Black plate (19,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-19
Power Windows
The power window switches located
on the driver door control all four
windows. The passenger doors
have a window switch that controls
that window. Push the switch down
to open the window. Pull the front
of the switch up to close it.The switches work when
the ignition is in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY, or in Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). See
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on page 9‑24.
Express Window Operation
Windows with an express-up
or down feature allow the front
windows to be lowered or raised
without holding the switch. Rear
windows only have express-down.
Pull a window switch up or push
it down all the way, release it,
and the window goes down or up
automatically. Stop the window
by pushing or pulling the switch.
Rear Window Lockout
The rear window lockout button
is on the driver door. Press
vto
disable the rear window controls.
The light on the button comes on
indicating the feature is in use.
The rear windows can still be raised
or lowered using the driver window
switches when the lockout feature is
active. To restore power to the rear
windows, press the button again.
The light on the button goes out.
If the light flashes, the feature
may not be working properly.
This switch also activates the
safety locks. See Safety Locks on
page 2‑12.
Black plate (20,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
2-20 Keys, Doors and Windows
Programming the Power
Windows
If the battery on the vehicle has
been recharged, disconnected,
or is not working, you will need to
reprogram each front power window
for the express-up feature to work.
Before reprogramming, replace or
recharge the vehicle's battery.
To program each front window:
1. With the ignition in ON/RUNor ACC/ACCESSORY, or in
Retained Accessory Power
(RAP), close all doors.
2. Press and hold the power window switch until the window
is fully open.
3. Pull the power window switch up until the window is fully closed.
4. Continue holding the switch up for approximately two seconds
after the window is completely
closed. The window is now reprogrammed.
Repeat the process for the other
windows.
Sun Visors
Pull the sun visor down to block
glare. Detach the sun visor from
the center mount to pivot to the side
window, or to extend along the rod,
if available.
Rear Window Sunshade
On vehicles with a rear window
sunshade, the switch is on the
console to the right of the shifter.
The sunshade only operates
when the ignition is in ON/RUN
or ACC/ACCESSORY.
To open the sunshade, press and
release the switch. The sunshade
will fully extend. To close the
sunshade, press and release the
switch again. The sunshade will
fully close.
If the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse) when the sunshade is
extended, it will automatically close.
Black plate (21,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-21
Roof
Sunroof
On vehicles with a sunroof, the
switch is located on the overhead
console.The sunroof only operates
when the ignition is in ON/RUN
or ACC/ACCESSORY, or in
Retained Accessory Power (RAP).
See
Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑24.
Vent
The sunroof has an express-vent
open feature. From the closed
position, press the rear of the
sunroof switch (B) to the first
detent to vent the sunroof.
To close the sunroof, press the
front of the sunroof switch (A)
to the second detent.
Express-Open/Express-Close
To express-open the sunroof from
the closed or vent position, fully
press and release the rear of the
switch (B). The sunroof opens
automatically. To stop the sunroof
partway, press the switch a second
time. To express-close the sunroof,
fully press and release the front of
the switch (A). The sunroof closes
automatically. To stop the sunroof
partway, press the switch a
second time.
If the sunshade is closed, it opens
automatically with the sunroof
but can also be express-opened/
express-closed by using the
sunshade control (C) or (D).
The sunshade cannot be fully
closed with the sunroof open.
Black plate (22,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
2-22 Keys, Doors and Windows
To express-open the sunshade from
the closed position, fully press and
release the rear of the switch (C).
The sunshade opens automatically.
To stop the sunshade partway,
press the switch a second time.
To express-close the sunshade
fully press and release the front
of the switch (D). The sunshade
closes automatically. To stop the
sunshade partway, press the switch
a second time.
Notice:Forcing the sunshade
forward of the sliding glass
panel may cause damage and
the sunroof may not operate
properly. Always close the
glass panel before closing
the sunshade.
The sunroof glass panel cannot be
opened or closed if the vehicle has
an electrical failure.Anti-Pinch Feature
If an object is in the path of
the sunroof while it is closing,
the anti-pinch feature will detect
the object and stop the sunroof
from closing at the point of the
obstruction. The sunroof and
sunshade will then return to the
open or vent position. To close
the sunroof once the obstruction
has been removed, refer to
"Express-Open/Express-Close"
earlier in this section.
Dirt and debris may collect on
the sunroof seal or in the track.
This could cause issues with
sunroof operation and noise.
It could also plug the water drainage
system. Periodically open the
sunroof and remove any obstacles
or loose debris. Wipe the sunroof
seal and roof sealing area using a
clean cloth, mild soap, and water.
Do not remove grease from the
sunroof.
Black plate (30,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
3-30 Seats and Restraints
Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:
{WARNING
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing a safety belt—even if
the vehicle has airbags. Airbags
are designed to work with safety
belts, but do not replace them.
Also, airbags are not designed to
deploy in every crash. In some
crashes safety belts are the only
restraint. See When Should an
Airbag Inflate? on page 3‑32.
Wearing a safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance
of hitting things inside the vehicle
or being ejected from it. Airbags
are “supplemental restraints” to
the safety belts. Everyone in the
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly —whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.
{WARNING
Airbags inflate with great force,
faster than the blink of an eye.
Anyone who is up against, or
very close to, any airbag when it
inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Do not sit unnecessarily
close to any airbag, as you would
be if you were sitting on the edge
of the seat or leaning forward.
Safety belts help keep you in
position before and during a
crash. Always wear a safety belt,
even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle.
Occupants should not lean on
or sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags.
{WARNING
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag
when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus
lap-shoulder belts offer protection
for adults and older children,
but not for young children and
infants. Neither the vehicle's
safety belt system nor its airbag
system is designed for them.
Young children and infants
need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide.
Always secure children properly
in the vehicle. To read how, see
Older Children on page 3‑44 or
Infants and Young Children on
page 3‑46.
Black plate (31,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-31
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument panel cluster,
which shows the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag
electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an
electrical problem. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑14
for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
middle of the steering wheel.
The right front passenger frontal
airbag is in the instrument panel on
the passenger side.
Driver Side Shown,
Passenger Side Similar
The seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the driver and right front
passenger are in the side of the
seatbacks closest to the door.
The roof-rail airbags for the driver,
right front passenger, and second
row outboard passengers are in the
ceiling above the side windows.
Black plate (32,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
3-32 Seats and Restraints
Rear Seat Driver Side Shown,Passenger Side Similar
If the vehicle has second row
seat‐mounted side impact airbags,
they are in the sides of the rear
seatback closest to the door.
{WARNING
If something is between an
occupant and an airbag, the
airbag might not inflate properly
or it might force the object into (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
that person causing severe
injury or even death. The path
of an inflating airbag must be
kept clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an
airbag, and do not attach or put
anything on the steering wheel
hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
Do not use seat accessories
that block the inflation path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof
of a vehicle with roof-rail airbags
by routing a rope or tie down
through any door or window
opening. If you do, the path
of an inflating roof-rail airbag
will be blocked.
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
Frontal airbags are designed
to inflate in moderate to severe
frontal or near frontal crashes to
help reduce the potential for severe
injuries mainly to the driver's or right
front passenger's head and chest.
However, they are only designed
to inflate if the impact exceeds
a predetermined deployment
threshold. Deployment thresholds
are used to predict how severe a
crash is likely to be in time for the
airbags to inflate and help restrain
the occupants.
Whether the frontal airbags will
or should deploy is not based on
how fast your vehicle is traveling.
It depends largely on what you hit,
the direction of the impact, and how
quickly your vehicle slows down.
Black plate (34,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
3-34 Seats and Restraints
In any particular crash, no one
can say whether an airbag should
have inflated simply because of
the damage to a vehicle or because
of what the repair costs were.
For frontal airbags, inflation is
determined by what the vehicle
hits, the angle of the impact, and
how quickly the vehicle slows down.
For seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags, deployment is
determined by the location and
severity of the side impact.
In a rollover event, roof‐rail airbag
deployment is determined by the
direction of the roll.What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are
all part of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located
inside the steering wheel and
instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags,
there are airbag modules in the side
of the front seatbacks closest to
the door. For vehicles with roof-rail
airbags, there are airbag modules
in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the
side windows that have occupant
seating positions.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel.
In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants
can contact the inside of the
vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Frontal
airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually.
Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags distribute the
force of the impact more evenly
over the occupant's upper body.