
Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-3
Press the button on the RKE
transmitter to extend the key. Press
the button and the key blade to
retract the key.
See your dealer if a new key is
needed.
Notice:If the keys get locked in
the vehicle, it may have to be
damaged to get them out. Always
carry a spare key. If locked out of the vehicle, see
Roadside Assistance Program (U.S.
and Canada) on page 13‑7
or
Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑10.
With an active OnStar subscription,
an OnStar Advisor may remotely
unlock the vehicle. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑22 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310. If there is a decrease in the RKE
operating range:
.Check the distance. The
transmitter may be too far from
the vehicle.
.Check the location. Other
vehicles or objects may be
blocking the signal.
.Check the transmitter's battery.
See
“Battery Replacement” later
in this section.
.If the transmitter is still not
working correctly, see your
dealer or a qualified technician
for service. 

Black plate (4,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
2-4 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation
The transmitter functions will work
up to 20 m (65 ft) away from the
vehicle. On vehicles with remote
start the distance will be greater.
Keep in mind that other conditions,
such as those previously stated, can
impact the performance of the
transmitter.
RKE without Remote Start Shown
Q(Lock):Press to lock all doors.
The turn signal indicators may flash
and/or the horn may sound to
indicate locking, see “Locking
Feedback” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑43.
If the driver door is open when
Qis
pressed, all doors lock except the
driver door, if enabled through the
vehicle personalization. If the passenger door is open when
Qis pressed, all doors lock.
Pressing
Qmay also arm the
theft-deterrent system. See
Anti-theft Alarm System on
page 2‑14.
K(Unlock): Press to unlock the
driver door or all doors. See “Door
Unlock Options” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑43.
The turn signal indicators may flash
and/or the horn may sound to
indicate unlocking. See “Unlock
Feedback” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑43.
Pressing
Kwill disarm the
theft-deterrent system. See
Anti-theft Alarm System on
page 2‑14.
Memory seat positions may be
recalled when unlocking the vehicle.
See “Memory Seats” underPower
Seat Adjustment on page 3‑5 and
“Remote Recall” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑43 for
more information. 

Black plate (5,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-5
V(Remote Trunk Release):
Press and hold to unlock the trunk.
7(Vehicle Locator/Panic
Alarm): Press and release one
time to locate the vehicle. The
exterior lamps flash and the horn
chirps.
Press and hold
7for at least
two seconds to sound the panic
alarm. The horn sounds and the
turn signals flash until
7is pressed
again or the vehicle is started.
/(Remote Vehicle Start): For
vehicles with this feature, press to
operate the remote start feature.
See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑9 for additional information.
The buttons on the keys are
disabled when there is a key in the
ignition, if equipped.
Keyless Access Operation
Some vehicles have a keyless
access system that lets you lock
and unlock the doors and access
the trunk without removing the RKE
transmitter from your pocket, purse,
briefcase, etc. The RKE transmitter
should be within 1 m (3 ft) of the
door or trunk being opened.
Keyless Unlocking
With the RKE transmitter within
1 m (3 ft), approach the front door
and pull the handle to unlock and
open the door. If the transmitter is
recognized, the door will unlock
and open.
Entering any door other than the
driver door will always cause all of
the doors to unlock. This is not
customizable.
To customize which doors unlock
when the driver door is opened, see
“Door Unlock Options” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑43. Lock Sensor
When all doors are closed and the
ignition is off, the vehicle can be
locked by pressing this area on the
door handle. This feature will be
available for several minutes after
the vehicle has been turned off.
Keyless Trunk Opening
Lift up on the touch pad located
above the license plate to open the
trunk if the RKE transmitter is within
range. 

Black plate (6,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
2-6 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Programming Transmitters to
the Vehicle
Only RKE transmitters programmed
to the vehicle will work. If a
transmitter is lost or stolen, a
replacement can be purchased and
programmed through your dealer.
The vehicle can be reprogrammed
so that lost or stolen transmitters no
longer work. Any remaining
transmitters will need to be
reprogrammed. Each vehicle can
have up to five transmitters matched
to it.Programming with a Recognized
Transmitter (Keyless Access
Vehicles Only)
A new transmitter can be
programmed to the vehicle when
there is one recognized transmitter.
To program, the vehicle must be off
and all of the transmitters, both
currently recognized and new, must
be with you.
1. Place the recognized
transmitter(s) in the cupholder.
2. Insert the vehicle key of the new transmitter into the key lock
cylinder located on the outside
of the driver door and turn the
key to the unlock position five
times within 10 seconds.
The Driver Information Center
(DIC) displays READY FOR
REMOTE #2, 3, 4 or 5. 3. Place the new transmitter into
the transmitter pocket. The
transmitter pocket is located
inside the center console
storage area under the
cupholder. The cupholder will
need to be pulled out to access
the transmitter pocket.
4. Press the ignition. When the transmitter is learned, the DIC
will show that it is ready to
program the next transmitter.
5. Remove the transmitter from the transmitter pocket and press
K.
To program additional
transmitters, repeat Steps 3
through 5.
When all additional transmitters
are programmed, press and hold
the ignition for 10 seconds to
exit programming mode. 

Black plate (7,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-7
Programming without a
Recognized Transmitter (Keyless
Access Vehicles Only)
If there are no currently recognized
transmitters available, follow this
procedure to program up to five
transmitters. This feature is not
available in Canada. This procedure
will take approximately 30 minutes
to complete. The vehicle must be off
and all of the transmitters you wish
to program must be with you.
1. Insert the vehicle key of thetransmitter into the key lock
cylinder located on the outside
of the driver door and turn the
key to the unlock position
five times within 10 seconds.
The Driver Information Center
(DIC) displays REMOTE LEARN
PENDING, PLEASE WAIT. 2. Wait for 10 minutes until the DIC
displays PRESS ENGINE
START BUTTON TO LEARN
and then press the ignition.
The DIC displays will again
show REMOTE LEARN
PENDING, PLEASE WAIT.
3. Repeat Step 2 two additional times. After the third time, all
previously known transmitters
will no longer work with the
vehicle. Remaining transmitters
can be relearned during the next
steps.
The DIC display should
now show READY FOR
REMOTE # 1. 4. Place the new transmitter into
the transmitter pocket. The
transmitter pocket is located
inside the center console
storage area under the
cupholder. The cupholder will
need to be pulled out to access
the transmitter pocket.
5. Press the ignition. When the transmitter is learned the DIC
will show that it is ready to
program the next transmitter.
6. Remove the transmitter from the transmitter pocket and press
K.
To program additional
transmitters, repeat Steps 4
through 6.
When all additional transmitters
are programmed, press and hold
the ignition for 10 seconds to
exit programming mode. 

Black plate (8,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
2-8 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Starting the Vehicle with a Low
Transmitter Battery
If the transmitter battery is weak, the
DIC may display NO REMOTE
DETECTED when you try to start
the vehicle. The REPLACE
BATTERY IN REMOTE KEY
message may also be displayed at
this time.
To start the vehicle:
1. Remove the cupholder from thecenter console storage area.
2. Place the transmitter in the transmitter pocket with the
buttons facing up. 3. With the vehicle in P (Park) or
N (Neutral), press the brake
pedal and the START/STOP
button. See Starting the Engine
on page 9‑22 for additional
information about the vehicle's
keyless ignition with pushbutton
start.
Replace the transmitter battery
as soon as possible.
Battery Replacement
Replace the battery if the REPLACE
BATTERY IN REMOTE KEY
message displays in the DIC. See
“REPLACE BATTERY IN REMOTE
KEY” under Key and Lock
Messages on page 5‑39. 

Black plate (9,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9
The battery is not rechargeable. To
replace the battery:
1. Push the button on thetransmitter to extend the key.
2. Remove the battery cover by prying it with a finger.
3. Remove the battery by pushing on the battery and sliding it
toward the key blade.
4. Insert the new battery, positive side facing up. Push the battery
down until it is held in place.
Replace with a CR2032 or
equivalent battery.
5. Snap the battery cover back on to the transmitter.Remote Vehicle Start
If available, this feature allows the
engine to be started from outside
the vehicle.
The
/button will be on the RKE
transmitter if the vehicle has remote
start.
Laws in some local communities
may restrict the use of remote
starters. For example, some laws
may require a person using remote
start to have the vehicle in view.
Check local regulations for any
requirements.
Starting the Engine Using Remote
Start
To start the engine using the remote
start feature:
1. Aim the RKE transmitter at the vehicle.
2. Press and release
Q. 3. Immediately after completing
Step 2, press and hold
/until
the turn signal lamps flash, or for
about two seconds if the vehicle
is not in view.
When the engine starts, the
parking lamps will turn on and
remain on as long as the engine
is running. The doors will be
locked and the climate control
system may come on.
Turn the ignition to ON/RUN (key
access), or select the ON/RUN/
START ignition position (keyless
access), to drive the vehicle.
The engine will shut off after
10 minutes unless a time extension
is done or the ignition is put in ON/
RUN (key access) or ON/RUN/
START (keyless access). 

Black plate (10,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
2-10 Keys, Doors, and Windows
When the vehicle is started
remotely, the climate control remote
start. system will use the last setting
before the vehicle was shut off. See
“Remote Start Climate Control
Operation”inAutomatic Climate
Control System on page 8‑1 orDual
Automatic Climate Control System
on page 8‑5. Vehicles with heated
or heated and ventilated front seats
can have this feature turn on
automatically during a remote start.
See “Remote Start Heated Seats”
and “Remote Start Cooled Seats”
under Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑43 for more information.
Extending Engine Run Time
The engine will continue to run for
10 minutes. Repeat the steps for a
10-minute time extension. Remote
start can only be extended once.
When remote start is extended, the
second 10 minutes will start
immediately. For example, if the vehicle has been
running for five minutes, and
10 minutes are added, the engine
will run for a total of 15 minutes.
A maximum of two remote starts or
remote start attempts are allowed
between ignition cycles.
The vehicle's ignition must be
turned on and then back off before
the remote start procedure can be
used again.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do any of
the following:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold
/
until the parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the vehicle on and then off.
Conditions in Which Remote Start
Will Not Work
The remote start will not operate if:
.The key is in the ignition (key
access) or the ignition is in any
position other than OFF (keyless
access).
.The transmitter is in the vehicle
(keyless access).
.The hood is not closed.
.The hazard warning flashers
are on.
.There is an emission control
system malfunction.
.The engine coolant temperature
is too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Two remote vehicle starts have
already been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).