1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE coolant

To find your comfort setting, start with the system in
AUTO mode and the
TEMP button adjusted to a display
of
75 OF (24"C), give the vehicle about 20 minutes to
stabilize, and adjust your comfort setting if necessary, by
using the TEMP button. The display will show the
comfort setting, fan speed and airflow direction for a few
seconds, and then it will display the outside temperature.
In cold weather, the system will delay turning the fan on
high, to avoid blowing cold air. The length of the delay
depends on the engine coolant temperature and the
outside temperature. Pushing the FAN, AIR FLOW
or FRONT buttons will override this delay, turn
off the
AUTO setting and change the fan speed.
Manual Operation
You may also manually adjust the air delivery or fan speed.
AIR FLOW This button is used to change the direction
of the aifflow. The airflow choices available are FLOOR,
FLOOR-MID,
MID and WINDSHIELD-FLOOR. If the
system is set
for AUTO, pressing the AIR FLOW button
will display the current airflow direction, the comfort
setting and the fan speed. Press the AIR FLOW up or
down button again
to change the direction of the airflow.
If the AIR FLOW up button is selected while in the
FRONT defrost mode, the system will direct the air
toward the mid-position.
If the AIR FLOW down button is
selected while
in the FRONT defrost mode, the system
will direct the air toward the
FLOOR, and the FRONT
defrost mode will cancel. Notice the arrows in the display.
OFF: If the passenger comfort control is turned on, it
can be turned
off by pressing the OFF button once.
Pressing the OFF button a second time will turn
off the
main system. Turning
off the main system causes the fan
to turn off and the airflow to be directed to the FLOOR.
The system will still try to keep the interior of the
vehicle at the previous chosen comfort setting. The
outside temperature will show on the display when the
system is off.
The ventilation system always allows fresh air to flow
through your Buick when the vehicle is moving even
with the system in the OFF mode.
VENT: The VENT button allows outside air to flow
through your Buick without the air conditioning
compressor working. Selecting VENT and the AUTO
button at the same time allows the system to control
automatically without
the use of the air conditioning
compressor or the
use of the RECIRC mode. To turn
off the VENT selection, push the VENT button again.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a warning light about a hot engine, as well
as a coolant temperature gage,
on your Buick instrument
panel.
If your vehicle is equipped with the optional
Driver Information Center, an Engine Coolant Low
warning will appear
on the display.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even
if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn
it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until
it cools down. Wait until
there
is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be
badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered
by your warranty.
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When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
A. Radiator Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Fans
C. Coolant Recovery
Tank
A CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down.
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The coolant level should be at or above the FULL
COLD mark.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is
a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see
if the electric engine fans are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fans should be running.
If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
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How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t at or above the
FULL COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for
more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix
will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
I NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mix.
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You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don't spill coolant on a hot engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at or
above the
FULL COLD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there's one more
thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant mix
directly to the radiator but be sure the cooling system is
cool before you do it.
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How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when
the cooling system, including the radiator pressure
cap and upper radiator
hose, is no longer hot. Turn
the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until
it
first stops. (Don’t press down while turning the
pressure cap.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push
down as you turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
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3. Fill the radiator with the proper DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture, up to the base
of the filler neck.
I
4. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the mTLL
COLD mark.
5. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap
off.
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