1997 BUICK REGAL Owners Manual

Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your Buick by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from the paint
finish. You
can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your dealer. (See “Appearance Care and Materials”
in the Index.)
Your Buick has a “basecoatklearcoat” paint finish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the
colored basecoat. Always
use waxes and polishes that
are non-abrasive and made for a basecoatklearcoat
paint finish.
NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on
a basecoatklearcoat paint finish may dull the
finish
or leave swirl marks.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and
tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys,
etc.,
can damage your vehicle’s finish if they remain on
painted surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that
can take their toll over a period
of years.
You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new by keeping your Buick garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Cleaning Aluminum or
Chrome Wheels
(If Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel.
A
wax may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar
to the painted
surface of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners or
abrasive cleaning brushes
on them because you could
damage the surface.
You may use chrome polish
on chrome wheels, but
avoid any painted surface of the wheel, and buff off
immediately after application.
Don’t take your vehicle through
an automatic car wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface of these wheels.
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Cleaning Tires Sheet Metal Damage
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner. If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material
to the parts repaired or
NOTICE: replaced to restore corrosion protection.
When applying a tire dressing always take care
to wipe off any overspray or splash from all
painted surfaces on the body or wheels of the vehicle. Petroleum-based products may damage
the paint finish.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can
be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas
of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
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Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect
on the underbody. If these are
not removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur
on the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor
pan and exhaust system even though they have
corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can do
this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create
a chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon
and attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This
damage can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched
into the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint
job causes this, Buick
will repair, at
no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.
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Appearance Care Materials Chart
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Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
r r
ENGINEA997 f ASSEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR PLANT
This is the legal identifier for your Buick. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver’s side. You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, specifications
and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label on the deck lid. It’s very helpful
if
you ever need to order parts. On this label is:
your VIN,
the model designation,
paint information and
e a list of all production options and special equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
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Electrical System
Add-on Electrical Equipment
I NOTICE:
Don’t add anything electrical to your Buick
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle and the damage wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your Buick, see “Servicing
Your Air Bag-Equipped Buick” in the Index.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by a circuit breaker in
the underhood electrical center. An electrical overload
will cause the lamps to
go on and off, or in some cases
to remain off. If this happens, have your headlamp
system checked right away.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor cools. If
the overload is caused by some electrical problem, have
it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers in the fuse panel protect the power
windows and other power accessories. When the current
load is too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and closes,
protecting the circuit until the problem is fixed.
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Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected
from short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit
breakers and fusible thermal links in the wiring itself.
This greatly reduces the chance
of fires caused by
electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If
the band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be
sure you replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the
identical size and rating.
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
Some fuses are in a fuse
block on the passenger’s
side of the instrument panel.
Pull off the cover labeled
FUSES to expose the fuses.
B C D
Circuit
Breaker Description
A Tire Inflation Monitor Reset Button
B Power Windows/Sunroof
C Rear Defog
D Power Seats
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Fuse
1
4
6
8
10
13
14 15
17
18
19
20
22
23
24 26
27 Description
Ignition
Key Solenoid
Ignition Signal
-- Hot in Run and
Start
-- PCM, BCM U/H Relay
Power Mirrors
Panel Dimming Ignition Signal
-- Hot in Run, Unlock and
Start
-- Cluster, Powertrain Control
Module, Body Control Module
DRL Module
Interior Lamps
Door Locks
Taillamps, License Lp
Radio Heated Mirror
Cruise Control
Clusters
Cigarette Lighter
-- Auxiliary Power
Connection, Data Link
Stoplamps
Parklamps, Fog Lamps
Auxiliary Power Connection
-- Hot in
ACC and Run
Fuse
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
Description
Crank Signal -- Body Control Module,
Cluster, Powertrain Control Modules
Ignition Signal
-- HVAC Control Head
Shifter Lock Solenoid
Air Bag
Anti-lock Brake Controls, Body Control
Module
Hazard Flashers
Driver’s Heated Seat
Ignition Signal
-- Hot in ACC and
Run
-- Body Control Module
Anti-lock Brake Solenoids
Low Blower
Anti-lock Brakes
Turn Signals, Cornering Lamps
Radio, HVAC head, Keyless En
CEL
TEL
High Blower
Passenger’s Heated Seat
Steering Wheel Controls
Wipers ltry,
Clus
; ter,
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