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Vehicle Symbols
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
ACID COULD
&
BAllERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
X
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 lamps:
SIGNALS 6
TURN
RUNNING
* ' 0
DAYTIME -
LAMPS .'*
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
These symbols are used
on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BAlTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
a
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
IJ
FUEL p3
1 I
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Page 25 of 420

&.’ If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident
-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver
doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number
of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds
of less than 40 mph
(65 kmk).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about safety
belts and children.
And there are different rules for smaller
children and babies.
If a child will be riding in your Buick,
see
the part of this manual called “Children.” Follow those
rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
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Page 61 of 420

Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Buick, and information on starting, shifting
and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is working
properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2-2
2-4
2-8
2- 14
2-15 2-16
2- 17
2-
19
2-20
2-2 1
2-22
2-23
2-27
2-28
2-30
2-3
1
Keys
Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry System
TrUnk
Theft
Content Theft Deterrent
PASS-Key@
III
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Parking Brake Shifting Into PARK
(P)
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Parking Over Things That
Burn
2-3 1
2-32
2-33
2-34
2-34
2-44
2-46
2-50
2-55
2-64
2-64
2-68
2-73
2-82
2-84 Engine Exhaust
Running
Your Engine While You’re Parked
Windows
Tilt Wheel
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Astroroof
Universal Transmitter
Instrument Panel
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
Head-Up Display (HUD)
Driver Information Center (DIC)
2-1
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Page 63 of 420

The master key is used
for the ignition, as well
as all door
locks and
storage compartments.
Ill The valet key is used for the
ignition and the two side
doors only.
It will not open
the trunk or glove box.
This
is a theft-deterrent feature. When
a new Park Avenue is delivered, the dealer
removes the plugs from the keys, and gives them to the
first owner. However, if the ignition key does not have a
plug, there may be
a bar-coded key tag instead.
Each plug has a code on
it that tells your dealer or a
qualified locksmith
how to make extra keys. Keep the
plugs in a safe place.
If you lose your keys, you’ll be
able to have new ones made easily using these plugs
or
the tag. If your ignition keys don’t have plugs, go to
your Buick dealer for the correct key code if you need a
new ignition key.
NOTICE:
Your Buick has a number of features that can
help prevent theft. But you can have a lot of
trouble getting into your vehicle
if you ever lock
your keys inside. You may even have to damage
your vehicle to get in.
So be sure you have
extra keys.
2-3
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Page 64 of 420
Door Locks
I
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When a door is
locked, the inside handle won’t open
it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be
so obvious: You increase the
chance
of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash
if the doors aren’t locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be far
better
off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use your door key or Remote Keyless
Entry transmitter.
To lock the door from the inside, move the lock control
on the door handle forward.
To unlock the door, move the lock control on the door
handle toward the rear
of the vehicle.
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Page 65 of 420

Central Door Unlocking System
From outside the vehicle, if the driver’s door key is held
in the unlock position for more than two seconds, or, if
the key is turned to the unlock position twice within
three seconds, all doors will electronically unlock.
Power Door Locks
With power door locks, you
can lock or unlock
all doors
of your vehicle by using
either the driver or front
passenger power door
lock switch.
Door Ajar Reminder (If Equipped)
If your Park Avenue is equipped with the Driver
Information Center (DIC), and a door is not fully
closed, the DIC will display a DOOR
AJAR message.
See “Driver Information Center” in the Index.
Memory Door Locks
Close your doors and turn on the ignition. Every time
you move your shift lever out of PARK (P), all of the
doors will lock. And, every time you stop and move
your shift lever into PARK (P), your doors will unlock.
If someone needs to get out while you’re not in
PARK (P), have that person use the manual or power
lock. When the door is closed again, it will not lock
automatically. Just use the manual
or power lock to lock
the door again.
If you need to lock your doors before
shifting out of PARK (P), just use the manual
or power
lock button
to lock the doors.
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Page 66 of 420

Customizing Your Memory Door Locks Feature
You can program the memory door locks feature to
change to the following modes:
Mode Operation
0 No automatic door lock or unlock.
1
2
3
All doors automatically lock when
shifted out of PARK (P).
No automatic
door unlock.
All doors automatically lock when shifted out of PARK (P). Only the driver’s door
automatically unlocks when shifted into
PARK (P).
All doors automatically lock when shifted
out
of PARK (P). All doors automatically
unlock when shifted into PARK
(P).
Vehicles are delivered programmed in Mode 3; however,
each Remote Keyless Entry transmitter can be
programmed
to a different mode according to the
user’s preference.
To change modes:
1. Close all doors and turn the ignition on. Keep all
doors closed throughout this procedure.
driver’s door through Step
4.
3. Press the LOCK button on the Remote Keyless
Entry transmitter to enter the programming mode.
The memory door lock mode will remain in the
current mode.
2. Press and hold the power door lock switch on the
4. Press the LOCK button on the transmitter again.
Each time the transmitter’s LOCK button is pressed,
the mode will advance by one, going from mode
3 to
mode
0 to mode 1, etc.
For each press of the LOCK button, the door locks will activate
in the same manner they would activate in the
corresponding memory door lock mode. For example,
pressing the LOCK button on the transmitter to advance to mode
2 would result in all doors locking
and then,
only the driver’s door would unlock. For
mode
0, no locking or unlocking will occur.
5. Release the power door lock switch and turn the
ignition off. The automatic door locks will remain in
the most recent mode selected.
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Page 67 of 420

You can also program the memory door locks feature
using the Driver Information Center.
See “Driver
Information Center Personal Choice Programming”
in the Index.
Rear Door Security Locks
CHILD
SECURITY
LOCK
SET LEVER
REAR DOORS ON BOTH
Your Buick is equipped
with rear door security
locks that help prevent
passengers from opening
the rear doors of your
vehicle from the inside.
3. Close the door.
4. Do the same thing to the other rear door lock.
The rear doors
of your vehicle cannot be opened from
the inside when this feature is in use.
To open a rear door when the security lock is on:
1. Unlock the door from the inside.
2. Then open the door from the outside. If you don’t
cancel the security lock feature, adults or older
children who ride in the rear won’t be able to open
the rear door from the inside.
You should let adults
and older children
know how these security locks
work, and how to cancel the locks.
To cancel the rear door security lock:
1. Unlock the door from the inside and open the door
from the outside.
To use one of these locks:
1. Open one of the rear doors.
2. Move the lever on the door all the way up to the
ENGAGED position.
2. Move the lever all the way down.
3. Do the same thing for the other rear door.
The rear door locks will now work normally.
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