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Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR
,\I/,
FLAME
COULD
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
4
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols have
to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
WARNING
A
HAZARD
FLASHER
These symbols are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD WIPER Q7
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
HIGH BEAM
=
FOG LAMPS # 0
These symbols
are used
on
warning and
indicator lights:
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
RADIATOR COOLANT
FUEL
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
Wb
TEMP OIL &
ANTILOCK (a)
BRAKE
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
RADIO
>
VOLUME
CONDITIONING
AIR a
LIGHTER
m
SPEAKER
b
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Engine Coolant Heater (Engine Block
Heater) (Canada Only)
In very cold weather, 0 "F (- 18 "C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged
in a minimum of
four hours prior
to starting your vehicle.
To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt outlet.
I NOTICE:
After you've used the coolant heater, be sure to
store the cord as it was before
to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on
the weather, the kind of oil
you have, and some other things. Instead of trying
to list
everything here, we ask that you contact
a Buick dealer
in the area where you'll be parking your vehicle. The
dealer can give you the best advice for that particular
area.
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go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop. Have
the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Car”
in the Index.) Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the
red area, your engine
is too
hot!
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition off. Or,
if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Buick needs service. If the
light is on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on,
you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes. It means
that your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions,
you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
The chapter “Problems on the Road,” this manual
explains what to do. See “Engine Overheating”
in the
Index.
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LOW Coolant Warning Light Engine Oil Pressure Gage
LOW
COOLANT
If this light comes on, your
system
is low on coolant
and the engine may
overheat.
See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index and have your
vehicle serviced as soon as you can.
1
You can read your engine
oil pressure directly from
the gage
on your instrument
panel.
If the gage reads in the red band and stays there, it
means oil isn’t going through your engine properly.
You
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0
0
0
0
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay
in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car
or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area, or
winding roads. Be alert
to these and take appropriate
action.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your Buick in good shape for winter. Be sure
your engine coolant mix is correct.
0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk.
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Engine Overheating
You will find the coolant temperature gage on your
instrument panel.
You may also find a low coolant
warning light.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
0 Tow a trailer.
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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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If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down. The coolant level should be
at or above the
“COLD’
mark. If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator
hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere
else in the cooling system.
I NOTICE:
I
Engine damage from running your engine
without
coolant isn’t covered by your warranty. I
If there seems to be no leak, check to see if the electric
engine fan is running.
If the engine is overheating, the
fan should be running.
If it isn’t, your vehicle needs
service.
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