1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE Owners Manual

1. Air Outlet
2. HeadlampsRarking Lamps Switch
3. Turn SignaVPv4ultifunction Lever
4. Instrument Cluster/Gages
5. Hazard Warning Flasher Switch
6. Climate Control System Steering Wheel Controls
7. Gearshift Lever
8. Audio System
9. Passenger’s Side SRS (Air Bag)
10.
Air Outlet
1 1. Passenger Climate Control
12. Glove Box
13. Climate Control System
14. Ashtray
and Cigarette Lighter
15, Traction Control Switch
16. Ignition Switch
17. Driver’s Side
SRS (Air Bag)
18. Audio System Steering Wheel Controls
19. Hood Release
20. Trunk Release
21. Fuel Button
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Instrument Panel Cluster
Your Buick is equipped with one of the following instrument panel clusters. It includes indicator warning lights and
gages that are explained on the following pages. Be sure to read about those that apply to the instrument cluster for
your vehicle.
TEMPERATURE
Standard Cluster (United States version shown, Canada similar) \
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TEMPERATURE BRAKE
RANGE 30# MILES
UNLEADED FUEL ONLY
Cluster With DIC (United States version shown, Canada similar)
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Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).
Your
odometer shows how far your vehicle has been driven,
in either miles (used in the United States)
or kilometers
(used in Canada).
Your Buick has a tamper-resistant odometer. You may
wonder what happens
if your vehicle needs a new
odometer installed.
If possible, the new one has to be set
to the same reading the old one had.
If it can’t be, then
it’s set at zero and a label must be put on the driver’s
door to show the old mileage reading and when the new
odometer was installed.
Trip Odometer
A trip odometer can tell how far you’ve driven since
you last set it back to zero. To reset it, push the TRIP
RESET button. The trip odometer
is reset through the
DIC if your vehicle is equipped with this feature.
Tachometer
The tachometer tells you
how fast the engine is
running. It displays
engine speed
in
thousands of revolutions
per minute (rpm).
NOTICE:
Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in
the red area, or engine damage may occur.
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Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that may
be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you will
see
in the details on the next few pages, some warning
lights come on briefly when you
start the engine just to let
you know they’re working.
If you are familiar with this
section, you should not be alarmed when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you
are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about
it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help. Your
vehicle may also have a driver information system
that works along with the warning lights and gages. See
“Driver Information System” in the Index.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds,
then
it will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither the chime nor the
light will come on.
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Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows
AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should
go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away. The
air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t
come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to
warn you if there is problem.
Battery Warning Light
VOLT
When you turn the key to
RUN, this light will come
on briefly, to show the
battery charging system
is working.
When the light goes off and stays off, the charging
system is working.
If the light stays on, a chime will sound indicating you
need service, and you should take your Buick
to the
dealer at once. To save your battery until you
get there,
turn off all accessories and turn
off your climate
control system.
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Brake System Warning Light
Your Buick’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two
parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can still
work and stop you. For good braking, though, you need
both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
This light should come on
when you turn the key to
RUN. If it doesn’t come on
then, have
it fixed so it will
be ready to warn you if
there’s a problem.
I I
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you’ve pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will also come on when you set your parking
brake. The light will stay on if your parking brake
doesn’t release fully. If you try to drive off with the
parking brake set, a chime will also come on until you
release the parking brake.
If the light and chime stay on
after your parking brake
is fully released, it means you
have a brake problem.
If the light and chime come on while you are driving,
pull
off the road and stop carefully. You may notice that
the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer
to the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, the light(s) will
come on when you start
your engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on and the chime sounds, turn the
ignition to
OFF. Or, if the light comes on and the chime
sounds when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible
and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the light still stays on and the chime
sounds, or the light comes on again while you’re
driving, your Buick needs service.
If the regular brake
system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes,
but you don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the regular
brake system warning light is also on, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with your regular
brakes. See “Brake System Warning Light” earlier in
this section. The
anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition
key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t
come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
Traction Control System Warning Light
(Option)
TRAC
OFF
This warning light should
come
on briefly as you start
the engine. If the warning
light doesn’t come
on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there’s
a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be a problem with your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
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