Black plate (4,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
iv Introduction
{WARNING
These mean there is something
that could hurt you or other
people.
Notice: This means there is
something that could result in
property or vehicle damage. This
would not be covered by the
vehicle's warranty.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means “Do
Not,” “Do not do this,” or“Do not let
this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message,
gauge, or indicator.
M: This symbol is shown when
you need to see your owner manual
for additional instructions or
information.
*: This symbol is shown when
you need to see a service manual
for additional instructions or
information. Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:
Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
g:First Responder
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
Black plate (9,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
In Brief 1-9
Safety Belts
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly:
.Safety Belts on page 3‑11.
.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3‑13.
.Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑14.
.Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑39.
Passenger Sensing
System
The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. No other airbag
is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible on the
instrument panel when the vehicle is
started. SeePassenger Sensing
System on page 3‑26 for important
information.
Mirror Adjustment
Exterior
To adjust the mirrors:
1. Turn the control knob to the L (Left) or R (Right) selecting the
driver or passenger mirror.
2. Push the control knob to the left, right, up, or down to adjust the
mirror.
Vehicles with the memory feature
can store a preferred mirror position.
Black plate (13,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
In Brief 1-13
Climate Controls
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled with
these systems.
Dual Automatic Climate Control System for Non-eAssist Vehicles
1. Power
2. Driver Temperature Control
3. Defrost
4. Fan Control
5. Air Delivery Mode Control
6. Recirculation/Automatic Recirculation 7. Passenger Temperature Control
8. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
9. Rear Window Defogger
10. Heated Steering Wheel
11. Air Conditioning
12. ZONE
Black plate (14,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
1-14 In Brief
Dual Automatic Climate Control System for eAssist Vehicles
1. Power
2. Driver Temperature Control
3. Defrost
4. Fan Control
5. Air Delivery Mode Control
6. Recirculation/Automatic Recirculation
7. Passenger Temperature Control 8. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
9. Rear Window Defogger
10. Eco Air Conditioning
11. Comfort Air Conditioning
12. ZONE
See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1.
Transmission
Automatic Transmission
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Driver Shift Control (DSC) allows
shifting an automatic transmission
similar to a manual transmission.
DSC can be enabled through the
shift lever. See Manual Mode on
page 9‑29.
Black plate (19,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
In Brief 1-19
Sunroof
On vehicles with a sunroof, the
switches are located on the
overhead console.
The ignition must be in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY, or when
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) is
active. SeeRetained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9‑24.
Vent: Press the rear of the
switch (2) to the first detent to vent
the sunroof. Press the front of the
switch (1) to the second detent to
close the sunroof. Express-open/Express-close:
To
express-open the sunroof, fully
press and release the rear of the
switch (2). To express-close, fully
press and release the front of the
switch (1). To stop the sunroof
partway, press either switch a
second time.
The sunshade opens automatically
with the sunroof.
To express-open the sunshade, fully
press and release the rear of the
switch (3). To stop the sunshade
partway, press the switch a second
time. To express-close, fully press
and release the front of the
switch (4). To stop the sunshade
partway, press the switch a
second time.
See Sunroof on page 2‑19.
eAssist Features
eAssist®Overview
If the vehicle has eAssist, there are
several additional features which
contribute to increased efficiency.
Vehicles with eAssist have an
automatic engine start/stop feature.
This feature saves fuel by shutting
the engine off when the vehicle is
stopped. When the engine shuts off
automatically, all the accessories
will continue to operate normally. In
very hot or cold conditions, the
engine will only shut off
automatically part of the time. See
Starting the Engine on page 9‑19.
There are two air conditioning
settings available. The comfort
setting maximizes cabin comfort.
The eco setting maximizes
efficiency allowing more frequent,
and longer engine stops than the
comfort setting. See Dual Automatic
Climate Control System on
page 8‑1.
Black plate (26,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
3-26 Seats and Restraints
Passenger Sensing
System
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front
outboard passenger position. The
passenger airbag status indicator
will light on the instrument panel
when the vehicle is started.
The words ON and OFF will be
visible during the system check.
If you use remote start, if equipped,
to start the vehicle from a distance
you may not see the system check.
When the system check is
complete, either the word ON or the
word OFF will be visible. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑15.The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. No other airbag
is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the front outboard passenger seat.
The sensors are designed to detect
the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
should be allowed to inflate or not.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight
and size.
We recommend that children be
secured in a rear seat, including: an
infant or a child riding in a
rear-facing child restraint; a child
riding in a forward-facing child seat;
an older child riding in a booster
seat; and children, who are large
enough, using safety belts.Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front. This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag inflates.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the passenger frontal
airbag inflates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to
the inflating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
passenger frontal airbag inflates
and the passenger seat is in a
forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the
passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
(Continued)
Black plate (49,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Seats and Restraints 3-49
6. If the child restraint has a toptether, follow the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions
regarding the use of the top
tether. See Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑39 for more
information.
7. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it. If the
head restraint was removed,
reinstall it before the seating
position is used. See “Head
Restraint Removal and Reinstallation”
underLower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑39 for additional
information on installing the head
restraint properly.
Securing Child Restraints
(Front Passenger Seat)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑38.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag and seat‐
mounted side impact airbag under
certain conditions. See Passenger
Sensing System on page 3‑26 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑15 for more information,
including important safety
information. A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front.”
This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great if the
airbag deploys.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is
because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
(Continued)
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.