2011 BUICK LACROSSE cooling

Black plate (59,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-59
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. 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 the Maintenance Schedule
booklet 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.
Engine Cooling when Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 10‑21.

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-13
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-15 Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-21
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-23
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-27
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-29
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
High Intensity Discharge(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-36
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44

Black plate (17,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-17
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.
When it is safe to lift the hood:
2.4 L L4 Engine
A. Engine Cooling Fan(Out of View)
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap 3.6 L V6 Engine
A. Engine Cooling Fans
(Out of View)
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{WARNING
An electric engine cooling fan
under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can cause injury. Keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{WARNING
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there
is a leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle.
Notice: Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL
®can cause premature
engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant could require changing
sooner, at 50 000 km (30,000 mi)
or 24 months, whichever occurs
first. Any repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use DEX-COOL
(silicate-free) coolant in the
vehicle.

Black plate (18,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
10-18 Vehicle Care
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle
is filled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating on
page 10‑21.
What to Use
{WARNING
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is
set for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get
too hot but you would not
get the overheat warning.
The engine could catch fire and
you or others could be burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:.Gives freezing protection down
to
−37°C (−34°F), outside
temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up
to 129°C (265°F), engine
temperature.
.Protects against rust and
corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.

Black plate (19,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-19
Notice:If an improper coolant
mixture is used, the engine could
overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core, and other
parts.
Never dispose of engine coolant
by putting it in the trash, pouring
it on the ground, or into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water.
Have the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will
help protect the environment
and your health.Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check to see if coolant is visible
in the coolant surge tank. If the
coolant inside the coolant surge
tank is boiling, do not do anything
else until it cools down. If coolant is
visible but the coolant level is not at
or above the mark pointed to, add
a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant at the
coolant surge tank, but be sure the
cooling system is cool before this
is done. If no coolant is visible in the coolant
surge tank, add coolant as follows:
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
{WARNING
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
Notice: This vehicle has a
specific coolant fill procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure
could cause the engine to
overheat and be severely
damaged.

Black plate (20,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
10-20 Vehicle Care
{WARNING
An electric engine cooling fan
under the hood can start up
even when the engine is not
running and can cause injury.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
{WARNING
Steam and scalding liquids
from a hot cooling system can
blow out and burn you badly.
They are under pressure, and if
you turn the surge tank pressure
cap—even a little —they can
come out at high speed. Never
turn the cap when the cooling
system, including the surge tank
pressure cap, is hot. Wait for the
cooling system and surge tank
pressure cap to cool if you ever
have to turn the pressure cap.
The coolant surge tank pressure
cap can be removed when the
cooling system, including the
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
1. Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise. If a hiss is
heard, wait for that to stop.
A hiss means there is still
some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the cap and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank withthe proper mixture to the mark
pointed to on the front of the
coolant surge tank.

Black plate (21,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-21
4. With the coolant surge tank capoff, start the engine and let it
run until the upper radiator hose
starts getting hot. Watch out
for the engine cooling fan(s).
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the
mark pointed to on the front of
the coolant surge tank.
5. Replace the cap. Be sure the cap is hand–tight and fully
seated.
Notice: If the pressure cap is
not tightly installed, coolant loss
and possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
If coolant is needed, add the proper
DEX-COOL coolant mixture at the
coolant surge tank.Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There is a coolant temperature
gauge and a warning light on
the instrument panel cluster that
indicate an overheated engine
condition. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 5‑13
for more information.
You may decide not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, but
instead get service help right away.
See Roadside Assistance Program
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑8
or Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑10.
If you do decide to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked
on a level surface. Then check to see if the engine
cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, the fan(s)
should be running. If not, do not
continue to run the engine and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice:
Engine damage from
running the engine without
coolant is not covered by the
warranty.
If Steam is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
See Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode on page 10‑22 for
information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.

Black plate (40,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
10-40 Vehicle Care
Engine Compartment Fuse Block
The vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the fuses, relays, and
features shown. J-CaseFuses Usage
6 Wiper
12 Starter J-Case
Fuses Usage
21 Rear Power
Windows
22 Sunroof
24 Front Power
Windows J-Case
Fuses Usage
26 Antilock Brake
System Pump
27 Electric Park Brake
28 Rear Window
Defogger
41 Brake
Vacuum Pump
42 Cooling Fan K2
45 Cooling Fan K1
Mini Fuses Usage 1 Transmission
Control Module
2 Engine Control
Module Battery
5 Engine Control
Module Ignition
8 Ignition Coils ‐Even
9 Ignition Coils ‐Odd