Page 3 of 356

The 1996 Buick Regal Owner’s Manual
7-
Seats and Restraint Systems ............................................................. 1-1
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains “SRS” system.
This section explains how to start and operate your Buick.
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your
audio system.
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
This section tells you
what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or
overheated engine, etc.
Here the manual tells you how to keep
your Buick running properly and looking good.
This section tells
you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
This section tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service publications.
It also
gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page
8-7.
Index ........................................................................\
........ 9-1
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something
you want to read.
Features and Controls .................................................................. 2-1
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems ..................................................... 3-1
YourDrivingandtheRoad .............................................................. 4-1
ProblemsontheRoad .................................................................. 5-1
Service and Appearance Care. ........................................................... 6-1
Maintenanceschedule .................................................................. 7-1
Customer Assistance Information ........................................................ 8-1
i
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Ve hide bols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever
your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols have to do
with
your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
RUNNING
* 0
DAYTIME ..
LAMPS .*
FOG LAMPS # 0
These symbols
are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
1 d J
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE F-
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
t
LIGHTER n
HORN hs
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
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Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your
Buick and how to use your safety belts properly. You
..
can also learn about some things you should not do with
air bags and safety belts.
Seats and Sest Controls
This section tells you how to adjust the seats and
explains the reclining seatbacks and head restraints.
Manual Front Seat
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle
is not moving. 2-Way Manual Seat
Lift the bar under the front
of the seat to unlock it. Slide
the seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to
move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is
locked in place.
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Page 17 of 356
1
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job. In a crash you
could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In
a crash the
belt could
go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.
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I
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be in
front
of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck
or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t
do its job either. In a crash the
belt could
go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle
is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint
is closest to the top of your ears. This position
reduces the chance
of a neck injury in a crash.
Seatback Latches (2-Door Models)
The front seat folds forward to
let people get into the back seat. Your seatback will move
back and forth freely, unless
you come to a sudden stop.
Then it will lock in place.
If your vehicle is parked facing down a fairly steep hill,
the seatback
may not fold without some help from you.
To fold the locked seatback forward, push the seatback
toward the rear and lift this latch. Then the seatback will
fold forward.
The latch must be down for the seat to
work properly.
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Page 20 of 356

Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS),
or air bag system.
L
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing
a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured
or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up.
Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.
J
Your vehicle has a light that
comes on as
a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
I After more than 25 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling
up does
matter
... a lot!
In most
states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away.
Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed.
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Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes,
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's
just a seat on wheels.
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or the instrument panel ... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.
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