1995 BUICK REGAL Owners Manual

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Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of‘ yo~r
Ruick. This section begins with service and i’uel
information. and then it shows how to check important
fluid and lubricant levels. There is also tcchnical
information about your vehicle. and a part devoted to its
appearance care.
Service
Your Ruick dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you
to be happy with it. We hope you‘ll go to your
dealer for all your service needs. You‘ll get genuine GM
parts and GM-trained and supported service people.
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Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper Buick Service Manual.
It tells you
much more about how to service your Buick than this
manual can. To order the proper service manual, see
“Service Publications”
in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air
bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Buick” in the Index.
You should keep
a record with all parts receipts and
list the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record”
in the Index.
NOTICE:
If you try to do your own service work without
knowing enough about it,
your vehicle could be
damaged.
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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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Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control additives will
help prevent deposits from forming in your engine and
fuel system. That helps keep your engine in tune and
your emission control system working properly. It’s
good for your vehicle, and you’ll be doing your part for
cleaner air.
Many gasolines are now blended with oxygenates.
General Motors recommends that
you use gasolines with
these blending materials, such as MTBE and ethanol. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts
of the country that have high carbon monoxide
levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated gasoline.
By
doing so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts
of the country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station operators
if their
gasolines contain deposit control additives and
oxygenates, and if they have been reformulated to
reduce vehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
U.S. or Canada, unleaded fuel may be hard to find. Do
not use leaded gasoline. If you use even one tankful,
your emission controls won’t work well or at all. With
continuous use, spark plugs can get fouled, the exhaust
system can corrode, and your engine oil can deteriorate
quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor will be damaged.
All of that means costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business
in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just
tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation
North American Export Sales
(NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
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Filling Your Tank The cap is behmd a hinged door on the left side of your
vehicle.
While refueling, hang the
cap inside the fuel door.
To take off the cap, turn
(counterclockwise). it
slowly to the left
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Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside
of Your Buick” in the Index.
When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right until
you hear at least
three clicks.
L
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get
the wrong type, it may not fit or have proper
venting, and your fuel tank and emissions system
might be damaged.
Checking Things Under the Hood
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Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the
vehicle.
Then go to
the front of the
vehicle and release the
secondary hood release. Lift
the hood. Before closing the
hood, be sure
all the filler caps are on
properly. Then just pull the
firmly.
Engine Oil
hood down and close it
If the LOW OIL LEVEL
light on the instrument
panel comes on, it means
you need to check your
engine oil level right away.
For more information, see
“Low Oil Level Light” in
the Index.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
It’s
a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
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3.1 L L82 (Code M) Engine
The engine oil dipstick handle
is the yellow loop near
the front of the engine.
Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan.
If you don't, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual
level.
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3.8L L27 (Code L) Engine
To Check Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back
in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
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