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
Black plate (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Introduction iii
The names, logos, emblems,
slogans, vehicle model names, and
vehicle body designs appearing in
this manual including, but not limited
to, GM, the GM logo, BUICK, the
BUICK Emblem, and LACROSSE
are trademarks and/or service
marks of General Motors LLC, its
subsidiaries, affiliates, or licensors.
This manual describes features that
may or may not be on your specific
vehicle either because they are
options that you did not purchase or
due to changes subsequent to the
printing of this owner manual.
Please refer to the purchase
documentation relating to your
specific vehicle to confirm each of
the features found on your vehicle.For vehicles first sold in Canada,
substitute the name
“General
Motors of Canada Limited” for Buick
Motor Division wherever it appears
in this manual.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for
quick reference.
Canadian Vehicle Owners
Propriétaires Canadiens
A French language manual can be
obtained from your dealer, at
www.helminc.com, or from:
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de
ce guide en français auprès du
concessionnaire ou à l'adresse
savant:
Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about
the vehicle, use the Index in the
back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the
manual and the page number where
it can be found.
Danger, Warnings, and
Cautions
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result in
serious injury or death.
Warning orCaution indicates a
hazard that could result in injury or
death.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 22771249 B Second Printing©2012 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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 (3,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
In Brief 1-3
1.Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑4 (If
Equipped).
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑5.
Head-Up Display (HUD) on
page 5‑29 (If Equipped).
2. Air Vents on page 8‑6.
3. Turn and Lane-Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑4.
Driver Information Center
Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑25.
4. Instrument Cluster on page 5‑9.
Driver Information Center
Display. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑25.
5. Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑3.
6. Infotainment Display Screen.
7. Infotainment. See infotainment system manual. 8. Hood Release. See
Hood on
page 10‑5.
9. Front Storage on page 4‑1.
10. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑16.
11. Cruise Control on page 9‑37.
12. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
13. Horn on page 5‑3.
14. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2 (If Equipped).
15. Ignition Positions (Keyless
Access) on page 9‑15 or
Ignition Positions (Key Access)
on page 9‑17.
16. Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats on page 3‑8 (If
Equipped).
17. Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1.
18. Parking Brake on page 9‑32. 19. Shift Lever Position Indicator.
SeeAutomatic Transmission
on page 9‑27.
20. Shift Lever. See Shifting Into
Park on page 9‑24.
21. Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑34.
StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑35 (If Equipped).
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑40.
Rear Window Sunshade on
page 2‑19 (If Equipped).
22. Power Door Locks on
page 2‑10.
Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑4.
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑26.
Black plate (5,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
In Brief 1-5
When the engine starts, the parking
lamps will turn on and remain on as
long as the engine is running. The
doors will be locked and the climate
control system may come on.
The engine will continue to run for
10 minutes. Repeat the steps for a
10-minute time extension. Remote
start can be extended only once.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do one of
the following:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold
/
until the parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the vehicle on and then off.
See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑8.
Door Locks
To lock or unlock the doors:
.From inside the vehicle, use the
door lock knob or the power
door lock controls, pull once on
the door handle to unlock it, and
a second time to open it.
.From outside, use the key,
or press
QorKon the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
See Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation on
page 2‑3.
See Door Locks on page 2‑9.
Power Door Locks
The power door lock controls are on
the front door panels.
K:Press to unlock the doors.
Q:Press to lock the doors.
See Power Door Locks on
page 2‑10.
Trunk Release
To open the trunk, pressVon the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter, or press the touch pad
above the license plate. See Trunk
on page 2‑11.
Windows
Press the switch to lower the
window. Pull the switch up to
raise it.
See Power Windows on page 2‑17.
Black plate (22,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
1-22 In Brief
Performance and
Maintenance
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The traction control system limits
wheel spin. The system turns on
automatically every time the vehicle
is started.
.To turn off traction control, press
and release the Traction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak button
located on the console to the
right of the shift lever.
i
illuminates and the appropriate
DIC message is displayed. See
Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑37.
.Press and release the TCS/
StabiliTrak button again to turn
on traction control.
For more information, see Traction
Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑34.
StabiliTrak®System
The StabliTrak system assists with
directional control of the vehicle in
difficult driving conditions. The
system turns on automatically every
time the vehicle is started.
.To turn off both TCS and
StabiliTrak, press and hold the
TCS/StabiliTrak button, located
on the console to the right of the
shift lever, until
iandg
illuminate and the appropriate
DIC message is displayed. See
Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑37.
.Press and release the TCS/
StabiliTrak button to turn on both
systems.
For more information, see
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑35.
Tire Pressure Monitor
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The low tire pressure warning light
alerts to a significant loss in
pressure of one of the vehicle's
tires. If the warning light comes on,
stop as soon as possible and inflate
the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9‑10.
The warning light will remain on until
the tire pressure is corrected.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
may be an early indicator that the
Black plate (1,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-1
Keys, Doors, and
Windows
Keys and Locks
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Doors
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Vehicle Security
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Vehicle Alarm System . . . . . . . 2-12
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Immobilizer Operation (Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Immobilizer Operation (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Interior Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror . . . . . . 2-16
Automatic Dimming RearviewMirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Windows
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Rear Window Sunshade . . . . . 2-19
Roof
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Keys and Locks
Keys
{WARNING
Leaving children in a vehicle with
an ignition key or Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter is
dangerous and children or others
could be seriously injured or
killed. They could operate the
power window or other controls or
make the vehicle move. The
windows will function with the key
in the ignition or with the RKE
transmitter in the vehicle, and
children or others could be caught
in the path of a closing window.
Do not leave children in a vehicle
with the ignition key or an RKE
transmitter.
Black plate (9,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9
A maximum of two remote starts or
remote start attempts are allowed
between ignition cycles.
The vehicle's ignition must be
turned on and then back off before
the remote start procedure can be
used again.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do any of
the following:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold
/
until the parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the vehicle on and then off.
Conditions in Which Remote Start
Will Not Work
The remote start will not operate if:
.The key is in the ignition (key
access) or the ignition is in any
position other than OFF (keyless
access).
.The transmitter is in the vehicle
(keyless access).
.The hood is not closed.
.The hazard warning flashers
are on.
.There is an emission control
system malfunction.
.The engine coolant temperature
is too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Two remote vehicle starts have
already been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
vehicle. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when slowing or stopping the
vehicle. Lock the doors to
help prevent this from
happening.