1994 BUICK PARK AVENUE Owners Manual

Tighten the wheel nuts firmly
in a criss-cross
sequence as shown. Don’t
try to put a wheel cover on your compact spare
tire. It won’t fit. Store the wheel cover in the trunk until
you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
Wheel covers won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or the spare.
Now put all the equipment back in the trunk.
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Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new,
it can lose air after a time. Check
the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi (420
kPa). After installing the compact spare on your vehicle,
you should stop as
soon as possible and make sure your
spare tire
is correctly inflated. The compact spare is
made to perform well at posted speed limits for
distances up to
3,000 miles (5 000 km). The compact
spare
is made to go up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you
can finish your trip and have your full-size tire repaired
or replaced where you want.
Of course, it’s best to
replace your spare with a full-size tire as soon as you
can. Your spare
will last longer and be in good shape in
case you need it again.
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NOTICE:
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
Don’t take your compact spare through an
automatic car wash with guide rails. The
compact spare can get caught
on the rails. That
can damage the tire and wheel, and maybe other
parts
of your vehicle.
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels. The method known as “rocking”
can help you get out when you’re stuck, but you must
use caution.
Don’t use your compact spare on some other vehicle.
And don’t mix your compact spare
or wheel with other
wheels or tires. They won’t
fit. Keep your spare and its
wheel together.
I NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them will damage your vehicle and destroy the
chains too. Don’t use tire chains
on your
compact spare.
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NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires.
If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. You should turn
your traction control system off. (See “Traction Control
System” in
the Index.) Then shift back and forth
between
“R” (Reverse) and a forward gear, spinning the
wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transaxle is in gear. If that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries,
you may need to be towed out.
If
you do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your Car”
in the Index.
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Part 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Buick . This part begins with service and fuel information. and
then
it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels . There is also technical information about your
vehicle. and a section devoted to its appearance care
.
Part 6 includes:
Service ........................................................................\
.. 228
Fuel
........................................................................\
..... 229
HoodRelease
..................................................................... 234
Engineoil
....................................................................... \
238
Aircleaner
....................................................................... \
243
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
........................................................... 244
Enginecoolant
.................................................................... 247
PowerSteeringFluid ............................................................... 250
Windshield Washer Fluid
............................................................ 251
Brakes
........................................................................\
... 252
Battery
........................................................................\
.. 255
BulbReplacement
................................................................. 256
Loading Your Vehicle
............................................................... 258
Tires
........................................................................\
.... 260
Appearancecare
.................................................................. 268
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) .................................................. 276
FusesandCircuitBreakers
........................................................... 277
Capacities and Specifications
......................................................... 282
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Service
Your Buick dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with
it. We hope you’ll go to your
dealer for all your service needs. You’ll get genuine
GM
parts and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one
of these marks:
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index,
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper Buick Service Manual. It tells you
I
much more about how to service your Buick than this
manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service Publications”
in the Index.
I NOTICE:
I If you try to do your own service work without
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Buick”
in the Index.
knowing enough about it, your vehicle could be
damaged.
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Fuel
3800 (L27) Engine
The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) shows the code letter for
your engine. You will
find the VIN at the top left of your instrument panel.
(See “Vehicle Identification Number’’ in the Index.)
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 (oxygenates), 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.
NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol is bad for
your vehicle. Don’t use it. It can corrode metal
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.
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Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control 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 oxygenates.
General Motors recommends that you use gasolines
with
these blending materials, such as MTBE and ethanol. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts
of the country that have high carbon monoxide
levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated gasoline. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station operators
if their
gasolines contain deposit control additives and
oxygenates, and if they have been reformulated to
reduce vehicle emissions.
Fuel
3800 Supercharged (L67) Engine
The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the VIN at the top left of your instrument panel.
(See “Vehicle Identification Number”
in the Index.)
Use premium unleaded gasoline rated at 91 octane or
higher.
You may use middle grade or regular unleaded
gasolines, but your vehicle may not accelerate as well.
The gasoline you use 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 for premium is at least 91 (at
least 89 for middle grade and 87 for regular). 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 91 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
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