1994 BUICK PARK AVENUE change wheel

Part 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Buick. and information on starting. shifting
and braking
. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is working
properly
.. and what to do if you have a problem .
Part 2 includes:
Keys ........................................................................\
.... 64
DoorLocks
....................................................................... \
65
NewVehicleBreak-In
.............................................................. 79
StartingtheEngine
................................................................. 81
Shifting the Transaxle .............................................................. 83
Windows ........................................................................\
. 93
93
Turn Signal/Headlight Beam Lever
.................................................... 94
Headlight High-Low Beam Changer
.............................................. 96
Windshield Wipermasher
...................................................... 96
Cruisecontrol
................................................................ 98
Headlights
........................................................................\
103
Mirrors
........................................................................\
.. 108
Instrumentpanel ................................................................... 119
Speedometer and Odometer ..................................................... 119
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ............................................. 120
TiltSteeringWheel ................................................................
. . 63
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A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the
rear wheels.
The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road conditions.
m
b r
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard. As you
brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you, you won’t have time
to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or
stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and let anti-lock work for you.
You may hear a motor or
clicking noise during a hard stop, but this is normal.
Traction Control System (Option)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only
if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When
this happens, the
system works the front brakes and reduces engine power
(by shutting off fuel injectors and managing spark) to
limit wheel spin.
You may feel the system working, or you may notice
some noise, but this
is normal. If your vehicle is in
cruise control when the traction control system begins to
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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.
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Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types
of skids correspond to your Buick’s
three control systems. In the braking skid your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off”
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the traction control system, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have traction control, or if the system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by
easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts
to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle
to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs. Of
course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving
to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving
on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could c’ause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues --
such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to
make a “mirrored surface”
-- and slow down when you
have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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Your car can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the 3800
(L27) engine or (L67) Supercharged engine and proper
trailer towing equipment. To identify what the vehicle
trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should read
the information in “Weight
of the Trailer” that appears
later in this section. But trailering
is different than just
driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes
in handling, durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has
to be
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
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before
you pull a trailer.
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
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements. If You
Do Decide To Pull
A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
There are many different laws having to do with
trailering. Make sure your rig will be legal, not only
where you live but also where you’ll be driving.
A
good source for this information can be state or
provincial police.
Consider using a sway control if your trailer will
weigh
2,000 pounds (900 kg) or less. You should
always use a sway control if your trailer will weigh
more than
2,000 pounds (900 kg).
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
0 Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow
a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of
your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
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Turn 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.
Your vehicle has bulb warning lights. When you plug
trailer lights into your vehicle’s lighting system, its bulb
warning lights may not
let you know if one of your
lights goes out.
So, when you have trailer lights plugged
in, be sure to check your vehicle and trailer lights from
time to time to be sure they’re all working. Once you
disconnect the trailer lights, the bulb warning lights
again can tell you
if one of your vehicle lights is out.
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 to “D or 3” (Drive)
and reduce your speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to
reduce the possibility of engine and transaxle
overheating.
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.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how
to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into “P”
(Park) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
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 the shift to
“P” (Park).
5. Release the regular brakes.
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Towing Your Park Avenue
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Buick. The usual towing equipment is
a sling-type
(A), wheel-lift (B) or car carrier (C) tow
truck.
B
C
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding after market items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
0 The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
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8. Then replace the
pressure cap. At
any time during this
procedure
if coolant
begins to
flow out
of the filler neck,
reinstall the
pressure cap. Be
sure the arrows on
pressure cap line up
like this.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of
a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But
if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create
a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to
go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well
off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use
your jacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely.
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