
Black plate (17,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-17
DSP (Digital Signal Processing)
Settings
For vehicles with DSP, it is used to
provide a choice of different
listening experiences.
The DSP settings for the radio with
CD are:
.normal‐Select this setting to
adjust the audio for stereo
mode. This provides the best
sound quality for the driver seat
first, with the front passenger
second.
.hk surround ‐Select to enable
hk surround. This produces a
true 6.1 matrix surround from
any two channel digital source.
This feature is not available in
AM/FM radio mode. The DSP settings for the radio with
CD/DVD and MEM are:
.2.0 normal
‐Select this setting to
adjust the audio for stereo
mode. This provides the best
sound quality for the driver seat
first, with the front passenger
second.
.hk surround ‐Select to enable
hk surround. This produces a
true 6.1 matrix surround from
any two channel digital source.
This feature is not available in
AM/FM radio mode.
To adjust the DSP settings:
1. Press the TONE button.
2. Select DSP.
3. Select the setting.
Press the
/BACK button to go
back to the Tone Settings menu.
System Settings
Configuring the Number of
Favorite Pages
To configure the number of available
favorite pages:
1. Press the CONFIG button.
2. Select Radio Settings.
3. Select Radio Favorites.
4. Select the number of available favorite pages.
5. Press the
/BACK button to go
back to the System
Configuration menu.

Black plate (25,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-25
XM Categories (Radio with CD
and Touchscreen)
Adding or Removing Categories
1. From the Home Page press theConfig screen button or the
CONFIG button on the
infotainment system.
2. Select Radio Settings from the Config Menu list.
3. Select Add/Remove XM Categories.
4. From the Add/Remove XM Categories screen, select or
deselect any category to be
used in XM mode. A checkmark
will indicate that the category is
selected. Turning XM Album Art On or Off
1. From the Home Page press the
Config screen button or the
CONFIG button on the
infotainment system.
2. Select Radio Settings from the Config Menu list.
3. Select XM Album Art to turn on or off.
XM Messages
XL (Explicit Language
Channels): These channels, or any
others, can be blocked by request,
by calling 1-800-929-2100 in the
U.S., and 1-877-438-9677 in
Canada.
XM Updating: The encryption code
in the receiver is being updated. No
action is required. This process
should take no longer than
30 seconds. Loading XM:
The audio system is
acquiring and processing audio and
text data. No action is needed. This
message should disappear shortly.
Channel Off Air: This channel is
not currently in service. Tune in to
another channel.
Channel Unauth: This channel is
blocked or cannot be received with
your XM subscription package.
Channel Unavailable: This
previously assigned channel is no
longer assigned. Tune to another
station.
No Artist Info: The system is
working properly. No artist
information is available at this time
on this channel.
No Title Info: The system is
working properly. No song title
information is available at this time
on this channel.

Black plate (50,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
7-50 Infotainment System
Audio/Video (A/V) Jacks
If available, the A/V jacks are
located on the rear of the floor
console. They allow audio or video
cables to be connected from an
auxiliary device such as a
camcorder or a video game system.
The A/V jacks are color coded:
.Yellow for video input.
.White for left audio input.
.Red for right audio input.
Power for auxiliary devices is not
supplied by the radio system.
To use the auxiliary inputs of the
RSE system:
1. Connect the auxiliary device cables to the A/V jacks.
2. Power on both the auxiliary device and the RSE video
screen. Changing the Source on the Video
Display Screens
The image from the auxiliary device
can be switched between the video
display screens.
To change the display:
1. Press the AUX button on the
remote control to change the
source of both video screens
from the DVD player to the
auxiliary device.
2. Press the AUX button a second time to change the left video
screen source to the DVD player
and the right video screen to the
auxiliary device.
3. Press the AUX button a third time to change the left video
screen source to the auxiliary
device and the right video
screen to the DVD player. 4. Press the AUX button a fourth
time to change the source of
both video screens to the DVD
player.
Changing the RSE Video Screen
Settings
The screen display mode,
brightness, and language can be
changed from the setup menu using
the remote control. To change a
setting:
1. Pressz.
2. Use
n,q,p,o, andrto
select the settings.
3. Press
zagain to exit the
setup menu.

Black plate (55,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-55
Tips and Troubleshooting Chart
ProblemRecommended Action
No power. The ignition might not be turned to ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY.
The picture does not fill the screen. There are black
borders on the top and bottom or both sides, or it looks
stretched out. Check the display mode settings in the setup menu by
pressing the display menu button on the remote control.
In auxiliary mode, the picture moves or scrolls. Check the auxiliary input connections at both devices.
The remote control does not work. Check to make sure there is no obstruction between the
remote control and the transmitter window.
Check the batteries to make sure they are not dead or
installed incorrectly.
After stopping the player, I push Play but sometimes the
DVD starts where I left off and sometimes at the
beginning. If the Stop button was pressed one time, the DVD player
resumes playing where the DVD was stopped. If the
Stop button was pressed two times the DVD player
begins to play from the beginning of the DVD.
The auxiliary source is running but there is no picture or
sound. Check that the RSE video screen is in the auxiliary
source mode by pressing the AUX button on the remote
control.
Check the auxiliary input connections at both devices.

Black plate (57,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-57
Cleaning the RSE Seatback
Console
Use only a clean cloth dampened
with clean water to clean the RSE
seatback console surface.
Cleaning the Video Screen
Use only a clean cloth dampened
with clean water. Use care when
touching or cleaning the screen as
damage could result.
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview)
For vehicles equipped with the
MyLink or IntelliLink infotainment
system, see the separate MyLink/
IntelliLink Features and Functions
Guide for more information.
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”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.

Black plate (6,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
8-6 Climate Controls
eAssist Vehicles
A. Power
B. Driver Temperature Control
C. Defrost
D. Fan Control
E. Air Delivery Mode Control
F. Recirculation/Automatic Recirculation G. Passenger Temperature Control
H. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
I. Rear Window Defogger
J. Eco Air Conditioning
K. Comfort Air Conditioning
L. ZONE Climate Control Influence on
eAssist Operation and Fuel
Economy (If Equipped)
The climate control system is
dependent upon other vehicle
systems for heat and power input.
Certain climate control settings can
lead to higher fuel usage and/or
fewer auto stops.
The following are climate control
settings that use more fuel:.Comfort air conditioning mode.
.The Defrost mode.
.Extreme temperature settings,
such as 15°C (60°F) or
32°C (90°F).
.High fan speed settings.
To help reduce fuel usage:
.Use the full automatic control as
described under “Automatic
Operation”.
.Use eco air conditioning, instead
of the comfort air conditioning.

Black plate (8,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
8-8 Climate Controls
To change the current mode, select
one of the following:
Y(Vent):Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
\(Bi-Level): Air is divided
between the instrument panel
outlets and the floor outlets.
C(Tri‐Level): Air is divided
between the windshield, instrument
panel, and floor outlets.
[(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets.
-(Defog): Clears the windows of
fog or moisture. Air is directed to the
windshield and floor outlets.
0(Defrost): Clears the
windshield of fog or frost more
quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield.
For best results, clear all snow and
ice from the windshield before
defrosting. For eAssist vehicles that have the
auto defog feature, auto stops can
occur in defrost mode. In this mode,
the auto stops are shorter and less
frequent than other air delivery
modes to prevent instant fogging.
#(Comfort Air Conditioning):
Press to turn the air conditioning
system on or off. If the climate
control system is turned off or the
outside temperature falls below
freezing, the air conditioner will
not run.
Pressing this button cancels
automatic air conditioning and turns
off the air conditioner. Press AUTO
to return to automatic operation and
the air conditioner runs
automatically as needed. When the
indicator light is on, the air
conditioner runs automatically to
cool the air inside the vehicle or to
dry the air needed to defog the
windshield faster. For eAssist vehicles, an auto stop
may occur if the climate control
system determines the a/c
compressor can be shut off and still
maintain comfort levels with minimal
windshield fogging.
Eco#(Eco Air Conditioning, If
Equipped): This setting balances
fuel economy and air conditioning
comfort. In warm weather
conditions, auto stops may occur
more frequently and the vehicle
interior may be warmer as
compared to the comfort air
conditioning. The eco a/c setting
allows higher humidity inside the
vehicle and window fogging before
the engine restarts.
Pressing the
0button during an
auto stop will restart the engine to
prevent window fogging. To reach
comfort levels quickly during an
auto stop, the engine will restart if
the air conditioner is off and the

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-11
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-17
Ignition Positions (KeyAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20 Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-31
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-38
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . 9-41
Selective Ride Control . . . . . . . 9-41
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-44
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Gasoline Specifications (U.S.and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-53
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56