1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE Owners Manual

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Your vehicle is equipped with one of the following instrument panel clusters. It includes indicator waning lights and
gages that are explained on the following pages. Be sure to read about those that apply to the instrument cluster for
your vehicle.
- 130
' 140
Standard CEuster (United States version shown, Canada similar)
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TEMPERATURE
Cluster With DIC (United States version shown, Canada similar)
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The tachometer tells you
how fast the engine is
running. it displays engine
speed in thousands sf
~CVQIU~~OIX per
minute (rp”).
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This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be
on your vehicle. The pictures will help YOU
locate them.
Warning lights
and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair
or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages coukl also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one
of your vehicle’s hn~tions. As YOU
will see in the details 010. the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when
you start the
engine
just to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with
tis section, YOU should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Cages can indicate when there may
be or is a problem
with of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages
and
warning lights work together to let you how when
there’s a problem
with your vehicle. When one
of the
warning lights comes QII and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what
to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to
d~ repairs can be costly -- and even
dangerous.
So please get to how your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Your vehicle may also have a driver information system
that works along with the warning lights and gages. See
“Driver Information System”
in the Index.
d Bel$ pj&&n(jgp Light
When eke key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on
for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on md stay on
for about 20 seconds, then it
will
flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither the chime nor the
light will come on.
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There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR
BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for rna’rfunctions. The light
tells you
if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air
bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the
wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more infomation on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
This light will come on
when y~u start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds.
Then the Eight
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
I€ the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes QIT when you are driving, your air bag
system may
not work p~operly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you
turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready
to wm you if there is a problem.
VOLT
“‘en you turn the hey to
RUN, this light will come
on briefly, to show the
battery charging systeE
is
working.
When the light goes off and stays off, the charging
system
is working.
Hf the light stays on, a chime will sound indicating you
need service, and you should take your vehicle to the
dealer at once. To save your battery until yo3 get there,
turn off a%B accessories and turn off glow climate
control system.
When a luge number of electrical accessories me
operating ir, the vehicle and the engine is left at an idle
for aa extended period, the engine may idle at a higher
RPM than noma1 to ensure the battery does not mn
down. This may occur when several of the following are
on: parking lamps, high-beam headlamps, rear window
defogger, heated seats and engine cooling fans, etc. It
may take longer for the rear window defogger to dear
the glass, and the heated seats may not feel as warn
as normal.
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This light should come on
whera YOU turn the key to
RUN. If it doesn’t come ora
then, have it fixed so Et will
be ready to warn you if
there‘s 2 problem.
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With the anti-lock brake
system, the
Iight(s) will
come on when you start
your engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
1 That’s BzorfnaI.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when YOU turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed SO it will be
ready
to wm you if there is a problem.
OFF
This warnirag light should
come on briefly 2s you start
the engine. If the warning
iight doesn’t corne on then,
have it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there’s
a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be a problem with your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
The traction control system wming light may come on
for the foIlowing reasons:
dr;ivi3g accordingly.
If yos turn the system off by pressing the button
located on the end of the shift lever, the warning
light will come on and stay on. To turn the system
back on, press the button again. The warning light
should go off. (See “Traction Control System” in the
Index
for more kf~m;ation.)
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