1996 BUICK PARK AVENUE Owners Manual

1. Air Outlet
2. Headlamps Switch
3. Parking Lamps Switch
4. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
5. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever
6. Instrument Cluster/Gages
7. Hazard Warning Flasher Switch
8. Audio System
9. Passenger’s Side SRS (Air Bag)
10. Glove Box
11. Climate Control System
12. Ashtray and Cigarette Lighter
13. Ignition Switch
14. Driver’s Side
SRS (Air Bag)
15. Traction Control Switch
16. Fuel Button
17.
Trunk Release
18. Hood Release
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Instrument Panel Cluster
Your Buick is equipped with one of the following instrument panel clusters. It includes indicator warning lights and
gages that are explained on the following pages. Be sure to read about those that apply to the instrument cluster
for
your vehicle.
c3
Standard Cluster
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0
0
21
no
Gage Cluster
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Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour
(km/h). Your
odometer shows
how far your vehicle has been driven,
in either miles (used in the United States) or kilometers
(used in Canada).
Your Buick has a tamper-resistant odometer. If you see
bright silver lines between the numbers, probably
someone has tried to turn it back. The numbers may not
be true.
You may wonder what happens
if your vehicle needs a
new odometer installed. If possible, the new one has to
be set to the same reading the old one had. If
it can’t be,
then it’s set at zero and a label must be put on the
driver’s door to show the old mileage reading and when
the new one was installed.
Trip Odometer
A trip odometer can tell how far you’ve driven since
you last set it back to zero.
To reset it, push the button.
Tachometer (Option)
The tachometer on the
optional gage cluster tells
4
3 \I/
2‘ /

F==O
.
RPM X 1000
5
7
ybu how fast the engine is
running.
It displays engine
speed
in thousands of
revolutions per minute
(rpm).
NOTICE:
Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in
the red area, or engine damage may occur.
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Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that may
be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come
on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you will
see
in the details on the next few pages, some warning
lights come on briefly when you start the engine just to let
you know they’re working. If you are familiar with this
section, you should not be alarmed when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one
of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let
you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one
of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about
it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
70 seconds. If the
driver’s belt is already
buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
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Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you
if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
AI R
BAG
You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to
RUN
or START. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you
start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on when
you
are driving, your air bag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
Battery Warning Light
VOLT
When you turn the key to RUN, one of these lights will
come on briefly, to show that your alternator and battery
charging systems
are working. If the light stays on, you
need service, and you should take your Buick
to the
dealer at once.
To save your battery until you get there,
turn
off all accessories and set your air system to OFF.
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Voltage Indicator (Option)
If you have the optional
gage cluster, this gage
shows voltage in the
electrical system. The
8
normal range is I 1 to
18 15 volts.
W
If the reading stays outside the normal range, or the
battery warning light comes on, have your Buick dealer
check the electrical system.
Brake System Warning Light
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come
on
when you turn the ignition
key to
START. If it doesn’t
come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn
you if there’s a problem.
If the light and chime come on while you are driving,
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. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will also come on when you set your parking
brake.
The light will stay on if your parking brake
Soesn’t release fully.
If you try to drive off with the
?arking brake set, a chime will also come on until you
release the parking brake. If the light and chime stay on
after your parking brake is fully released, it means you
nave a brake problem. With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on
for several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition
off. Or, if the light
comes 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 regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still
have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light
is also on, you don’t
have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with your
regular brakes. See “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier in this
part.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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