Your fuel gage shows about how much fuel is in your
tank. It works
only when the engine is on. When the
indicator nears
“E,” you still have a little fuel left. You
need to get more
fuel right away.
Here are four concerns some owners have had about the
fuel gage. All these situations are normal and indicate
nothing wrong with the
fuel gage.
0
0
0
0
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
gage reads
“F’.
It takes more (or less) gas to fill up than the gage
indicated. For example, the gage may have indicated
1/2
full, but it took more (or less) than half of the
tank’s capacity to fill it.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner,
speed up, or stop your vehicle.
When
you turn the engine off, the gage doesn’t go all
the way back to “E”.
Low Fuel Light
If your Buick has this option, a yellow light near the fuel
gage, will
go on when your vehicle is low on fuel.
You should get more fuel as soon as you can.
Brake System Warning Light
Your Buick’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two
parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can still
work and stop
you. For good braking, though, you need
both parts working well.
If the warning light goes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on as
you start the vehicle. If it
doesn’t come on then, have it fixed so it will be ready to
warn you if there’s a problem.
This light will also come on when you set your parking
brake, and the light will stay on
if your parking brake
doesn’t release
fully. If you try to drive off with the
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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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