2011 BUICK LACROSSE wheel

Black plate (53,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-53
Ending a Call
Turn the Menu knob and select
Hang Up.
Muting a Call
To Mute a Call
Turn the Menu knob and select
Mute Call.
To Cancel Mute
Turn the Menu knob and select
Mute Call.
Dual Tone Multi-Frequency
(DTMF) Tones
The in‐vehicle Bluetooth system can
send numbers during a call. This is
used when calling a menu‐driven
phone system.
1. Turn the Menu knob and selectEnter Number.
2. Enter the character sequence. See “Entering a Character
Sequence” inOperation on
page 7‑7 for more information.
Bluetooth (Voice
Recognition)
Using Voice Recognition
To use voice recognition, pressbg
located on the steering wheel.
The system responds differently
depending on what kind of
infotainment system the vehicle
has installed.
For vehicles without a navigation
system, the system responds
“Ready,” followed by a tone.
After the tone, say a command.
For vehicles with a navigation
system, the system responds with
a tone. After the tone say “Hands
Free” to use the Bluetooth voice
recognition system. The system
then responds with “Ready,”
followed by a tone. After the
tone, say a command.
For additional information say
“Help” while you are in a voice
recognition menu.
Pairing
A Bluetooth cell phone must be
paired to the Bluetooth system
and then connected to the vehicle
before it can be used. See your cell
phone manufacturer's user guide for
Bluetooth functions before pairing
the cell phone. If a Bluetooth phone
is not connected, calls will be made
using OnStar Hands‐Free Calling,
if available. Refer to the OnStar
owner's guide for more information.
Pairing Information
.Up to five cell phones can be
paired to the Bluetooth system.
.The pairing process is disabled
when the vehicle is moving.
.Pairing only needs to be
completed once, unless the
pairing information on the cell
phone changes or the cell phone
is deleted from the system.

Black plate (4,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
8-4 Climate Controls
Sensor
The solar sensor, located on top
of the instrument panel near the
windshield, monitors the solar heat.
The climate control system uses
the sensor information to adjust
the temperature, fan speed,
recirculation, and air delivery
mode for best comfort.
Do not cover the sensor or the
automatic climate control system
may not work properly.
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
For vehicles with this system, it controls the heating, cooling, and ventilation.
A. Power
B. Driver Temperature Control
C. Defrost
D. Fan Control
E. Air Delivery Mode Control
F. Recirculation/AutomaticRecirculation G. Passenger Temperature Control
H. AUTO
I. Rear Window Defogger
J. Heated Steering Wheel
K. Air Conditioning
L. ZONE

Black plate (7,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-7
Rear Window Defogger
=(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off.
The rear window defogger
turns off automatically after
about 10 minutes. If turned on
again it runs for about five minutes
before turning off. The defogger
can also be turned off by turning
the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY
or LOCK/OFF.
The rear window defogger can
be set to automatic operation.
See “Climate and Air Quality”
under Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑39. When auto rear defog is
selected, the rear window defogger
turns on automatically when the
interior temperature is cold and
the outside temperature is about
4°C (40°F) and below. The auto
rear defogger turns off automatically after about 10 minutes, or after
five minutes if the outside
temperature is not as cold.
For vehicles with heated outside
rearview mirrors, they turn on when
the rear window defogger button
is on and help to clear fog or frost
from the surface of the mirror.
See
Heated Mirrors on page 2‑17.
Notice: Do not try to clear frost
or other material from the inside
of the front windshield and rear
window with a razor blade or
anything else that is sharp. This
may damage the rear window
defogger grid and affect your
radio's ability to pick up stations
clearly. The repairs wouldn't be
covered by your warranty.
((Heated Steering Wheel): For
vehicles with this feature, press to
turn on or off. See Heated Steering
Wheel on page 5‑3. Remote Start Climate Control
Operation:
For vehicles with
the remote vehicle start feature,
the climate control system may
run when the vehicle is started
remotely. The system uses the
driver's previous settings to heat
or cool the inside of the vehicle.
See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑8.
The rear window defogger turns on
if it is cold outside.
Sensor
The solar sensor, located on top
of the instrument panel near the
windshield, monitors the solar heat.
The climate control system
uses the sensor information to
adjust the temperature, fan speed,
recirculation, and air delivery mode
for best comfort.
Do not cover the sensor or the
automatic climate control system
may not work properly.

Black plate (8,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
8-8 Climate Controls
Air Vents
Use the louvers located on the air
vents to change the direction of the
airflow.
To open the vent, move the
thumbwheel to
R. To close the vent,
move the thumbwheel to
(.
Operation Tips
.Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance.
.Keep the path under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle more
effectively.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Maintenance
Air Intake
Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves
from the air intake at the base of the
windshield that can block the flow of
air into the vehicle.
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
See Scheduled Maintenance on
page 11‑2 for replacement intervals.
To find out what type of filter to use,
see Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 11‑9. The passenger compartment air
filter can be accessed by removing
the entire glove box.
1. Open the passenger side door.
Remove the end cover located
on the side of the instrument
panel in the top right corner.
Remove the screw affixed to
the side of the glove box.
2. Open the glove box door and remove the attached screws
from around the glove box.
3. Lower the loosened glove box housing.
4. Unplug both wire cables and remove the glove box.

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 (5,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-5
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on
the condition of the tires and the
road surface, the angle at which the
curve is banked, and vehicle speed.
While in a curve, speed is the one
factor that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed,
do it before entering the curve, while
the front wheels are straight.
Try to adjust the speed so you can
drive through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into
the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering
can be more effective than braking.
For example, you come over a hill
and find a truck stopped in your
lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
from nowhere, or a child darts out
from between parked cars and stops
right in front of you. These problems
can be avoided by braking—if you
can stop in time. But sometimes you
cannot stop in time because there
is no room. That is the time for
evasive action —steering around
the problem.
The vehicle can perform very
well in emergencies like these.
First apply the brakes. See Braking
on page 9‑3. It is better to remove
as much speed as possible from
a collision. Then steer around
the problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires
close attention and a quick decision.
If holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock
positions, it can be turned a full
180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and just as
quickly straighten the wheel once
you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency
situations are always possible is a
good reason to practice defensive
driving at all times and wear safety
belts properly.

Black plate (6,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
9-6 Driving and Operating
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving.
If the level of the shoulder is
only slightly below the pavement,
recovery should be fairly easy.
Ease off the accelerator and then,if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that the vehicle straddles the
edge of the pavement. Turn the
steering wheel 8 to 13 cm (3 to
5 in), about one-eighth turn, until
the right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. Then turn the
steering wheel to go straight
down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts
say about what happens when the
three control systems
—brakes,
steering, and acceleration —do not
have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up.
Keep trying to steer and constantly
seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those
conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to the vehicle's three control
systems. In the braking skid,
the wheels are not rolling. In the
steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes
tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal
and quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, the vehicle
may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.

Black plate (9,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-9
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will
have to do all the work of slowing
down and they could get so hot
that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in
your own lane.
.Top of hills: Be
alert—something could
be in your lane (stalled car,
accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is
snow or ice between the tires
and the road, creating less traction
or grip. Wet ice can occur at about
0°C (32°F) when freezing rain
begins to fall, resulting in even less
traction. Avoid driving on wet ice or
in freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑32 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance
on any slippery road and watch
for slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain
icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.