Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9803782) -
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186 Driving and Operating
shift to the next lower gear if the
engine rpm is too high, nor to the
next higher gear when the maximum
engine rpm is reached.
If shifting is prevented for any
reason, a SHIFT DENIED message
will be displayed in the instrument
cluster. SeeTransmission
Messages 0136.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
it is suggested to shift into second
gear. A higher gear allows the
vehicle to gain more traction on
slippery surfaces.Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature always
send engine power to all four
wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system
performance will be automatically
reduced when the compact spare
tire is in use. To restore full AWD
performance, and prevent excessive
wear to the AWD system, replace
the compact spare tire with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
See Compact Spare Tire 0280.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has an Antilock Brake
System (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
may be heard while this test is going
on, and it may 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. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
0 117.
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9803782) -
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Driving and Operating 187
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.
Electric Parking Brake
The Electric Parking Brake (EPB)
can always be activated, even if the
ignition is off. To prevent draining
the battery, avoid repeated cycles of
the EPB when the engine is not
running.
The system has a red parking brake
status light and an amber parking
brake warning light. There are also
parking brake-related Driver
Information Center (DIC) messages.
In case of insufficient electrical
power, the EPB cannot be applied
or released.
Before leaving the vehicle, check
the red parking brake status light to
ensure that the parking brake is
applied.
EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:1. Be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop.
2. Press the EPB switch momentarily.
The red parking brake status light
will flash and then stay on once the
EPB is fully applied. If the red
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9803782) -
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188 Driving and Operating
parking brake status light flashes
continuously, then the EPB is only
partially applied or there is a
problem with the EPB. A DIC
message will display. Release the
EPB and try to apply it again. If the
light does not come on, or keeps
flashing, have the vehicle serviced.
Do not drive the vehicle if the red
parking brake status light is flashing.
See your dealer.
If the amber parking brake warning
light is on, press the EPB switch.
Continue to hold the switch until the
red parking brake status light
remains on. If the amber parking
brake warning light is on, see your
dealer.
If the EPB is applied while the
vehicle is moving, the vehicle will
decelerate as long as the switch is
pressed. If the switch is pressed
until the vehicle comes to a stop,
the EPB will remain applied.
The vehicle may automatically apply
the EPB in some situations when
the vehicle is not moving. This isnormal, and is done to periodically
check the correct operation of the
EPB system.
If the EPB fails to apply, block the
rear wheels to prevent vehicle
movement.
EPB Release
To release the EPB:
1. Place the ignition in the ACC/ ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
position.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Press the EPB switch momentarily .
The EPB is released when the red
parking brake status light is off.
If the amber parking brake warning
light is on, release the EPB by
pressing and holding the EPB
switch. Continue to hold the switch
until the red parking brake status
light is off. If either light stays on
after release is attempted, see your
dealer.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to
drive away. Avoid rapid acceleration
when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake lining life.
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
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192 Driving and Operating
Selective Ride Control
The vehicle may have Selective
Ride Control. The SPORT button is
on the center stack.
Selective Ride Control adapts to the
preference of the driver within one
of two driving modes:
TOUR :Default mode used for
normal and long-distance highway
driving. This setting provides a
smooth, soft ride.
SPORT : Use where road conditions
or personal preference demand
more control. This setting provides
responsive, controlled steering and handling to road conditions through
increased steering effort and
suspension tuning. Press and
release SPORT and the light on the
button comes on. Press the button
again and the system returns to the
Tour Mode.
The setting can be changed at any
time. Based on road conditions,
steering wheel angle, and vehicle
speed, the system automatically
adjusts to provide the best handling
while providing a smooth ride. The
Tour and Sport Modes will feel
similar on a smooth road.
Selective Ride Control automatically
comes on in the Tour Mode when
the vehicle is started. When the
Sport Mode is turned off, the system
returns to the Tour Mode.
Cruise Control
With cruise control the vehicle can
maintain a speed of about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
If equipped with the Traction Control
System (TCS), the system may
begin to limit wheel spin while you
are using cruise control. If this
happens, the cruise control will
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Driving and Operating 199
A message will appear on the DIC
indicating that cruise is disengaging.
The ACC active symbol will not be
displayed when ACC is no longer
active.
Notification to Resume ACC
ACC will maintain a following gap
behind a detected vehicle and slow
your vehicle to a stop behind that
vehicle.
If the stopped vehicle ahead has
driven away and ACC has not
resumed, the vehicle ahead
indicator will flash as a reminder to
check traffic ahead before
proceeding. In addition, the left and
right sides of the Safety Alert Seat
will pulse three times, or three
beeps will sound. See”Alert Type”
and “Go Notifier” in“Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0138.
When the vehicle ahead drives
away, press RES+ or the
accelerator pedal to resume cruise
control. If stopped for more than
two minutes or if the driver door is
opened and the driver safety belt is unbuckled, ACC automatically
applies the Electric Parking Brake
(EPB) to hold the vehicle. The
Electric Parking Brake status light
will turn on. See
Electric Parking
Brake 0187. To resume ACC and
release the EPB, press the
accelerator pedal.
A DIC warning message may
display indicating to shift to P (Park)
before exiting the vehicle. See
Vehicle Messages 0128.
{Warning
If ACC has stopped the vehicle,
and if ACC is disengaged, turned
off, or canceled, the vehicle will
no longer be held at a stop. The
vehicle can move. When ACC is
holding the vehicle at a stop,
always be prepared to manually
apply the brakes.
{Warning
Leaving the vehicle without
placing it in P (Park) can be
dangerous. Do not leave the
vehicle while it is being held at a
stop by ACC. Always place the
vehicle in P (Park) and turn off
the ignition before leaving the
vehicle.
ACC Override
If using the accelerator pedal while
ACC is active, a DIC warning
message will indicate that automatic
braking will not occur. See Vehicle
Messages 0128. ACC will resume
operation when the accelerator
pedal is not being pressed.
{Warning
The ACC will not automatically
apply the brakes if your foot is
resting on the accelerator pedal.
You could crash into a vehicle
ahead of you.
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204 Driving and Operating
Parking Assist
With RPA, and if equipped with FPA,
as the vehicle moves at speeds of
less than 8 km/h (5 mph) the
sensors on the bumpers may detect
objects up to 1.8 m (6 ft) behind the
vehicle and 1.2 m (4 ft) in front of the
vehicle within a zone 25 cm (10 in)
high off the ground and below
bumper level. These detection
distances may be shorter during
warmer or humid weather. Blocked
sensors will not detect objects and
can also cause false detections.
Keep the sensors clean of mud, dirt,
snow, ice, and slush; and clean
sensors after a car wash in freezing
temperatures.
{Warning
The Parking Assist system does
not detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, animals, or objects
located below the bumper or that
are too close or too far from the
vehicle. It is not available at
speeds greater than 8 km/h(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
(5 mph). To prevent injury, death,
or vehicle damage, even with
Parking Assist, always check the
area around the vehicle and
check all mirrors before moving
forward or backing.
The instrument cluster may have a
Parking Assist display with bars that
show“distance to object” and object
location information for RPA, and on
some vehicles, FPA. As the object gets closer, more bars light up and
the bars change color from yellow to
amber to red.
When an object is first detected in
the rear, one beep will be heard
from the rear. When an object is
very close (<0.6 m (2 ft) in the
vehicle rear, or <0.3 m (1 ft) in the
vehicle front), five beeps will sound
from the front or rear depending on
object location. Beeps for FPA are
higher pitched than for RPA.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
If equipped, when the vehicle is
shifted into R (Reverse), RCTA
displays a red warning triangle with
a left or right pointing arrow on the
infotainment display to warn of
traffic coming from the left or right.
This system detects objects coming
from up to 20 m (65 ft) from the left
or right side of the vehicle. When an
object is detected, either three
beeps sound from the left or right,
or three Safety Alert Seat pulses
occur on the left or right side,
depending on the direction of the
detected vehicle.
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Driving and Operating 205
Turning the Features On or Off
Use theXbutton on the center
stack to turn on or off the Front and
Rear Parking Assist and the Rear
Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA). The
indicator light in the button comes
on when the features are on and
turns off when the features have
been disabled.
RCTA can also be turned off
through vehicle personalization. See
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization 0138.
Automatic Parking
Assist (APA)
If equipped, APA searches for and
steers the vehicle into parallel and
perpendicular parking spots. When
using APA, you must still shift gears,
and control the brakes and
accelerator. The Driver Information
Center (DIC) and audible beeps
help to guide parking maneuvers.
{Warning
APA does not apply the brakes.
APA may not detect objects in the
parking space, objects that are
soft or narrow, objects high off the
ground such as flatbed trucks,
or objects below ground level
such as large potholes. Always
verify that the parking space is
appropriate for parking a vehicle.
APA does not respond to changes
in the parking space, such as
movement of an adjacent vehicle,
or a person or object entering the
parking space. APA does not
detect or avoid traffic that is
behind or alongside of the
vehicle. Always be prepared to
stop the vehicle during the
parking maneuver.
Press
Oon the center stack to
enable the system to search for a
parking space that is large enough
and within 1.5 m (5 ft) of the vehicle.
The vehicle speed must be below
30 km/h (18 mph). The system cannot:
.
Detect whether it is a legal
parking space.
. Park exactly lined up with the
vehicle next to it if the spot is
approached at an angle or if the
parking space is angled.
. Park exactly centered in a spot
that is marked too large.
. Always detect short curbs.
If the vehicle is equipped with
perpendicular parking mode, press
and hold
Oduring the search
process to switch the APA parking
mode between perpendicular and
parallel parking.
APA searches for parking spaces to
the right of the vehicle. To search for
a parking space to the left, turn on
the left turn signal.
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212 Driving and Operating
brake pedal as needed. Cruise
control may be disengaged when
the Front Pedestrian Alert occurs.
Automatic Braking
If FPB detects it is about to crash
into a pedestrian directly ahead, and
the brakes have not been applied,
FPB may automatically brake
moderately or brake hard. This can
help to avoid some very low speed
pedestrian crashes or reduce
pedestrian injury. FPB can
automatically brake to detected
pedestrians between 8 km/h (5 mph)
and 80 km/h (50 mph). Automatic
braking levels may be reduced
under certain conditions, such as
higher speeds.
If this happens, Automatic Braking
may engage the Electric Parking
Brake (EPB) to hold the vehicle at a
stop. Release the EPB. A firm press
of the accelerator pedal will also
release Automatic Braking and
the EPB.
{Warning
FPB may alert or automatically
brake the vehicle suddenly in
situations where it is unexpected
and undesired. It could falsely
alert or brake for objects similar in
shape or size to pedestrians,
including shadows. This is normal
operation and the vehicle does
not need service. To override
Automatic Braking, firmly press
the accelerator pedal, if it is safe
to do so.
Automatic Braking can be disabled
through vehicle personalization. See
“Front Pedestrian Detection” in
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization 0138.
{Warning
Using the Front Pedestrian
Braking system while towing a
trailer could cause you to lose
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
control of the vehicle and crash.
Turn the system to Alert or Off
when towing a trailer.
Cleaning the System
If FPB does not seem to operate
properly, cleaning the outside of the
windshield in front of the rearview
mirror may correct the issue.
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA)
If equipped, the SBZA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding crashes that
occur with moving vehicles in the
side blind zone (or spot) areas.
When the vehicle is in a forward
gear, the left or right side mirror
display will light up if a moving
vehicle is detected in that blind
zone. If the turn signal is activated
and a vehicle is also detected on
the same side, the display will flash
as an extra warning not to change
lanes. Since this system is part of