
0 It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took
a little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to
fill it.
0 The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
Low Fuel Light
speed up.
If your fuel is low, a light
will come on and stay on
until you add fuel. It will
also come on for a few
seconds when
you first turn
on the ignition as a check to
show you it’s working.
If it
doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed.
Charging System Light
The charging system light
will come on briefly when
you turn on the ignition, as
a check
to show you it’s
worlung. Then it should
g0
Out.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with
the charging system. It could
indicate that
you have a loose drive belt or another
electrical problem. Have it checked right away. Driving
while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain
to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
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Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light)
111 A computer monitors
operation of your fuel,
ignition and
emission
control systems. This light
should come on when the
SOON ignition is on, but the
engine is not running, as a
check to show you it is
working.
If it does not come on at all, have it fixed right away. If
it stays on, or it comes on while you are driving, the
computer is indicating that you have a problem. You
should take your vehicle in for service soon.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light on,
after a while the emission controls won’t work as
well, your fuel economy won’t be as good and your
engine may
not run as smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs not covered by your warranty.
Oil Warning Light
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine, or come on when
you are driving.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated. The engine could
be low on oil or could have some other oil problem.
Have it fixed right away.
The oil light could also come on in three other
situations:
0 When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as a test to show you
it is
working, but the light will go out when you turn the
ignition to START. If it doesn’t come
on with the
ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have it fixed right away.
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FRONT This setting directs most of the air through the
defroster and side window vents. Some
of the air goes to
the floor ducts. The air conditioning compressor will run
automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below 40°F (4.5"C).
MAX: This setting recirculates much of the air inside
your vehicle and sends it through the instrument panel
outlets. The air conditioning compressor will run
automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below 40°F (4.5"C).
NORM: This setting brings in outside air and sends it
through the instrument panel outlets. The air
conditioning compressor will run automatically in this
setting unless the outside temperature
is below 40°F
(4.5
" C).
BI-LEV This setting brings in the outside air and
directs it two ways. Half of the air is directed through
the instrument panel outlets. Most
of the remaining air is
directed through the floor ducts and a little
to the defrost
and side window vents. The air conditioning compressor
will run automatically
in this setting unless the outside
temperature
is below 40°F (4.5"C).
Air Conditioning
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to
let hot inside air escape. This reduces the time
the
compressor has to run, which should help fuel economy.
For quick cool-down on very hot days, use
MAX with
the temperature lever all the way to
COOL. If this
setting is used for long periods of time, the air in your
vehicle may become too dry.
For normal cooling on hot days, use
NORM with the
temperature lever all the way to
COOL. The system will
bring in outside air and cool
it.
On cool but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough.
You can use
BI-LEV with the temperature knob in the
middle. The system will bring
in outside air and direct it
to your upper body, while sending slightly warmed air to
your lower body.
You may notice this temperature
difference more at some times than others.
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Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane
well in advance. If you miss your exit do not, under
any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the
next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to
your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds,
you may tend to think you are going
slower than
you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh -- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained. it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have
it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts
in
Buick dealers all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help if you need
it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
0
0
0
0
0
0
Windshield Wc~slwr Fluid: Is the reservoir full‘? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Eqirze Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels‘?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated
to the recommended pressure‘?
Weather Fowcvzsrs: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip
a short
time to avoid a major storm system‘?
A4up.s: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you
run the engine, make it go a little faster
than
just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses ‘less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly .for signaling later on
with
your headlights. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start
the engine again
and repeat this only when
you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold.
But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
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Loading Your Vehicle
OCCUPANTS VEHICLE CAP. WT.
TIRE-LOADING INFORMATION
I FRT. CTR. RR.
TOTAL LBS. KG
MAX.
LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CAPACITY WEIGHT XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE
SIZE SPEED PRESSURE
RTG
PSIiKPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA.
IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PSIj28KPa
SEE OWNER’S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
- ~-__I__-__ -d
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
is on the rear edge of the driver’s door on four-door
models and inside the trunk lid on two-door models.
The label tells you the proper size, speed rating and
recommended inflation pressures for the tires on your
vehicle. It
also gives you important information about
the number of people that can be
in your vehicle and the
total weight you can carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and includes the weight of
all
occupants, cargo and all nonfactory-installed options.
/ -- -7
MFD BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP
DATE GVWR GAWR FRT GAWR RR
I
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLI-
CABLE
U.S. FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE
SAFETY,
BUMPER, AND THEFT PREVENTION
STANDARDS
IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF
MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
1
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver’s door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the GVWR
(Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo. Never
exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear axle.
If you do have a heavy load, spread
it out. Don’t carry
more than
167 pounds (75 kg) in your trunk.
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Towing a Trailer
advice and information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
I’
~ NOTICE:
~ Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
~ your warranty. TO pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Buick dealer
for important information about. towing a trailer
with your vehicle. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer.
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 traiiering 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 part.
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.
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ProCarManuals.com

Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. It should meet specifications ASTM D4814 in
the United States and
CGSB 3.5-92 in Canada. These
fuels should have the proper additives,
so you should not
have
to add anything to the fuel.
In the United States and Canada, it’s easy to be sure you
get the right kind
of gasoline (unleaded). You’ll see
UNLEADED right on the pump. And only unleaded
nozzles will
fit into your vehicle’s filler neck.
Be sure the posted octane is at least
87. If the octane is
less than 87,
you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry
if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a
hill. That‘s normal,
and
you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have
a problem. What
about gasoline with blending materials that
contain oxygen (oxygenates), such
as MTBE or alcohol?
MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.” Fuel that is no
more than 15% MTBE is fine for your vehicle.
Ethanol is ethyl or grain alcohol. Properly-blended fuel
that is
no more than 10% ethanol is fine for your
vehicle.
Methanol
is methyl or wood alcohol.
I NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol is bad for
your vehicle. Don’t use it. It can corrode metal
parts in your fuel system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t be covered under your warranty. And even at
5% or
less, there must be “cosolvents” and corrosion
preventers in this fuel to help avoid these
problems.
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