1993 BUICK SKYLARK brakes

Towing a Trailer
A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy. the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. Yo
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section.
i ~ ~, ~~ ~~
~~~ ~~ before you pull a trailer.
Your
car can tow a trailer.
To identify what the vehicle
trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should read
the information in “Weight of the Trailer”. that appears
I later in this section. But trailering is different than just
driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes
I in. handling, durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be
I used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of these are important for your safety and that of
I your passengers. So please read this section carefully
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
All of that means changes in:
ulling a trailer improper1 required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
Do not tow a trailer if your vehicle is equipped with the
0 Handling
2.3 Liter, L4 engine. Durability
Fuel economy
179

The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and. your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to
the road if it becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be provided by the
hitch manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow safety
chains to drag
on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes
so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain them
properly. Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try
to tap into your vehicle’s brake system. ff you do, both
brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not.nearly
so
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform,
safety chains, electrical connector, lights, tires and
mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric brakes, start
your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load
is secure, and that the lights and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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.
d
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.
nrn 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, use the highest gear. possible. If
you cannot maintain posted speeds, driving at a lower
speed may help avoid overheating your engine and
transaxle.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could
start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
183

But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
, how to do it:
1 1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into.“P”
I (Park) yet.
I 2. Have someone place chocks under.the trailer wheels.
1
I
I I
I 3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to
“F’” (Park).
5. Release the regular brakes.
,. I I
~ When You Are Ready to Leave After
I Parking on a Hill
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system, and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before
you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
I 1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
284

1 Brake Master Cylinder
Your brake master cylinder is here. It is filled with
1 DOT-3 brake fluid. won’t work
at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’
your brake fluid. Adding brake. fluid won’t correct a
leak. If you add fluid when your linings are worn, then
you’ll have too much fluid when you get new brake
linings.
You should add (or remove) brake fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done
on the brake
hydraulic system.
I
A CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn
if the engine is hot
enough. You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the br,
e hl ‘raulic
system.
1
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
your master cylinder might go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings
are put in,
the fluid level goes back up. The other reason is that
fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system fixed, since a leak means
that sooner or later your brakes won’t work well, or When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. See “Brake System Warning
Light’’
in the Index.
What to Add:
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme and regular 11 (GM part
#1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed container only.
I
236

Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together
if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality GM brake balance between
your front
and rear brakes can change,
for the worse. The braking performance you’ve come to
expect. can change in many other ways
if someone puts
in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new Buick has a Delco Freedoms battery. You
never have to add water to one
of these. Whenit’s time
for a new battery, we recommend
a Delco Freedoms
battery. Get one that has the catalog number shown on
the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, take
off the black, negative (-) cable from the
battery. This will help keep your battery from running
parts in them, as your Buick does when it is new. When
4 A CAUTION:
you replace parts of your braking system -- for example,
when your brake linings wear down and you have to
have new ones put in
-- be sure you get new genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your brakes may no
longer work properly. For example, if someone puts in
brake linings that are wrong for your vehicle, the
1 Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt
if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
237

~~ Fuse Usage
Amp Description
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21. 10
20
20
15
5
5
10
15
15
25
10
20
20
20
30
25 15
20
30
20
20 PRNDL
F/P INJ
STOP HAZ
CTSY
RKE
INST LPS
GAUGES
HORN
ALARM HTR-A/C
RDO IGN
TURN DR LK
TAIL LPS
WDO
WIPER
ERLS
FTP
ACC
IGN ECM HDLP Backup Lamps, Electronic PRNDL Display
Fuel Pump, Fuel Injectors
Stop Lamps, Hazard Flashers
Trunk Lamp,-Door Lock Switches, Power Mirrors
(Automatic Transmission Only) Remote Keyless Entry
Instrument Panel Lighting
Gauges, Rear Defog Relay, Antilock Brake Telltale, Brake Transmi\
ssion Shift Interlock
Horn
Multi-Function Alarm Module
Heater, Air Conditioning, Antilock Brakes, Daytime Running Lamps \
(Canada), Computer Controlled Ride
Radio Power, Cruise Control
Turn Signals
Power Door Lock Relay
.Tail Lamps, Marker Lamps, License Lamps (Circuit Breaker) Power Windows
Windshield Wipers Engine controls
Flash-to-Pass
(U.S. Only)
(Circuit Breaker) Rear Window Defogger, Power Door Locks, Powe\
r Seats, Power Antenna
Ecm, Ignition System (Circuit Breaker) Headlamps
259

INSPECTION
OR SERVICE
Steering,
Suspension and
Front-Wheel-
Drive Axle
Boot and Seal
Inspection
Exhaust System
Inspection
Throttle
Linkage Inspection
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
hspect the front and rear suspension
and steering system for damaged,
loose or missing parts, signs of wear,
or lack of lubrication. Inspect the
power steering lines and hoses for
proper hookup, binding, leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Clean and then
inspect the drive axle boot seals for
damage, tears or leakage. Replace
seals
if necessary.
Inspect the complete exhaust system. Inspect the body near the
exhaust system. Look for broken,
damaged, missing or out-of-position
parts as well as open seams, holes,
loose connections,
or other
conditions which could cause a heat
build-up in the floor pan or could let
exhaust fumes into the vehicle. See
“Engine Exhaust” in the Index.
Inspect the throttle linkage for interference or binding, and for
damaged or missing parts. Replace
parts as needed.
“:
INSPECTION
OR SERVICE
Brake System
Inspection
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
Inspect the complete system. Inspect
brake
lines and hoses for proper
hookup, binding, leaks, cracks, chafing,
etc.
Inspect disc brake pads for wear
and rotors for swrface condition.
Also
inspect Qwn brake linings for wear and
cracks. Inspect other brake
parts
including drums, wheel cylinders,
calipers parking brake, etc. The parking
brake is self-adjusting and no manual adjustment
is required. You may need
to have your brakes inspected more often
if your driving habits or
conditions result in frequent braking.
NOTE: A low brake fluid level can
indicate worn disc brake pads which
may
need to be serviced. Also, if the
brake system warning light stays on or
comes on, something may
be wrong
with the brake system. See “Brake System
Warning Light” in the Index. If
your anti-lock brake system warning
light stays
on, comes on or flashes,
something may
be wrong with the
anti-lock brake system. See “Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning Light”
in the
Index.
280 .~ . ~