1993 BUICK SKYLARK Owners Manual

I Cleaning products can be hazardous. Some are
toxic. Others can. burst into flame if you strike a
match or get them on a
hot part of the vehicle.
Some are dangerous if you breathe their fumes
in a closed space. When you use anything in a
container to clean your Buick, be sure to follow
the instructions. And always open your doors or
windows when you're cleaning the inside.
I
lj
/I 1/ - Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline ..-I
il Benzene
Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
0 Paint Thinner
Turpentine
Lacquer Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
-- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle,
too.

r
1 e Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area
only.
If you use them, don’t saturate the stained area.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or it will
set.
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric I
0 Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt.
0 Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask ’
surrounding trim along stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following the
directions on the container label.
0 Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge.
0 Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge
to remove the suds.
0 Rinse the section with a clean, wet sponge.
0 Wipe off what’s left with a slightly damp paper towel
or cloth.
0 Then dry it immediately with an air hose, a hair
dryer or a heat lamp.
1
0 Wipe *with a clean cloth.
Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on
Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type cleaner at all.
Some spots and stains will clean
off better with just
water and mild soap.
If
you need to use it, then:
Gently scrape excess soil from the trim material with
a clean, dull knife or scraper. Use very little cleaner,
light pressure and clean cloths (preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at the outside of
the stain, “feathering” toward the center. Keep
changing to a clean section of the cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric, immediately dry
the area with an air hose, hair dryer, or heat lamp to
help prevent a cleaning ring. (See the previous
NOTICE.)

Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy or Oily Stains: Like grease, oil, butter,
margarine, shoe polish, coffee with cream, chewing gum, cosmetic creams, vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar
and asphalt.
Carefully scrape off excess stain.
Then follow the solvent-type instructions above.
0 Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and asphalt will stain if
left on a vehicle seat fabric. They should be removed
as soon as possible. Be careful, because the cleaner
will dissolve them and may cause them to bleed.
Non-Greasy Stains: Like catsup, coffee (black), egg,
fruit, fruit juice, milk, soft drinks, wine, vomit, urine and
blood.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then sponge the
soiled area with cool water.
If a stain remains, follow the foam-type instructions
above.
If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine, treat
the area with a waterbaking soda solution:
1
teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to 1 cup (250 ml)
of lukewarm water.
Finally, if needed, clean lightly with solvent-type
cleaner.
Combination Stains: Like candy, ice cream,
mayonnaise, chili sauce and unknown stains.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then clean with
0 If a stain remains, clean it with solvent-type cleaner.
cool water and allow to dry.
Cleaning Vinyl or Leather
Just use warm water and a clean cloth.
0 Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You
Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain if
may have to
do it more than once.
you don’t get them
off quickly. Use a clean cloth and
solvent-type vinylbeather cleaner.
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument
Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces
of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones or
waxes may cause annoying reflections in the windshield
and even make it difficult to see through the windshield
under certain conditions.
251

Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
/! CAUTION:
1
Do not bleach or dye safety bc s. If you do, it 1
may severely weaken them. In a crash they might
not be able to provide adequate protection. Clean
safety belts only
-th mild soap and lukewarm I
'ater.
I
Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM
Part No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner
will remove normal tobacco smoke and dust
films.
Don't use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may
cause scratches. Avoid placing decals on the inside rear
window, since they may have to be scraped off later. If
abrasive cleaners are used on the inside of the rear
window, an electric defogger element may be damaged.
Any temporary license should not be attached across the
defogger grid.
Cleaning the Outside of the
Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer,
or if the wiper blade chatters when running, wax
or other material may be on the blade or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with GM
Windshield Cleaner, Bon-Ami Powders
(GM Part No.
1050011). The windshield is clean if beads do not form
when you rinse it with water.
Clean the blade by wiping vigorously with
a cloth
soaked in full strength windshield washer solvent. Then
rinse the blade with water.
Wiper blades should be checked on
a regular basis and
replaced when worn.
Cleaning the Outside of Your Buick
The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.

Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is to keep
it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold
water.
Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Don’t use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Use
liquid hand, dish or car washing (non-detergent) soaps.
Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)
Don’t use cleaning agents that contain acid or abrasives.
All cleaning agents should be flushed promptly and not Your alUminUm wheels have a protective Coating SiIdar
allowed to dry on the surface, or they could stain. Dry to the painted surface
of your car. Don’t use strong
the finish with a soft, clean chamois or a
100% cotton soaps, chemicals, chrome polish,
or other abrasive
towel to avoid surface scratches and water spotting. cleaners on them because you could damage this
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter your
vehicle. coating. After rinsing thoroughly, a wax may be applied.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing
of your Buick may
be necessary to remove residue from the paint finish.
You can get
GM approved cleaning pr,oducts from your
dealer. (See “Appearance Care and Materials” in the
Index.)
Your Buick has
a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint finish. The
clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat.
if you have aluminum wheels, don’t use an
automatic vehicle wash that has hard silicon
carbide cleaning brushes. These brushes can
take
off the Drotective coatina.
253

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White Sidewail Tires
your Buick dealer has a GM White Sidewall Tire
Cleaner. You can use a stiff brush with it.
Weatherstrips
These are places where glass or metal meets rubber.
Silicone grease there will make them last longer, seal
better, and not stick or squeak. Apply silicone grease
with
a clean cloth at least every six months.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Foreign Material
Calcium chloride and other salts, ice melting agents,
road oil and
tar, tree sap, bird droppings, chemicals from
industrial chimneys, and other foreign matter can
damage your vehicle’s finish
if they remain on painted
surfaces. Use cleaners that are marked safe for painted
surfaces for these stains.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures. or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up materials available
from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
254

Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and
exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
x
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody vehicle washing system
can
do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, Buick
will repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever comes first.
255