1994 BUICK REGAL warning

If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. Try to keep your engine under load (in a drive gear
where the engine runs slower).
If
you no longer have the overheat warning, you can drive.
Just to be safe, drive slower for about
ten minutes. If the
warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if the
warning stops. But then, if you still have the warning,
TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND GET EVERYONE
OUT OF THE VEHICLE until it cools down.
You may decide not
to lift the hood but to get service
help right away. When you
decide it’s safe to lift
the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
0 Coolant recovery tank
0 Radiator pressure cap
0 Electric engine fan
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I A CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and
it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough, Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at or
above the
“COLD” mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try.
You can add the proper coolant mix
directly to the radiator but be sure the cooling system is
cool before you do it.
A CAUTION:
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and
burn you badly. They
are under pressure,
and if you turn the radiator
pressure cap
-- even a fittle -- they can come out
at
high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure
cap, is
hot.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Wait for
the cooling system and radiator
pressure cap to cool
if you ever have to turn the
pressure cap.
d
I
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Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
The following steps will
tell you how to use the jack and
change a
tire.
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Engine Coolant Heater (Engine Block
Heater)
An engine coolant heater can be a big help if you have
to park outside in very cold weather, 0°F (- 18 “C) or
colder. If your vehicle has this option, see “Engine
Coolant Heater”
in the Index.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails
with soap and
water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine
oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of
oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own
oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing
oil from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of
oil by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
Air Cleaner
The air cleaner is in the right front area of the engine
compartment.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
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Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating or if you need to add coolant to your
radiator, see “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
The proper coolant for your Buick will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 262°F (128°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights work as they should.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half antifreeze that meets “GM Specification
1825-M,” which won’t damage aluminum
parts. You can also use a recycled coolant conforming to
GM Specification 1825-M with a complete coolant flush
and refill.
If you use this mixture, you don’t need to add
anything else.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mix, your engine
could overheat and be badly damaged. The repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mix can freeze
‘and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
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Brakes
Brake Master Cylinder
Your brake master cylinder is here. It is filled with
DOT-3 brake fluid. that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well, or
won’t work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’
your brake fluid. Adding brake fluid won’t correct a
leak. If you add fluid when your linings are worn, then
you’ll have too much fluid when you get new brake
linings. You should add (or remove) brake fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
There are only two reasons why
the brake fluid level in warning light will come on. See “Brake System Warning
your master cylinder might
go down. The first is that the Light” in the Index.
brake fluid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are
put in,
the fluid level goes back up. The other reason is that
fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system fixed, since a leak means
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What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM Part
No. 1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only, and always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap before removing
it.
I NOTICE:
Don’t let someone put in the wrong kind of
fluid. For example, just
a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in
your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to
be replaced.
@ Brake fluid can damage paint, so be careful
not to spill brake fluid on your vehicle.
If
you do, wash it off immediately. See
“Appearance Care’’
in the Index.
Brake Wear
Your Buick has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come
and go
or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you are pushing on the brake pedal
firmly).
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result
in costly brake repair.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following infortnation relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration which grades tires by
tfeadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate
of the tire when tested under controlled
conditiolis on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and
may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, ffom highest to lowest are: A, B,
and C. They represent the tire's ability to stop on .wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire .is based
on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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