1993 BUICK LESABRE Owners Manual

Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. It should meet specifications ASTM D48 14
in
the U.S. and CGSB 3.5-92 in Canada. These fuels
should have the proper additives,
so you should not have
to add anything to the fuel.
In the
U.S. and Canada, it’s easy to be sure you get the
right kind of gasoline (unleaded). You’ll see
“UNLEADED’ right on the pump. And only unleaded
nozzles will fit into your vehicle’s filler neck.
Be sure the posted octane
is at least 87. If the octane is
less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using
fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry
if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a
hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane
fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
What about gasoline with blending materials that
contain oxygen, such as MTBE or alcohol?
MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.” Fuel that is
no
more than 15% MTBE is fine for your vehicle. Ethanol is ethyl
or grain alcohol. Properly-blended fuel
that is
no more than 10% ethanol is fine for your
vehicle.
Methanol is methyl
or wood alcohol.
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol is bad for
your vehicle. Don’t use it. It can corrode I..,
parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty. And even
at 5
or less, there must be “cosolvents” and
corrosion preventers in this fuel to help
avoid
these problems.
Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with detergent additives will help
prevent deposits from forming in your engine and
fuel
system. That helps keep your engine in tune and your
emission control system working properly.
It’s good for
your vehicle, and you’ll
be doing your part for cleaner
air.
Many gasolines are now blended with materials called
oxygenates. General Motors recommends that you
use
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gasolines with these blending materials, such as MTBE
and ethanol. By doing
so, you can help clean the air,
especially in those parts of the country that have
high
carbon monoxide levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated gasoline. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station operators if their
gasolines contain detergents and oxygenates, and
if they
have been reformulated to reduce vehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
U.S. or Canada, unleaded fuel may be hard to find. Do
not use leaded gasoline. If you use even one tankful, your emission controls won’t work well or at all. With
continuous use, spark plugs can get fouled, the exhaust
system can corrode, and your engine oil can deteriorate
quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor will be damaged.
All of that means costly repairs that wouldn’t
be covered
by your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact
a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just
tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors of Canada Ltd.
International Export Sales
P.O. Box 828
Oshawa, Ontario L1 H 7N1, Canada
.
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Filling Your Tank
.. .-
The cap is behind a hinged door on the left side of your
vehicle.
While refueling, hang the cap inside the fuel door.
I
A CAUTION:
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don’t smoke
if you’re near gasoline or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames, and smoking
materials away from gasoline.
Place the cap on the inner most edge and turn as
necessary to secure.
To take off the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise).
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A CAUTION:
If you get gasoline on you and then something
ignites
it, you could be badly burned. Gasoline
can spray out on you
if you open the fuel filler
cap too quickly. This spray can happen if your
tank
is nearly full, and is more likely in’hot
weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and wait
for any “hiss” noise
to stop. Then unscrew the
cap
all the way.
When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right until
you hear a clicking noise.
1
If you need a new cap, be sure to get tlie rlgnt
type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you ge
the wrong type, it may
not fit or have propor
venting, and your fuel tank
and emissions
system might be damaged
Checking Things Under the Hood
Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the
vehicle.
It is located on the lower
left side
of the instrument
panel,
next to the parking
brake.
234
.I

I -. Then go to the front of
the vehicle and release
the secondary hood
release.
I
I
The hood release is
I located under the hood,
near the center, and at
the front edge of the
grille.
Push this lever
up and
lift the hood.
1 A CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine
is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
I
235

A CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic
or rubber. You or others
could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that
will burn onto a hot engine.
I
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on
properly.
Then just pull the hood down and close it firmly.
Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle
must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick is directly behind the engine fan.
Turn
off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
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To Check Engine Oil: Pull out the dipstick and clean it
with a paper towel or cloth, then push it back in all the
way. Remove it again, keeping the tip lower.
When to Add Oil: If the oil is at or below the ADD
line, then you’ll need to add some oil. But you must use
the right kind. This section explains what kind of
oil to
use. For crankcase capacity, see “Capacities and
Specifications” in the Index.
1 NOTICE:
Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that
shows the proper
operating range, your engine could be damaged.
Use the engine oil fill cap next to the oil dipstick to add
oil.
Just fill it enough to put the level somewhere in the
proper operating range. Push
the dipstick all the way
back
in when you’re through.
I
237

What Kind of Oil to Use:
Look for three things:
SG
“SG’ must be on the oil container, either by itself or
combined with other quality designations, such as
“SG/CC,”
“SG/CD,” “SF,SG,CC,” etc. These letters
show American Petroleum Institute (API) levels
of
quality.
NOTICE:
If you use oils that don’t have the “SG”
designation, you can cause engine damage I
covered by your warranty.
RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSIN GRADE ENGINE OILS
FOR BEST FUEL ECONOMY AND COW STARTING, SELECT THE LOWEST
SAE VISCOSITY GRADE OIL FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE.
HOT
WEATHER
COLD
WEATHER
SAE 5W-30
LOOK
FOR THIS
LABEL
SAE 1OW-30
above 0°F (-18%)
IF NEITHER SAE 5W-30 NOR SAE 1OW-30
GRADE OILS ARE AVAILABLE, SAE 30 GRADE MAY BE USED AT TEMPERATURES
ABOVE 40 DEGREES F (4 DEGREES C).
ANY OTHER GRADE
OIL NOT RECOMMENDED . DO NOT USE SAE 1OW-40, SAE 2OW-50 OR