Page 110 of 340
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
-
lo- 0 system, this light will come
With
the anti-lock brake
RPM x1000 on when you start your
engine and it will stay on
for three seconds. That’s
normal. If the light doesn’t
come on, have it fixed
so it
will be ready to warn you
if
there is a problem.
If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your
regular brakes.
Pull off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push.
Or, the pedal
may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Vehicle’’ in the Index.)
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.
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Page 112 of 340
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
You have a gage that
shows the engine coolant
temperature.
If the gage
pointer moves into the red
area, your engine is too hot!
I u TEMPERATURE I
That reading means the same thing as the warning light.
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.
Hot Coolant Can Burn You Badly!
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
Low Coolant Warning Light
\I
4 \‘
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.
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Page 113 of 340
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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Page 144 of 340
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts -- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much fidster
if YOLI
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes. If
you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up,
it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your Buick has an advanced electronic braking system
that will help prevent
a braking skid.
This light on the instrument
panel
will come on briefly
when you start your vehicle.
When you start your vehicle, or when
you begin to drive
away, you may hear
a momentary motor or clicking
noise. And
you may even notice that your brake pedal
moves
a little while this is going on. This is the ABS
system testing itself.
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, the anti-lock brake system
warning light
will stay on or flash.
See ”Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light”
in the
Index.
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Page 151 of 340
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 brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid
only the braking skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired
-- by
alcohol
or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some
tips on night driving.
0 Drive defensively.
0 Don’t drink and drive.
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City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount
of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals. Here are ways to increase
your safety
in city driving:
0
0
0
Know the best way to get to where you are going.
Get
a city map and plan your trip into an unknown
part
of the city just as you would for a cross-country
trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities.
You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat
a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light
is there because the corner is busy enough to need it.
When a light turns green, and just before you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the red
light.
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your Buick in good shape for winter. Be sure
0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your
engine coolant
mix is correct.
your trunk. Include
an ice scraper, a small brush or broom,
a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth,
and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet
or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
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Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side
of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind your
vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start
your
Buick. But please follow the steps below to do it. safely.
I NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by
your
warranty. Trying to start your Buick by pushing
or pulling it won’t work, and it could damage
your vehicle.
To Jump Start Your Buick
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
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