Buick 2009 Enclave User manual

Seats and Restraint System ............................. 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts .............................................. 1-8
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-29
Airbag System ......................................... 1-53
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-68
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-9
Windows ................................................. 2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-21
Mirrors .................................................... 2-35
Object Detection Systems .......................... 2-37
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-39
Universal Home Remote System ................ 2-43
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-47
Sunroof .................................................. 2-48
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) ....................................... 3-82
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle ....... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-26
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under
the Hood ............................................. 5-10
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-46
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-49
Windshield Replacement ........................... 5-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-53
Tires ...................................................... 5-54
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-90
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-98
Electrical System ...................................... 5-99
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-106
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-15
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy ........... 7-17
Index ................................................................ 1
2009 Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK, the
BUICK Emblem, and the name LACROSSE are
registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. GM reserves the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles
first sold in Canada, substitute the name “General
Motors of Canada Limited” for Buick Motor Division
wherever it appears in this manual.
This manual describes features that may or may not be
on your specific vehicle.
Read this manual from beginning to end to learn about
the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures, symbols,
and words work together to explain vehicle operation.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer/retailer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
helminc.com
Propriétaires Canadiens
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français
auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante:
Helm Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
helminc.com
Index
To quickly locate information about the vehicle use 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. 25783630 A First Printing
©
2008 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
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.”
A box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about
things that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore
the warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid
or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle.
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
Many times, this damage would not be covered by the
vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice
tells what to do to help avoid the damage.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle which 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.
M:This symbol is shown when you need to see your
owner manual for additional instructions or information.
*:This symbol is shown when you need to see a
service manual for additional instructions or information.
iii

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)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar
®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
iv

Front Seats ......................................................1-2
Power Seats ..................................................1-2
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-3
Heated Seats .................................................1-3
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-4
Head Restraints .............................................1-6
Center Seat ...................................................1-7
Rear Seats .......................................................1-7
Split Folding Rear Seat ...................................1-7
Safety Belts .....................................................1-8
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone .................1-8
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-13
Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-22
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-27
Lap Belt ......................................................1-28
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-29
Child Restraints .............................................1-29
Older Children ..............................................1-29
Infants and Young Children ............................1-33
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-37
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-40
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH) ......................................1-41
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position ............................................1-47
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Front Seat Position ....................................1-49
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position ....................................1-50
Airbag System ...............................................1-53
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-56
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-58
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-59
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-59
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-60
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-61
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-66
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-67
Restraint System Check ..................................1-68
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-68
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................1-69
Section 1 Seats and Restraint System
1-1

Front Seats
Power Seats
If the vehicle has power seats, the controls used to
operate them are located on the outboard side of the
seats. To adjust the seat, do any of the following:
•Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the
control forward or rearward.
•Raise or lower the front part of the seat cushion by
moving the front of the control up or down.
•Raise or lower the rear part of the seat cushion by
moving the rear of the control up or down.
•Raise or lower the entire seat by moving the entire
control up or down.
Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar
1-2

Power Lumbar
On seats with power lumbar, the control is located on
the outboard side of the 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.
Heated Seats
On vehicles with this
feature, the buttons are
located on the climate
control panel.
Press the button once to activate the high heat setting.
Both indicator lights on the button will come on.
Press the button again to select the 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.
1-3

Reclining Seatbacks
{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.
{CAUTION:
If either seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they
are locked.
Your seats have manual reclining seatbacks. The lever
used to operate them is located on the outboard
side of the seats.
To recline the seatback, do the following:
1. Lift the recline lever.
2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then
release the lever to lock the seatback in place.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked.
1-4

To return the seatback to an upright position, do the
following:
1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the
seatback and the seatback will return to the upright
position.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked.
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when the vehicle is in
motion can be dangerous. Even if when buckled
up, the safety belts cannot do their job when
reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot 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 cannot 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 the safety belt properly.
Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
1-5

Head Restraints
Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is at the same height as the top of the occupant’s
head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury
in a crash.
Pull the head restraint up
to raise it.
To lower the head restraint, press the button,
located on the top of the seatback, and push the
head restraint down.
1-6

Center Seat
Your vehicle may have a front center seat. There are
cupholders on the underside of the seat cushion. To use
them, raise the seat cushion. In the upright position
the armrest acts as a back support for the front
row bench seat.
This seat can also be converted to a storage area by
lowering the armrest. See Center Console Storage
on page 2-47.
Rear Seats
Split Folding Rear Seat
If your vehicle has this feature, both sides of the
rear seatback can be folded down. This gives direct
access to the trunk. Make sure the front seats are not
reclined. If they are, the rear seatback(s) may not
fold down all the way.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts
and return them to their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
To lower the rear seatback,
pull the tab located on the
outboard side of the
seatback and fold the
seatback forward.
1-7

{CAUTION:
If either seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they
are locked.
To raise the rear seatback, lift the seatback up until it
latches. Push and pull on the seatback to be sure
it is locked in position.
The seatbacks should be kept in the upright, locked
position when they are not being used to extend
the cargo area.
Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This section of the manual describes how to use
safety belts properly. It also describes some things not
to do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot
be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the
injuries can be much worse. You can hit things
inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the
vehicle. You and your passenger(s) 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 passenger(s)
are restrained properly too.
1-8

{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.
This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle the
safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-32
for additional information.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing safety belts. Here is why:
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 serious 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 safety belts, they could have
been badly hurt or killed.
After more than 40 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.
1-9

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
does not stop.
1-10

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel...
1-11

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 a crash if I
am wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle
and get out, is much greater if you are belted.
And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are
upside down.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they
work with safety belts — not instead of them.
Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants
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.
1-12

Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in a
crash — even one that is not your fault — you and
your passenger(s) can be hurt. Being a good
driver does not protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This section is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and infants. If a child will be
riding in the vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-29 or
Infants and Young Children on page 1-33. Follow
those rules for everyone’s protection.
It is very important for all occupants to buckle up.
Statistics show that unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts.
Occupants who are not buckled up can be thrown out of
the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in
the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
First, before you or your passenger(s) wear a safety
belt, there is important information you should know.
1-13

Sit up straight and always keep your feet on the floor in
front of you. The lap part of the belt should be worn
low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs.
In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones
and you would be less likely to slide under the lap
belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force on
your abdomen. This could cause serious or even
fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the
shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body
are best able to take belt restraining forces.
The shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop
or crash.
1-14

Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give as
much protection this way.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is
too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too
much, which could increase injury. The shoulder
belt should fit snugly against your body.
1-15

Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The lap belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as
much protection this way.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your lap belt is too
loose. In a crash, you could slide under the lap
belt and apply force on your abdomen. This could
cause serious or even fatal injuries. The lap belt
should be worn low and snug on the hips, just
touching the thighs.
1-16