2012 BUICK LACROSSE steering wheel

Black plate (46,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
10-46 Vehicle Care
Mini Fuses Usage30 Not Used
31 Electronic
Suspension Control
(without eAssist)
32 Rear Seat
Infotainment (without
eAssist)
33 All‐Wheel Drive
(without eAssist)
J‐Case Fuses Usage
1 Not Used
2 Not Used
3 Not Used
4 Not Used J‐Case
Fuses Usage
9 Not Used
10 Not Used 11 Not Used
13 Not Used
14 Not Used
34 Not Used
35 Passive Entry/
Passive Start
Module
—Battery 2
(without eAssist)
36 Not Used
37 Not Used Relays
Usage
K1 Not Used
K2 Run/Crank Relay for
Seat Ventilation
(without eAssist),
Sunshade (without
eAssist)
K3 Run Relay for
Heated Steering
Wheel (without
eAssist)
K4 Not Used

Black plate (51,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-51
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The following is an example of a
typical passenger vehicle
tire size.
(A) Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire:
The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The
letter P as the first character in
the tire size means a passenger
vehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association.
(B) Tire Width
:The three‐digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall. (C) Aspect Ratio
:A two‐digit
number that indicates the tire
height‐to‐width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 60, as shown in
item C of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire's sidewall is
60 percent as high as it is wide.
(D) Construction Code
:A
letter code is used to indicate
the type of ply construction in
the tire. The letter R means
radial ply construction; the
letter D means diagonal or bias
ply construction; and the letter B
means belted‐bias ply
construction.
(E) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
(F) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of
air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of
the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch).
Accessory Weight
:The
combined weight of optional
accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are
automatic transmission, power
steering, power brakes, power
windows, power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship
of a tire's height to its width.

Black plate (69,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-69
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out
while driving, especially if the tires
are maintained properly. SeeTires
on page 10‑47. If air goes out of a
tire, it is much more likely to leak
out slowly. But if there is ever a
blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible. A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction as
used in a skid. Stop pressing the
accelerator pedal and steer to
straighten the vehicle. It may be
very bumpy and noisy. Gently brake
to a stop, well off the road,
if possible.
{WARNING
Driving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has been
driven on while severely
underinflated or flat may cause a
blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
that has been driven on while
severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting
under it to do maintenance or
repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place, well off the road,
if possible. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. See Hazard
Warning Flashers on page 6‑4.

Black plate (104,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
10-104 Vehicle Care
Keep the wheels clean using a soft,
clean cloth with mild soap and
water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft,
clean towel. A wax may then be
applied.
Notice:Chrome wheels and other
chrome trim may be damaged if
the vehicle is not washed after
driving on roads that have been
sprayed with magnesium,
calcium, or sodium chloride.
These chlorides are used on
roads for conditions such as ice
and dust. Always wash the
chrome with soap and water after
exposure.
Notice: To avoid surface damage,
do not use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes,
cleaners, brushes, or cleaners
that contain acid on aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels. Use only
approved cleaners. Also, never
drive a vehicle with aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels through an
automatic car wash that uses
silicone carbide tire cleaning brushes. Damage could occur
and the repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Steering, Suspension, and
Chassis Components
Visually inspect front and rear
suspension and steering system for
damaged, loose, or missing parts or
signs of wear. Inspect power
steering lines and hoses for proper
hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks,
chafing, etc. Visually check constant
velocity joints, rubber boots, and
axle seals for leaks.
Body Component Lubrication
Lubricate all key lock cylinders,
hood hinges, liftgate hinges, and the
steel fuel door hinge unless the
components are plastic. Applying
silicone grease on weatherstrips
with a clean cloth will make them
last longer, seal better, and not stick
or squeak.
Underbody Maintenance
Use plain water to flush dirt and
debris from the vehicle's underbody.
Your dealer or an underbody car
washing system can do this. If not
removed, rust and corrosion can
develop.
Sheet Metal Damage
If the vehicle is damaged and
requires sheet metal repair or
replacement, make sure the body
repair shop applies anti-corrosion
material to parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion
protection.
Original manufacturer replacement
parts will provide the corrosion
protection while maintaining the
vehicle warranty.

Black plate (10,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
11-10 Service and Maintenance
Fluids
Proper fluid levels and approved
fluids protect the vehicle’s systems
and components. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12for GM
approved fluids.
.Engine oil and windshield
washer fluid levels should be
checked at every fuel fill.
.Instrument cluster lights may
come on to indicate that fluids
may be low and need to be
filled.
Hoses
Hoses transport fluids and should
be regularly inspected to ensure
that there are no cracks or leaks.
With a multi‐point inspection, your
dealer can inspect the hoses and
advise if replacement is needed. Lamps
Properly working headlamps,
taillamps, and brake lamps are
important to see and be seen on
the road.
.Signs that the headlamps need
attention include dimming, failure
to light, cracking, or damage.
The brake lamps need to be
checked periodically to ensure
that they light when braking.
.With a multi‐point inspection,
your dealer can check the lamps
and note any concerns.
Shocks and Struts
Shocks and struts help aid in control
for a smoother ride.
.Signs of wear may include
steering wheel vibration, bounce/
sway while braking, longer
stopping distance, or uneven
tire wear.
.As part of the multi‐point
inspection, trained dealer
technicians can visually inspect
the shocks and struts for signs
of leaking, blown seals,
or damage, and can advise
when service is needed.

Black plate (6,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
i-6 INDEX
GaugesDriver Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Engine Coolant
Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
General Information
Service and Maintenance . . . . . 11-1
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 6-4
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Head-up Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31 Headlamps
Adaptive Forward
Lighting (AFL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Heater Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Heating and Air Conditioning . . . 8-1 High Voltage Devices and
Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . 9-18, 9-20
Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Black plate (12,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2012
i-12 INDEX
ShiftingInto Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Side Blind Zone Alert . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Spare Tire
Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
StabiliTrak
OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Start Assist, Hills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Starting the Vehicle Messsages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4 Steering (cont'd)
Fluid, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Storage Mass Media (MEM) . . . . . . . . . . . 7-36
Storage Areas Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Sun Visor Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
System Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Taillamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . 13-6
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15, 2-16
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Tires Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Inflation Monitor System . . . . 10-57
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Pressure Monitor System . . . 10-56