2013 BUICK LACROSSE repair

Black plate (81,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Vehicle Care 10-81
1. Screwdriver
2. Tow Hook (If Equipped)
3. Jack
4. Wrench (In Bag)
5. Trim Removal (If Equipped)
6. Fastener (If Equipped)
The jack and tools are stored below
the spare tire.
Place the tools next to the tire being
changed.
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
1. Do a safety check beforeproceeding. See If a Tire Goes
Flat on page 10‑62 for more
information.
2. Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to loosen the
wheel nut caps.
If needed, finish loosening them
by hand. The nut caps will not
come off of the wheel cover.
The edge of the wheel cover
could be sharp, so do not try to
remove the cover with your bare
hands. Do not drop the cap or
lay it face down, as it could
become scratched or damaged.
Store the wheel cover in the
trunk until you have the flat tire
repaired or replaced.
3. Turn the wheel wrenchcounterclockwise to loosen all of
the wheel nuts, but do not
remove them yet.
Notice: Make sure that the jack
lift head is in the correct position
or you may damage your vehicle.
The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty.

Black plate (82,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
10-82 Vehicle Care
4. Position the jack head, asshown.
Set the jack to the necessary
height before positioning it below
the jacking point.
5. Attach the jack lift assist tool to the jack by fitting both ends of
the jack and tool over one
another.
{WARNING
Getting under a vehicle when it is
lifted on a jack is dangerous.
If the vehicle slips off the jack,
you could be badly injured or
killed. Never get under a vehicle
when it is supported only by
a jack.
{WARNING
Raising the vehicle with the jack
improperly positioned can
damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help
avoid personal injury and vehicle
damage, be sure to fit the jack lift
head into the proper location
before raising the vehicle.
{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.

Black plate (84,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
10-84 Vehicle Care
{WARNING
Never use oil or grease on bolts
or nuts because the nuts might
come loose. The vehicle's wheel
could fall off, causing a crash.
11. Put the wheel nuts back on with the rounded end of the
nuts toward the wheel. Turn
each nut clockwise by hand
until the wheel is held against
the hub.
12. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise. Lower the
jack completely.
{WARNING
Wheel nuts that are improperly or
incorrectly tightened can cause
the wheels to become loose or
come off. The wheel nuts should
be tightened with a torque wrench
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
to the proper torque specification
after replacing. Follow the torque
specification supplied by the
aftermarket manufacturer when
using accessory locking wheel
nuts. SeeCapacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2 for
original equipment wheel nut
torque specifications.
Notice: Improperly tightened
wheel nuts can lead to brake
pulsation and rotor damage. To
avoid expensive brake repairs,
evenly tighten the wheel nuts in
the proper sequence and to the
proper torque specification. See
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12‑2 for the wheel nut
torque specification.
13. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in
a crisscross sequence, as
shown.
14. Lower the jack all the way and remove the jack from under the
vehicle.
15. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly with the wheel wrench.
Notice: Wheel covers will not fit
on the vehicle's compact spare.
If you try to put a wheel cover on
the compact spare, the cover or
the spare could be damaged.

Black plate (86,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
10-86 Vehicle Care
4. Place the tire, lying flat, facingup in the spare tire well.
5. Turn the retainer nut clockwise to secure the tire.
6. Place the floor cover on the wheel.
The compact spare is for temporary
use only. Replace the compact
spare tire with a full-size tire as
soon as you can.
Compact Spare Tire
{WARNING
Driving with more than one
compact spare tire at a time could
result in loss of braking and
handling. This could lead to a
crash and you or others could be
injured. Use only one compact
spare tire at a time. If this vehicle has a compact spare
tire, it was fully inflated when new;
however, it can lose air over time.
Check the inflation pressure
regularly. It should be 420 kPa
(60 psi).
Stop as soon as possible and check
that the spare tire is correctly
inflated after being installed on the
vehicle. The compact spare tire is
designed for temporary use only.
The vehicle will perform differently
with the spare tire installed and it is
recommended that the vehicle
speed be limited to 80 km/h
(50 mph). To conserve the tread of
the spare tire, have the standard tire
repaired or replaced as soon as
convenient and return the spare tire
to the storage area.
Notice:
When the compact spare
is installed, do not take the
vehicle through an automatic car
wash with guide rails. The
compact spare can get caught on
the rails which can damage the
tire, wheel, and other parts of the
vehicle. Do not use the compact spare on
other vehicles.
Do not mix the compact spare tire or
wheel with other wheels or tires.
They will not fit. Keep the spare tire
and its wheel together.
Notice:
Tire chains will not fit the
compact spare. Using them can
damage the vehicle and the
chains. Do not use tire chains on
the compact spare.

Black plate (88,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
10-88 Vehicle Care
{WARNING
Batteries can hurt you. They can
be dangerous because:
.They contain acid that can
burn you.
.They contain gas that can
explode or ignite.
.They contain enough
electricity to burn you.
If you do not follow these steps
exactly, some or all of these
things can hurt you.
Notice: Ignoring these steps
could result in costly damage to
the vehicle that would not be
covered by the warranty.
Trying to start the vehicle by
pushing or pulling it will not
work, and it could damage the
vehicle.
The jump start positive is located
under a trim cover in the engine
compartment on the driver side of
the vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a
negative ground system.
Notice: Only use a vehicle that
has a 12-volt system with a
negative ground for jump
starting. If the other vehicle does
not have a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles
can be damaged. 2. Position the two vehicles so that
they are not touching.
3. Set the parking brake firmly and put the shift lever in P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park on
page 9‑24.
Notice: If any accessories are left
on or plugged in during the jump
starting procedure, they could be
damaged. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Whenever possible,
turn off or unplug all accessories
on either vehicle when jump
starting the vehicle.
4. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF and switch off all lights and
accessories in both vehicles,
except the hazard warning
flashers if needed.

Black plate (89,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Vehicle Care 10-89
{WARNING
An electric fan can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{WARNING
Using a match near a battery can
cause battery gas to explode.
People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded.
Use a flashlight if you need more
light.
Be sure the battery has enough
water. You do not need to add
water to the battery installed in
your new vehicle. But if a battery
has filler caps, be sure the right
amount of fluid is there. If it is low,(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
add water to take care of that
first. If you do not, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that
can burn you. Do not get it on
you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush
the place with water and get
medical help immediately.
{WARNING
Fans or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly. Keep
your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Connect one end of the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal on the
discharged battery. 6. Connect the other end of the red
positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the good
battery.
7. Connect one end of the black negative (–) cable to the
negative (–) terminal of the good
battery.
8. Connect the other end of the black negative (–) cable to the
negative (–) grounding point for
the discharged battery.
9. Start the engine in the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine at idle speed for at
least four minutes.
10. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If it will not
start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
Notice: If the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.

Black plate (91,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Vehicle Care 10-91
.Is the proper towing equipment
going to be used? See your
dealer or trailering professional
for additional advice and
equipment recommendations.
.Is the vehicle ready to be
towed? Just as preparing the
vehicle for a long trip, make sure
the vehicle is prepared to be
towed.
Dinghy Towing
Notice:If the vehicle is towed
with all four wheels on the
ground, the drivetrain components could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
tow the vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground.
The vehicle was not designed to be
towed with all four wheels on the
ground. If the vehicle must be
towed, a dolly should be used. See
the following information on dolly
towing.
Dolly Towing from the Front
(Front-Wheel Drive)
Vehicles with front-wheel drive can
be dolly towed from the front.
Use the following procedure to dolly
tow the vehicle from the front:
1. Attach the dolly to the tow
vehicle following the dolly
manufacturer instructions.
2. Drive the front wheels onto the dolly.
3. Shift the transmission to P (Park).
4. Firmly set the parking brake.
5. Use an adequate clamping device designed for towing to
ensure that the front wheels are
locked into the straight-ahead
position.
6. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the manufacturer
instructions.
7. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle being towed is
firmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
8. Turn the ignition to OFF.

Black plate (93,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Vehicle Care 10-93
product usage, necessary safety
precautions, and appropriate
disposal of any vehicle care
product.
Notice:Avoid using
high-pressure washes closer than
30 cm (12 in) to the surface of the
vehicle. Use of power washers
exceeding 8,274 kPa (1,200 psi)
can result in damage or removal
of paint and decals.
Rinse the vehicle well, before
washing and after, to remove all
cleaning agents completely. If they
are allowed to dry on the surface,
they could stain.
Dry the finish with a soft, clean
chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water
spotting.
Finish Care
Application of aftermarket clearcoat
sealant/wax materials is not
recommended. If painted surfaces
are damaged, see your dealer to
have the damage assessed and repaired. Foreign materials such as
calcium chloride and other salts, ice
melting agents, road oil and tar, tree
sap, bird droppings, chemicals from
industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage the vehicle's finish if they
remain on painted surfaces. Wash
the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non-abrasive
cleaners that are marked safe for
painted surfaces to remove foreign
matter.
Occasional hand waxing or mild
polishing should be done to remove
residue from the paint finish. See
your dealer for approved cleaning
products.
Do not apply waxes or polishes to
uncoated plastic, vinyl, rubber,
decals, simulated wood, or flat paint
as damage can occur.
Notice:
Machine compounding or
aggressive polishing on a
basecoat/clearcoat paint finish
may damage it. Use only
non-abrasive waxes and polishes that are made for a basecoat/
clearcoat paint finish on the
vehicle.
To keep the paint finish looking new,
keep the vehicle garaged or
covered whenever possible.
Protecting Exterior Bright Metal
Parts
Regularly clean bright metal parts
with water or chrome polish on
chrome or stainless steel trim,
if necessary.
For aluminum, never use auto or
chrome polish, steam, or caustic
soap to clean. A coating of wax,
rubbed to a high polish, is
recommended for all bright metal
parts.
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/
Lenses and Emblems
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a
soft cloth, and a car washing soap
to clean exterior lamps, lenses and
emblems. Follow instructions under
"Washing the Vehicle" in this
section.