Black plate (1,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Specifications (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-12
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-27 Engine Coolant (4.6L Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-28
Engine Coolant (3.9L Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-35
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-39
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-42
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-44
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-49
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Sidemarker Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Taillamps and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . .6-55
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-61
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-64
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-65
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-66
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Black plate (6,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Gasoline Octane
If the vehicle has the 3.9L V6 engine (VIN Code M), use
regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating
of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87, an
audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark
knock, might be heard when driving. If this occurs, use
a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. If heavy knocking is heard when using
gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, the engine needs
service.
If the vehicle has the 4.6L V8 engine (VIN Code S), use
premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating
of 91 or higher. You can also use regular unleaded
gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but the vehicle's
acceleration could be slightly reduced, and a slight
audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark
knock, might be heard. If the octane is less than 87, you
might notice a heavy knocking noise when you drive.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you could
damage the engine. If heavy knocking is heard when
using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.
Gasoline Specifications (U.S. and
Canada Only)
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specification D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB‐3.5 or 3.511 in Canada. Some gasolines
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
We recommend against the use of gasolines containing
MMT. SeeAdditives
on page 6‑7for additional
information.
California Fuel
If the vehicle is certified to meet California Emissions
Standards, it is designed to operate on fuels that meet
California specifications. See the underhood emission
control label. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California Emissions Standards, the vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
might be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp could
turn on and the vehicle might fail a smog‐check test.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 4‑37. If this
occurs, return to your authorized dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition is caused by the
type of fuel used, repairs might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
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Black plate (7,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that help prevent
engine and fuel system deposits from forming, allowing
the emission control system to work properly. In most
cases, nothing should have to be added to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain only the minimum
amount of additive required to meet U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency regulations. To help keep fuel
injectors and intake valves clean and avoid problems
due to dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
For customers who do not use TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline regularly, one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel tank at every engine
oil change, can help clean deposits from fuel injectors
and intake valves. GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS is
the only gasoline additive recommended by General
Motors. It is available at your dealer.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines might be available
in your area. We recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the specifications
described earlier. However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than 10% ethanol must not
be used in vehicles that were not designed for those
fuels.Notice:
This vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic and rubber parts.
That damage would not be covered under the
vehicle warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. We recommend against
the use of such gasolines. Fuels containing MMT can
reduce spark plug life and affect emission control
system performance. The malfunction indicator lamp
might turn on. If this occurs, return to your dealer for
service.
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
Vehicles that have a FlexFuel badge and a yellow fuel
cap can use either unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85). For all other
vehicles, use only the unleaded gasoline described
under Gasoline Octane on page 6‑6.
We encourage the use of E85 in vehicles that are
designed to use it. The ethanol in E85 is a “renewable”
fuel, meaning it is made from renewable sources such
as corn and other crops.
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Black plate (8,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Many service stations will not have an 85% ethanol
fuel (E85) pump available. The U.S. Department
of Energy has an alternative fuels website
(www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations/) that
can help you find E85 fuel. Those stations that do have
E85 should have a label indicating ethanol content.
Do not use the fuel if the ethanol content is greater
than 85%.
At a minimum, E85 should meet ASTM Specification
D 5798. By definition, this means that fuel labeled E85
will have an ethanol content between 70% and 85%.
Filling the fuel tank with fuel mixtures that do not meet
ASTM specifications can affect driveability and could
cause the malfunction indicator lamp to come on.
To ensure quick starts in the wintertime, the E85 fuel
must be formulated properly for your climate according
to ASTM specification D 5798. If you have trouble
starting on E85, it could be because the E85 fuel is not
properly formulated for your climate. If this happens,
switching to gasoline or adding gasoline to the fuel
tank can improve starting. For good starting and heater
efficiency below 0°C (32°F), the fuel mix in the fuel tank
should contain no more than 70% ethanol. It is best
not to alternate repeatedly between gasoline and E85.If you do switch fuels, it is recommended that you add
as much fuel as possible
—do not add less than 11 L
(3 gal) when refueling. You should drive the vehicle
immediately after refueling for at least 11 km (7 mi) to
allow the vehicle to adapt to the change in ethanol
concentration.
E85 has less energy per liter (gallon) than gasoline, so
you will need to refill the fuel tank more often when
using E85 than when you are using gasoline. See
Filling the Tank on page 6‑9.
Notice: Some additives are not compatible with
E85 fuel and can harm the vehicle's fuel system.
Do not add anything to E85. Damage caused by
additives would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Notice: This vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic and rubber parts.
That damage would not be covered under the
vehicle warranty.
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Black plate (1,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
A
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Accessory Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-107
Additives, Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25
AirbagAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-69
Airbag System How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-62
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-64
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 2-68
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-61
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . 2-62
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-60
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-57
Airbags Passenger Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-55
Antenna
Backglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-97
Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System . . . 4-98 Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-4
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Appearance Care Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . .6-104
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-101
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-106
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-102
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-99
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-102
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-105
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other PlasticSurfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-101
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-98
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-100
Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-105
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-105
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-105
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-102
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-101
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-103
Ashtray(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-7
Audio System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Audio Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-94
Navigation/Radio System, see NavigationManual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-97
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Black plate (6,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Fog LampsBulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Front Fog Lamps Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Front Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Front Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-5 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Fuel Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Fuses Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-108
Rear Underseat Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Underhood Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-108G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
GasolineOctane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gauges Engine Coolant Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-6
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-2
Headlamps Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-49
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Wiper Activated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
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