2012 Buick LaCrosse Owner's Manual - Page 345

Vehicle Care 10-19 Engine Overheating 2.4L L4 Engine There is a engine coolant temperature warning light on the instrument panel cluster that indicates an overheated engine condition. See Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light on page 5‑22 for more information. 3.6L V6 Engine There is a coolant temperature gauge and a engine coolant temperature warning light on the instrument panel cluster that indicate an overheated engine condition. See Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge on page 5‑13 and Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light on page 5‑22 for more information. If the decision is made not to lift the hood when this warning appears, get service help right away. See Roadside Assistance Program (U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑9 or Roadside Assistance Program (Mexico) on page 13‑9. 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 not, do not continue to run the engine and have the vehicle serviced. Notice: Engine damage from running the engine without coolant is not covered by the warranty. 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 might 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. Tows a trailer. If the overheat warning displays 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. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in N (Neutral) while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral), and let the engine idle. If Steam Is Coming from the Engine Compartment See Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode on page 10‑20 for information on driving to a safe place in an emergency.