1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE Owners Manual

Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
This section covers the maintenance required for your Buick. Your vehicle needs these services to retain its safety,
dependability and emission control performance.
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7-40 Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
How This Section is Organized
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
Selecting the Right Schedule
Part B: Owner Checks and Services
At Each Fuel Fill
At Least Once a Month
At Least Twice a Year At
Least Once a Year
Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections
Steering, Suspension and Front Drive Axle
Boot and Seal Inspection
Exhaust System Inspection Radiator and Heater Hose Inspection
Throttle Linkage Inspection
Brake System Inspection
Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants Part E: Maintenance Record
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4 IMPORTANT: I
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
LEVEL AND CHANGE AS
RECOMMENDED
11
protectjon I
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements
your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet, or your Buick
dealer
for details.
Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality
of the air we breathe. Improper fluid
levels or the wrong tire inflation can increase the level
of emissions from your vehicle.
To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
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How This Section is Organized
The remainder of this section is divided into five parts:
“Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows
what to have done and how often. Some
of these
services can be complex,
so unless you are technically
qualified and have the necessary equipment, you should
let your dealer’s service department or another qualified
service center do these
jobs.
-
A CAUTION:
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle can
be dangerous. In trying to do some jobs, you can
be seriously injured.
Do your own maintenance
work only if you have the required know-how
and the proper tools and equipment for the
job.
If you have any doubt, have a qualified
technician do the work.
“Part B: Owner Checks and Services” tells
you what should be checked and when. It also explains
what you can easily do to help keep your vehicle in
good condition.
“Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections”
explains important inspections that your Buick dealer’s
service department or another qualified service center
should perform.
“Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists
some products
GM recommends to help keep your
vehicle properly maintained. These products, or their
equivalents, should be used whether you do the work
yourself or have it done.
“Part E: Maintenance Record’’ provides a place for
you to record the maintenance performed on your
vehicle. Whenever any maintenance is performed,
be
sure to write it down in this part. This will help you
determine when your next maintenance should be done.
In addition,
it is a good idea to keep your maintenance
receipts. They may be needed to qualify your vehicle
for
warranty repairs.
If you are skilled enough
to do some work on your
vehicle, you will probably want to get the service
information
GM publishes. See “Service and Owner
Publications” in the Index.
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Part A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you keep your
vehicle in good working condition. But we don’t know
exactly how you’ll drive it. You may drive very short
distances only a few times a week. Or you may drive
long distances all the time in very hot, dusty weather.
You may use your vehicle in making deliveries. Or
you may drive it to work, to do errands or in many
other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their GM
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may even need
more frequent checks and replacements than you’ll find
in the schedules in this section.
So please read this
section and note how you drive.
If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good
condition, see your Buick dealer.
This part tells you the maintenance services you should
have done and when you should schedule them. If you
go to your dealer for your service needs, you’ll know
that GM-trained and supported service people will
perform the work using genuine GM parts. The proper fluids and lubricants to use
are listed in Part D.
Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses these. All
parts should be replaced and all necessary repairs done
before you or anyone else drives
the vehicle.
These schedules are for vehicles that:
carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will find these limits on your vehicle’s
Tire-Loading Information label. See “Loading
Your
Vehicle” in the Index.
0 are &wen on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
use the recommended fuel. See “Fuel” in the Index.
Selecting the Right Schedule
First you’ll need to decide which of the two schedules is
right for your vehicle. Here’s how, to decide which
schedule to follow:
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Maintenance Schedule
I Short Trip/City Definition 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.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
0 If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
your vehicle.
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 engine oil to break
down soonez
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Chassis Lubrication
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
(or
6 months, whichever occurs first). Tire Rotation.
Every 12,000 Miles (20 000 km): Passenger
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Compartment Air Filter Replacement.
Inspection,
if driving in dusty conditions.
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Supercharger Oil Check (or every 36 months,
whichever occurs first) (3.8L Code
1 engine only).
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Service (severe conditions only).
Drive Belt Inspection.
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
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Maintenance Schedule
I Short Trip/City Intervals I
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every 60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the
conditions from the Short Trip/City Maintenance
Schedule is true. Do not use this schedule
if the vehicle
is used for trailer towing, driven in a dusty area or used
off paved roads. Use the Short Trip/City schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine oil to break
down slowel:
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine ull and Filter
Change (or every 12 months, whichever occurs fist).
* Chassis Lubrication (or every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Passenger
Compartment Air Filter Replacement.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Supercharger Oil
Check (or every 36 months, whichever occurs first)
(3.8L Code
1 engine only). 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): Spark Plug Wire
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
Service (or every 60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.
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Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule
The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles
(166
000 km) should be performed after 100,000 miles
(166
000 km) at the same intervals. The services shown
at 150,000 miles (240
000 km) should be performed at
the same interval after 150,000 miles (240
000 km).
See “Owner Checks and Services” and “Periodic
Maintenance Inspections” following.
Footnotes
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify
the emission warranty or
limit recall liability prior to the
completion of the vehicle’s useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the maintenance
be recorded.
# Lubricate the suspension, steering linkage, transaxle
shift linkage, parking brake cable guides and the
underbody contact points and linkage.
* If your vehicle has an Engine Oil Life Monitor, the
monitor will show you when to change the oil
-- usually
between
3,000 miles (5 000 km) and 7,500 miles
(12
500 km) since your last oil change. Under severe
conditions, the indicator may come on before
3,000 miles (5 000 km). Never drive your vehicle more
than
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months, (whichever
occurs first), without an oil change.
The system won’t detect dust in the oil.
So if you
drive in a dusty area be sure to change your oil every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or sooner if the CHANGE OIL
light comes on. Remember to reset the Oil Life Monitor
when the oil has been changed. For more information,
see “Engine Oil Life Monitor” in the Index.
+ A good time to check your brakes is during tire
rotation. See “Brake System Inspection” under “Periodic
Maintenance Inspection” in Part C of this schedule.
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t
I Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule I
3,000 Miles (5 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote * .)
DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE SERVICED BY:
6,000 Miles (10 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote *.)
[7 Lubricate chassis components (or every
6 months, whichever occurs first).
(See footnote
#.)
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and
Rotation” in the Index for proper rotation
pattern and additional information. (See footnote
+.)
I I I
DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE SERVICED BY
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