1996 BUICK PARK AVENUE towing

If you accidentally use a key that has a damaged or
missing resistor pellet, the starter won’t work and the
SECURITY light will flash. But you don’t have,to wait
three minutes before trying another ignition key.
See your Buick dealer or a locksmith who can service
the PASS-Key
11 to have a new key made.
If you’re ever driving and the SECURITY light comes
on and stays
on, you will be able to restart your engine if
you turn it off. Your PASS-Key 11 system, however, is
not working properly and must be serviced by your
Buick dealer. Your vehicle is not protected by the
PASS-Key
I1 system.
If you lose or damage a PASS-Key
11 ignition key, see
your Buick dealer or a lockskth who can service
PASS-Key
11 to have a new key made.
,
New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your modern Buick doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (804 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time
you get new brake linings.
Don’t tow a trailer during break-in. See
“Towing
a Trailer” in the Index for more
information.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
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3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then stops),
it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the floor
and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for
about three seconds.
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep
the pedal
down for five or six seconds. This clears the
extra gasoline
fi-om the engine. After waiting about
15 seconds, repeat the normal starting procedure.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you
add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before qdding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer. If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather, .Oo F (- 18 O C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum
of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt AC outlet.
Plugging the cord’into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical ,shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use
a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
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4. After you’ve used the coolant heater,k sure to store
the cord as it was before to keep it away from moving
engine parts.
If you don’t, it could be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Buick dealer in the area where you’ll be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for
that particular area.
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your automatic transaxle has a shift lever located on the
steering column.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your front wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
’ A CAUTION:
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It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine
is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To.be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling
a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
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AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@): This position is for
normal driving. If you need more power for passing, and
you’re:
0 Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(a).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@):
0 When driving on hilly, winding roads
0 When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
When going down a steep hill
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the
way down.
between gears
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You
can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off
and on.
I NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than
5 miles (8 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(88 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.
Use AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(@) or
THIRD (3) as much as possible.
Don’t shift into SECOND
(2) unless you are going
slower than
65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage your engine.
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Pal _____
Your Park Avenue has a
PUSHTORELEASE
parking brake pedal.
To set
the parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down with your right foot. Push
down the parking brake
pedal with your left foot.
If
the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will
come on and a single chime
will be heard.
The parking brake uses the brakes on the rear wheels.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down and push the parking brake pedal with your
left foot. This will unlock the pedal. When you lift your
left foot, the parking brake pedal will follow it to the
release position. If
you try to drive
off (approximately 40 feet (12.2 m)),
with the parking brake on, the brake light stays
on
and a continuous chime sounds until you release the
parking brake.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes
to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That part shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
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Shifting Into PARK (P) 1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly.
You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see
“Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position
as follows:
0 Pull the lever toward you.
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Running Your Engine While
You’re Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
A CAUTIOF . ;
Idling the engine with the air system control off
could allow dangerous exhaust into your vehicle
(see the earlier Caution under “Engine
Exhaust”).
Also, idling in
a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide
(CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place
this can happen is
a garage. Exhaust -- with
CO -- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be
a blizzard. (See
“Blizzard” in the Index.)
A f‘ AT TTTnN
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you’ve left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK
(P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you’re pulling a
trailer, also see “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
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If you have a trailer towing option with added wiring for
the trailer lamps,
a different turn signal flasher is used.
With this flasher installed, the signal indicator will flash
even if
a turn signal bulb is burned out. Check the front
and rear turn signal lamps regularly
to make sure they
are working.
lbm Signal On Chime
If your turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 of a mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound at each flash of the turn
signal.
To turn off the chime, move the turn signal lever
to the
off position. When the
high beams are
on, a light on the instrument
panel will also be on.
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high or
high to low, pull the
turn signal lever toward you, then
release it.
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