1997 BUICK REGAL warning

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.
ProCarManuals.com

Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5-3 Jump Starting
5-9 Towing Your Vehicle
5-15 Engine Overheating
5-17 Cooling System
5-25
5-25
5-37
5-38 If
a Tire
Goes Flat
Changing
a Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
ProCarManuals.com

9 Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off. Press
the switch
on top of
the steering column to make
your front and rear turn
signal lamps flash on and
off. Your hazard warning
flashers work no matter
what position your key is in;
they even work if the key
isn’t in the ignition.
To turn off the flashers, press the switch again. When
the hazard warning flashers are
on, your turn signals
won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
5-2
ProCarManuals.com

Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Buick dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before
you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
rear with sling-type equipment.
0 That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations.
The operator may want to
see them.
To help avoid injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being
towed.
ProCarManuals.com

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.
ProCarManuals.com

1 NOTICE:
I I
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can
be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
0 Idle for long periods in traffic.
0 Tow a trailer. If you
get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for
a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower
for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back
on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning, turn ofthe engine
and get everyone out of the
vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-16
ProCarManuals.com

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
~~
NOTICE:
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level I In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the I isn’t at the COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL@
(silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant recovery tank.
(See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for
more information.)
/a CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant. engine,
radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant
mix.
5-19
ProCarManuals.com

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.
When the coolant
in the coolant recovery tank is at the
COLD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try.
You can add the proper coolant mix
directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before you do it.
Steam and scalding liquids from
a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the radiator
pressure cap
-- even a little -- they can come out
at high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system and
radiator pressure cap to cool if you ever have to
turn the pressure cap.
5-20
ProCarManuals.com