1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE brake

3800 Series I1 (Code K) Engine (L36)
When you open the hood on the 3800 (L36) engine, here’s what you will see (3800 Supercharged (L67) engine similar):
“14 ,....
A. Battcry
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap G. Windshield Washer
B
. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Engine Oil Dipstick E.
Automatic Transaxle
Fluid Dipstick
F. Brake Master Cylinder Fluid Reservoir
H. Engine Coolant Recovery
Tank
I. Air Cleaner
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Checking the Fluid Level
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
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).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes. Then,
without shutting
off the engine, follow
these steps:
1. The transaxle fluid
dipstick top is a round
red loop and is next
to
the brake master
cylinder behind the
engine block. Pull out
the dipstick and wipe
it with a clean rag or
paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way,
then pull it back out again. wait
three seconds and
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NOTICE:
0
0
When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
adding water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage your washer fluid tank and
other parts of the washer system. Also,
water doesn’t clean as well as washer fluid.
Fill your washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when
it’s very cold. This
allows for expansion
if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Don’t use radiator antifreeze in your
windshield washer. It can damage your
washer system and paint.
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
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There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake fluid
goes down to
an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings
are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system.
If it is, you should have your brake
system
fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at
all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak.
If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system. When
your brake fluid falls
to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. A chime will sound if you
try to drive with this warning light on. See “Brake
System Warning Light” in the Index.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM Part
No. 12377967). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it.
This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
I
With the wrong kind of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause a
‘crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
If you have’too much brake fluid, it can spill on the
engine. The fluid
will burn if’ the engine is hot
enough. You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid
only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
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Brake Wear
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops of mineral-based
oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
Your Buick has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn
and new pads
are needed. The sound may come and go or
be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you are pushing on the brake pedal
firmly).
A CA, TION:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE: I
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
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Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected.
Also, the rear brake drums should
be removed and inspected each time the tires
are removed
for rotation
or changing. When you have the front brakes
replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection’’ in Section
7 of this
manual under Part
C “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections”.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together
if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you have to have new ones put in
-- be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts.
If you
don’t, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change
-- for the worse. The braking
performance you’ve come to expect can change in many
other ways if someone puts in the wrong replacement
brake parts.
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Check Tire Pressure System (If Equipped)
The check tire pressure system can alert you to a large
change
in the pressure of one tire. The system won’t alert
you before you drive that a tire is low or flat. You must
begin driving before the system will work properly.
The CHECK
TIRE PRESSURES message will appear
on the Driver Information Center (DIC) if pressure in
one tire becomes at least
€0 psi (69 kPa) lower or higher
than the other three tires. The warning message can be
removed from the display by pressing any DIC button.
Removing the message does not reset the system. The
check tire pressure system won’t alert you if more than
one tire is low or high, or if the system
is not calibrated
properly. It also won’t tell you which tire is low or high.
If
the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
the check tire pressure system may not be working
properly. See your dealer for service. (Also, see
“Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” in the Index.)
The check tire pressure system detects differences in tire
rotation speeds that
are caused by changes in tire
pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire
-- but it doesn’t replace normal tire maintenance.
See “Tires” in the Index. When
the CHECK TIRE PRESSURES message appears
on the Driver Information Center, you should stop as
soon as you can and check all your tires for damage. (If
a tire is flat, see “If a Tire Goes Flat” in the Index.) Also
check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as you
can. See “Inflation-Tire Pressure” in the Index.
Any time
you adjust a tire’s pressure or have one or
more tires repaired or replaced, you’ll need to reset
(calibrate) the check tire pressure system. You’ll also
need to reset the system whenever you rotate the tires,
buy new tires, install or remove the compact spare, and
whenever the vehicle’s battery has been disconnected.
Don’t reset the check tire pressure system without first
correcting the cause of the problem and checking and
adjusting the pressure in all four tires. If you reset the
system when the tire pressures are incorrect, the check
tire pressure system will not work properly and may not
alert you when a tire is low or high.
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Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original
equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure to have
the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your
Buick model.
I
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous.
It could affect the braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air and make you
lose control. You could have
a collision in which
you or others could be injured. Always use the
correct wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for
replacement.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or
how far it’s been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause an accident.
If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new
GM original equipment wheel.
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