
@ Part 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this part you’ll find out how to operate the comfort control systems and audio systems offered with your Buick .
Be sure to read about the particular system supplied with your vehicle .
Part 3 includes:
Comfort Control System ............................................................ 132
Heater and Defroster
....................................................... 137. 138
Airconditioner
........................................................... 134. 140
Rear Window Defogger
.................................................... 139. 140
Ventilation
................................................................... 141
Steering Wheel Controls
........................................................ 155
Audiosystems
.................................................................... 143
Understanding Radio Reception
.................................................. 143
Radio Controls
....................................................... 144. 147. 151
Settingtheclock
.................................................... 146.149. 152
Tape Player Controls
.................................... ................. 146. 149
CD Player Controls
................................... ..................... 153
Steering Wheel Controls
............................. ....................... 155
Care of Cassette Tape Player and Tapes
............................................ 157
CareofCompactDiscs
......................................................... 158
Antennacare ................................................................ 158
131
ProCarManuals.com

Steering Wheel Controls
t‘
If your car has this feature, you can control certain radio
and comfort control functions using the pads on the
steering wheel.
You can select radio stations by pressing the pad marked
SEEK A or v.
Press PROG A to hear the stations preset on your radio
pushbuttons.
Press
BAND v to receive AM, FM 1 or FM2 radio
signals. To
increase or decrease the volume, press the pad
marked
VOL A or v.
The pad marked TEMP A or allows you to select
higher or lower temperature for the climate control
system.
Anti-Theft Feature
Delco-Loc I1 is a security feature for the compact disc
player. It can be used or ignored. If ignored, the system
plays normally. If security system
is used, your player
won’t be usable
if it’s ever stolen, because it won’t turn
on.
The instructions below tell you how to enter your
personal secret code into the system. If your vehicle
loses battery power
for any reason, you must unlock
the system
with the secret code again before the system
will turn on.
Be sure to read through the entire procedure and become
familiar
with the appropriate buttons and knobs before
starting.
1. Write down any &digit number and keep it in a safe
place.
2. Turn the ignition to the ACC or RUN position.
3. Press PWR to turn the radio off.
155
ProCarManuals.com

@ Part 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions . We’ve also
included many other useful tips on driving
.
Part 4 includes:
DefensiveDriving .................................................................
DrunkenDriving ..................................................................
ControlofaVehicle ................................................................
Braking .....................................................................
Steering .....................................................................
Passing .....................................................................
LossofControl .....................................................................
DrivingatNight ...................................................................
DrivingintheRain .................................................................
CityDriving ......................................................................
FreewayDriving ...................................................................
HillandMountainRoads ............................................................
WinterDriving ....................................................................
TowingaTrailer ...................................................................
162
162
165
166
170 172
173
175 176
179 180
182
184
184
161
ProCarManuals.com

There’s something else about drinking and driving that
many people don’t know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries
worse. That’s especially true for brain, spinal cord and
heart injuries. That means that if anyone who has been
drinking
-- driver or passenger -- is in a crash, the
chance
of being killed or permanently disabled is higher
than if that person had not been drinking. And we’ve
already seen that the chance of a crash itself is higher for
drinking drivers.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have
to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
165
ProCarManuals.com

limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, you may re-engage the cruise control. (See
“Cruise Control” in the Index.) traction control system
off if you ever need to. (You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See “Rocking Your Vehicle’’
in the Index.)
TRACTION
OFF
The “TRACTION OFF” warning light will come on
when you turn the traction control system off. When the
system
is on, this light will come on to let you know if
there’s a problem with your traction control system. See
“Traction Control System Warning Light” in
the Index.
When this warning light is
on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle.
To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions,
you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the To
turn the system off,
press the “TRACTION
CONTROL” button
on the
instrument panel to the left
of the steering wheel.
The “TRACTION
OFF” warning light will come on and
stay on.
If the system is limiting wheel spin when you
press the button, the system won’t
turn off right away. It
will wait until there’s no longer
a current need to limit
wheel spin.
You can
turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The “TRACTION
OFF” warning light
should go off.
ProCarManuals.com

Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to.
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even
the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of
us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against
the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going
in the same direction. If you’ve ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this. The
traction you can get in
a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can
control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve.
Then
you suddenly accelerate. Both control systems --
steering and acceleration -- have to do their work where
the tires meet the road. Unless
you have traction control
and
the system is on, adding the sudden acceleration can
demand too much of those places.
You can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course,
the posted speeds are
based on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to
go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed
as you approach a
curve, do
it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
170
ProCarManuals.com

Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait
to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than
braking. For example,
you come over a hill and find a
truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked
cars and stops right in front of
you. You can avoid these
problems by braking
-- if you can stop in time. But
sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the time for
evasive action
-- steering around the problem.
Your Buick can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. It is better to remove as
much speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to
the left or right depending
on the space available.
An emergency like
this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If
you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a
full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once
you have
avoided the object. The
fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason
to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
171
ProCarManuals.com

Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly
easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can turn the steering wheel up to
1/4 turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn
your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
LEFT APPROX. OUARTERTURN
y/ SLOW DOWN
*,// edge of paved surface
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into
the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane
as oncoming
traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender
to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face
to face with the
worst
of all traffic accidents -- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
0 “Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides, and
to crossroads for situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever
about making a successful pass, wait for a better time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and
lines. If
you can see a sign up ahead that might
indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A
broken center line usually indicates it’s all right to
pass (providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross
a solid line on your side of the lane or a double solid
line, even
if the road seems empty of approaching
traffic.
172
ProCarManuals.com