2011 BUICK LUCERNE traction control

Black plate (55,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
SERVICE SUSPENSION SYSTEM
This message displays to indicate that the suspension
system is not operating properly. See your dealer for
service.
SERVICE THEFT SYSTEM
This message displays when there is a problem with the
theft-deterrent system programmed in the key. A fault
has been detected in the system which means that the
system is disabled and it is not protecting the vehicle.
The vehicle usually restarts; however, you may want to
take the vehicle to your dealer before turning off the
engine. SeePASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizeron
page 3‑17for more information.
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays if a part on the TPMS
is not working properly. The tire pressure light also
flashes and then remains on during the same ignition
cycle. See Tire Pressure Light
on page 4‑37. Several
conditions may cause this message to appear. See Tire
Pressure Monitor Operation
on page 6‑66for more
information. If the warning comes on and stays on,
there may be a problem with the TPMS. See your
dealer.
SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL
This message displays when the Traction Control
System (TCS) is not functioning properly. A warning
light also appears on the instrument panel cluster.
See Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light
on
page 4‑34. See Traction Control System (TCS)on
page 5‑6for more information. Have the TCS serviced
by your dealer as soon as possible.
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays when there is a problem with the
transmission. See your dealer for service.
SERVICE VEHICLE SOON
This message displays when a non-emissions related
malfunction occurs. Have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer as soon as possible.
SIDE BLIND ZONE ALERT
SYSTEM OFF
If your vehicle has the Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
system, this message displays when the SBZA system
has been turned off. See Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
on page 3‑36andDIC Operation and Displayson
page 4‑42for more information.
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Black plate (56,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
SIDE BLIND ZONE SYS. UNAVAILABLE
If your vehicle has the Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
system, this message displays when the SBZA system
is disabled because the sensor is blocked and cannot
detect vehicles in your blind zone. The sensor may be
blocked by mud, dirt, snow, ice, or slush. This message
may also display during heavy rain or due to road spray.
It may also come on when driving in isolated areas
with no guardrails, trees, or road signs and light traffic.
Your vehicle does not need service. For cleaning
instructions, seeWashing Your Vehicle
on page 6‑102.
See Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)on page 3‑36for
more information.
SPEED LIMITED TO XXX MPH (km/h)
This message displays when your vehicle speed is
limited to 128 km/h (80 mph) because the vehicle
detects a problem in the speed variable assist steering,
magnetic ride control, or automatic leveling control
systems. Have your vehicle serviced by your dealer.
STABILITRAK NOT READY
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this message may
display and the Traction Control System and StabiliTrak
Warning Light on the instrument panel cluster may be
on after first driving the vehicle and exceeding 30 km/h
(19 mph) for 30 seconds. The StabiliTrak system is not
functional until the light has turned off. See StabiliTrak
®
Systemon page 5‑5for more information.
STARTING DISABLED SERVICE
THROTTLE
This message displays if the starting of the engine is
disabled due to the electronic throttle control system.
Have your vehicle serviced by your dealer immediately.
This message only appears while the ignition is in
ON/RUN, and will not disappear until the problem is
resolved.
This message cannot be acknowledged.
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This message displays if the content theft-deterrent
system has detected a break-in attempt while you were
away from your vehicle. SeeContent Theft-Deterrent
on
page 3‑16for more information.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message may be displayed if the gas cap is not
on, or is not fully tightened. Check the gas cap to
ensure that it is on properly. See Filling the Tank
on
page 6‑9for more information.
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Black plate (57,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays when the TPMS is
re-learning the tire positions on your vehicle. The tire
positions must be re-learned after rotating the tires or
after replacing a tire or sensor. SeeTire Inspection and
Rotation
on page 6‑70, Tire Pressure Monitor Systemon page 6‑65, and Inflation - Tire Pressureon
page 6‑64for more information.
TIRE LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays when the pressure in
one or more of the vehicle's tires is low. This message
also displays LEFT FRT (left front), RIGHT FRT (right
front), LEFT RR (left rear), or RIGHT RR (right rear)
to indicate the location of the low tire. The low tire
pressure warning light will also come on. See Tire
Pressure Light
on page 4‑37. If a tire pressure
message appears on the DIC, stop as soon as you
can. Have the tire pressures checked and set to those
shown on the Tire Loading Information label. See Tires
on page 6‑57,Loading the Vehicleon page 5‑18, and
Inflation - Tire Pressureon page 6‑64. You can receive
more than one tire pressure message at a time. To read
the other messages that may have been sent at the
same time, press the set/reset button. The DIC also
shows the tire pressure values. See DIC Operation and
Displays
on page 4‑42.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF
This message displays when the Traction Control
System (TCS) is turned off. Adjust your driving
accordingly. See Traction Control System (TCS)
on
page 5‑6for more information.
TRACTION CONTROL ON
This message displays when the Traction Control
System (TCS) is turned on. See Traction Control
System (TCS)
on page 5‑6for more information.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE ENGINE
Notice: If you drive the vehicle while the
transmission fluid is overheating and the
transmission temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument panel cluster and/or DIC, you
can damage the transmission. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be covered by the
warranty. Do not drive the vehicle with overheated
transmission fluid or while the transmission
temperature warning is displayed.
This message displays when the transmission fluid
in your vehicle is too hot. Stop the vehicle and allow
it to idle until it cools down. If the warning message
continues to display, have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer as soon as possible.
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Black plate (77,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Notice:If a label is added to a CD, more than one
CD is inserted into the slot at a time, or an attempt
is made to play scratched or damaged CDs, the
CD player could be damaged. While using the CD
player, use only CDs in good condition without any
label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player
and the loading slot free of foreign materials,
liquids, and debris.
If an error displays, see “CD Messages”earlier in this
section.
Using the Auxiliary Input Jack
The radio system may have a 3.5 mm (1/8 in) auxiliary
input jack located on the faceplate. This is not an audio
output; do not plug the headphone set into the front
auxiliary input jack. An external audio device such as an
iPod
®, laptop computer, MP3 player, CD changer, etc.
can be connected to the auxiliary input jack for use as
another audio source.
Drivers are encouraged to set up any auxiliary device
while the vehicle is in P (Park). See Defensive Driving
on page 5‑2for more information on driver distraction. To use a portable audio player, connect a 3.5 mm
(1/8 in) cable to the radio's front auxiliary input jack.
When a device is connected, press the radio CD/AUX
button to begin playing audio from the device over the
vehicle speakers.
O(Power/Volume):
Turn to adjust the volume.
Additional volume adjustments may have to be made
from the portable device if the volume is too quiet or
too loud.
BAND: Press to listen to the radio while a portable
audio device is playing. The portable audio device
continues playing until it is stopped or turned off.
CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press to play a CD while a
portable audio device is playing. Press again and the
system begins playing audio from the connected
portable audio player. If a portable audio player is not
connected, No Aux Input Device Found may display.
Using the USB Port
Radio's with a USB port can control a USB storage
device or an iPod®using the radio buttons and knobs.
See Using an MP3on page 4‑78for information about
how to connect and control a USB storage device or
an iPod.
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Black plate (86,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Bluetooth®
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.
.Pair cell phone(s) to the vehicle. The system
may not work with all cell phones. See “Pairing a
Phone” in this section for more information.
.If the cell phone has voice dialing capability, learn
to use that feature to access the address book or
contact list. See “Voice Pass-Thru” in this section
for more information.
.See “Storing and Deleting Phone Numbers” in this
section for more information.
{WARNING:
When using a cell phone, it can be distracting to
look too long or too often at the screen of the
phone or the infotainment (navigation) system.
Taking your eyes off the road too long or too often
could cause a crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Vehicles with a Bluetooth system can use a Bluetooth
capable cell phone with a Hands Free Profile to make
and receive phone calls. The system can be used while
the key is in ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY position.
The range of the Bluetooth system can be up to 9.1 m
(30 ft). Not all phones support all functions, and not all
phones are guaranteed to work with the in-vehicle
Bluetooth system. See www.gm.com/bluetooth for more
information on compatible phones.
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Black plate (1,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Section 5 Driving Your Vehicle
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle. . . . . . . . . .5-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Braking in Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Magnetic Ride Control™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Passing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Driving at Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Before Leaving on a Long Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Loading the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Towing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Towing a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
5-1

Black plate (3,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person's
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking—driver or
passenger —is in a crash, that person's chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the
person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control the vehicle
while driving —brakes, steering, and accelerator. At
times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the tires and road
can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of the
vehicle. See Traction Control System (TCS)
on
page 5‑6.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can affect vehicle
performance. See Accessories and Modifications
on
page 6‑3.
Braking
See Brake System Warning Light on page 4‑32.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three‐fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three‐fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels
20 m (66 feet). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between the
vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement or
gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry,
or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weight
of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied.
5-3

Black plate (5,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
ABS can change the brake pressure to each wheel, as
required, faster than any driver could. This can help the
driver steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time needed to
get a foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, there will not be enough time to apply the
brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down firmly and let antilock work. The antilock pump or
motor operating might be heard and the brake pedal
might be felt to pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help more
than even the very best braking.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a Brake Assist feature designed to
assist the driver in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving conditions. This feature
uses the stability system hydraulic brake control module
to supplement the power brake system under conditions
where the driver has quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly stop or slow down
the vehicle. The stability system hydraulic brake control
module increases brake pressure at each corner of
the vehicle until the ABS activates. Minor brake pedal
pulsations or pedal movement during this time is normal
and the driver should continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates The Brake Assist
feature will automatically disengage when the brake
pedal is released or brake pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has a StabiliTrak system which combines
antilock brake, traction and stability control systems
and helps the driver maintain directional control of the
vehicle in most driving conditions. This is accomplished
by selectively applying any one of the vehicle's brakes
and reducing engine power.
The StabiliTrak system comes on automatically
whenever the vehicle is started. The system cannot be
turned off.
5-5