1997 BUICK REGAL warning light

Enhanced Traction System (Option: Not
Available with
3800 Supercharged Engine)
Your vehicle may have Enhanced Traction System
(ETS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions, The system operates only if it
senses that one or both of the front wheels are spinning
or beginning to lose traction. When
this happens, the
system reduces engine power and may also upshift the
transaxle to limit wheel spin.
LOW TRAC
This light will come on
when
your Enhanced
Traction System is limiting
wheel spin. See “Enhanced
Traction System Active
Light” in the Index. You
may feel or hear the system
working, but this is normal.
The Enhanced Traction System operates in all transaxle
shift lever positions. But the system can upshift the
transaxle only as high as the shift lever position you’ve
chosen,
so you should use the lower gears only when
necessary. See “Automatic Transaxle” in the Index.
TRAC
OFF
When the system is on and
the parking brake is
fully
released, this warning light
will come on to
let you
know if there’s a problem
with the system.
See “Enhanced Traction System Warning Light”
in the
Index. When this warning light
is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the Enhanced
Traction System on. But
you can turn the system off if
you ever need to. (You should turn the system off if your
vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See
“Rocking Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
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0
To turn the system on or
off, press the
TRACTION
button on the black panel
located directly behind
your automatic transaxle
shift lever.
When you turn the system off, the Enhanced Traction
System warning light will come on and stay on.
If the
Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel spin when
you press the button to turn the system off, the warning
light will come on
-- but the system won’t turn off right
away. It will wait until there’s no longer a current need
to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The Enhanced Traction System
warning light should go off.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning,
you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Magnasteer TM
This steering system provides lighter steering effort for
parking and when driving at low speeds. Steering effort
will increase at higher speeds for improved road feel.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction
of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle
to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in
the same direction. If you’ve ever
tried
to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this.
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City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them.
~0~~11 want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals. Here are ways
to increase your safety
in city driving:
0 Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into
an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
0 Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner
is busy enough to
need it. When
a light turns green, and just before you
start
to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection
or may be running the
red
light.
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk. Include
an ice scraper, a small brush or broom,
a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel,
a flashlight, a red cloth and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece
of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items
in your vehicle.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage and a hot
engine warning light on your instrument panel. See
“Engine Coolant Temperature Gage” and “Engine
Coolant Temperature Warning Light” in the Index.
You
also have a low coolant light on your instrument panel.
See “Low Coolant Light” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
L
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.
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Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your Buick dealer is
ready to advise
if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short tripkity
maintenance schedule:
a
a
a
a
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
your vehicle.
The vehicle
is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle,
then you need to change your oil and filter every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever occurs
first. (See “Change Oil Soon” Light
in the Index.)
If none of them is true, use the long trip/highway
maintenance schedule. Change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving
a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine
oil to
break down slower.
(See “Change Oil Soon” Light
in the Index.)
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or
a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be
a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil
by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to
a place that collects used oil. If
you have
a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or
a local recycling
center for help.
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Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for
5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km) whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL’ extended life coolant.
J
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If
you have a problem with
engine overheating or if
you need to add coolant to your
radiator, see “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@
coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34 OF (-37 O C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265 OF ( 129 O C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you
use only
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused by the
use
of coolant other than DEX-COOL’ is not
covered
by your new vehicle warranty.
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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.
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.
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come 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.
1 CAUTIC
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.
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