1997 BUICK REGAL belt

An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If
you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full
180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten
the wheel once you have
avoided
the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
If the level
of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter
turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your
steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling
a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
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Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Buick. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how
to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
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vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
3800 Supercharged (Code 1) Engine
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Buick
Cleaning the Built-in Child Restraint
Care
of Safety Belts and Built-in Child
Restraint Harness 6-5
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6-65 Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Cleaning
the Outside of the Windshield and
Wiper Blades
Weatherstrips Cleaning the Outside of Your Buick
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome Wheels
Cleaning Tires
Sheet Metal Damage
Finish Damage
Underbody Maintenance
Chemical Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Vehicle Dimensions
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
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Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are
on properly. Then just pull the hood down and close
it firmly.
3800 Supercharged (Code 1) Engine
(If Equipped)
Your Buick may have a 3800 Supercharged engine.
The supercharger is a device which is designed to
pump more air into the engine than it would normally
use. This air is mixed with fuel, which creates increased
engine power. Since the supercharger is a pump and is
driven from an engine accessory drive belt, increased
pressure is available at all driving conditions.
The powertrain control module
(PCM), works with
a vacuum control to regulate the increased pressure
required during specific driving conditions. When
this
increased pressure or boost is not desired, such as during
idling and light throttle cruising, the excess air that the
supercharger
is pumping is routed through a bypass.
All of these controls working together provide high
performance character and fuel efficiency in the
3800 Supercharged L67 engine.
Engine
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LOW
OIL
If the LOW OIL light on
the instrument panel comes on, it means you need to
check your engine oil level right away. For more
information, see
“Low Oil
Level Light” in the Index.
You should check your
engine oil level regularly;
this is an added reminder.
It’s
a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
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The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of
the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service
on your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the
TPC number will be followed by an “MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial)
as your original tires.
A CAUTION:
Mixing tires c!!!uld cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may
not handle properly, and you could have a crash.
Using tires
of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to
use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
It’s
all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
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Cleaning the Built-in Child Restraint
Your built-in child restraint may be cleaned with mild
soap and lukewarm water. Don’t use household cleaners.
They may weaken the harness
or damage plastic parts.
The built-in child restraint pad is attached to the child
restraint cushion and seatback with fastener strips. You
can remove the pad, machine wash it in cold water on a
gentle cycle and tumble dry it on a low heat setting.
Never bleach or iron the pad, and don’t dry clean it.
Care of Safety Belts and Built-in
Child Restraint Harness
Keep the safety belts and the built-in child restraint
harness clean and dry.
Do not bleach or dye safety belts or the built-in
child restraint harness. If you do, they may be
severely weakened. In a crash, they might not be
able to provide adequate protection. Clean the
safety belts and the child restraint harness only with mild soap and lukewarm water.
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM
Part No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner
will remove normal tobacco smoke and dust films on
interior glass.
Don’t
use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may
cause scratches. Avoid placing decals on the inside rear
window, since they may have
to be scraped off later.
If abrasive cleaners
are used on the inside of the rear
window, an electric defogger element may be damaged.
Any temporary license should not be attached across the
defogger grid.
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Maintenance Schedule
Short TripKity Definition
Follow the Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule if any
one of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
0 Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
0 You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle. (With some models, you should never
tow
a trailer. See “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.)
0 If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
One
of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine oil to break
down soonel:
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change
(or 3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Tire Rotation.
Every 12,000 Miles (20 000 km): Passenger
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Compartment Air Filter Replacement.
Inspection, if driving
in dusty conditions.
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Supercharger Oil Check (or every 36 months,
whichever occurs first)
(3.8L Code 1 engine only).
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule
on
the following pages.
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Maintenance Schedule
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the
conditions from
the Short TripKity Maintenance
Schedule is true.
Do not use this schedule if the vehicle
is used for trailer towing, driven in a dusty area or used
off paved roads. Use the Short Trip/City schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fidly warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine oil to break
down
slowex
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first).
Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Passenger
Compartment Air Filter Replacement.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Supercharger Oil
Check (or every
36 months, whichever occurs first)
(3.8L Code 1 engine only). Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 krn): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete nzaintenance schedule on
the following pages.
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