1996 BUICK PARK AVENUE Owners Manual

Non-Greasy Stains
Stains caused by catsup, coffee (black), egg, fruit, fruit
juice, milk, soft drinks, wine, vomit, urine and blood can
be removed as follows:
Cleaning Vinyl
1. Carefully scrape off excess stain, then sponge the
soiled area with cool water.
2. If a stain remains, follow the foam-type instructions
described earlier.
3. If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine,
treat the area with a waterbaking soda solution:
1 teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to 1 cup (250 ml)
of lukewarm water.
4. If needed, clean lightly with solvent-type cleaner.
Combination Stains
Stains caused by candy, ice cream, mayonnaise, chili
sauce and unknown stains can be removed as follows:
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain, then clean with
If a stain remains, clean it with solvent-type cleaner.
cool water
and allow to dry. Use warm
water and a clean cloth.
Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You
may have to do
it more than once.
Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain if
you don’t get them off quickly. Use a clean cloth and
a
GM Vinylbeather Cleaner or equivalent product.
Cleaning Leather
Use a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap or
saddle soap.
For stubborn stains, use a GM Vinylbeather Cleaner
or equivalent product.
0 Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive
cleaners, furniture polish or shoe polish on leather.
0 Soiled leather should be cleaned immediately. If dirt is
allowed to work into the finsh, it can hann the leather.
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Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces
of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones or
waxes may cause annoying reflections in the windshield
and even make it difficult to see through the windshield
under certain conditions.
Cleaning Speaker Covers
Vacuum around a speaker cover gently, so that the
speaker won’t be damaged. Some spots and stains will
clean off better with just water and mild soap.
If
something gets on one of them and you need to use a
solvent, follow these steps:
0 Gently scrape excess soil from the trim material with
a clean, dull knife or scraper. Use very little cleaner,
light pressure and clean cloths (preferably
cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at the outside
of
the stain, “feathering” toward the center. Keep
changing
to a clean section of the cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric, immediately
dry the area with a blow dryer to help prevent a
cleaning ring.
Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
1
Do not bleach or dye safety belts. If you do, it
may severely weaken them. In a crash, they
might not be able to provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild soap and
lukewarm water.
6-50
~
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Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM
Part No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner
will remove normal tobacco
smoke and dust films.
Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may
cause scratches. Avoid placing decals on the inside rear
window, since they may have to be scraped off later.
If
abrasive cleaners are used on the inside of the rear
window, an electric defogger element may be damaged.
Any temporary license should not be attached across the
defogger grid.
Cleaning the Outside of the
Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or if
the wiper blade chatters when running, wax
or other material may
be on the blade or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with
GM
Windshield Cleaner, Bon-Ami Powder@ (GM Part
No. 105001 1). The windshield is clean if beads do not
form when you rinse
it with water.
Clean the blade by wiping vigorously with a cloth
soaked in full-strength windshield washer solvent. Then
rinse the blade with water.
Wiper blades should be checked on a regular basis and
replaced when worn.
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Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth at least every six
months. During very cold, damp weather more frequent
application may be required. (See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.)
Cleaning the Outside of Your Buick
The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is to keep
it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold water.
Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Don’t use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Use
liquid hand, dish or car washing (mild detergent) soaps.
Don’t use cleaning agents that are petroleum based, or
that contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning agents
should be flushed promptly and not allowed to dry on
the surface, or they could stain. Dry the finish with a
soft, clean chamois or a
100% cotton towel to avoid
surface scratches and water spotting. High
pressure car washes may cause water to enter
your vehicle.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your Buick by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from
the paint
finish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your dealer. (See “Appearance Care and Materials”
in the Index.)
Your Buick has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint finish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat paint finish.
I NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on
a basecoatlclearcoat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage your vehicle’s finish if they remain
on painted
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surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period
of years. You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new by keeping your Buick garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel. A wax
may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels
is similar to the painted
surface
of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because you could
damage the surface.
Don’t take your vehicle through an automatic car wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface
of these wheels.
Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe
off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces on the body
or wheels of the vehicle.
Petroleum-based products may damage the
paint finish.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material
to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
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Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas
of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust control
can collect on the underbody.
If these are not removed,
accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on
the underbody
parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust system even though they have corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where
mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can do
this
for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle.
This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, Buick
will repair, at no charge
to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.
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c
ENNUMBER I SIZE 1 DESCRIPTION USAGE
See your General Motors Parts Department for these products. * Not recommended for pigskin suede leather.
See “Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
** Not recommended for use on instrument panel vinyl. 1
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Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
SAMPLE4UXTM072675 P
This is the legal identifier for your Buick. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver’s side. You can
see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in your VIN is the engine code.
This code will help you identify your engine,
specifications and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label on the spare tire cover. It’s very
helpful if you ever need to order parts. On this label is:
0 your VIN,
the model designation,
0 paint information, and
0 a list of all production options and special
Be sure that this label
is not removed from the vehicle.
equipment.
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