1994 BUICK REGAL steering

Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems. (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of less
danger.
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 and an acceleration skid are 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 cause 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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least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s
about freezing
(32 OF; OOC) and freezing rain begins to
fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand
crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution. Accelerate gently.
Try not to break
the fragile traction. If you accelerate
too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under
the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a
hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you have the
anti-lock braking system, you’ll want to begin stopping
sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
“Anti-lock”
in the Index.
0 Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
0 Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until
you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can
hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe: Turn on your hazard flashers. Tie a red
cloth
to your vehicle to alert police that you’ve been
stopped by the snow. Put on extra clothing or wrap a
blanket around you. If you have no blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators from newspapers, burlap
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Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need
to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before
you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then,
to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand
to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in
advance.
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.
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 and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than
1,000
pounds (450 kg), you may prefer to drive in “D” instead
of Overdrive (or, as you need to, a lower gear).
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When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service. Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock,for this. The transaxle should be in
Neutral and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, don’t go more than
55 mph (88 k/h) or
farther than
500 miles (800 km) or your transaxle will
be damaged. If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
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10. 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.
11. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level
in
the coolant recovery tank should be at the “HOT”
mark when the engine is hot or at the “COLD” mark
when the engine is cold.
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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If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
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.
I I
I 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. 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 ........................................................................\
.. 208
Fuel
........................................................................\
..... 209
HoodRelease
..................................................................... 212
Engineoil
....................................................................... \
214
Aircleaner
....................................................................... \
219
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
................................................... : ....... 220
Enginecoolant
.................................................................... 223
PowerSteeringFluid
............................................................... 226
Windshield Washer Fluid
............................................................ 227
Brakes
........................................................................\
... 228
Battery
........................................................................\
.. 231
LoadingYourVehicle
............................................................... 235
Tires
........................................................................\
.... 236
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
.................................................. 253
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
....................... ’. ................................... 254
Capacities and Specifications
......................................................... 260
BulbReplacement
................................................................. 232
Appearancecare
.................................................................. 244
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Power Steering Fluid
How To Check Power Steering Fluid
Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
Replace the cap and completely tighten
it. Then remove
the cap again and look at the fluid level on the dipstick.
When the engine compartment is hot, the level
should be at the
“HOT” mark.
0 When the engine compartment is cool, the level
should be at the
“FULL COLD” mark.
What to Add
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of fluid to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
NOTICE:
When adding power steering fluid or making a
complete fluid change, always use the proper
fluid. Failure to use the proper fluid can cause
leaks and damage hoses and seals.
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