2012 BUICK LACROSSE brakes

Black plate (18,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
9-18 Driving and Operating
Ignition Positions
(Key Access)
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
Notice:Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer. The key must be fully extended to
start the vehicle.
To shift out of P (Park), turn the
ignition to ON/RUN and apply the
brake pedal.
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):
When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑27 for more information.
This is the only position from which
the key can be removed. This locks
the ignition and automatic
transmission.
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. If the vehicle must be shut off 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 9‑36.

Black plate (20,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
9-20 Driving and Operating
Ignition Positions
(Keyless Access)
The vehicle has an electronic
keyless ignition with pushbutton
start.
Pressing the button cycles it through
three modes, ACC/ACCESSORY,
ON/RUN/START, and Stopping the
Engine/OFF.The transmitter must be in the
vehicle for the system to operate.
If the pushbutton start is not
working, the vehicle may be near a
strong radio antenna signal causing
interference to the keyless access
system. See
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation on
page 2‑4 for more information.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be in ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN and the brake pedal must
be applied.
Stopping the Engine/OFF (No LED
Lights): When the vehicle is
stopped, press the engine START/
STOP button once to turn the
engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9‑27 for more
information. If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See
Transmission Messages on
page 5‑42 for more information.
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition system will
switch to OFF.
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.
If the vehicle must be shut off 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.

Black plate (21,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-21
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 9‑36.
{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency. If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
switch the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber LED
Light):
This mode allows you to
use some electrical accessories
when the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after
five minutes to prevent battery
rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green LED
Light): This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and
the brake pedal applied, pressing
the button once will place the
ignition system in ON/RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins,
release the button. Engine cranking
will continue until the engine starts. See
Starting the Engine on
page 9‑22 for more information. The
ignition will then remain in ON/RUN.
Service Only Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and
the brake pedal not applied,
pressing and holding the button for
more than five seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Only Mode.
The instruments and audio systems
will operate as they do in ON/RUN,
but the vehicle will not be able to be
driven. The engine will not start in
Service Only Mode. Push the button
again to turn the vehicle off.

Black plate (24,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
9-24 Driving and Operating
2. If the engine does not start afterfive to 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below −18°C
or 0°F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you hold the key in START,
or press the START button, for
up to a maximum of 15 seconds.
Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down.
When the engine starts, let go of
the key or button, and the
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the
extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.eAssist Automatic Engine
Start/Stop
{WARNING
Exiting the vehicle, without first
shifting into P (Park), may cause
the vehicle to move, you or others
may be injured. Because the
vehicle has the automatic engine
start/stop feature, the vehicle's
engine might seem to be shut off;
however, once the brake pedal is
released, the engine will start up
again.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF, before
exiting the vehicle.
Vehicles with eAssist have an
automatic engine start/stop feature.
After the engine is started and has
reached operating temperature, the
auto stop feature may cause the
engine to turn off when the brakes
are applied and the vehicle comes
to a complete stop. The vehicle may remain in auto stop for up to
two minutes. When the brake is
released or the accelerator pedal
applied, the engine will start. The
engine will continue to run until the
next auto stop.
AUTO STOP on the tachometer
signifies that the engine is in auto
stop mode. See
Tachometer on
page 5‑12 for more information.
When the vehicle is turned off, the
tachometer will move to OFF. If the
driver door is opened while in auto
stop mode, a chime will sound.
To restart the engine during auto
stop, release the brake pedal or
press the accelerator pedal. The
engine starts immediately. The
vehicle continues to run until the
next stop.
There are several conditions which
may prevent an auto stop or cause
an auto start.

Black plate (29,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-29
Shifting out of Park
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The shift lock control
system 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
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock is always functional
except in the case of an uncharged
or low voltage (less than 9‐volt)
battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting
(On-board with eAssist Only) on
page 10‑94 orJump Starting (with
or without eAssist) on page 10‑95. If the shift lever cannot be moved
out of P (Park):
1. Apply and maintain the regular
brakes.
2. Turn the ignition to the ON/RUN position. See Ignition Positions
(Key Access) on page 9‑18 or
Ignition Positions (Keyless
Access) on page 9‑20 for more
information.
3. Let up on the shift lever and make sure the shift lever is
pushed all the way into P (Park).
4. Press the shift lever button.
5. Move the shift lever into the desired gear.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), consult your
dealer or a professional towing
service.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{WARNING
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.

Black plate (35,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-35
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑21. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.

Black plate (38,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
9-38 Driving and Operating
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
brake assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
This vehicle has a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature, which may be useful
when the vehicle is stopped on a
grade. This feature is designed to
prevent the vehicle from rolling,
either forward or rearward, during
vehicle drive off. After the driver
completely stops and holds the
vehicle in a complete standstill on a
grade, HSA will be automatically
activated. During the transition
period between when the driver
releases the brake pedal and starts
to accelerate to drive off on a grade,
HSA holds the braking pressure to
ensure that there is no rolling. The
brakes will automatically release
when the accelerator pedal is
applied within the two‐second
window. It will not activate if the
vehicle is in a drive gear and facing
downhill or if the vehicle is facing
uphill and in R (Reverse).
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) that limits wheel slip.
The system operates if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels
are slipping or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, the
system reduces engine power and/
or applies brake pressure to the
slipping wheel(s).
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working, but this is
normal.
TCS automatically comes on
whenever the vehicle is started. To
limit wheel slip, especially in
slippery road conditions, the system
should always be left on. But, TCS
can be turned off if needed.

Black plate (40,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
9-40 Driving and Operating
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle may have a vehicle
stability enhancement system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer-controlled system that
assists with directional control of the
vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
computer senses a difference
between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure to the
vehicle brakes to help steer the
vehicle in the intended direction.
StabiliTrak comes on automatically
whenever the vehicle is started. To
assist with directional control of the
vehicle, the system should always
be left on.
When StabiliTrak activates,
d
flashes on the instrument panel.
A noise may be heard or vibration
may be felt in the brake pedal. This
is normal. Continue to steer the
vehicle in the intended direction.See
Traction Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak
®Light on page 5‑23 for
more information.
If a problem is detected with
StabiliTrak, SERVICE
STABILITRAK is displayed on the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑40. When this message
is displayed and
dcomes on and
stays on, the vehicle is safe to drive
but the system is not operational.
Driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on, reset
the system.
To reset:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
If
dstill comes on and stays on, the
vehicle needs service.
.To turn off both StabiliTrak and
TCS, press and hold the TCS/
StabiliTrak button, located on the
instrument panel, until
iandg
illuminate and the appropriate
DIC message is displayed. See
Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑40.