1998 BUICK REGAL fuel

Have you recently cnanged brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand
you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel
to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical
or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Qil Warning Light
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine, or come on when
you are driving.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated. The engine could
be low on oil or could have some other oil problem.
Have it fixed right away.
The oil light could also come on
in the following
situations:
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0 The light will come on briefly when you turn on the
ignition to show you that it is working properly.
(If it doesn’t come on with the ignition on,
you may
have a problem with the fuse or bulb. Have it fixed
right away.)
Sometimes when the engine is idling at a stop, the
light may blink on and off. This
is normal.
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Door/Trunk Ajar Warning Light
This light will come on if
your trunk or any door is
DOOR/TRUNK
not completely closed.
Fuel Gage
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Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left when the ignition
is on. When the indicator
nears
EMPTY (E), you still
have a little fuel left, but
you should get more soon.
Here are some things owners ask about. All these
situations are normal and do not show a problem with
your fuel gage:
0 At the service station, the pump shuts off before the
gage reads
FULL (F).
0 It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated.
For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to
fill it.
0 The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.
Low Fuel Light
If your fuel is low, a circular
light
on your instrument
anel cluster will come on
Rl and stay on and a chime will JJ! UNLEADED sound periodically until you
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It will also come on for a few seconds when you first
turn on the ignition as a check to show you it’s working.
If it doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed.
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Modes
AVG ECON: Shows your average fuel economy since
you last reset this mode. Average fuel economy is
viewed as a long term approximation of your overall
driving and driving conditions. To learn the average fuel
economy from a new starting point, press the RESET
button while
the average fuel economy is displayed in
the
DIC.
INSTANTANEOUS FUEL ECONOMY Shows your
current fuel economy. Instantaneous fuel economy
varies with your driving conditions, such as
acceleration, braking and the grade of the road being
traveled. The instantaneous fuel economy display cannot
be reset, therefore the reset button has no effect while in
this mode.
OIL LIFE MONITOR: Shows an estimate of the oil’s
remaining useful life. When
the oil life index is less than
lo%, the CHANGE OIL SOON light will come on.
When you have the oil changed according to the
maintenance schedule (see “Maintenance Schedule” in
the Index), you will have to reset the oil life monitor.
To
do this, press and hold the RESET button for more than
five seconds while the oil life monitor is being displayed
on the DIC. The oil life will change
to 100%.
RANGE: Shows the approximate distance you can
drive without refueling. This
is based on the amount of
fuel in the tank and on the fuel economy of the most
recent
25 miles (40 km). Pressing RESET while in this
mode will have no effect.
BOOST GAGE: If you have the supercharged engine,
this gage will show
the amount of boost your engine is
receiving. Pressing RESET while in this mode will have
no effect.
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The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually
are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh -- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready
to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting
out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Buick dealerships all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help
if you need it. Here
are some things you can check before
a trip:
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Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later
on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then,
shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when
you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and
do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Loading Your Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly calry. The Tire-Loading Information label
is inside the trunk lid. The label tells you the proper size,
speed rating and recommended inflation pressures for
the tires
on your vehicle. It also gives you important
information about the number of people that can be in
your vehicle and the total weight you can carry. This
weight is called the vehicle capacity weight and includes
the weight of all occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory-installed options.
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MFD BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge
of the driver’s door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes
the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or
rear axle.
If you do have a heavy load, spread it out. Don’t carry
more than
167 pounds (75 kg) in your trunk.
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Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, or
it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose control.
Also, overloading can shorten the life of
your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that fail because of overloading.
~~
If you put things inside your vehicle -- like suitcases,
tools, packages or anything else
-- they will go as fast as
the vehicle goes. If you have
to stop or turn quickly, or
if there is a crash, they’ll keep going.
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Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag
of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during
the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 kdh) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear
in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 kmh)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
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Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. 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
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
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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 Vehicle 6-5
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6-67 6-67 Cleaning the Built-in
Child Restraint
Care of Safety Belts and Built-in Child
Restraint Harness
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Cleaning the Outside of the Windshield and
Wiper Blades
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome Wheels
Cleaning Tires
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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