
Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Instruments and Controls 5-3
b/g(Push to Talk):For vehicles
with a Bluetooth®, OnStar,
or navigation system, press to
interact with those systems. See
Bluetooth (Overview) on page 7‑20
or Bluetooth (Infotainment Controls)
on page 7‑22 orBluetooth (Voice
Recognition) on page 7‑25, OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1, or the
navigation manual for more
information.
$/i(Mute/End Call): Press to
silence the vehicle speakers only.
Press again to turn the sound on.
For vehicles with OnStar or
Bluetooth systems, press to reject
an incoming call, or end a
current call.
_SRC^(Thumbwheel Control):
Turn to select an audio source.
Press
_or^to select the next or
previous favorite radio station, CD,
or MP3 track.
+
x− (Volume): Press + to
increase the volume. Press −to
decrease the volume.
Heated Steering Wheel
For vehicles with a heated steering
wheel, the button for this feature is
located on the climate control
system.
((Heated Steering Wheel): Press
to turn the heated steering wheel on
or off. A light on the button displays
when the feature is turned on.
The steering wheel takes about
three minutes to start heating.
Horn
Pressaon the steering wheel pad
to sound the horn.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper/washer lever
is on the right side of the steering
column. With the ignition in ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN, move
the windshield wiper lever to select
the wiper speed.
HI: Use for fast wipes.
LO: Use for slow wipes.

Black plate (4,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
5-4 Instruments and Controls
INT: (Intermittent Wipes):Move
the lever up to INT for intermittent
wipes, then turn the
3INT band
up for more frequent wipes or down
for less frequent wipes.
OFF: Use to turn the wipers off.
8(Mist): For a single wipe, briefly
move the wiper lever down. For
several wipes, hold the wiper
lever down.
n L(Windshield Washer): Pull
the windshield wiper lever toward
you to spray windshield washer fluid
and activate the wipers. The wipers
will continue until the lever is
released or the maximum wash time
is reached. When the windshield
wiper lever is released, additional
wipes may occur depending on how
long the windshield washer had
been activated. See Washer Fluid
on page 10‑24 for information on
filling the windshield washer fluid
reservoir.
{WARNING
In freezing weather, do not use
the washer until the windshield is
warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the
windshield, blocking your vision.
Clear snow and ice from the wiper
blades and windshield before using
them. If frozen to the windshield,
carefully loosen or thaw them.
Damaged blades should be
replaced. See Wiper Blade
Replacement on page 10‑29.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the
wiper motor.
Wipe Parking
If the ignition is turned to LOCK/
OFF while the wipers are on LO, HI,
or INT, they will immediately stop. If the windshield wiper lever is then
moved to off before the driver door
is opened or within 10 minutes, the
wipers will restart and move to the
base of the windshield.
If the ignition is turned to LOCK/
OFF while the wipers are performing
wipes due to windshield washing,
the wipers continue to run until they
reach the base of the windshield.
Compass
The vehicle may have a compass
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The compass receives
its heading and other information
from the Global Positioning
System (GPS) antenna, StabiliTrak,
and vehicle speed information.
Avoid covering the GPS antenna for
long periods of time with objects
that may interfere with the antenna's
ability to receive a satellite signal.
See
Backglass Antenna on
page 7‑13 andSatellite Radio
Antenna on page 7‑14 for the
location of the vehicle's antennas.

Black plate (5,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Instruments and Controls 5-5
The compass system is designed to
operate for a certain number of
miles or degrees of turn before
needing a signal from the GPS
satellites. When the compass
display shows CAL, drive the
vehicle for a short distance in an
open area where it can receive a
GPS signal. The compass system
will automatically determine when
the GPS signal is restored and
provide a heading again. See
Compass Messages on page 5‑33
for more information on the
messages that may be displayed for
the compass.
Clock (Radio with CD and
Touchscreen)
The infotainment system controls
are used to access the time and
date settings through the menu
system. SeeOverview on page 7‑3
and Operation on page 7‑4 for
information about how to use the
menu system.
Setting the Time (Without Date
Display)
1. Press the CONFIG button and
select Time Settings,
or press
H.
2. Select Set Time.
3. Turn the Multifunction knob to adjust the highlighted value.
4. Press SELECT to select the next value.
5. To save the time and return to the Time Settings menu, press
the
/BACK button at any time
or press SELECT after adjusting
the minutes.
Setting the 12/24 Hour Format
1. Press the CONFIG button and select Time Settings,
or press
H.
2. Highlight 12/24 Hour Format.
3. Press SELECT to select the 12 hour or 24 hour display
format.
Setting the Time and Date
(With Date Display)
1. Press the CONFIG button and
select Time and Date Settings,
or press
H.
2. Select Set Time or Set Date.
3. Turn the Multifunction knob to adjust the highlighted value.
4. Press SELECT to select the next value.
5. To save the time or date and return to the Time and Date
Settings menu, press the
/
BACK button at any time or
press SELECT after adjusting
the minutes or year.
Setting the 12/24 Hour Format
1. Press the CONFIG button and select Time and Date Settings,
or press
H.
2. Highlight Set Time Format.

Black plate (6,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
5-6 Instruments and Controls
3. Press SELECT to select the12 hour or 24 hour display
format.
Setting the Month and Day Format
1. Press the CONFIG button and select Time and Date Settings,
or press
H.
2. Highlight Set Date Format.
3. Press SELECT to select MM/ DD/YY (month/day/year) or DD/
MM/YY (day/month/year).
Setting the Auto Time Adjust
1. Press the CONFIG button and select Time and Date Settings,
or press
H.
2. Highlight Auto Time Adjust.
3. Press SELECT to turn Auto Time Adjust on or off.
4. Press SELECT button to select Time Zone, and then select the
Time Zone.
5. Press SELECT to turn Daylight Savings on or off.
Setting the Time and Date
(Radio with CD and
Touchscreen)
To set the time:
1. Press the CONFIG button toenter the menu options. Turn the
Multifunction knob to scroll
through the available setup
features. Press the SELECT
knob or press the Time screen
button to display other options
within that feature.
2. Press + or −to decrease or
increase the Hours and Minutes
displayed on the clock.
12/24 HR Format: Press the 12 HR
screen button for standard time;
press the 24 HR screen button for
military time.
Day + or Day −:Press the Day +
or Day −display buttons to increase
or decrease the day.
Display: Press Display to turn the
display of the time on the screen on
or off.
Power Outlets
The accessory power outlets can be
used to plug in electrical equipment,
such as a cell phone or MP3 player.
There are two accessory power
outlets. One is located under the
armrest inside the center console
storage and the other is on the rear
of the center floor console.
The outlet is powered when the
ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY, or until the driver
door is opened within 10 minutes of
turning off the vehicle. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑24.
Open the protective cover to use the
accessory power outlet.
Certain electrical accessories may
not be compatible with the
accessory power outlet and could
overload vehicle or adapter fuses.
If there is a problem, see your
dealer.

Black plate (16,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
5-16 Instruments and Controls
The light turns off when the engine
is started. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the light stays on, or comes on
while driving, there could be a
problem with the electrical charging
system. Have it checked by your
dealer. Driving while this light is on
could drain the battery.
If a short distance must be driven
with the light on, be sure to turn off
all accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors the operation
of the vehicle to ensure emissions
are at acceptable levels, helping to
maintain a clean environment.
The malfunction indicator lamp
comes on when the vehicle is
placed in ON/RUN for key access or
Service Only Mode for keylessaccess, as a check to show it is
working. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer. See
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access)
on page 9‑15
orIgnition Positions
(Key Access) on page 9‑17 for more
information.
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running, this indicates that the OBD
II system has detected a problem
and diagnosis and service might be
required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system also
assists the dealer technician in
correctly diagnosing any
malfunction. Notice:
If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on, the emission controls might
not work as well, the vehicle fuel
economy might not be as good,
and the engine might not run as
smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the
engine, transmission, exhaust,
intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement of the
original tires with other than
those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light
to come on. Modifications to
these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. This could also
result in a failure to pass a
required Emission Inspection/
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑3.

Black plate (25,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Instruments and Controls 5-25
Door Ajar Light
This light comes on in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) when a
door is open or not securely latched.
Before driving, check that all doors
are properly closed.
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
displays information about the
vehicle. It also displays warning
messages if a system problem is
detected. SeeVehicle Messages on
page 5‑32 for more information. All
messages appear in the DIC display
located in the center of the
instrument panel cluster.
On some models, the DIC may
show warning lights or indicators in
the top portion of the display. See
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators on page 5‑8 for more
information.
The vehicle may also have features
that can be customized through the
controls on the radio. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑39 for
more information.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC has different displays
which can be accessed by using the
DIC buttons on the turn signal lever
to the left of the steering wheel. The
DIC displays trip, fuel, vehicle
system information, and warning
messages if a system problem is
detected.
The bottom of the DIC display
shows what position the shift lever
is in, the odometer, and the direction
the vehicle is driving.
In cold weather the DIC display may
change slowly. This is normal and
will move more quickly as the
vehicle's interior temperature rises.

Black plate (29,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Instruments and Controls 5-29
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{WARNING
If the HUD image is too bright or
too high in your field of view, it
may take you more time to see
things you need to see when it is
dark outside. Be sure to keep the
HUD image dim and placed low in
your field of view.
For vehicles with the Head-Up
Display (HUD), some information
concerning the operation of the
vehicle is projected onto the
windshield. This includes
information such as the
speedometer reading, rpm reading,
transmission position, outside air
temperature, compass heading, and
a brief display of the current radio
station, including XM information or
CD track. It will also display
turn-by-turn navigation information if
the vehicle has a navigation radio. The images are projected through
the HUD lens located on the driver
side of the instrument panel.
Notice:
If you try to use the HUD
image as a parking aid, you may
misjudge the distance and
damage your vehicle. Do not use
the HUD image as a parking aid.
The HUD information can be
displayed in one of three languages,
English, French, or Spanish. The
speedometer reading and other
numerical values can be displayed
in either English or metric units.
The language selection is changed
through the radio and the units of
measurement is changed through
the trip computer in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
AM-FM Radio on page 7‑9 and
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑25.
HUD Display on the Vehicle
Windshield
The HUD information appears as an
image focused out toward the front
of the vehicle.
When the ignition is placed in the
ON/RUN or ON/RUN/START
position, HUD will display an
introductory message for a short
time, until the HUD is ready.

Black plate (30,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
5-30 Instruments and Controls
The following indicator lights come
on in the instrument panel when
activated and also appear on
the HUD:
.Turn Signal Indicators
.High-Beam Indicator Symbol
The HUD temporarily displays some
vehicle warnings, such as CHECK
TIRE PRESSURE and FUEL
LEVEL LOW when these messages
are on the DIC trip computer.
The HUD also displays the following
messages on vehicles with these
systems, when they are active:
.TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVE
.STABILITRAK ACTIVE
When the HUD is on, the
speedometer reading is continually
displayed. The current radio station
or CD track number will display for a
short period of time after the radio
or CD track status changes. This
happens whenever radio information
is changed. The speedometer size
is reduced when radio, CD
information, warnings, or turn-by-turn navigation
information are displayed on
the HUD.The HUD control is located to the
left of the steering wheel.
To adjust the HUD image so that
items are properly displayed, do the
following:
1. Adjust the driver seat to a
comfortable position.
2. Start the engine.
3. Adjust the HUD controls. Use the following settings to adjust
the HUD.
OFF:
To turn HUD off, turn the HUD
dimming knob fully counterclockwise
until the HUD display turns off.
Brightness: Turn the dimming knob
clockwise or counterclockwise to
brighten or dim the display.
«(Up) orª(Down): Press the
up or down arrows to center the
HUD image in your view. The HUD
image can only be adjusted up and
down, not side to side.
PAGE: Press to select the display
formats. Release the PAGE button
when the format number with the
desired display is shown on the
HUD. If vehicle messages are
displayed, pressing PAGE may clear
the message.