1998 BUICK REGAL light

Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of
all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep
to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on
a freeway as a passing lane. At the
entrance, there is usually
a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder
as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once
you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay
in
the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to
make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving
on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well
in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back
up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your vehicle in good shape for winter
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk. Include
an ice scraper, a small brush or broom,' a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and a
couple
of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items
in your vehicle.
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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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2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause
a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump
start procedure. Put your automatic
transaxle in
PARK (P) before setting the
parking brake.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter
or accessory power outlet. Turn off all lamps
that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. In addition, it
could save your radio!
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t
be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. (Your
vehicle’s battery is located toward the front
of the
passenger’s side
of the vehicle’s engine, underneath
a diagonal brace.)
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood
electric fan.
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5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery. Your vehicle has a remote positive (+)
jump starting terminal. The terminal is on the same
side
of the engine compartment as your battery. To
uncover the remote positive (+) terminal, squeeze the
sides
of the red plastic cap and pull the cap upward.
You should always use the remote positive
(+)
terminal instead of the positive (+) terminal on
your battery. Using
a match near
a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded.
Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the ACDelco Freedom@
battery installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if
a battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take care
of that first.
If you don’t, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you.
If you accidentally get it in
your eyes
or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage and a hot
engine warning light on
your instrument panel. See
“Engine Coolant Temperature Gage” and “Engine
Coolant Temperature Warning Light” in the Index.
You
also have a low coolant light on your instrument panel.
See “Low Coolant Light” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if
you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you
see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire.
You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
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If you get gasoline on yourself and then
something ignites it, you could be badly burned.
Gasoline can spray out on you if you open the
fuel filler cap too quickly. This spray can happen
if your tank is nearly full, and is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise to stop. Then unscrew
the cap
all the way.
Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces
as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside
of Your Vehicle” in the Index. When you
put the cap back on, turn
it to the right
(clockwise)
until you hear a clicking sound. Make sure
you
fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine
if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp”
in
the Index.
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
~ type. Your dealer can get one for you. If you get
the wrong type, it may not fit properly. This may
’ cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light
and
your fuel tank and emissions system may be
damaged. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in
the Index.
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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 vehicle 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 Oil
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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