2011 BUICK LUCERNE brake

Black plate (25,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
.When outside temperatures are above
90°F (32°C).
.At high speed for quite a while.
.In heavy traffic—especially in hot weather.
.While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it is colder than 50°F (10°C), you may have to
drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare the vehicle as follows: 1. Park the vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine running.
2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in P (Park). 3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the
shift lever in P (Park).
4. Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these
steps:
1. For the 3.9L V6 engine, locate the transmission
fluid dipstick top which
is a round loop with
this symbol.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 6‑14for more information on location.
2. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel.
3. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds, and then pull it back out again.
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Black plate (39,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Notice:
.When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer's instructions for
adding water.
.Do not mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage the washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system. Also, water does
not clean as well as washer fluid.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only three-quarters
full when it is very cold. This allows for fluid
expansion if freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is completely full.
.Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in
the windshield washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system and paint.
Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder
reservoir is filled with
DOT 3 brake fluid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview
on page 6‑14for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down:
.The brake fluid level goes down because of normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are installed,
the fluid level goes back up.
.A fluid leak in the brake hydraulic system can also
cause a low fluid level. Have the brake hydraulic
system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or
later the brakes will not work well.
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Black plate (40,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Do not top off the brake fluid. Adding fluid does not
correct a leak. If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid when new brake
linings are installed. Add or remove brake fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
{WARNING:
If too much brake fluid is added, it can spill on the
engine and burn, if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and the vehicle could
be damaged. Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low level, the brake
warning light comes on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 4‑32.
What to Add
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid from a sealed
container. See Recommended Fluids and Lubricantson
page 7‑8. Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This helps keep dirt
from entering the reservoir.
{WARNING:
With the wrong kind of fluid in the brake hydraulic
system, the brakes might not work well. This could
cause a crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
Notice:
.Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake hydraulic system parts. For example,
just a few drops of mineral-based oil, such
as engine oil, in the brake hydraulic system
can damage brake hydraulic system parts so
badly that they will have to be replaced. Do
not let someone put in the wrong kind of
fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on the vehicle's
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake
fluid on the vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately. See Washing Your Vehicle
on
page 6‑102
.
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Black plate (41,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Brake Wear
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc brake pads have
built-in wear indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads are worn and new
pads are needed. The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
the brakes will not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear warning sound is
heard, have the vehicle serviced.Notice:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates can cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel
nuts in the proper sequence to torque specifications in
Capacities and Specifications on page 6‑116.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign that brake service might be
required.
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Black plate (42,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied, with or without the
vehicle moving, the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. The vehicle
was designed and tested with top-quality brake parts.
When parts of the braking system are replaced—for
example, when the brake linings wear down and new
ones are installed —be sure to get new approved
replacement parts. If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example, if someone puts in
brake linings that are wrong for the vehicle, the balance
between the front and rear brakes can change —for the
worse. The braking performance expected can change
in many other ways if the wrong replacement brake
parts are installed.
Battery
Refer to the replacement number on the original battery
label when a new battery is needed.
{DANGER:
Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
The battery is under the rear seat cushion. To access
the battery, see “Removing the Rear Seat Cushion”
under Rear Underseat Fuse Block
on page 6‑110.
Access to the battery is not necessary to jump start the
vehicle. See Jump Starting on page 6‑44.
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Black plate (45,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to the vehicle that would not be covered by
the warranty.
Trying to start the vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage the vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative ground system.
Notice: Only use a vehicle that has a 12-volt system
with a negative ground for jump starting. If the other
vehicle does not have a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not
touching each other. If they are, it could cause a
ground connection you do not want. You would
not be able to start your vehicle, and the bad
grounding could damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved
in the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in P (Park) or a manual transmission
in Neutral before setting the parking brake. Notice:
If the radio or other accessories are left on
during the jump starting procedure, they could be
damaged. The repairs would not be covered by
the warranty. Always turn off the radio and other
accessories when jump starting the vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug unnecessary accessories plugged into the
cigarette lighter or the accessory power outlet(s).
Turn off the radio and all lamps that are not
needed. This will avoid sparks and help save
both batteries. And it could save the radio!
4. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the positive (+) and negative (−) terminal locations on
that vehicle.
You will not see the battery of your vehicle under
the hood. It is located under the rear passenger's
seat. You will not need to access the battery for
jump starting. The remote positive (+) terminal is
for that purpose. See Engine Compartment
Overview
on page 6‑14for location.
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Black plate (61,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
(C) Aspect Ratio:A two‐digit number that
indicates the tire height‐to‐width measurements.
For example, if the tire size aspect ratio is 60, as
shown in item C of the illustration, it would mean
that the tire's sidewall is 60 percent as high as it
is wide.
(D) Construction Code
:A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire.
The letter R means radial ply construction; the
letter D means diagonal or bias ply construction;
and the letter B means belted‐bias ply
construction.
(E) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of the wheel in
inches.
(F) Service Description
:These characters
represent the load index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents the load carrying
capacity a tire is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a tire is certified to
carry a load.
Tire Terminology and Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air inside the tire
pressing outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per square
inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa). Accessory Weight
:This means the combined
weight of optional accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are, automatic transmission,
power steering, power brakes, power windows,
power seats, and air conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship of a tire's height to
its width.
Belt
:A rubber coated layer of cords that is
located between the plies and the tread. Cords
may be made from steel or other reinforcing
materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire in which the plies
are laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees
to the centerline of the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The amount of air pressure
in a tire, measured in pounds per square inch (psi)
or kilopascals (kPa) before a tire has built up heat
from driving. See Inflation - Tire Pressure
on
page 6‑64
.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a motor vehicle with
standard and optional equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, but
without passengers and cargo.
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Black plate (69,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
TPMS Sensor Matching Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique identification code.
The identification code needs to be matched to a new
tire/wheel position after rotating the vehicle’s tires or
replacing one or more of the TPMS sensors. Also, the
TPMS sensor matching process should be performed
after replacing a spare tire with a road tire containing
the TPMS sensor. The malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off at the next ignition cycle. The
sensors are matched to the tire/wheel positions, using a
TPMS relearn tool, in the following order: driver side
front tire, passenger side front tire, passenger side rear
tire, and driver side rear. See your dealer for service or
to purchase a relearn tool.
There are two minutes to match the first tire/wheel
position, and five minutes overall to match all four tire/
wheel positions. If it takes longer, the matching process
stops and must be restarted.
The TPMS sensor matching process is:1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
3. Press the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter's lock and unlock buttons at the same
time for approximately five seconds. The horn
sounds twice to signal the receiver is in relearn
mode and TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE message
displays on the DIC screen. 4. Start with the driver side front tire.
5. Place the relearn tool against the tire sidewall,
near the valve stem. Then press the button to
activate the TPMS sensor. A horn chirp confirms
that the sensor identification code has been
matched to this tire and wheel position.
6. Proceed to the passenger side front tire, and repeat the procedure in Step 5.
7. Proceed to the passenger side rear tire, and repeat the procedure in Step 5.
8. Proceed to the driver side rear tire, and repeat the procedure in Step 5. The horn sounds two times to
indicate the sensor identification code has been
matched to the driver side rear tire, and the TPMS
sensor matching process is no longer active. The
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE message on the DIC
display screen goes off.
9. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
10. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressure level as indicated on the Tire and Loading
Information label.
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