1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE maintenance

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If the vehicle's safety belt will fasteE around you, you
should use it.
But if a safety belt isn't long enough io fasten, your
dealer
will order you an extender. It's free. When you go
in io order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, SO the
extender will be long enough
for you. The extender will
be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle that
you choose. Don't let someone else use it, and use it
only for the seat it is made to fit. To wear it, just attach it
to the regular safety bel:.
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Now and then, make sure the safety belt rerniader light
and
all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system
parts. If you see
anything that might keep
a safety belt system from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Tom or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is tom or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for army opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired
or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
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Oil Life Monitor (Index): Psess the GAGES button
until OIL LIFE INDEX appears in the display. The OIL
LEE INDEX NORMAL display will show an estimate
of the oil’s remaining useful Me. When the oil life index
is less
than IO%, the display will show OIL LIFE
INDEX CHANGE OIL. When you have the oil changed
according
to the maintenance schedule (see
“Maintenance Schedule” in the Index), you will have to
reset the oil We monitor.
To do this, press and hold the
RESET’
button for more than five seconds while the oil
life index
is being displayed on the DPC. The oil life will
change to
100%.
Tire Psessure Status: Press the GAGES button until
‘FWE IPWSSUWE appears in the display. TWE
PRESSUWE NORMAL is displayed when the Check
Tire Pressure System believes your ve~cle’s tire
pressures are normal. If a potential tire pressure problem
is detected, the display will show gIRE PRESSURE
LOW CHECK TIRES. If you see the azRE
PRESSURE LOW: CHECK TIRES message, you
should
st~p as soon as you can and check all your tires
for damage. (If a tire is flat, see ‘‘If a Tire Goes Flat” in
the Index.)
Also check the tire pressure in all four tires
as
soon as you can. See “Inflation - Tire Pressure” and
“Check Tire Pressure System” in the Index. mere
are
times when you will have to reset (calibrate)
the
Check Tire Pressure System. See “Check Tire
Pressure System” in
the Index.
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Other messages or warnings may appear in the DE
display such as:
0 WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID LOW
ENG COOLANT LOW - CHECK LEVEL
ENGINE OIL LOW - CHECK LEVEL
0 CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
0 TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ACTIVE
0 DOOR AJAR
0 TRUNKAJAR
Pressing any of the DIC control buttons will remove the
above messages or warnings
from the DIC display.
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6-2
6- 3
4-9
6-12
4-17
6- 19
4-20
6-23
5-27
6-28
6-29
4-32
6-33
6-45
6-46
Service
Fuel
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Supercharger
Oil
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Radiator Bressure Cap
VVindskieTd Washes Fluid
Br&es
3 attery
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires Appearance
Care
Cleaning the Inside QE Y(.w VehicEe
Cleaning
the Outside of Your Vehicle
Underbody Maintenance
Chemical
Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle icientifkation Number (VIN)
Electrical System
Removing the Rear Seat Cushion
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Re€rigerants
Engine Specifications
Vehicle Dimensions
Normal Maintenance Replacement 'Parts
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Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you’II go to your dealer €or
all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM parts and
GM-trained
and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Genuine
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle” in the Index.
You should keep a record with a111 parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
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Your vehicle may have 2 3800 Sqercharged engine.
Supercharging, rather
than turbocharging, emphasizes
smooth, refined power.
The supercharger is a device which is designed to pump
more ais into the engine than it would normally use.
This air mixed with fuel creates increased engine power.
Since the supercharger
is a pump and is driven from an
engine
accessory drive belt, iwreased 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 tfarsttIe cruising, the excess air that the
supercharger is pumping is routed through a bypass.
AB1 sf these controk working together provide high
performance character and fuel efficiency in the
3800 V6 Supercharged engine.
The power steering pump and reservoir are mounted on
the rear (driver’s side) sf the engine biock. See
“Maintenance Schedule”
in the Index for when you
should check the fluid.
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ENGINE OIL LOW CHECK LEVEL HMBHBMrn
Ef you have the Driver Infcmation Center, an ENGINE
OIL LOW-CHECK LEVEL message will appear when
the engine oil is approximately I quart (fL) Isw. 11 the
message is displayed, check the dipstick level and add
oil as needed.
7r
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If none of them is true, use the %ong triphighway
maintenance schedule. Change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs
ht. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine
under highway conditions causes engine oil
to $re& down dower.
If any one of these is true for you, use the short tripkity
maintenance schedule:
8
Most trips are less than 5 to 13 miles (8 to I 6 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures
are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive id1ir.g (such as frequent
$riving
in stop-and-go traffic).
Most
trips are though dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other
commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine
oil to
break down
sooner. Hf any me of these is true for your
vehicle, then
YOU need to change your si1 and filter
every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs
kt. (See Engine Oil Life Monitor (Index) in
the Index.
1
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
ekmer,ts that may
be unhealthy for your skin and csdd
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your skin
for very iong. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hznd cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about
the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real t-heat to the environment. If you
change
your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing
oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of
oil by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it
to a place that coilects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer,
a service station or a local recycling
center for kelp.
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... .. .. ..
2. Remove the air intake hose that snaps over the
bottle
body by pulling the hose upward and away
from the throttle body. As YOU are detaching the
hose, remove ahe air cleaner housing cover by
pulling upward and remarc%.
3. Replace the air filter.
4. Reattach the air intake hose.
5. Reinstall the air cleaner housing cover.
Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the
air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
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Check oil only when the engine is cold. Allow the
engine
to cool two to three hours after running.
I. Clean tke area around the oil fill plug before
removing it.
2. Remove the G~H fill plug wing a 3/26 inch
Allen
wrench.
3. The oil level is correct when it just reaches efre
bottom of the threads of the inspection hole.
4. Replace the oil plug with the O-ring in place.
Torque
to 88 bin ( IO N-m).
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is wherr the engine oil is changed.
Change
both the fluid a.nd filter every 50,000 miles
(83 080 Ian) if the vehicle is mainly driven rander one
or more of these conditions:
8 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police QT delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any sf these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not reqwie changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
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