the settings.
3. Press
zagain to exit the
setup menu.

Black plate (44,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
7-44 Infotainment System
Tips and Troubleshooting Chart
ProblemRecommended Action
No power. The ignition might not be turned to ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY.
The picture does not fill the screen. There are black
borders on the top and bottom or on both sides or it
looks stretched out. Check the display mode settings in the setup menu by
pressing the display menu button on the remote control.
In auxiliary mode, the picture moves or scrolls. Check the auxiliary input connections at both devices.
The remote control does not work. Check to make sure there is no obstruction between
the remote control and the transmitter window.
Check the batteries to make sure they are not dead or
installed incorrectly.
After stopping the player, I push Play but sometimes
the DVD starts where I left off and sometimes at the
beginning. If the Stop button was pressed one time, the DVD player
resumes playing where the DVD was stopped. If the
stop button was pressed two times the DVD player
begins to play from the beginning of the DVD.

Black plate (45,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-45
Tips and Troubleshooting Chart (cont.)
ProblemRecommended Action
The auxiliary source is running but there is no picture or
sound. Check that the RSE video screen is in the auxiliary
source mode by pressing the AUX button on the remote
control.
Check the auxiliary input connections at both devices.
Sometimes the wireless headphone audio cuts out or
buzzes. Check for obstructions, low batteries, reception range,
and interference from cellular telephone towers or by
using a cellular telephone in the vehicle.
Check that the headphones are on correctly using
the L (left) and R (right) on the headphones.
Check that the headphones are positioned properly with
the headband across the top of the head.
I lost the remote and/or the headphones. See your dealer for assistance.
The DVD is playing, but there is no picture or sound. Check that the RSE video screen is sourced to the DVD player by pressing the AUX button on the remote
control.

Black plate (46,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
7-46 Infotainment System
DVD Display Error Messages
The DVD display error message
depends on which radio the vehicle
has. The video screen may display
one of the following:
Disc Load/Eject Error or
Mechanical Error:There are
disc load or eject problems.
Disc Format Error or Unknown
Format: The disc is inserted with
the disc label wrong side up, or the
disc is damaged.
Disc Region Error or Disc Error:
The disc is not from a correct
region.
No Disc Inserted: No disc is
present when the
XEJECT or
MEM/DVD/AUX button is pressed
on the radio.
DVD Distortion
Video distortion can occur when
operating cellular phones, scanners,
CB radios, Global Position Systems
(GPS)*, two-way radios, mobile fax,
or walkie talkies.
It might be necessary to turn off the
DVD player when operating one of
these devices in or near the vehicle.
*Excludes the OnStar
®System.
Cleaning the RSE Seatback
Console
Use only a clean cloth dampened
with clean water to clean the RSE
seatback console surface.
Cleaning the Video Screen
Use only a clean cloth dampened
with clean water. Use care when
touching or cleaning the screen
as damage could result.
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview)
For vehicles equipped with
Bluetooth capability, the system
can interact with many cell phones,
allowing:
.Placement and receipt of calls in
a hands-free mode.
.Sharing of the cell phone’s
address book or contact list
with the vehicle.
To minimize driver distraction,
before driving, and with the vehicle
parked:
.Become familiar with the
features of the cell phone.
Organize the phone book and
contact lists clearly and delete
duplicate or rarely used entries.
If possible, program speed dial
or other shortcuts.
.Review the controls and
operation of the infotainment
system.

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-11
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-16
Ignition Positions(Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Parking Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-28
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-35
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . 9-38
Selective Ride Control . . . . . . . 9-38
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-42
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46

Black plate (30,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
9-30 Driving and Operating
D (Drive):This position is for
normal driving. It provides the
best fuel economy. If more power
is needed for passing, and the
vehicle is:
.Going less than 56 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
Notice: If the vehicle seems to
accelerate slowly or not shift
gears when you go faster, and
you continue to drive the vehicle
that way, you could damage the
transmission. Have the vehicle
serviced right away. You can
drive in L (Low) when you are
driving less than 56 km/h (35 mph)
and D (Drive) for higher speeds
until then.
Manual Mode: This position is
shown on the shifter as a +/−.
It allows the driver to select the
gears appropriate for current driving
conditions. See Manual Mode on
page 9‑30 for more information.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Notice:If you drive the vehicle
at a high rpm without upshifting
while using Driver Shift Control
(DSC), you could damage the
vehicle. Always upshift when
necessary while using DSC.
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
allows you to shift an automatic
transmission similar to a manual
transmission. To use the DSC
feature:
With Selective Ride Control
1. Move the shift lever to the left from D (Drive).
The vehicle will be in Sport
Mode. The gear indicator in
the DIC will still display a D for
Drive, and the SPORT MODE
ON message will be displayed
momentarily. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑25. When you are in
Sport Mode, the vehicle will still shift automatically, but
chassis tuning is modified.
See
Selective Ride Control on
page 9‑38. If you move the
shift lever forward or rearward,
the transmission will enter
Manual Mode, and the DIC
gear indicator will change to
an M followed by a number
representing the gear the
vehicle is currently in.
2. In Manual Mode, press the shift lever forward to upshift
or rearward to downshift.
Without Selective Ride Control
1. Move the shift lever to the left from D (Drive).
The transmission will enter
Manual Mode. The DIC gear
indicator will change to an
M followed by a number
representing the gear the
vehicle is currently in.
2. In Manual Mode, press the shift lever forward to upshift
or rearward to downshift.

Black plate (31,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-31
Uplevel Display Shown,Base Model Similar
The display on the instrument panel
cluster will show which gear the
vehicle is in. The number indicates
the requested gear range when
moving the shift lever forward or
rearward. The transmission will only allow
you to shift into gears appropriate
for the vehicle speed and engine
revolutions per minute (rpm). The
transmission will not automatically
shift to the next lower gear if the
engine rpm is too high, nor to the
next higher gear when the maximum
engine rpm is reached.
While in the DSC mode, the
transmission will automatically
downshift when the vehicle comes
to a stop. This will allow for more
power during take-off.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
you may want to shift into second
gear. A higher gear allows you to
gain more traction on slippery
surfaces.
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature always
send engine power to all four
wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare
tire on an AWD vehicle, the
system automatically detects
the compact spare and disables
AWD. To restore AWD operation
and prevent excessive wear on
the system, replace the compact
spare with a full-size tire as soon as
possible. See
Compact Spare Tire
on page 10‑85 for more information.

Black plate (53,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-53
Outward Facing Sidewall:
The side of an asymmetrical
tire that has a particular side
that faces outward when
mounted on a vehicle. The
side of the tire that contains a
whitewall, bears white lettering,
or bears manufacturer, brand,
and/or model name molding
that is higher or deeper than
the same moldings on the
other sidewall of the tire.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
:
A tire used on passenger cars
and some light duty trucks and
multipurpose vehicles.
Recommended Inflation
Pressure
:Vehicle
manufacturer's recommended
tire inflation pressure as
shown on the tire placard.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑54 andVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑12. Radial Ply Tire
:A pneumatic
tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Rim
:A metal support for a tire
and upon which the tire beads
are seated.
Sidewall
:The portion of a tire
between the tread and the bead.
Speed Rating
:An
alphanumeric code assigned to
a tire indicating the maximum
speed at which a tire can
operate.
Traction
:The friction between
the tire and the road surface.
The amount of grip provided.
Tread
:The portion of a tire
that comes into contact with
the road. Treadwear Indicators
:Narrow
bands, sometimes called wear
bars, that show across the
tread of a tire when only 1.6 mm
(1/16 in) of tread remains.
See When It Is Time for New
Tires on page 10‑63.
UTQGS (Uniform Tire
Quality Grading Standards)
:
A tire information system that
provides consumers with
ratings for a tire's traction,
temperature, and treadwear.
Ratings are determined by
tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures.
The ratings are molded into
the sidewall of the tire.
See Uniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 10‑66.