Page 1 of 422

Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
2013 Buick LaCrosse Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
eAssist Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Performance and
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-39
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-45
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
Trademarks and License Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-32 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-14
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-27
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-34
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-40
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-57
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
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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.
Page 159 of 422

Black plate (5,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Lighting 6-5
To turn on the fog lamps, the ignition
and the headlamps or parking lamps
must be on.
If the fog lamps are turned on while
the exterior lamp switch is in the
AUTO position, the headlamps
come on automatically.
#(Fog Lamps):Press to turn on
or off. An indicator light on the
instrument cluster comes on when
the fog lamps are on.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on
along with the fog lamps.
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
The brightness of the instrument
panel lighting and steering wheel
controls can be adjusted.
D(Instrument Panel
Illumination): Move and hold the
thumbwheel up or down to brighten
or dim the lights.
Dome Lamps
The interior lamps control located in
the overhead console controls both
the front and rear interior lamps.
To operate:
((Off): Turns the lamps off.
H(Door): Turns the lamps on
when any door is opened.
'(On): Keeps the lamps on all
the time.
The interior lamps turn on
automatically if the airbags are
deployed.
Page 160 of 422

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.