1994 BUICK PARK AVENUE instrument panel

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..
->
... . .
The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle,
it could be the windshield ...
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or the instrument panel ...
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Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows INFLATABLE RESTRAINT. The
system checks for electrical malfunctions, and the light
tells you if there is a problem.
INFL.
REST.
You will see this light flash for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to “Run” or “Start.” Then the light
should go out, which means the system
is ready.
Remember, if the air bag readiness light doesn’t come
on when you start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on
when you are driving, your air bag system may not work
properly. Have your vehicle serviced right away.
How The Air Bag System Works
A. .. .. .
!
E
1
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Where is the air bag?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the steering
wheel. The right-front passenger’s air bag is located in
the instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
When is an air bag expected to inflate?
The air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air bag
will only
inflate
if the velocity of the impact is above the designed
threshold level. When impacting straight into a wall that
does not move or deform, the threshold level for most
GM vehicles is between 9 and 15 mph (14 and 23
km/h). However, this velocity threshold depends on the
vehicle design and may be several miles-per-hour faster
or slower. In addition, this threshold velocity
will be
considerably higher
if the vehicle strikes an object such
as a parked car which will move and deform on impact.
The air bag is also not designed
to inflate in rollovers,
side impacts, or rear impacts where
the inflation would
provide no occupant protection benefit.
It is possible that
in a crash, only one of the two air bags
in your Park Avenue will deploy. This is rare, but can
happen
in a crash just severe enough to make an air bag
inflate.
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In any particular crash, the determination of whether the
air bag should have inflated cannot be based solely on
the level of damage on the vehicle(s). Inflation is
determined by the angle
of the impact and the vehicle’s
deceleration, of which vehicle damage is only one
indication. Repair cost is not a good indicator of
whether an air bag should have deployed.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity,
the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle
is
suddenly stopping as a result of a crash. The sensing
system triggers a chemical reaction of the sodium azide
sealed in the inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen
gas, which inflates a cloth bag. The inflator,
cloth bag,
and related hardware are all part
of the air bag inflator
modules packed inside the steering wheel and
in the
instrument panel in front of the passenger.
how does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. The air bag supplements the
protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute
the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s
upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But
air bags would not provide protection
in many types of
collisions, including rollovers and rear and side impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
the air bag. Air bags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to safety belt
protection
in moderate to severe frontal and near-frontal
collisions.
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What will you see after an air bag inflation?
After the air bag has inflated, it will then quickly
deflate. This occurs
so quickly that some people may
not even realize that the air bag inflated. Some
components of the air bag module
in the steering wheel
hub for the driver’s air bag or the instrument panel for
the passenger’s bag may be hot for a short time, but the
portion of the bag that comes into contact with you will
not be hot to the touch. There will be small amounts
of
smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated air
bags. The air bag
will not impede the driver’s vision or
ability to steer the vehicle,
nor will it hinder the
occupants from exiting the vehicle.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may occur in vehicles
with passenger air bags because the windshield acts as a
reaction surface for the inflating air bag.
0 The air bags are designed to inflate only once. After
they inflate, you’ll need some
new parts for your air
bag system. If you don’t get them, the air bag system
won’t be there to help protect you
in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual has
information about the need to replace other parts.
0
0
Your vehicle is equipped with a diagnostic module,
which records information about the air bag system.
The module records information about the readiness
of the system, when the sensors are activated and
whether the driver’s safety belt was
in use.
Let only qualified technicians work
on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your
air bag
system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the cover for the driver’s or the
right-front passenger’s air bag, they may not
work properly. You may have to replace the air
bag on the steering wheel or both the air bag and
the instrument panel for the passenger’s air bag.
Do not open or break the air bag covers.
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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 green arrow on the
instrument panel will flash
in the direction of the turn
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the green arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until
you complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release
it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don’t
flash but just stay on, a signal bulb may be burned out
and other drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the green arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a
turn, check the fuse (see “Fuses” in the Index)
and for burned-out bulbs. If you
have a trailer towing option
with added wiring for
the trailer lights, a different turn signal flasher is used.
With this flasher installed, the signal indicator
will flash
even
if a turn signal bulb is burned out. Check the front
and rear turn signal lights regularly to make sure they
are working.
Operation of Lights
Although your vehicle’s lighting system (headlights,
parking lights, fog lamps, side marker lights and
taillights) meets all applicable federal lighting
requirements, certain states and provinces may apply
their own lighting regulations that may require special
attention before you operate these lights.
For example, some jurisdictions may require that you
operate your fog lamps only when your lower beam
lights are also on, or that headlights be turned on
whenever you must
use your windshield wipers. In
addition, most jurisdictions prohibit driving solely
with
parking lights, especially at dawn or dusk. It is
recommended that you check with your own state or
provincial highway authority for applicable lighting
regulations.
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Headlight High-Low Beam
BRIGHT
Windshield Wipers
To change the headlights
from low beam to high or
high to low,
pull the turn
signal lever toward you.
Then release
it. When the
high beams are on, this blue
light on the instrument
panel also will be on. You
control the windshield wipers by turning the band
marked
“WIPER.”
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to “MIST.”
Hold
it there until the wipers start, then let go. The
wipers will stop after one cycle. If you want more
cycles, hold the band on “MIST” longer.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful
in light rain or
snow. Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to
“LOW,” the shorter the delay.
For steady wiping at low speed, turn the band away
from you to the
“LOW” position. For high speed
wiping, turn the band further,
to “HIGH.” To stop the
wipers, move the band to “OFF.”
Remember that damaged wiper blades may prevent you
from seeing well enough to drive safely.
To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If they’re frozen to
the .
windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them. If your
blades become damaged, get new blades or blade
inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wiper motor.
A
circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools. Clear
away snow or ice to prevent an overload.
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