1997 BUICK REGAL Owners Manual

How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
I NOTICE:
Your engine has a specific radiator fill procedure.
Failure
to follow this procedure could cause your
engine to overheat and be severely damaged.
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.
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2. Then keep turning the
pressure
cap, but now
push down as
you
turn it. Remove the
pressure cap.
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' /$ CAUTION:
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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.
3. After the engine cools,
open the coolant air
bleed valve.
l...
.. . .
There is one bleed valve. It is located on the
thermostat housing.
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4. Fill the radiator with the
proper
DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture, up
to the base
of the
filler neck.
If you see a stream of coolant coming from an air
bleed valve, close the valve. Otherwise, close the
valve(s) after the radiator is filled.
5. Rinse or wipe any spilled coolant from the engine
and the compartment.
6. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the COLD
mark on the overflow hose in the coolant bottle.
7. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap
off.
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8. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for
the
engine fans.
9. By this time, the coolant level inside the radiator
filler neck may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of
the proper DEX-COOL@ coolant mixture
through the filler neck until
the level reaches the
base of the filler neck.
10. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure
if coolant begins to flow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows on the pressure cap line up like this.
1 1. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level in
the coolant recovery tank should be at the HOT
mark when the engine is hot or at the COLD mark
when the engine is cold.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,’’ here are
a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use
in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop -- well off the road if possible.
If
a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
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Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear
of the
tire farthest
away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
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The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
1* . . 3 The eauiDment vou’ll need 1L
is in the trunk. Pull the
carpeted mat up from the
floor
of the trunk.
(See “Compact Spare Tire” later
in this section for more
information about the compact spare.)
1. Turn the center nut on the compact spare cover to the
left to remove
it. Then lift and remove the cover.
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2. Remove the spare tire. 3. Turn the nut holding the jack to the left and remove
it. Then remove the jack and wrench.
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x
":!
C
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), extension
and protection guide
(B) and wheel wrench (C).
Wheel Covers
To remove a center cap, use
the wrench to pry gently at
the notch. Don't use a tool
that
is narrower than the
wrench
to pry at this notch.
Then pry
off the cap.
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