
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
Vehicle Care 247
engine protection operating mode.
The temperature gauge also
indicates an overheat condition
exists. Driving extended distances
and/or towing a trailer in the
overheat protection mode should be
avoided.
Power Steering Fluid
(2.4L L4 Engine and 3.6L
V6 Engine with FWD)
The vehicle has electric power
steering and does not use power
steering fluid.
Power Steering Fluid
(3.6L V6 Engine
with AWD)
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
0 231 for information on the location
of the power steering fluid reservoir.
When to Check Power Steering
Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly
check power steering fluid unless a
leak is suspected in the system or
an unusual noise is heard. A fluid
loss in this system could indicate a
problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
How to Check Power Steering
Fluid
Check the level when the engine
is cool.
To check the power steering fluid:
1. Wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean.
2. Unscrew the cap and pull it straight up.
3. Wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
4. Replace the cap and completely tighten it.
5. Remove the cap again and look at the fluid level on the
dipstick.The fluid level should be between
MIN and MAX on the dipstick.
What to Use
To determine what kind of fluid to
use, see Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0323. Always use the
proper fluid.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid is
needed, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. If operating the vehicle in an
area where the temperature may fall

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
258 Vehicle Care
When the current electrical load is
too heavy, the circuit breaker opens
and closes, protecting the circuit
until the current load returns to
normal or the problem is fixed. This
greatly reduces the chance of circuit
overload and fire caused by
electrical problems.
Fuses and circuit breakers protect
power devices in the vehicle.
Replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size and rating.
If there is a problem on the road and
a fuse needs to be replaced, the
same amperage fuse can be
borrowed. Choose some feature of
the vehicle that is not needed to use
and replace it as soon as possible.
Headlamp Wiring
An electrical overload may cause
the lamps to go on and off, or in
some cases to remain off. Have the
headlamp wiring checked right away
if the lamps go on and off or
remain off.
Windshield Wipers
If the wiper motor overheats due to
heavy snow or ice, the windshield
wipers will stop until the motor cools
and will then restart.
Although the circuit is protected
from electrical overload, overload
due to heavy snow or ice may
cause wiper linkage damage.
Always clear ice and heavy snow
from the windshield before using the
windshield wipers.
If the overload is caused by an
electrical problem and not snow or
ice, be sure to get it fixed.
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers
The wiring circuits in the vehicle are
protected from short circuits by a
combination of fuses and circuit
breakers. This greatly reduces the
chance of damage caused by
electrical problems.To check a fuse, look at the
silver-colored band inside the fuse.
If the band is broken or melted,
replace the fuse. Be sure to replace
a bad fuse with a new one of the
identical size and rating.
Fuses of the same amperage can
be temporarily borrowed from
another fuse location, if a fuse goes
out. Replace the fuse as soon as
possible.
To identify and check fuses, circuit
breakers, and relays, see
Engine
Compartment Fuse Block 0259 and
Instrument Panel Fuse Block 0262.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
358 Index
Driving (cont'd)Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 116
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 258
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Emergency OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Energy Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 231
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Engine (cont'd)
Coolant Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Cooling System Messages . . . 132
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Overheated Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 186
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 343
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 148
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 149
F
Features
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 151
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
FlexFuel
E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 239
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Front Automatic Braking (FAB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159288) - 2016 - CRC - 10/5/15
362 Index
Oil (cont'd)Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . 77
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . 333
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
OnStar
®Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
OnStar
®Connections . . . . . . . . . . . 347
OnStar®Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
OnStar®Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
OnStar®Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
OnStar®Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
OnStar®Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Operating Mode
Overheated EngineProtection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . . . 340
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . 246
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
P
Park
Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Parking
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 252
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 185
Parking or Backing Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 205
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . 71
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . 228
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 183
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Pregnancy, Using Safety Belts . . . 64 Privacy
Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . 342
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . 336
Proposition 65 Warning,
California . . . . . . . . . 227, 250, 297, 298
R
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . 341
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Rear Window Sunshade . . . . . . . . . 47
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 301
Reimbursement Program,
GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257