1996 BUICK REGAL Owners Manual

Don’t use any of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
0 Laundry Soap
Bleach
Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your Buick
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe
vinyl or leather with a clean, damp cloth.
Your Buick dealer has two
GM cleaners, a solvent-type
spot lifter and
a foam-type powdered cleaner. They will
clean normal spots and stains very well.
Do not use
them on
vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
0 Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt.
Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask
surrounding trim along stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following the
directions on the container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge.
0 Don’t saturate the material.
0 Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge
to remove the suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly damp paper towel
or cloth.
0 Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
0 Clean up stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
0 Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area
0 Then dry it immediately with a blow dryer.
0 Wipe with a clean cloth.
often. A
soft brush may be used if stains are stubborn.
0 Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area
only.
If you use them, don’t saturate the stained area.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or
it will set.
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Using Solvent-Qpe Cleaner on Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type cleaner at all.
Some spots and stains will clean off better with just
water and mild soap.
If you need to use
a solvent:
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.
0 When you clean a stain from fabric, immediately
dry the area with
a blow dryer to help prevent a
cleaning ring.
Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy or Oily Stains
Stains caused by grease, oil, butter, margarine, shoe
polish, coffee with cream, chewing gum, cosmetic
creams, vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar and asphalt can
be removed
as follows:
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain.
0 Follow the solvent-type instructions
described earlier.
Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and asphalt will stain if
left on
a vehicle’s seat fabric. They should be removed
as
soon as possible. Be careful, because the cleaner
will dissolve them and mdy cause them to spread.
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:
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain, then sponge the
soiled
area with cool water.
0 If a stain remains, follow the foam-type instructions
described earlier.
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0 If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine,
treat the area with
a watedbaking soda solution:
1 teaspoon
(5 ml) of baking soda to 1 cup (250 ml)
of lukewarm water.
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:
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then clean with
cool water and allow to dry.
If a stain remains, clean it with solvent-type cleaner.
Cleaning Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
0 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 Vinyl/Leather 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 Vinylkeather Cleaner
or equivalent product.
Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive
cleaners, furniture polish or shoe polish on leather.
Soiled leather should be cleaned immediately. If
dirt is allowed to work into the finish, it can harm
the leather.
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.
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Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
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.
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 safety belts only with mild soap and
lukewarm water.
soaked in full-strength windshield washer solvent. Then
Clean the blade
by wiping vigorously with
a cloth
rinse the blade with water.
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. Wiper blades should be checked on
a regular basis and
replaced when worn. 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.)
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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% cottbn 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 col.ored
basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for
a basecoat/clearcoat
paint finish.
NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on
a basecoatklearcoat paint finish may
dull the
finish or
leave swirl marks.
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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
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 autorrlatic 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.
I 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 surhces 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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Appearance Care Materials Chart
PART NUMBER USAGE DESCRIPTION
SIZE
1050004
Also removes old waxes and polishes Tar and Road Oil
Remover
16 oz. (0.473 L) I 050 172 Shines
vehicle without scratching Chamois
2.75
sq. ft.
~~~
1050173 16 oz. (0.473 Lj Chrome Cleaner and Polish
Removes soil
and black marks
White Sidewall Tire Cleaner 16 oz. (0.473 L) 1050174 Removes
rust
and corrosion
~~~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~
105020 I
Windshield washer solvent and antifreeze
Optikleen
32 oz. (0.946 L) 1051515
For
cloth
Spot Lifter 8 oz. (0.237 L) 105 1398* Cleans
vinyl, cloth,
tires and mats
Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner 6 lbs. (2.72 kg)
1050429 Cleans grease, grime
and smoke film
Glass Cleaner 23
oz. (0.680 L) 1050427 Spot
and stain removal
Vinyl and Leather Cleaner
32 02. (0.946 L)
IO502 14 Exterior
cleaner and
polish Magic Mirror Cleaner Polish 16 OZ. (0.473 Lj
I 1 OS2870 I 16 oz. (0.473 L) I Wash and Wax Concentrate I Exterior wash
10529
18** Protects vinyl, leather and rubber
Armor All TM Protector 8 oz. (0.237 L)
1052929
Cleans
vinyl, leather and rubber
Armor All TM Cleaner 16 oz. (0.473 L) 12345002** Attracts and absorbs soils
Capture Dry Spot Remover
8 oz. (0.237 L) 1052930 Spray
on wheel
cleaner
Wheel Cleaner
16 oz. (0.473 L)
12345725 Shines tires
Silicone Tire Shine
12
oz. (0.354 L)
See your General Motors Parts Department for these products. :j: Not recommended for pigskin suede leather.
See "Fluids and Lubricants''
in the Index. :t::f: Not recommended for use on instrument panel vinyl.
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