1996 BUICK REGAL tow

L
Operating the engine with the air cleaner off
can cause you or others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air, it stops flame if
the engine backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the
engine backfires, you could be burned. Don’t
drive with it
off, and be careful working on the
engine with the air cleaner
off.
NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine
oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous ten-ain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
6-17
ProCarManuals.com

Checking the Fluid Level
1. Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
engine running.
in
PARK (P).
3. With
your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in
PARK (P).
4. Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes,
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The transaxle dipstick
handle is the red loop
near the back of
the engine.
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or
paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.
3. Check both sides of the
dipstick, and read the
lower level: The fluid
level must be in the'
cross-hatched area.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
6-19
ProCarManuals.com

When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your tire
rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in
the Index.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The, wheel could come
off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove
any rust or
dirt from.places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to
do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later,
if you
need to, to get
all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index.) When
It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You, need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0
0
0
0
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
rubber.
The tread or sidewall
is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
6-37
ProCarManuals.com

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.
6-43
ProCarManuals.com

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.
6-44
ProCarManuals.com

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.
6-47
ProCarManuals.com

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.
6-48
ProCarManuals.com

Maintenance Schedule
I Short Trip/City Defition I
Follow the Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule if any
one
of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures
are below freezing.
0 Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving
in stop-and-go traffic).
0 Most trips are through dusty areas.
0 You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top
of your vehicle.
0 If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police,
taxi, or other commercial application.
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if you
operate your vehicle under any of these conditions is that
these conditions cause erzgirze oil to break down soonex
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Chassis Lubrication
(or
6 months, whichever occurs first).
At 6,000 Miles (10 000 km) - Then Every
12,000 Miles (20 000 km): Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Inspection, if driving
in dusty conditions.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement.
Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
Spark Plug Wire Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
These ilztervnls on.ly summarize mainteuance services.
Be sure to follow th.e complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.
7-4
ProCarManuals.com