Black plate (23,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
This vehicle may come with a jack and spare tire or a
tire sealant and compressor kit. The kit can be used to
seal small punctures in the tread area of the tire.
SeeTire Sealant and Compressor Kit
on page 6‑80for
complete operating information.
If the vehicle came with a jack and spare tire, see
Changing a Flat Tire on page 6‑88.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates engine oil life
based on vehicle use and displays a DIC message
when it is necessary to change the engine oil and filter.
The oil life system should be reset to 100% only
following an oil change.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Display the OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC.
2. Press and hold the SET/RESET button on the DIC for more than five seconds. The oil life will change
to 100%.
See Engine Oil Life System on page 6‑22.
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). See Fuel E85
(85% Ethanol)
on page 6‑7. For all other vehicles,
use only the unleaded gasoline described under
Gasoline Octane on page 6‑6.
Driving for Better Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here are some
driving tips to get the best fuel economy possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long periods of time.
.When road and weather conditions are
appropriate, use cruise control, if equipped.
.Always follow posted speed limits or drive more
slowly when conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly inflated.
.Combine several trips into a single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with the same TPC
Spec number molded into the tire's sidewall near
the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled maintenance.
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Black plate (43,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
DIC Buttons
The buttons are the trip/fuel, vehicle information,
customization, and set/reset buttons. The button
functions are detailed in the following pages.
3(Trip/Fuel):Press this button to display the
odometer, trip odometers, fuel range, average economy,
instantaneous economy, and average speed.
T(Vehicle Information): Press this button to display
the oil life, units, park assist on vehicles with this
feature, side blind zone alert on vehicles with this
feature, tire pressure readings on vehicles with this
feature, and compass zone and compass calibration on
vehicles with this feature.
U(Customization): Press this button to customize the
feature settings on your vehicle. See DIC Vehicle
Customization
on page 4‑58for more information.
V(Set/Reset): Press this button to set or reset certain
functions and to turn off or acknowledge messages on
the DIC.
Trip/Fuel Menu Items
3
(Trip/Fuel): Press this button to scroll through the
following menu items:
Odometer
Press the trip/fuel button until ODOMETER displays.
This display shows the distance the vehicle has been
driven in either kilometers (km) or miles (mi).
Trip A and Trip B
Press the trip/fuel button until TRIP A or TRIP B
displays. This display shows the current distance
traveled in either kilometers (km) or miles (mi) since the
last reset for each trip odometer. Both trip odometers
can be used at the same time.
Each trip odometer can be reset to zero separately by
pressing the set/reset button while the desired trip
odometer is displayed.
The trip odometer has a feature called the retro-active
reset. This can be used to set the trip odometer to the
number of kilometers (miles) driven since the ignition
was last turned on. This can be used if the trip
odometer is not reset at the beginning of the trip.
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Black plate (45,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Average Speed
Press the trip/fuel button until AVERAGE SPEED
displays. This display shows the average speed of
the vehicle in kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles per
hour (mph). This average is calculated based on the
various vehicle speeds recorded since the last reset
of this value. To reset the value, press and hold the
set/reset button. The display will return to zero.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu Items
T
(Vehicle Information):Press this button to scroll
through the following menu items:
Oil Life
Press the vehicle information button until OIL LIFE
REMAINING displays. This display shows an estimate
of the oil's remaining useful life. If you see 99% OIL
LIFE REMAINING on the display, that means 99% of
the current oil life remains. The engine oil life system
will alert you to change the oil on a schedule consistent
with your driving conditions. When the remaining oil life is low, the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message will appear on the
display. See
“CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON” underDIC
Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑49. You should
change the oil as soon as possible. See Engine Oilon
page 6‑18. In addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 7‑3for
more information.
Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE yourself after
each oil change. It will not reset itself. Also, be careful
not to reset the OIL LIFE accidentally at any time other
than when the oil has just been changed. It cannot be
reset accurately until the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system, see Engine Oil Life System
on
page 6‑22.
Units
Press the vehicle information button until UNITS
displays. This display allows you to select between
Metric or English units of measurement. Once in this
display, press the set/reset button to select between
ENGLISH or METRIC units.
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Black plate (50,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when service is required for the
vehicle. See your dealer. SeeEngine Oilon page 6‑18andScheduled Maintenanceon page 7‑3for more
information.
Acknowledging the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will not reset the OIL LIFE REMAINING. That
must be done at the OIL LIFE screen under the vehicle
information menu. See “Oil Life”underDIC Operation
and Displays
on page 4‑42and Engine Oil Life Systemon page 6‑22.
DRIVER DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the driver door is not
closed properly. Make sure that the door is closed
completely.
ENGINE HOT A/C
(Air Conditioning) OFF
This message displays when the engine coolant
becomes hotter than the normal operating temperature.
To avoid added strain on a hot engine, the air
conditioning compressor is automatically turned off.
When the coolant temperature returns to normal, the
A/C operation automatically resumes. You can continue
to drive your vehicle. If this message continues to
appear, have the system repaired by your dealer as
soon as possible to avoid compressor damage.
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
Notice: If you drive your vehicle while the engine is
overheating, severe engine damage may occur. If an
overheat warning appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. Do not increase the engine speed above
normal idling speed. See Engine Overheating
on
page 6‑35for more information.
This message displays when the engine coolant
temperature is too hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down.
ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE
Notice: If you drive your vehicle while the engine is
overheating, severe engine damage may occur. If an
overheat warning appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑35for
more information.
This message displays along with a continuous chime
when the engine has overheated. Stop and turn the
engine off immediately to avoid severe engine damage.
See Engine Overheating on page 6‑35.
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Black plate (52,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the engine
oil pressure is low, severe engine damage may
occur. If a low oil pressure warning appears on
the instrument panel cluster and/or DIC, stop the
vehicle as soon as possible. Do not drive the
vehicle until the cause of the low oil pressure is
corrected. See Engine Oil
on page 6‑18for more
information.
This message displays when the vehicle's engine oil
pressure is low. The oil pressure light also appears on
the instrument panel cluster. See Oil Pressure Light
on
page 4‑40.
Stop the vehicle immediately, as engine damage can
result from driving a vehicle with low oil pressure. Have
the vehicle serviced by your dealer as soon as possible
when this message is displayed.
PARK ASSIST OFF
If your vehicle has this feature, after the vehicle has
been started, this message will reminder the driver
that the Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system
has been turned off. Press the set/reset button to
acknowledge this message and clear it from the DIC
display. To turn the URPA system back on, see
“Park Assist” underDIC Operation and Displays
on
page 4‑42. See Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA)on page 3‑35for more information.
PASSENGER DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the front passenger door
is not closed properly. Make sure that the door is closed
completely.
REMOTE KEY LEARNING ACTIVE
This message displays while you are matching a
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter to your
vehicle. See “Matching Transmitter(s) to Your Vehicle”
under Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation
on page 3‑4andDIC Operation and Displayson
page 4‑42for more information.
REPLACE BATTERY IN REMOTE KEY
This message displays when the battery in the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter needs to be replaced.
To replace the battery, see “Battery Replacement”under
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation
on
page 3‑4.
RIGHT REAR DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the passenger side rear
door is not closed properly. Make sure that the door is
closed completely.
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Black plate (22,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system that indicates when
to change the engine oil and filter. This is based on
engine revolutions and engine temperature, and not on
mileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage at
which an oil change is indicated can vary considerably.
For the oil life system to work properly, the system must
be reset every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it indicates that an oil change is necessary.
A CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message comes on.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑49.
Change the oil as soon as possible within the next
600 miles (1 000 km). It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life system might indicate
that an oil change is not necessary for up to a year. The
engine oil and filter must be changed at least once a
year and, at this time, the system must be reset. Your
dealer has trained service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also important to check
the oil regularly over the course of an oil drain interval
and keep it at the proper level. If the system is ever reset accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since the last oil
change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil Life
System
Reset the system whenever the engine oil is changed
so that the system can calculate the next engine oil
change. Always reset the engine oil life to 100% after
every oil change. It will not reset itself. To reset the
system:
1. Display the OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC.
2. Press and hold the SET/RESET button on the DIC for more than five seconds. The oil life will change
to 100%.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message comes
back on when the vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not been reset. Repeat the procedure.
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Black plate (37,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
If the temperature overheat gauge is no longer in
the overheat zone or an overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven. Continue to drive
the vehicle slow for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the car in front of you. If the
warning does not come back on, continue to drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park the
vehicle right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine for
three minutes while parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it cools down. Also,
see“Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode”
next in this section.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition exists and the
message ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE
is displayed, an overheat protection mode which
alternates firing groups of cylinders helps prevent
engine damage. In this mode, you will notice a loss in
power and engine performance. This operating mode
allows the vehicle to be driven to a safe place in an
emergency. Driving extended miles (km) and/or towing
a trailer in the overheat protection mode should be
avoided. Notice:
After driving in the overheated engine
protection operating mode, to avoid engine damage,
allow the engine to cool before attempting any
repair. The engine oil will be severely degraded.
Repair the cause of coolant loss, change the oil
and reset the oil life system. See Engine Oil
on
page 6‑18.
Power Steering Fluid
See Engine Compartment
Overviewon page 6‑14for information on the
location of the power
steering fluid reservoir.
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
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Black plate (3,1)Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011
Rotation of New Tires
To maintain ride, handling, and performance of the
vehicle, it is important that the first rotation service for
new tires be performed. Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km/7,500 miles. SeeTire Inspection and
Rotation on page 6‑70.
Scheduled Maintenance
When the Change Engine Oil Soon
Message Displays
Change engine oil and filter. See Engine Oilon
page 6‑18. An Emission Control Service.
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message
displays, service is required for the vehicle as soon as
possible, within the next 1 000 km/600 miles. If driving
under the best conditions, the engine oil life system
might not indicate the need for vehicle service for more
than a year. The engine oil and filter must be changed
at least once a year and the oil life system must be
reset. Your dealer has trained service technicians who
will perform this work and reset the system. If the
engine oil life system is reset accidentally, service the
vehicle within 5 000 km/3,000 miles since the last
service. Reset the oil life system whenever the oil is
changed. See Engine Oil Life System on page 6‑22.
Every Engine Oil Change
.Change engine oil and filter. Reset oil life system.
SeeEngine Oilon page 6‑18andEngine Oil Life
Systemon page 6‑22. An Emission Control
Service.
.Engine coolant level check. See Engine Coolant
(4.6L Engine)on page 6‑28or Engine Coolant
(3.9L Engine) on page 6‑31.
.Engine cooling system inspection. Visual
inspection of hoses, pipes, fittings, and clamps
and replacement, if needed.
.Windshield washer fluid level check. See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 6‑38.
.Windshield wiper blade inspection for wear,
cracking, or contamination and windshield and
wiper blade cleaning, if contaminated. See
Windshield and Wiper Blades
on page 6‑103.
Worn or damaged wiper blade replacement.
See Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
on
page 6‑55.
.Tire inflation pressures check. See Inflation - Tire
Pressure on page 6‑64.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire Inspection and
Rotation on page 6‑70.
.Rotate tires if necessary. See Tire Inspection and
Rotation on page 6‑70.
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