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Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road,
you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself
with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving
is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer, This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the
left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if
possible, have someone guide you.
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Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal
a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop. When
towing
a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may
think drivers
behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally
to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear Oefbve you start
down
a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down,
you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing
a trailer that weighs more than
1,000 pounds (450 kg), you may prefer to drive in
THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D) (or, as you need to,
a lower gear).
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Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on
a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and
the trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how
to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then
shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a
Hill
I. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly
until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important
in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system, and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and
the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
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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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2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach,
but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection
you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your Buick, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
You could be injured
if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transaxle
in PARK (P) or a manual
transaxle
in NEUTRAL (N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
iamps that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. And
it could
save your radio!
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered
by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
A CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery. Your Buick has a remote positive
(+)
jump starting terminal. The terminal is on the same
side of
the engine compartment as your battery. You
should
always use the remote positive (+) terminal
instead of the positive
(+) terminal on your battery.
To uncover the remote positive
(+) terminal, lift the
red plastic cap.
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IO. Att.ach the cable at least I8 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection
is just as good
there, but the chance
of sparks getting back to the
battery is much less.
1 1. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. If it
won’t start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
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3.1 L L82 (Code M) Engine
When
you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’
I1 see:
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Electric Engine Fan
3.8L L27 (Code L) Engine
An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine
is not running and can injure
you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t
do anything else until it cools down.
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When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at 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.
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