2012 BUICK LACROSSE manual transmission

Black plate (4,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
11-4 Service and Maintenance
.Check tire inflation pressures.
SeeTire Pressure on
page 10‑54.
.Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑60.
.Visually check for fluid leaks.
.Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑13.
.Inspect brake system.
.Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of
wear. See Exterior Care on
page 10‑102.
.Check restraint system
components. See Safety System
Check on page 3‑20.
.Visually inspect fuel system for
damage or leaks.
.Visually inspect exhaust system
and nearby heat shields for
loose or damaged parts.
.Lubricate body components. See
Exterior Care on page 10‑102.
.Check starter switch. See Starter
Switch Check on page 10‑27.
.Check automatic transmission
shift lock control function. See
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function Check on
page 10‑27.
.Check ignition transmission lock.
See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10‑28.
.Check parking brake and
automatic transmission park
mechanism. See Park Brake and
P (Park) Mechanism Check on
page 10‑28.
.Check accelerator pedal for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed.
.Visually inspect gas strut for
signs of wear, cracks, or other
damage. Check the hold open
ability of the strut. See your
dealer if service is required.
.Check tire sealant expiration
date, if equipped. See Tire
Sealant and Compressor Kit
(With Pressure Relief Button) on
page 10‑71 orTire Sealant and
Compressor Kit (With Pressure
Deflation Button) on page 10‑78.
.Inspect sunroof track and seal,
if equipped. See Sunroof on
page 2‑22.

Black plate (12,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
11-12 Service and Maintenance
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
UsageFluid/Lubricant
Engine Oil Use only engine oil licensed to the dexos1 specfication, or equivalent, of
the proper SAE viscosity grade. ACDelco dexos1 Synthetic Blend is
recommended. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
Engine Coolant (3.6L V6 Engine) 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL Coolant.
See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑16.
Engine Coolant (2.4L L4 Engine) Always use the pre‐mixed 50/50 mixture of deionized water and
DEX-COOL Coolant available at your dealer.
Hydraulic Brake System DOT 3 Hydraulic Brake Fluid (GM Part No. 88862806, in
Canada 88862807).
Windshield Washer Optikleen
®Washer Solvent.
Hydraulic Power Steering System DEXRON
®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Automatic Transmission DEXRON
®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.

Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Technical Data 12-3
ApplicationCapacities
Metric English
Transmission Fluid* (Drain and Refill)
2.4L L4 Engine, 6–Speed Automatic 5.0 L 5.3 qt
3.6L V6 Engine, 6–Speed Automatic 5.0 L 5.3 qt
Wheel Nut Torque 150 Y110 lb ft
*See Automatic Transmission Fluid on page 10‑13 for information on checking fluid level.
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to fill to the approximate level, as recommended in this
manual. Recheck fluid level after filling.
Engine Specifications
Engine VIN CodeTransmission Spark Plug Gap
2.4L L4 Engine RAutomatic 0.9 mm (0.035 in)
3.6L V6 Engine 3Automatic 1.10 mm (0.043 in)

Black plate (10,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
13-10 Customer Information
Roadside Assistance
Program (Mexico)
As a new owner, your vehicle is
automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program. The
services are available at no cost
under the terms and conditions of
the program. The Roadside
Assistance program is not part of,
or included, in the coverage
provided by the new vehicle limited
warranty.
Roadside Assistance provides
assistance to the driver and
passengers while driving the vehicle
within your city of residence or on
any passable road in Mexico, the
United States, and Canada.
Services are subject to the
limitations described in the following
pages. Program coverage varies by
country.
Roadside Assistance is available
24 hours a day, 365 days of
the year.This program expires two years
from the date of the invoice for the
vehicle, regardless of vehicle
mileage and changes in vehicle
ownership.
For more information about the
renewal of this program at the end
of its term, contact the Buick
Customer Assistance Center at
01-800-466-0818.
Services Provided
.Flat Tire Change: If unable to
change a flat tire, Roadside
Assistance will provide towing
service to the nearest authorized
Buick dealership. It is the
owner's responsibility for the
repair or replacement of the tire.
This service is limited to the
transfer of the vehicle to the
repair facility.
.Emergency Fuel Delivery:
Delivery of enough fuel for the
vehicle to get to the nearest
service station.
.Lock-Out Service: Service to
unlock the vehicle if you are
locked out.
.Battery Jump Start: Service to
jump start a dead battery.
.*Emergency Messages:
Transmission of urgent phone
messages.
.*Emergency Calls: Call for
emergency services.
.*Dealership Location
Assistance: Information
regarding addresses and
telephone numbers for Buick
dealers.

Black plate (18,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
13-18 Customer Information
If another party's insurance
company is paying for the repairs,
you are not obligated to accept a
repair valuation based on that
insurance company's collision policy
repair limits, as you have no
contractual limits with that company.
In such cases, you can have control
of the repair and parts choices as
long as the cost stays within
reasonable limits.
Service Publications
Ordering Information
Service Manuals
Service Manuals have the diagnosis
and repair information on the
engines, transmission, axle,
suspension, brakes, electrical,
steering, body, etc.
Service Bulletins
Service Bulletins give additional
technical service information
needed to knowledgeably service
General Motors cars and trucks.Each bulletin contains instructions
to assist in the diagnosis and
service of the vehicle.
Owner Information
Owner publications are written
specifically for owners and intended
to provide basic operational
information about the vehicle. The
Owner Manual includes the
Maintenance Schedule for all
models.
In-Portfolio: Includes a Portfolio,
Owner Manual, and Warranty
Booklet.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$35.00 (U.S.) plus handling and
shipping fees.
Without Portfolio: Owner
Manual only.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$25.00 (U.S.) plus handling and
shipping fees.
Current and Past Models
Technical Service Bulletins and
Manuals are available for current
and past model GM vehicles.
ORDER TOLL FREE:
1-800-551-4123 Monday
–Friday
8:00 AM –6:00 PM Eastern Time
For Credit Card Orders Only
(VISA-MasterCard-Discover), visit
Helm, Inc. at: www.helminc.com.
Or write to:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
Prices are subject to change without
notice and without incurring
obligation. Allow ample time for
delivery.
All listed prices are quoted in U.S.
funds. Make checks payable in U.S.
funds.

Black plate (20,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
13-20 Customer Information
Reporting Safety Defects
to General Motors
In addition to notifying NHTSA
(or Transport Canada) in a situation
like this, please notify General
Motors.
Call 1-800-521-7300, or write:
Buick Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 33136
Detroit, MI 48232-5136
In Canada, call 1-800-263-3777
(English) or 1-800-263-7854
(French), or write:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Care Centre, Mail Code:
CA1-163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Vehicle Data
Recording and
Privacy
This GM vehicle has a number of
sophisticated computers that record
information about the vehicle’s
performance and how it is driven.
For example, the vehicle uses
computer modules to monitor and
control engine and transmission
performance, to monitor the
conditions for airbag deployment
and deploy airbags in a crash, and,
if so equipped, to provide antilock
braking to help the driver control the
vehicle. These modules may store
data to help your dealer technician
service the vehicle. Some modules
may also store data about how you
operate the vehicle, such as rate of
fuel consumption or average speed.
These modules may also retain the
owner’s personal preferences, such
as radio presets, seat positions, and
temperature settings.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle has an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose
of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations,
such as an airbag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that will
assist in understanding how a
vehicle's systems performed. The
EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and
safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed
to record such data as:
.How various systems in the
vehicle were operating.
.Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened.
.How far, if at all, the driver was
pressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal.
.How fast the vehicle was
traveling.

Black plate (5,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
OnStar 14-5
OnStar Mobile App
With an iPhone®or
Android™-based mobile device, an
OnStar mobile app can be
downloaded. The vehicle can be
remote started, if equipped, or the
doors can be unlocked from
anywhere there is cell phone
service. It can also check the fuel
level, tire pressure, and oil life.
It can connect to an OnStar Advisor
anytime. For OnStar mobile app
compatibility or further information,
see www.onstar.com.
Diagnostics
OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics will
perform a vehicle check every
month. It will check the engine,
transmission, antilock brakes, and
major vehicle systems. It also
checks the tire pressures, if the
vehicle is equipped with the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System. If a
diagnostics check is needed
between e-mails, push
Q, and an
Advisor can run a check.
OnStar Additional
Information
Transferring Service
PushQto request account transfer
eligibility information. The Advisor
can assist in canceling or removing
account information. If OnStar
receives information that vehicle
ownership has changed, OnStar
may send a voice message to the
vehicle, requesting updated account
information.
Reactivation for Subsequent
Owners
PushQand follow the prompts to
speak to an Advisor as soon as
possible after acquiring the vehicle.
The Advisor will update vehicle
records and will explain the OnStar
service offers and options available.
How OnStar Service Works
Automatic Crash Response,
Emergency Services, Crisis Assist,
Stolen Vehicle Assistance, Vehicle
Diagnostics, Remote Door Unlock,
Roadside Assistance, Turn-by-Turn
Navigation, and Hands-Free Calling
are available on most vehicles. Not
all OnStar services are available
everywhere or on all vehicles. For
more information, a full description
of OnStar services, system
limitations, and OnStar terms and
conditions, see www.onstar.com
(U.S.) or www.onstar.ca (Canada);
contact OnStar at 1-888-4-ONSTAR
(1‐888‐466‐7827) or
TTY 1‐877‐248‐2080; or push
Qto speak with an Advisor. OnStar
services require a vehicle electrical
system, wireless service, and GPS
satellite technologies to be available
and operating for features to
function properly. These systems
may not operate if the battery is
discharged or disconnected.

Black plate (8,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
14-8 OnStar
Unable to Connect to OnStar
Message
If there is limited cellular coverage
or the cellular network has reached
maximum capacity, this message
may come on. Push
Qto try the
call again or try again after driving a
few miles into another cellular area.
Vehicle and Power Issues
OnStar services require a vehicle
electrical system, wireless service,
and GPS satellite technologies to be
available and operating for features
to function properly. These systems
may not operate if the battery is
discharged or disconnected.
Add-on Electrical Equipment
The OnStar system is integrated
into the electrical architecture of the
vehicle. Do not add any electrical
equipment. See Add-On Electrical
Equipment on page 9‑63. Added
electrical equipment may interfere
with the operation of the OnStar
system and cause it to not operate.
Privacy
The complete OnStar Privacy
Statement may be found at
www.onstar.com. Privacy-sensitive
users of wireless communications
are cautioned that the privacy of any
information sent via wireless cellular
communications cannot be assured.
Third parties may unlawfully
intercept or access transmissions
and private communications without
consent.