
HowtoUsethisManual ................................................................ 10
Seats and Safety Belts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *. . . . . *. . . . . . . . 13
FeaturesandControls
.................................... ............................... 57
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I.. . I 109
YourDrivingandtheRoad
.............0.0..........s...................................... 127
ProblemsontheRoad
.................................................................. 177
Service and Appearance Care..
. . . . . . . . . . . . e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Maintenanceschedule
.................................................................. 265
Customer Assistance Information
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
This part tells you how to use your manual and includes safety and vehicle damage warnings & symbols. 13
This part tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly.
This part explains how
to start and operate your Buick.
This part tells you how to adjust the ventilation
& comfort controls and how to operate your sound system.
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how
to drive under different conditions.
This part tells you what
to do if’ you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or engine overheatins.
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Buick running properly and looking good.
This part tells you when
to perf’orm vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
This part tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how
to get service publications. It also gives
you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page
287.
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
Index ........................................................................\
........ 293
9
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Driving Through Deep Standing
Water
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing water, water can come in through your
engine’s
air intake and badly damage your
engine. If you can’t avoid deep puddles or
standing water, drive through them very slowly.
Engine Block Heater (Canada Only)
In very cold weather, 0 F (- 18 C) or colder, the engine
block heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and
better
fuel economy during engine warm-up.
To use the block heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt outlet.
I
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
IlO-volt outlet.
If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least
15 amps.
I
I
x; NOTICE:
k After you’ve used the block heater, be sure to
:; store the cord as it was before, to keep it away
i from moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could
:: be damaged. .’, :.,* :>”!;.:,.”~ i” < .:-;:.&,a2% && ?3$?%7 -
How long should you keep the block heater plugged in?
The answer depends
on the weather, the kind of oil you
have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list
everything here, we ask that you contact a Buick dealer
in the area where you’ll be parking your vehicle. The
dealer can give
you the best advice for that particular
area.
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
(Option) anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, see “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier
in this part.
With anti-lock, this light will go on unless you start your
engine and it will stay
on for three seconds. If the light
doesn’t come on, have it fixed
so it will be ready to
warn you
if there is a problem.
If the light stays on or comes on when you’re driving,
stop
as soon as possible and turn the key off. Then start
the engine to reset the system. If the light still stays on,
or comes
on again while you’re driving, your Buick
needs service. Unless the regular brake system warning
light is also
on, you will still have brakes, but not If
the anti-lock brake system warning light ever flashes,
your anti-lock brake system is still working but needs
.service as soon as possible.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
TEMP
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the
red area, your engine is too
hot
!
It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
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HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY!
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
Low Coolant Warning Light
If this light comes on, your
system is low
on coolant
and the engine may
overheat.
See “Engine Coolant” in the Index and have your
vehicle serviced as soon
as you can.
Engine Oil Pressure Gage
OIL
I
You can read your engine
oil pressure directly from
the gage on your instrument
panel.
If the gage reads in the red band and stays there, it
means oil isn’t going through your engine properly.
You
could be low on oil, or you might have some other oil
problem. Have your vehicle serviced as soon as you can.
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Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before
you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
firn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out.
Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not.
It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If
you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than
1,000
pounds ( 450 kg), and you have an automatic transaxle
with Overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
“D” instead
of Overdrive
(or, as you need to, a lower gear).
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Part 5 Problems On The Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road .
Part 5 includes:
Hazard Warning Flashers
........................................................
QtherWarningDevices .........................................................
“Jump”Starting ...............................................................
TowingYourBuick ............................................................
Engineoverheating ............................................................
IfaTireGoesFlat .............................................................
ChangingaFlatTire ............................................................
CompactSpareTire ............................................................
If You’re Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ..........................................
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
178
179
180
185
192
201
201
210
211
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Buick's instrument panel.
You may also find a low coolant warning light
on your
Buick instrument panel.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine:
A CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even
if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn
it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait
until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before
opening the hood.
'* -7ou keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids
in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine
if it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
If your engine catch
driving with
no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs
w?uld not b
covered by your warranty. ,, , 1 ,.
I If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine:
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam,
the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high speed driving.
0 Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
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If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for
a minute or so:
1.
2.
3.
Turn off your air conditioner.
Turn on
your heater to full hot
speed and open the window as
Try to keep your engine under
where the engine runs slower). at
the highest fan
necessary.
load (in a drive gear
If you no longer have the overheat warning,
you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower
for about ten minutes.
If the warning doesn‘t corne back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park
your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still
no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two
or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND GET
EVERYONE
OUT OF THE VEHICLE until it cools
down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right
away.
m .... ... ..
h 1
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll
see:
0 Coolant recovery tank
0 Radiator pressure cap
0 Electric engine fan
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