Black plate (3,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
A.Outlet Adjustment on page 4‑25
B. DIC Operation and Displays on page 4‑42
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 4‑4
Windshield Wipers on page 4‑6
D. Instrument Panel Cluster on page 4‑28
E. Hazard Warning Flashers on page 4‑3
F. Audio System(s) on page 4‑67
G. Exterior Lamps on page 4‑10
H. Trunk Release. See Trunk on page 3‑12
I. Instrument Panel Brightness on page 4‑12
J. Hood Release on page 6‑13
K. Lane Departure Warning (LDW) on page 3‑40
L. Cruise Control on page 4‑7
Heated Steering Wheel on page 4‑4 M. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 4‑37
N. Parking Brake on page 3‑26
O. Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 4‑94
P. Climate Control System on page 4‑16
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
on
page 4‑20
Q. Traction Control System (TCS) on page 5‑6
StabiliTrak®System on page 5‑5
R. Front Storage Area on page 3‑49
S. Shift Lever. See Automatic Transmission Operation
on page 3‑24
T.Accessory Power Outlet(s) on page 4‑15
U. Glove Box on page 3‑49
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Black plate (1,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Section 3 Features and Controls
Keys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Doors and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Programmable Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-16
Content Theft-Deterrent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
PASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . 3-17
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
. . . . . . . . . . . .3-19
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Automatic Transmission Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Parking Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Outside Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Outside Convex Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Outside Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
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Black plate (20,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
This position locks the ignition. It also locks the
transmission and steering column. This is the only
position in which the ignition key can be inserted or
removed.
Do not turn the engine off when the vehicle is moving.
This will cause a loss of power assist in the brake and
steering systems and disable the airbags.
In an emergency:1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the brakes repeatedly. This may deplete
power assist, requiring increased brake pedal
force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the vehicle is moving. After shifting to
N (Neutral), firmly apply the brakes and steer the
vehicle to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the shift lever must
be in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake
on
page 3‑26. The steering can bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right to
left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs service.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY):
This position lets the radio and
windshield wipers operate while the engine is off. To
use ACC/ACCESSORY, turn the key clockwise.
C (ON/RUN): This position can be used to operate
electrical accessories and to display some of the
warning and indicator lights. The switch stays in this
position when the engine is running.
If you leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN position with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to start the vehicle if
the battery is allowed to drain for an extended period
of time.
D (START): This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch
returns to ON/RUN for driving.
A warning tone will sound and the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will display DRIVER DOOR OPEN when
the driver door is opened if the ignition is in LOCK/OFF,
ACC/ACCESSORY and the key is in the ignition. See
DIC Warnings and Messageson page 4‑49for more
information.
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Black plate (24,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Automatic Transmission Operation
The vehicle may have a shift lever located either on the
steering column or on the console between the seats.
P (Park):This position locks the front wheels. It is the
best position to use when you start the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily.
{WARNING:
It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift
lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly
level ground, always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into
Park
on page 3‑27. If you are pulling a trailer,
see Towing a Trailer on page 5‑25.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) before
starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You have to
fully apply the regular brakes before you can shift from
P (Park) while the ignition is in ON/RUN. If you cannot
shift out of P (Park), ease pressure on the shift lever
and push the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then move the shift lever
into the gear you want. See Shifting Out of Park
on
page 3‑28.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to back up.
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Black plate (28,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you canleave the vehicle with the ignition key in your hand,
the vehicle is in P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat
and even catch fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine
running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure your vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is firmly set before you leave it. See Parking
Brake
on page 3‑26for more information.
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of the vehicle puts too
much force on the parking pawl in the transmission.
This happens when parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not done properly and then
it is difficult to shift out of P (Park). To prevent torque
lock, set the parking brake and then shift into P (Park).
To find out how, see “Shifting Into Park”in this section.
If torque lock does occur, your vehicle may need to be
pushed uphill by another vehicle to relieve the parking
pawl pressure, so you can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting Out of Park
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
This vehicle has an electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift lever
is in P (Park)
.Prevent movement of the shift lever out of P (Park),
unless the ignition is in ON/RUN and the regular
brake pedal is applied.
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Black plate (31,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
WARNING: (Continued)
death. Never run the engine in an enclosed
area that has no fresh air ventilation. For more
information, seeEngine Exhaust on page 3‑30.
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
automatic transmission shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. The
vehicle can roll. Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you
are on fairly level ground, always set the parking
brake and move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. See Shifting Into Park on page 3‑27.
If parking on a hill and pulling a trailer, see Towing a
Trailer on page 5‑25.
Mirrors
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have an automatic dimming inside
rearview mirror with OnStar®and/or a compass
display. Automatic dimming reduces the glare from the
headlamps of the vehicle behind you. The dimming
feature comes on and the indicator light illuminates
each time the vehicle is started.
Vehicles with OnStar have three additional control
buttons located at the bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information on the system and how to
subscribe to OnStar. See the OnStar
®owners guide for
more information about the services OnStar provides.
O(On/Off): Press to turn the dimming feature and/or
compass display on or off.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly on the mirror. Use a
soft towel dampened with water.
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Black plate (42,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Here are some things that some owners ask about.
None of these show a problem with the fuel gauge:
.At the service station, the gas pump shuts off
before the gauge reads full.
.It takes more (or less) fuel to fill up than the gauge
indicated. For example, the gauge may have
indicated half full, but it took more (or less) than
half the tank's capacity to fill it.
.The gauge moves up a little while turning a corner,
speeding up or making a hard stop.
.The gauge does not go back to empty when the
ignition is turned off.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver Information Center (DIC).
All messages will appear in the DIC display located
below the speedometer in the instrument panel cluster.
The DIC buttons are located on the instrument panel, to
the left of the instrument panel cluster.
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. After a short
delay, the DIC will display the information that was last
displayed before the engine was turned off.The DIC displays trip, fuel, and vehicle system
information, and warning messages if a system
problem is detected. The bottom line of the DIC
shows the shift lever position indicator. See
Automatic
Transmission Operation
on page 3‑24for more
information.
If your vehicle's DIC has these features, the compass
direction and the outside air temperature may also
display on the DIC when viewing the trip and fuel
information. The compass direction appears on the
top right corner of the DIC display. The outside air
temperature automatically appears in the bottom right
corner of the DIC display. If there is a problem with
the system that controls the temperature display, the
numbers will be replaced with dashes. If this occurs,
have the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
The DIC also allows some features to be customized.
See DIC Vehicle Customization
on page 4‑58for more
information.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC has different displays which can be accessed
by pressing the DIC buttons located on the instrument
panel, to the left of the instrument panel cluster.
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Black plate (31,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.start the engine,
.shift into a gear, and
.release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a
trailer. See Scheduled Maintenanceon page 7‑3for
more information. Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid,
engine oil, belts, cooling system and brake system. It is
a good idea to inspect these before and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑35.
Changing a Tire When Trailer Towing
If the vehicle gets a flat tire while towing a trailer, be
sure to secure the trailer and disconnect it from the
vehicle before changing the tire.
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