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 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.
0 Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross mo
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”) st
0 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 tha t
have not cleared the intersection or may be running
the red light.
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reeway Driving
-
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules. The
most important advice
on freeway driving is: Keep
up
with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks
a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on
a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance, there
is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway.
If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin
to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap
at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder
as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed
to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
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Making Turns
I 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 may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Buick dealer. The 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 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 before 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 lbs. (450 kg) and you have an automatic transaxle
with overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@I). An
overdrive transmission is required if towing a trailer more
than
1,000 lbs. (450 kg).
4-35
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Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that
can occur on
the road.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know
you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
Press the button in to make your front and rear turn
signal lamps flash on and
off.
- 5-1
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Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in and even if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the flashers, pull out on the collar. When
the hazard warning flashers are on, your
turn signals
won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
~f 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 use the following steps to do
it safely.
A CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some
or all
of these things can hurt you.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
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Fuse I qe Chart Fuse Circuitry
I----
ECM INJ/COIL UNLOCK FANiALT
GAUGES
STOP HAZ CTSY WDo
FRONT VIEW OF FUSE BLOCK
Fuse
ECM INJ/COIL
Circuitry
Powertrain Control Module Fuel Injectors UNLOCK Auto
Door Locks (Remove
this
fuse to disable the automatic
door unlock.)
FAN/ALT Electric Fan, Starter
and Generator, Seq. Fuel
Inj
(V6), Cruise Control,
Anti-Lock Brakes
TURN B/U Back-up Lamps
AIR BAG Supplemental Inflatable
Restraint (Air Bag System)
TAIL
HTR A/C
GAGES Taillamps,
Parking, Sidemarker,
License Plate, Stopflurn Signal
Heater/Air Conditioner
Blower Controls
IA? Cluster, Warning Indicators,
Torque Converter Clutch,
Audible Warning System, Trunk
Release, Brake Warning
Indicator, Rear Defog Switch,
Remote Keyless
Entry,
Headlamps, Air Bag System
6-58
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Replacement Bulbs
'OUTSIDE LAMPS BULB INSIDE LAMPS BULB
'.Back-up
Lamps . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 1156
Front ParkingEurn Signal Lamps
. . . . . . . . 2357NA Courtesy' Lamps
194 Dome Lamp
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561
,License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Halogen Headlamps Glove
Box Lamp . . . . .<. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
' Sidemarker Lamps (Front) . . . . , , . . . . . . . 194NA Heater and A/C Control . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T-1 .o
Ashtray ................................. 194
.. I I.
Lamps (Rear) . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Stop/TaiVTurn Signai Lamps
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2397
Underhood Lamp
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 089
Taillamps (between stop and back-up lamps) . . . 194
High-Beam Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . 194
High-Level Stoplamp
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . 1156
Indicator Lights Rear Window Defogger Switch
. . . . . . . . . . . 2102
Lighted Rearview Mirrors
, . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212-2
Cluster (Illumination)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Turn Signal Indicators . . . . . . . ; . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
6-60
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Seats Folding Rear
.................................. 1-4
Folding Second Seat
............................ 1-4
Folding Third Seat
............................. 1-5
ManualFront ................................. 1-1
Power ....................................... 1-2
Restraint Systems
.............................. I - 1
Seat Controls ................................. 1 . 1
Securing a Child Restraint ...................... 1-33
Second Gear, Automatic Transaxle
................. 2- 18
Service
........................................ 6-1
Bulletins. Ordering
............................. 8-9
EngineSoonLight ............................ 2-54
Manuals. Ordering
............................. 8-9
Parts Identification Label
....................... 6-55
Publications. Ordering
.......................... 8-9
Work. Doing Your Own
......................... 6- 1
Service and Appearance Care ...................... 6- 1
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Buick ............ 1-25
Sheet Metal Damage
............................ 6-52
ShiftLever
.................................... 2-16
Shifting
Automatic Transaxle
.......................... 2- 16
IntoPark
.................................... 2-20
OutofPark
.................................. 2-23
Shock Absorbers. Superlift
....................... 6-2 1
SignalingTurns ................................ 2-27
Skidding
...................................... 4-13
Spare Tire. Compact
............................. 5-37
Specifications and Capacities
...................... 6-6 1
Sound Equipment. Adding ......................... 3-9 Specifications. Engine
........................... 6-63
Speech Impaired. Customer Assistance
............... 8-3
Speedometer
................................... 2-48
SRS
......................................... 1-21
Stains. Cleaning
................................ 6-48
Starter Switch Check
............................ 7-39
Starting Your Engine
....................... 2- 12. 2- 13
Steam
........................................ 5-13
Steering
....................................... 4-8
Column Lock Check
.......................... 7-40
In Emergencies ............................... 4-10
Power
....................................... 4-8
Tips
......................................... 4-9
Wheel.
Tilt .................................. 2-26
Storage Areas
.................................. 2-38
Storage Compartment. Rear
....................... 2-39
Storage. Vehicle
................................ 6-32
Stuck:
In Sand. Mud. Ice or Snow .................. 5-38
Sunvisors
.................................... 2-43
Supplemental Restraint System
.................... 1-21
Symbols. Vehicle
.................................. x
System Controls. Climate Control System ............. 3-1
Taillamp Bulb Replacement
...................... 6-36
TapePlayerCare
................................ 3-9
Theft
.......................................... 2-9
Thermostat
.................................... 6-25
Third Gear Automatic Transaxle
................... 2-18
Tilt Steering Wheel
............................. 2-26
Time. Setting the
................................ 3-4
Tire-Loading Information
Label ................... 4-28
9-8
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