
Black plate (45,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Instruments and Controls 5-45
Press SELECT when Remote Recall
is highlighted. Turn the Multifunction
knob to select On or Off. Press
SELECT to confirm the selection.
Press
/BACK to move to the
last menu.
Passive Entry
This allows the Passive Entry
feature to be turned on or off.
Press SELECT when Passive Entry
is highlighted. Turn the Multifunction
knob to select On or Off. Press
SELECT to confirm the selection.
Press
/BACK to move to the
last menu.
Remote Left In Vehicle
This allows the Remote Left In
Vehicle reminder feature to be
turned on or off. If on, the horn will
chirp if a remote is left in the
vehicle. Press SELECT when Remote Left In
Vehicle is highlighted. Turn the
Multifunction knob to select On or
Off. Press SELECT to confirm the
selection. Press
/BACK to move to
the last menu.
Return to Factory Settings
Select Return to Factory Settings to
return all of the vehicle
personalization to the default
settings. Turn the Multifunction knob
to select Yes or No. Press SELECT
to confirm and go back to the
last menu.
Universal Remote
System
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑20 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
Universal Remote System
Programming
If the vehicle has this feature, you
will see these buttons with one
indicator light next to them in the
overhead console.
This system provides a way to
replace up to three remote control
transmitters used to activate

Black plate (6,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
6-6 Lighting
Reading Lamps
There are front and rear reading
lamps.
The front reading lamps are located
in the overhead console.
The rear reading lamps are located
in the headliner.
#or$(Reading Lamps):Press
to turn each lamp on or off.
Sun Visor Lamps
This lamp turns on when the cover
is opened.
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
The headlamps, taillamps, license
plate lamps, back-up lamps, dome
lamps, and most of the interior lights
turn on briefly when the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
K
button is pressed, or when the door
handle is pulled on a keyless
access vehicle. See Ignition
Positions (Keyless Access) on
page 9‑15 orIgnition Positions (Key
Access) on page 9‑17. After about
30 seconds the exterior lamps turn
off, then the dome lamps and
remaining interior lights dim to off.
Entry lighting can be disabled
manually by changing the ignition
out of the OFF position, or by
pressing the RKE transmitter
Q
button.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑39.

Black plate (7,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Lighting 6-7
Exit Lighting
The headlamps, taillamps, parking
lamps, back-up lamps, and license
plate lamps come on at night, or in
areas with limited lighting, when the
key is removed from the ignition.
The dome lamps also come on
when the key is removed from the
ignition. The exterior lights and
dome lamps remain on after the
door is closed for a set amount of
time, then automatically turn off.
For vehicles with keyless access,
the exterior lamps and dome lamps
automatically turn on when a door is
opened after the ignition is turned
off. SeeIgnition Positions (Keyless
Access) on page 9‑15 orIgnition
Positions (Key Access) on
page 9‑17.
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamps control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑39.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM) that estimates
the battery's temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage
for best performance and extended
life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. If the vehicle
has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the
voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an
alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast enough at idle to produce all of the
power needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a DIC message might
be displayed and it is recommended

Black plate (4,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
8-4 Climate Controls
0(Defrost):Clears the
windshield of fog or frost more
quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield.
For best results, clear all snow and
ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
For eAssist vehicles that have the
auto defog feature, auto stops can
occur in defrost mode. In this mode,
the auto stops are shorter and less
frequent than other air delivery
modes to prevent instant fogging.
A/C (Comfort Air Conditioning):
Press to turn the air conditioning
system on or off. If the climate
control system is turned off or the
outside temperature falls below
freezing, the air conditioner will
not run.
Pressing this button cancels
automatic air conditioning and turns
off the air conditioner. Press AUTO
to return to automatic operation and
the air conditioner runs
automatically as needed. When the
indicator light is on, the air conditioner runs automatically to
cool the air inside the vehicle or to
dry the air needed to defog the
windshield faster.
For eAssist vehicles, an auto stop
may occur if the climate control
system determines the a/c
compressor can be shut off and still
maintain comfort levels with minimal
windshield fogging.
Eco
#(Eco Air Conditioning, If
Equipped): This setting balances
fuel economy and air conditioning
comfort. In warm weather
conditions, auto stops may occur
more frequently and the vehicle
interior may be warmer as
compared to the comfort air
conditioning. The eco a/c setting
allows higher humidity inside the
vehicle and window fogging before
the engine restarts.
Pressing the
0button during an
auto stop will restart the engine to
prevent window fogging. To reach
comfort levels quickly during an
auto stop, the engine will restart if the air conditioner is off and the
AUTO, eco
#, or A/C is selected.
The engine also restarts if the
Ois
pressed on and the system is set to
AUTO, eco
#, or A/C.
If temperature controls are adjusted
cooler by more than 1°C (1°F)
during an auto stop, the engine will
restart to ensure that comfort is
reached.
@(Recirculation/Auto
Recirculation): Press to change to
automatic control of air recirculation
inside the vehicle. When the auto
recirculation indicator light is on, the
air is automatically recirculated as
needed to help quickly cool the air
inside the vehicle.
In auto recirculation control, the Air
Quality Control system may operate
when pollution is detected. To adjust
the sensitivity of the Air Quality
Control, see “Climate and Air
Quality” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑39.

Black plate (5,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Climate Controls 8-5
When the indicator light is on, air is
recirculated inside the vehicle. If the
indicator light is off, outside air will
flow into the vehicle. Press AUTO or
@to return to automatic
operation.
Auto Defog: The climate control
system may have a sensor to
automatically detect high humidity
inside the vehicle. When high
humidity is detected, the climate
control system may adjust to
outside air supply and turn on the
air conditioner. The fan speed may
slightly increase to help prevent
fogging. If the climate control
system does not detect possible
window fogging, it returns to normal
operation. For eAssist vehicles,
there may be shorter and less
frequent auto stops when auto
defog is in use.
To turn Auto Defog off or on, see
“Climate and Air Quality” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑39.
Rear Window Defogger
=(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off.
The rear window defogger turns off
automatically after about
10 minutes. If turned on again it
runs for about five minutes before
turning off. The defogger can also
be turned off by turning the ignition
to ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF.
The rear window defogger can be
set to automatic operation. See
“Climate and Air Quality” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑39. When auto rear defog is
selected, the rear window defogger
turns on automatically when the
interior temperature is cold and the
outside temperature is about 4°C
(40°F) and below. The auto rear
defogger turns off automatically
after about 10 minutes, or after
five minutes if the outside
temperature is not as cold. For eAssist vehicles, auto rear
defog will only run during a remote
start and the feature is not available
in the Vehicle Personalization menu.
For vehicles with heated outside
rearview mirrors, they turn on when
the rear window defogger button is
on and help to clear fog or frost from
the surface of the mirror. See
Heated Mirrors on page 2‑16.
Notice:
Do not try to clear frost
or other material from the inside
of the front windshield and rear
window with a razor blade or
anything else that is sharp. This
may damage the rear window
defogger grid and affect the
radio's ability to pick up stations
clearly. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
((Heated Steering Wheel): For
vehicles with this feature, press to
turn on or off. See Heated Steering
Wheel on page 5‑3.

Black plate (42,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
9-42 Driving and Operating
SBZA Detection Zones
The SBZA sensor covers a zone of
approximately one lane over from
both sides of the vehicle,
or 3.5 m (11 ft). This zone starts at
each side mirror and goes back
approximately 5.0 m (16 ft). The
height of the zone is approximately
between 0.5 m (1.5 ft) and
2.0 m (6 ft) off the ground.
The SBZA detection zones do not
change if the vehicle is towing a
trailer. So be extra careful when
changing lanes while towing a
trailer.
How the System Works
Left Side MirrorDisplayRight Side Mirror Display When the vehicle is started, both
outside mirror displays will briefly
come on to indicate that the system
is operating. While driving forward,
the left or right side mirror SBZA
display will light up if a vehicle is
detected in that blind zone. If you
activate a turn signal and a vehicle
has been detected on the same
side, the SBZA display will flash to
give you extra warning not to
change lanes.
SBZA displays do not come on
while the vehicle is approaching or
passing other vehicles. At speeds
greater than 32 km/h (20 mph),
SBZA displays may come on when
a vehicle you have passed remains
in or drops back into the
detection zone.
SBZA can be disabled through
vehicle personalization. See
Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑39 for
more information. If the SBZA is
disabled by the driver, the SBZA
mirror displays will not light up
during normal driving. When the System Does Not Seem
to Work Properly
Occasional missed alerts can occur
under normal circumstances and will
increase in wet conditions. The
system does not need to be
serviced due to an occasional
missed alert. The number of missed
alerts will increase with increased
rainfall or road spray.
If the SBZA displays do not light up
when the system is on and vehicles
are in the blind zone, the system
may need service. Take the vehicle
to your dealer.
SBZA is designed to ignore
stationary objects; however, the
system may occasionally light up
due to guard rails, signs, trees,
shrubs, and other stationary objects.
This is normal system operation; the
vehicle does not need service.
SBZA does not operate when the
left or right corners of the rear
bumper are covered with mud, dirt,
snow, ice, or slush, or in heavy
rainstorms.

Black plate (43,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Driving and Operating 9-43
For cleaning instructions, see
Exterior Care on page 10‑92. If the
infotainment display still shows the
SIDE BLIND ZONE SYS.
UNAVAILABLE message after
cleaning the bumper, see your
dealer.
The SBZA displays may remain on
if a trailer is attached to the vehicle,
or a bicycle or object is extending
out to either side of the vehicle.
When SBZA is disabled for any
reason other than the driver turning
it off, the driver will not be able to
turn SBZA back on using vehicle
personalization. The On option will
not be selectable if the conditions
for normal system operation are not
met. Until normal operating
conditions for SBZA are met, you
should not rely upon SBZA while
driving.SBZA Error Messages
The following messages may
appear on the infotainment display:
SIDE BLIND ZONE ALERT
SYSTEM OFF:
This message
indicates that the driver has turned
the system off.
SIDE BLIND ZONE SYS.
UNAVAILABLE: This message
indicates that the SBZA system is
disabled because the sensor is
blocked and cannot detect vehicles
in the blind zone. The sensor may
be blocked by mud, dirt, snow, ice,
or slush. This message may also
activate during heavy rain or due to
road spray. The vehicle does not
need service. For cleaning, see
Exterior Care on page 10‑92.
SERVICE BLIND ZONE ALERT
SYSTEM: If this message appears,
both SBZA displays will remain on
indicating there is a problem with
the SBZA system. If these displays
remain on after continued driving,
the system needs service. Take the
vehicle to your dealer.FCC Information
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑20 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
This vehicle may have an RVC
system. Read this entire section
before using it.
The RVC system can assist the
driver when backing up by
displaying a view of the area behind
the vehicle.
{WARNING
The RVC system does not display
children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
animals, or any other object
located outside the camera's field
of view, below the bumper,
(Continued)

Black plate (8,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
i-8 INDEX
N
NavigationOnStar®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Net, Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
O
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Object Detection, Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-13
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . 3-32
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
OnStar
®
System, In Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
OnStar®Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
OnStar
®Connections . . . . . . . . . . 14-3 OnStar
®Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
OnStar®Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar®Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar®Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar®Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Operation, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . 13-16
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Overview, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
P
ParkShifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Parking
Assist, Ultrasonic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-29
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 9-26
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Passenger Sensing System . . . 3-26
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements, California . . . . . 10-3
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Phone
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . 7-20, 7-22, 7-25
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 9-24
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17