Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
Driving and Operating 229
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making TurnsCaution
Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering. When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear
before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see
Engine Overheating
0 250.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
234 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 235
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 236
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 244
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 245
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 250
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 Battery - North America . . . . . . 255
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 256
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 256
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 257
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
High Intensity Discharge (HID)
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 259
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 260
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 261
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 269
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 286
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
Vehicle Care 247
2.5L L4 Engine
1. Engine Cooling Fans (Outof View)
2. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
3.6L V6 Engine
1. Engine Cooling Fans (Outof View)
2. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can
start up even when the engine is
not running and can cause injury.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts.
They can be very hot and can
burn you. Do not run the engine if
there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an
engine fire and can burn you. Fix
any leak before driving the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. This coolant needs to be
checked and replaced at
appropriate intervals. See
Maintenance Schedule 0320.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating 0250.
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
Vehicle Care 249
3.6L V6 Engine CoolantSurge Tank
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level mark is not
visible, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL coolant at the coolant
surge tank to the top rib on the
middle of the tank, but be sure the
cooling system is cool before this is
done. See Engine Overheating
0 250. The coolant surge tank is in the
engine compartment on the driver
side of the vehicle. See
Engine
Compartment Overview 0238.
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
If no problem is found, check to see
if coolant is visible in the coolant
surge tank. If coolant is visible but
the coolant level is not at the
indicated level mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant at the
coolant surge tank, but be sure the
cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is
cool before you do it.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such
as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. With
plain water or the wrong mixture,
the engine could get too hot but
there would not be an overheat
warning. The engine could catch
fire and you or others could be
burned.
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine
parts can burn you. Coolant
contains ethylene glycol and it will
burn if the engine parts are hot
enough.
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
250 Vehicle Care
Caution
Failure to follow the specific
coolant fill procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and could
cause system damage. If coolant
is not visible in the surge tank,
contact your dealer.
1. Remove the coolant surge tankpressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about
one-quarter of a turn. If you
hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. This will allow any
pressure still left to be vented
out the discharge hose.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the
indicated level mark.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until you
can feel the upper radiator
hose getting hot. Watch out for
the engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the
indicated level mark.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly. 6. Verify coolant level after the
engine is shut off and the
coolant is cold. If necessary,
repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 1–6.
If the coolant still is not at the
proper level when the system
cools down again, see your
dealer.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and engine
damage may occur. Be sure the
cap is properly and tightly
secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of the engine overheating.
The instrument cluster has an
engine coolant temperature gauge
and an engine coolant temperature
warning light.
See Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge 0119 and Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light 0127.
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
Vehicle Care 251
The vehicle may also display a
message on the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance Program
0339.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface. Then
check to see if the engine cooling
fans are running. If the engine is
overheating, the fans should be
running. If they are not, do not
continue to run the engine. Have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak in the engine cooling system.
This can cause a loss of all
coolant and can damage the
system and vehicle. Have any
leaks fixed right away.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.
See Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode 0252 for
information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.
If No Steam Is Coming from
the Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen
or heard, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when the
vehicle: .
Climbs a long hill on a hot day
. Stops after high-speed driving
. Idles for long periods in traffic
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam: 1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the
highest fan speed. Open the
windows as necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral), and let the
engine idle.
If the engine coolant temperature
gauge is no longer in the
overheated area or the engine
coolant temperature warning light no
longer displays, the vehicle can be
driven. Continue to drive the vehicle
slowly for about 10 minutes. Keep a
safe distance from the vehicle in
front. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally
and have the cooling system
checked for proper fill and function.
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
266 Vehicle Care
The vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the fuses, relays, and
features shown.Fuses Usage
F1 Left window
F2 Right window
F3 – Fuses
Usage
F4 Heating ventilation & air conditioning
blower motor
F5 Body control module 2
F6 Electric steering column
F7 – Fuses
Usage
F8 Body control module 3
F9 Engine control module/Battery
F10 Body control module 2 (stop/start)
F11 –
F12 –
F13 –
F14 –
F15 Transmission control module (stop/start)
F16 Amplifier
F17 –
F18 Body control module 7
F19 –
F20 Body control module 1
F21 Body control module 4
Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032549) -
2019 - crc - 8/20/18
Vehicle Care 267
FusesUsage
F22 Body control module 6
F23 Electric steering column lock
F24 Airbag sensing diagnostic module/
Passenger sensing
module
F25 Data link connector
F26 –
F27 AC DC inverter
F28 HID headlamps
F29 Body control module 8
F30 Overhead console
F31 Steering wheel control
F32 –
F33 Heating, ventilation & air conditioning
F34 Communication gateway module Fuses
Usage
F35 Integrated chassis control module
F36 Charger
F37 Auxiliary power outlet/Cigar lighter
F38 OnStar
F39 Display
F40 Obstacle detection
F41 Body control module 1 (stop/start)
F42 Radio
F43 Rear accessory power outlet
F44 Front accessory power outlet
Relays Usage
K1 –
K2 Retained accessory power
K3 –
K4 – Relays
Usage
K5 Logistics