Buick 2005 LaCrosse User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-10
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-31
Airbag System ......................................... 1-51
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-65
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks ...................................... 2-10
Windows ................................................. 2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-21
Mirrors .................................................... 2-32
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-34
HomeLink
®
Transmitter ............................. 2-36
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-40
Sunroof .................................................. 2-42
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-21
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-30
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-47
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-79
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-34
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-43
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-45
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-51
Tires ...................................................... 5-52
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-78
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-86
Electrical System ...................................... 5-87
Capacities and Specifications ..................... 5-92
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-10
Index ................................................................ 1
2005 Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK,
and the BUICK Emblem are registered trademarks, and
the name LACROSSE is a trademark of General
Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without notice. For vehicles first sold in
Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada
Limited” for Buick Motor Division whenever it appears
in this manual.
Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is
needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is
sold, leave this manual in the vehicle.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they first receive their new vehicle. If this
is done, it can help you learn about the features
and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work
together in the owner manual to explain things.
Index
A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 05LACROSSE A First Edition
©
2004 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. We
use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about things
that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you do not,
you or others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Do Not,”
“Do Not do this” or “Do Not
let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors
or in different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle 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,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage, or indicator, reference the
following topics:
•Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
•Features and Controls in Section 2
•Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
•Climate Controls in Section 3
•Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
•Audio System(s) in Section 3
•Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:
v

✍NOTES
vi

Front Seats ......................................................1-3
Manual Seats ................................................1-3
Six-Way Power Seats .....................................1-4
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-4
Heated Seats .................................................1-5
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-5
Head Restraints .............................................1-7
Center Seat ...................................................1-7
Rear Seats .......................................................1-8
Split Folding Rear Seat ...................................1-8
Safety Belts ...................................................1-10
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-10
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-14
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-15
Driver Position ..............................................1-15
Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment .....................1-22
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-23
Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-23
Center Front Passenger Position .....................1-24
Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-25
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ....................1-27
Safety Belt Pretensioners ...............................1-30
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-30
Child Restraints .............................................1-31
Older Children ..............................................1-31
Infants and Young Children ............................1-33
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-37
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-40
Top Strap ....................................................1-41
Top Strap Anchor Location .............................1-43
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) ...........................1-43
Securing a Child Restraint Designed
for the LATCH System ...............................1-45
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position ............................................1-46
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Front Seat Position ....................................1-48
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position ....................................1-48
Airbag System ...............................................1-51
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-53
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-56
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-57
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-57
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-58
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Passenger Sensing System ............................1-60
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-64
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-64
Restraint System Check ..................................1-65
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-65
Replacing Restraint System Parts After a
Crash ......................................................1-65
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-2

Front Seats
Manual Seats
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
Lift the bar located under
the front seat cushion to
unlock the seat.
Slide the seat to the desired position and release the
bar. Try to move the seat back and forth to make sure it
is locked in place.
1-3

Six-Way Power Seats
If your vehicle has power seats, the controls are located
on the outboard sides of the seat cushions.
•To move the entire seat forward or rearward, move
the control forward or rearward.
•To raise or lower the entire seat, move the control
up or down.
•To raise or lower the front of the seat, move the
front of the control up or down.
•To raise or lower the rear of the seat, move the
rear of the control up or down.
Power Lumbar
Your vehicle may have power lumbar. The control is
located on the outboard side of the driver’s seat cushion.
Press the front of the control to increase lumbar
support. Press the rear of the control to decrease
lumbar support.
Keep in mind that as your seating position changes, as
it may during long trips, so should the position of
your lumbar support. Adjust the seat as needed.
1-4

Heated Seats
If your vehicle has this
feature, the buttons are
located on the climate
control panel.
Press the button once to activate a high heat setting.
Both indicator lights above the button will come on.
Press the button again to select a lower temperature
setting. Only one indicator light will come on. Press the
button a third time to turn the heat off.
This feature only works when the ignition is on.
Reclining Seatbacks
Lift the lever located on the outboard side of the seat to
release the seatback, then move the seatback to the
desired position. Release the lever to lock the seatback
in place.
1-5

But do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts can not do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can not do its job because it
will not be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can not do its job either. In a
crash the belt could go up over your abdomen.
The belt forces would be there, not at your
pelvic bones. This could cause serious
internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
1-6

Head Restraints
Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of the occupant’s head in each
front seat. This position reduces the chance of a neck
injury in a crash. Push the release button, located under
the head restraint, to lower the head restraint.
Center Seat
Your vehicle may have a front center seat. This seat
can be converted to a storage area by lowering
the armrest. See Center Console Storage Area on
page 2-41.
For information on safety belts for this position, see
Center Front Passenger Position on page 1-24.
1-7

Rear Seats
Split Folding Rear Seat
If your vehicle has this feature, both sides of the rear
seatback can be folded down in the vehicle. Make sure
the front seat is not reclined. If it is, the rear seatback
may not fold down all the way.
To lower the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Disconnect the rear center lap-shoulder belt latch, if
equipped, by using a pointed object to press the
release button.
2. Pull forward on the
seatback tab located
on the outboard side
of the rear seat
cushion to fold the
seatback down.
This gives direct access to the trunk.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it
is locked.
1-8

{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide
the protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.
To raise the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Raise the seatback up and make sure it latches.
Push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked in position.
2. Reconnect the center
safety belt latch plate
to the buckle.
Make sure the safety belt label is pointing to the release
button, and that both are facing the front of the
vehicle. Make sure the belt is not twisted. Push and pull
on the latch plate to be sure it is secure.
When the seat is not in use, the seatback should be
kept in the upright, locked position.
1-9

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she can not
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passengers’ belts are
fastened properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up. See
Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-32.
1-10

In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
says to wear safety belts. Here is why: They work.
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of
them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter...a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat
on wheels.
1-11

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
does not stop.
1-12

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel...
1-13

or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident
if I am wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you are upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts — not instead of them. Every airbag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has
airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
1-14