Black plate (18,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
13-18 Customer Information
Vehicle Data
Recording and
Privacy
This GM vehicle has a number of
sophisticated computers that record
information about the vehicle’s
performance and how it is driven.
For example, the vehicle uses
computer modules to monitor and
control engine and transmission
performance, to monitor the
conditions for airbag deployment
and deploy airbags in a crash, and,
if so equipped, to provide antilock
braking to help the driver control the
vehicle. These modules may store
data to help the dealer technician
service the vehicle. Some modules
may also store data about how you
operate the vehicle, such as rate of
fuel consumption or average speed.
These modules may also retain the
owner’s personal preferences, such
as radio pre-sets, seat positions,
and temperature settings.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle has an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose
of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations,
such as an airbag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that
will assist in understanding how
a vehicle's systems performed.
The EDR is designed to record
data related to vehicle dynamics
and safety systems for a short
period of time, typically 30 seconds
or less. The EDR in this vehicle is
designed to record such data as:
.How various systems in the
vehicle were operating.
.Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened.
.How far, if at all, the driver was
pressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal.
.How fast the vehicle was
traveling. This data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances
in which crashes and injuries occur.
Important:
EDR data is recorded
by the vehicle only if a non-trivial
crash situation occurs; no data is
recorded by the EDR under normal
driving conditions and no personal
data (e.g., name, gender, age,
and crash location) is recorded.
However, other parties, such as
law enforcement, could combine
the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data
routinely acquired during a
crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR,
special equipment is required, and
access to the vehicle or the EDR is
needed. In addition to the vehicle
manufacturer, other parties, such
as law enforcement, that have the
special equipment, can read the
information if they have access
to the vehicle or the EDR.
Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Adjustments Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-15
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Air Filter, Passenger
Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Air Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34 Airbag System (cont.)
What Will You See After
an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . 3-35
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-31
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-15
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Alarm System Anti-Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
Antenna Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
Anti-Theft Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Alarm System Messages . . . . . 5-38 Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-92
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
Assistance Program,
Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8, 13-10
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20 CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
CD/DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-23
Audio System Backglass Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic
Climate Control System . . . . . . . . 8-1
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . 9-28 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Shift Lock ControlFunction Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . 7-31, 7-34
Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-3
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-23
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-1
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
ChargingSystem Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Check
Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-28
Child Restraints
Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-52
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-44
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-61, 3-63
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39 Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-92
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
Climate Control Systems Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5, 5-6
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-13
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 10-85
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Compressor Kit, Tire Sealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13 Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-6 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5, 13-6
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 13-15
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1, 13-3
Black plate (5,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-5
Electronic Stability ControlIndicator Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-35
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Overheated Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-28
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20 Engine Oil
Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-18
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-2
F
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-4
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-100 Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . 10-15
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Front Fog Lamps Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Front Seats
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . 3-10
Front Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . 9-52
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-51
Black plate (7,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-7
Heated and Ventilated FrontSeats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Heater Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Heating and Air Conditioning . . . 8-1
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . 9-17, 9-19
Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-36
Keyless Entry Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-4
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-48
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Lamps Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-3
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Sun Visor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Black plate (9,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-9
Messages (cont.)Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Object Detection System . . . . . 5-37
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Mirrors
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Park Tilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
N
NavigationVehicle Data Recording
and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19
Net, Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
O
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Object Detection, Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-13
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . 3-44
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
OnStar
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Operation, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Overview, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3, 7-5
P
ParkShifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Parking Assist, Ultrasonic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-29
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 9-27
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Passenger Sensing System . . . 3-37
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements, California . . . . . 10-3
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Phone Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . 7-46, 7-48, 7-53
Black plate (12,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
i-12 INDEX
ServiceAccessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Maintenance Records . . . . . . .11-10
Maintenance, General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 12-1
Publications Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
Scheduling Appointments . . . .13-11
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26 Side Blind Zone Alert . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Signals, Turn and
Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Spare Tire Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-85
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Start Assist, Hills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4 Fluid, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Stoplamps and Back-Up Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-35 Storage
Mass Media (MEM) . . . . . . . . . . . 7-27
Storage Areas Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Sun Visor Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v
System Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Black plate (13,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-13
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Taillamp Indicator Light . . . . . . . . 5-25
TaillampsBulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . 13-6
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14, 2-15
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5, 5-6
Tires Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-85
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Inflation Monitor System . . . . 10-57
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38 Tires (cont.)
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Pressure Monitor System . . . 10-56
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Sealant and Compressor Kit, Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-68
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 9-56
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-55 Towing (cont.)
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-89
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . 9-36
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 9-38
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Selective Ride Control . . . . . . . . 9-38
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Turn Signal Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-35