Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
140 Instruments and Controls
Climate and Air Quality
Select and the following may be
displayed:
.Auto Fan Max Speed
. Air Quality Sensor
. Auto Defog
. Auto Rear Defog
Auto Fan Max Speed
This feature will set the maximum
auto fan speed.
Select Low, Medium, or High.
Air Quality Sensor
This feature may operate the
recirculation mode automatically.
Select Off, Low Sensitivity, or High
Sensitivity.
Auto Defog
When set to On, the front defog will
automatically react to temperature
and humidity conditions that may
cause fogging.
Select Off or On. Auto Rear Defog
If equipped, this allows the Auto
Rear Defog to be turned on or off.
This feature will automatically turn
on the rear window defogger when it
is cold outside.
Select Off or On.
Collision/Detection Systems
Select and the following may be
displayed:
.
Alert Type
. Auto Collision Preparation
. Go Notifier
. Side Blind Zone Alert
. Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Alert Type
This feature allows the alert type to
be changed for the Safety
Alert Seat.
Select Beeps or Safety Alert Seat.
Auto Collision Preparation
This feature will turn on or off the
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) and
Front Automatic Braking (FAB). The Off setting disables all FCA and
FAB functions. With the Alert &
Brake setting, both FCA and FAB
are available. The Alert setting
disables FAB, but some last-second
automatic braking capability is still
provided, though less likely to occur.
See
Front Automatic Braking (FAB)
System 0210.
Select Off, Alert and Brake, or Alert.
Go Notifier
This feature will give a reminder that
Adaptive Cruise Control provides
when it has brought the vehicle to a
complete stop behind another
stopping vehicle, and then that
vehicle drives on.
Select Off or On.
See Adaptive Cruise Control 0197.
Side Blind Zone Alert
Select Off or On. See Side Blind
Zone Alert (SBZA) 0211.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Select Off or On. See Assistance
Systems for Parking or
Backing 0205.
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
Climate Controls 157
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic ClimateControl System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Maintenance
Air Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled with
this system.
1. Driver and Passenger
Temperature Controls
2. Heated and Ventilated Front Seats 3. Fan Control
4. Air Delivery Mode Controls
5. Defrost
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
158 Climate Controls
6. SYNC (SynchronizedTemperature)
7. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
8. Rear Window Defogger
9. Recirculation/Auto Recirculation
10. A/C (Air Conditioning)
11. Power
Climate Control Influence on
eAssist Operation and Fuel
Economy (If Equipped)
The climate control system depends
on other vehicle systems for heat
and power input. Certain climate
control settings can lead to higher
fuel usage and/or fewer auto stops.
The following are climate control
settings that use more fuel:
. Comfort air conditioning mode.
. The defrost mode.
. Extreme temperature settings,
such as 15 °C (60 °F) or 32 °C
(90 °F).
. High fan speed settings. To help reduce fuel usage:
.
Use the full automatic control as
described under “Automatic
Operation” following.
. Select a temperature setting that
is higher in hot weather and
lower in cold weather.
. Turn off the air conditioning
when it is not needed.
. Only use defrost to clear the
windows.
Automatic Operation
The system automatically controls
the fan speed, air delivery, air
conditioning, and recirculation in
order to heat or cool the vehicle to
the desired temperature.
When the AUTO indicator light is
on, the system is in full automatic
operation. If the air delivery mode,
fan speed, recirculation, or air
conditioning setting is adjusted, the
AUTO indicator turns off and the
selected settings will appear on the
display. To place the system in
automatic mode:
1. Press AUTO.
2. Set the temperature. Allow the system time to stabilize. Adjust
the temperature as needed for
best comfort.
To improve fuel efficiency and to
cool the vehicle faster, recirculation
may be automatically selected in
warm weather. The recirculation
light will not come on. Press
@to
select recirculation; press it again to
select outside air.
Q/R(Driver and Passenger
Temperature Controls) : The
temperature can be adjusted
separately for the driver and the
passenger. Press to increase or
decrease the temperature.
SYNC (Synchronized
Temperature) : Press to link all
climate zone settings to the driver
settings. The SYNC indicator light
will turn on. When the passenger
settings are adjusted, the SYNC
indicator light is off.
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
Climate Controls 159
Manual Operation
O(Power) :Press to turn the fan off
or on.
Q 9/9R(Fan Control) : Press to
increase or decrease the fan speed.
The fan speed setting appears on
the main display. Pressing either
button cancels automatic fan control
and the fan is controlled manually.
Press AUTO to return to automatic
operation.
Air Delivery Mode Controls :
Press
X,Y, or[to change the
direction of the airflow. The current
mode appears in the display screen.
Pressing either button cancels
automatic air delivery control and
the direction of the airflow is
controlled manually. Press AUTO to
return to automatic operation.
To change the current mode, select
one of the following:
X(Defog) : Clears the windows of
fog or moisture. Air is directed to the
windshield and floor outlets.
Y(Vent) : Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
[(Floor) : Air is directed to the
floor outlets.
0MAX (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 window 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 A/C (For eAssist Vehicles) :
Press to cycle between the off, eco
and comfort air conditioning modes.
The indicator will be lit green in eco,
amber in comfort, and turns off
when there is no A/C function. If the
fan is turned off, the A/C will not run.
The eco A/C 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. This setting allows
higher humidity inside the vehicle
and window fogging before the
engine restarts.
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 163
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 168
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 168
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 170
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 174
Ignition Positions (KeylessAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Ignition Positions (Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 186
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 192
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 194
Selective Ride Control . . . . . . . . 194
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 197
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 204
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 205
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Front Automatic Braking (FAB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 211
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 216
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
176 Driving and Operating
3. Come to a complete stop, shiftto P (Park), and turn the
ignition to OFF. On vehicles
with an automatic transmission,
the shift lever must be in
P (Park) to turn the ignition
switch to the OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake 0190.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold the ENGINE START/
STOP button for longer than
two seconds, or press twice in
five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber
Indicator Light) : This mode allows
you to use some electrical
accessories when the engine is off. With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after
five minutes to prevent battery
rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) :
This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and
the brake pedal applied, pressing
the button once will place the
ignition system in ON/RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins,
release the button. Engine cranking
will continue until the engine starts.
See Starting the Engine 0178. The
ignition will then remain in ON/RUN.
Service Only Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and
the brake pedal not applied,
pressing and holding the button for
more than five seconds will place the vehicle in Service Only Mode.
The instruments and audio systems
will operate as they do in ON/RUN,
but the vehicle will not be able to be
driven. The engine will not start in
Service Only Mode. Press the
button again to turn the vehicle off.
Ignition Positions (Key
Access)
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
180 Driving and Operating
eAssist Automatic Engine
Start/Stop
{Warning
Exiting the vehicle without first
shifting into P (Park) may cause
the vehicle to move. You or others
may be injured. Because the
vehicle has the automatic engine
start/stop feature, the vehicle's
engine might seem to be shut off;
however, once the brake pedal is
released, the engine will start up
again.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF, before
exiting the vehicle.
Vehicles with eAssist have an
automatic engine start/stop feature.
After the engine is started and has
reached operating temperature, the
auto stop feature may cause the
engine to turn off when the brakes
are applied and the vehicle comes
to a complete stop. The vehicle may
remain in auto stop for up to
two minutes. When the brake is released or the accelerator pedal
applied, the engine will start. The
engine will continue to run until the
next auto stop.
AUTO STOP on the tachometer
signifies that the engine is in auto
stop mode. See
Tachometer0109.
When the vehicle is turned off, the
tachometer will move to OFF. If the
driver door is opened while in auto
stop mode, a chime will sound.
To restart the engine during auto
stop, release the brake pedal or
press the accelerator pedal. The
engine starts immediately. The
vehicle continues to run until the
next stop.
There are several conditions that
may prevent an auto stop or cause
an auto start.
The Engine Will Remain
Running When:
. The engine, transmission,
or high voltage battery is not
warmed up yet.
. The outside temperature is less
than −20 °C (−4 °F). .
The air conditioning or defrost
system need the compressor to
maintain interior comfort. See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0157 When it is very
warm or humid, the system may
not be able to shut the engine off
while maintaining interior
comfort. To maximize fuel
economy, use the eco air
conditioning mode.
. The shift lever is in P (Park),
N (Neutral), R (Reverse),
or M (Manual Mode).
. The high voltage battery pack
charge is low.
. The hood is not fully closed.
. Brake pedal pressure is low.
. If the malfunction indicator lamp
is on, auto stop may be
prevented.
. High humidity is detected.
The Engine Will Restart When:
. The brake pedal is released.
. The accelerator pedal is applied.
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 181
.Shifting out of D (Drive) to any
other gear.
. The air conditioning or defrost
system need the compressor to
maintain interior comfort. See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0157. The warmer it is
outside, the shorter the time
before the engine is restarted to
provide interior cooling. To
maximize fuel economy, use the
eco air conditioning mode.
. The climate control system is
turned from off to normal air
conditioning or defrost. See Dual
Automatic Climate Control
System 0157.
. The engine is required to run for
either heater or climate control
performance. See Dual
Automatic Climate Control
System 0157.
. The high voltage battery pack
charge is low and requires
recharging.
. Auto stop time is greater than
two minutes.
. The hood is opened.Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater,
if available, can help in cold weather
conditions at or below −18 °C (0 °F)
for easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the coolant heater at least
four hours before starting the
vehicle. An internal thermostat in
the plug end of the cord will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above −18 °C (0 °F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord.
3.6L V6 Engine
The electrical cord is on the
driver side of the engine
compartment, between the
fender and the engine
compartment fuse block on
vehicles with a 6-cylinder
engine.