
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
Driving and Operating 195
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 underconditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
The Hill Start Assist (HSA) feature
will activate when the vehicle is
stopped on a moderate to steep
grade to help prevent it from rolling
in an unintended direction. After the
brake pedal has been released and
before the accelerator pedal has
been pressed, HSA uses braking
pressure to hold the vehiclestationary. If HSA is holding the
vehicle, a Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays. HSA will
not activate in a forward drive gear
when facing downhill, or in
R (Reverse) when facing uphill.
Select the duration of the HSA
feature through vehicle
personalization. See
”Extended Hill
Start Assist” under“Comfort and
Convenience” inVehicle
Personalization 0138. When
Standard Hold is selected, the
vehicle is held stationary for up to
two seconds after the brake pedal is
released. When Extended Hold is
selected, the vehicle is held
stationary for up to five minutes
after the brake pedal is released. In
either case, override the hold
feature by pressing the accelerator
pedal and attempting to drive away.
If Standard Hold is selected, it will
hold the vehicle for two seconds
unless the driver door is opened or
the driver seat belt is unbuckled
after releasing the brake pedal.
If Extended Hold is selected, it will
hold the vehicle for five minutes

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
196 Driving and Operating
unless the driver door is opened
and the driver seat belt is unbuckled
prior to releasing the brake pedal.
When deactivated after five minutes,
or if it is deactivated when the driver
seat belt is unlatched or the driver
door is opened, the Electric Parking
Brake will engage to prevent vehicle
movement.
Regenerative Braking
(eAssist)
Regenerative braking takes some of
the energy from the moving vehicle
and turns it back into electrical
energy. This energy is then stored
back into the high voltage battery
system, contributing to increased
energy efficiency.
The hydraulic disc brakes work with
the regenerative braking to ensure
effective braking, such as when a
high braking demand is requested.
The braking system is computer
controlled and blends the
regenerative braking with the
conventional hydraulic disc brakes
to meet any requirements fordeceleration. The controller
interprets the braking request and
uses regenerative braking,
conventional hydraulic braking, or a
combination of both as necessary.
Because the hydraulic braking
system uses an electronic booster
for boost assist on demand, under
certain conditions a motor noise
may be heard. This is normal
operation.
See
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators 0113 and Driver
Information Center (DIC) 0131. In
the event of a controller problem,
the brake pedal may be harder to
push and the stopping distance may
be longer.
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
These systems help limit wheel slip
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any
of the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
Driving and Operating 199
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.
The Traction Control System (TCS)
may begin to limit wheel spin while
you are using cruise control. If this
happens, the cruise control will automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control
0196. If a collision alert
occurs when cruise control is
activated, cruise control is
disengaged. See Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) System 0214. When
road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, cruise control can be
turned back on.
Cruise control will disengage if
either TCS or StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) is turned off.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
Driving and Operating 201
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previously set cruise speed. While
pressing the accelerator pedal or
shortly following the release to
override cruise control, briefly
pressing SET−will result in cruise
set to the current vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your
speed. When going downhill, you
might have to brake or shift to a
lower gear to keep your speed
down. If the brake pedal is applied,
cruise control will disengage.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control: .
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
. To turn off cruise control,
press
5.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is pressed
or the ignition is turned off.
Adaptive Cruise Control
If equipped with Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), it allows for selecting
the cruise control set speed and
following gap. Read this entire
section before using this system.
ACC uses a radar sensor to detect
other vehicles. See Radio
Frequency Statement 0345. The
following gap is the following time
(or distance) between your vehicle
and a vehicle detected directly
ahead in your path, moving in the same direction. If no vehicle is
detected in your path, ACC works
like regular cruise control.
If a vehicle is detected in your path,
ACC can speed up the vehicle or
apply limited, moderate braking to
maintain the selected following gap.
To disengage ACC, apply the brake.
If the Traction Control System (TCS)
or StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system activates
while ACC is engaged, ACC may
automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control
0196. When road
conditions allow ACC to be safely
used, ACC can be turned back on.
ACC will not engage if the TCS or
StabiliTrak/ESC system is disabled.
{Warning
ACC has limited braking ability
and may not have time to slow
the vehicle down enough to avoid
a collision with another vehicle
you are following. This can occur
when vehicles suddenly slow or
(Continued)

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
202 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
stop ahead, or enter your lane.
Also see“Alerting the Driver” in
this section. Complete attention is
always required while driving and
you should be ready to take
action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving 0166.
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake for
children, pedestrians, animals,
or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
. On winding and hilly roads
or when the sensors are
blocked by snow, ice, or dirt.
The system may not detect
a vehicle ahead. Keep the
entire front of the vehicle
clean.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Visibility is low, such as in
fog, rain, or snow
conditions. ACC
performance is limited under
these conditions.
. On slippery roads where
fast changes in tire traction
can cause excessive
wheel slip.
5:Press to turn the system on or
off. The indicator turns white on the
instrument cluster when ACC is
turned on.
RES+ : Press the control up briefly
to make the vehicle resume to a
previously set speed, or hold
upwards to accelerate. If cruise
control is already engaged, use to
increase vehicle speed.
SET– :Press the control down
briefly to set the speed and activate
cruise control. If cruise control is
already engaged, use to decrease
vehicle speed.
*: Press to disengage ACC
without erasing the selected set
speed.
[: Press to select a following gap
time (or distance) setting for ACC of
Far, Medium, or Near.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0114.
The increment value used depends
on the units displayed.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
Driving and Operating 203
Setting Adaptive Cruise Control
If
5is on when not in use, it could
get pressed and go into ACC when
not desired. Keep
5off when
cruise is not being used.
Select the set speed desired for
ACC. This is the vehicle speed
when no vehicle is detected in
its path.
ACC will not set at a speed less
than 25 km/h (16 mph), although it
can be resumed when driving at
lower speeds.
To set ACC:
1. Press
5.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET–.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator.
After ACC is set, it may immediately
apply the brakes if a vehicle ahead
is detected closer than the selected
following gap.
The ACC indicator displays on the
instrument cluster and Head-Up
Display (HUD). When ACC is active,
the indicator will be lit green.
Be mindful of speed limits,
surrounding traffic speeds, and
weather conditions when selecting
the set speed.
Resuming a Set Speed
If ACC is set at a desired speed and
then the brakes are applied, ACC is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory.
To begin using ACC again, press
RES+ up briefly. The vehicle returns
to the previously set speed. Increasing Speed While ACC is at
a Set Speed
Do one of the following:
.
Use the accelerator to get to the
higher speed. Press SET– down.
Release the control and the
accelerator pedal. The vehicle
will now cruise at the higher
speed.
When the accelerator pedal is
pressed, ACC will not brake
because it is overridden.
A warning message will appear
on the Driver Information Center
(DIC) and Head-Up
Display (HUD).
. Press and hold RES+ up until
the desired set speed appears
on the display, then release it.
. To increase vehicle speed in
small increments, briefly press
RES+. For each press, the
vehicle speed increases to the
next 5 km/h (1 mph) mark on the
speedometer.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
Driving and Operating 205
Approaching and Following a
Vehicle
The vehicle ahead indicator is in the
instrument cluster and HUD display.
The vehicle ahead indicator only
displays when a vehicle is detected
in your vehicle’s path moving in the
same direction.
If this indicator is not displaying,
ACC will not respond to or brake to
vehicles ahead.
ACC automatically slows the vehicle
down and adjusts vehicle speed to
follow the vehicle in front at the
selected following gap. The vehicle
speed increases or decreases to
follow the vehicle in front of you, but
will not exceed the set speed. It may
apply limited braking, if necessary.
When braking is active, the brake
lamps will come on. The automaticbraking may feel or sound different
than if the brakes were applied
manually. This is normal.
Stationary or Very Slow-Moving
Objects
{Warning
ACC may not detect and react to
stopped or slow-moving vehicles
ahead of you. For example, the
system may not brake for a
vehicle it has never detected
moving. This can occur in
stop-and-go traffic or when a
vehicle suddenly appears due to
a vehicle ahead changing lanes.
Your vehicle may not stop and
could cause a crash. Use caution
when using ACC. Your complete
attention is always required while
driving and you should be ready
to take action and apply the
brakes.
ACC Automatically Disengages
ACC may automatically disengage
and the driver will need to manually
apply the brakes to slow the
vehicle if:
.
The sensors are blocked.
. The Traction Control System
(TCS) or StabiliTrak/ESC system
has activated or been disabled.
. There is a fault in the system.
. The radar falsely reports
blockage when driving in a
desert or remote area with no
other vehicle or roadside
objects. A DIC message may
display to indicate that ACC is
temporarily unavailable.
A message will appear on the DIC
indicating that cruise is disengaging.
The ACC indicator will turn white
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.

Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
206 Driving and Operating
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 “Adaptive Cruise Go Notifier” in
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle 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 seat 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 0193. To release the EPB,
press the accelerator pedal.
A DIC warning message may
display indicating to shift to P (Park)
before exiting the vehicle.{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. 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.
Curves in the Road
{Warning
On curves, ACC may not detect a
vehicle ahead in your lane. You
could be startled if the vehicle
accelerates up to the set speed,
especially when following a
vehicle exiting or entering exit
ramps. You could lose control of
the vehicle or crash. Do not use
ACC while driving on an entrance
or exit ramp. Always be ready to
use the brakes if necessary.