Buick Verano Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085356) - 2016 - crc - 10/19/15
Introduction 3
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result
in serious injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that
could result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that
could result in property or vehicle
damage.
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: Shown when the owner
manual has additional instructions
or information.
*: Shown when the service
manual has additional instructions
or information.
0: Shown when there is more
information on another page —
“see page.”
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
^:Do Not Service
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
`: Do Not Puncture
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gauge
+: Fuses
3:Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
(: Heated Steering Wheel
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
Buick Verano Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085356) - 2016 - crc - 10/19/15
96 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 97
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 97
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . 98
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 98
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 104
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 105
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Charging System Light . . . . . . . 106
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 106
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . 110
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . . 110
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . 112
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 112
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 113
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 113
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . 113
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 113
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Brake System Messages . . . . . 118
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . . 118
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . 118
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . 119
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 120
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . . 120
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 120
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Security Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Transmission Messages . . . . . . 122
Washer Fluid Messages . . . . . . 123
Window Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 123
Buick Verano Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085356) - 2016 - crc - 10/19/15
Instruments and Controls 109
push or go closer to the floor.
It might also take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See
Towing the Vehicle0292.
Electric Parking Brake
Light
The Electric Parking Brake (EPB)
light should come on briefly as the
engine is started. If it does not come
on, have the vehicle serviced by
your dealer.
The parking brake status light
comes on when the brake is
applied. If the light continues
flashing after the parking brake is
released, or while driving, there is a
problem with the EPB system.
A message may also display in the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See
Brake System Messages 0118
for more information.
The brake system warning light will
come on with the electric parking
brake light when the electric parking
brake is applied. Both lights will stay
on until the electric parking brake is
released.
If the light does not come on,
or remains flashing, see your dealer.
If this light comes on, there is a
problem with a system on the
vehicle that is causing the EPB to
work at a reduced level. The vehicle
can still be driven, but should be
taken to a dealer as soon as
possible. See Parking Brake 0201
for more information.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have
the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the ABS light comes on and stays
on while driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off.
Start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light stays on after
driving at a speed above 20 km/h
(13 mph), see your dealer for
service. A chime may also sound
when the light comes on steady.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
Buick Verano Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085356) - 2016 - crc - 10/19/15
Driving and Operating 175
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 179
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 180
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 182
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 186
Ignition Positions (KeylessAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Ignition Positions (Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 196
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 199
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 203
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 208 Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 218
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Trailer Towing (2.0L Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Trailer Towing (Except 2.0L Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Buick Verano Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085356) - 2016 - crc - 10/19/15
178 Driving and Operating
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
. Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
Buick Verano Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085356) - 2016 - crc - 10/19/15
180 Driving and Operating
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0262.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident). .
Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0204.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
Buick Verano Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085356) - 2016 - crc - 10/19/15
Driving and Operating 181
than when on dry pavement.
SeeAntilock Brake System
(ABS) 0201.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0324. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0195.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
Buick Verano Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9085356) - 2016 - crc - 10/19/15
Driving and Operating 201
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has ABS, an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning
Light 0109.
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses the wheels are
slowing down. If one of the wheels
is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at
each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
you steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You may hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate. This is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake