1998 BUICK REGAL maintenance schedule

The 1998 Buick Regal Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts\
properly. It also explains the “SRS” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfo\
rt controls and how to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road\
and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lu\
bricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8-8.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
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Change Oil Soon Light
Your CHANGE OIL SOON
light should come on as a
CHANGE OIL
SOON
bulb check when you start
the engine.
Security Light
SECURITY
This light will come on
when you turn the key
to
START and stay on until the
vehicle starts.
If this light stays on for about
20 seconds after you turn
on the ignition, have the oil changed.
When to change your oil also depends on driving habits
and conditions because
they directly affect engine speed,
coolant temperature and vehicle speed. Because of this,
the CHANGE OIL
SOON light may come on as early as
2,000 miles (3,200 km) or less for harsh conditions.
Also see “Maintenance Schedule” in the Index for
further instructions on when
to change your oil.
To reset the CHANGE OIL SOON light, see “CHANGE
OIL SOON Light, How to Reset” in the Index. Also, see
“Oil Life Monitor”
in the Index. It
will also flash if your ignition key is too dirty or wet
for the PASS-Key I1 system to read the resistor pellet.
See “Pass-Key
11” in the Index.
If the resistor pellet is damaged or missing, the light will
come
on.
If you’re ever driving and the SECURITY light comes
on, you will be able to restart your engine
if you turn it
off. Your PASS-Key I1 system, however, is not working
properly and must be serviced by your dealer. Your
vehicle is not protected by the PASS-Key I1 system.
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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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Comfort Controls
Manual Single Zone Climate Control
[OD I COMFORT CONTROL
With this system, you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation in your vehicle. The system works best if
you keep your windows closed while using it.
Fan Knob
The left knob selects the amount of air you want. To turn
the fan off, turn the knob to OFF.
If the airflow seems very low when the fan knob is
turned to the highest setting, regardless
of the mode
setting, your passenger compartment
air filter may need
to be replaced. See “Maintenance Schedule” the Index.
~~~
Temperature Knob
The center knob changes the temperature of the air
coming through the system. Turn this knob toward red
(to the right) for warmer air. Turn it toward blue (to the
left) for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The right knob has several settings to control the
direction of airflow:
MAX: This setting recirculates much of the air inside
your vehicle and sends it through the instrument panel
outlets. The air conditioning compressor will run
automatically in
this setting unless the outside
temperature is below
40°F (4°C). (Even when the
compressor is running, you can control the temperature.)
NORM: This setting brings in outside air and sends it
through the instrument panel outlets. The air conditioning compressor will run automatically in this
setting unless the outside temperature is below
40°F
(4°C). (Even when the compressor is running, you can
control the temperature.)
BI-LEV: This setting brings in outside air and directs it
two ways. Half of the air is directed through the
instrument panel outlets. Most of the remaining air is
directed through the floor ducts and a little to the defrost
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Heating
On cold days, use HTR with the temperature knob all
the way in the red area. The system will bring in outside
air, heat it and send it to
the floor ducts.
If your vehicle has an engine coolant heater,
you can use
it to help your system provide warm air faster when it’s
cold outside
(0°F (-18°C) or lower). An engine coolant
heater warms the coolant your engine and heating
system use
to provide heat. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in
the Index.
Ventilation
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed,
use VENT to direct outside air
through your vehicle. Your vehicle also has the
flow-through ventilation system described later in
this section.
Defogging and Defrosting
Your system has two settings for clearing the front and
side windows.
To defrost the windows quickly, use
FRONT with the temperature knob all the way in the red
area.
To warm passengers while keeping the windows
clear, use
BLEND.
Dual ComforTemp Climate Control
(If Equipped)
~DoooomnoooLr[n~ PASSENGER TEMP
With this system, the driver and passenger can maintain
separate temperatures. The system works best if you
keep your windows closed while using it.
Fan Control
The left knob labeled FAN controls the fan speed selection.
If
the airflow seems very low when the fan knob is
turned to the highest setting regardless
of the mode
setting, your passenger compartment air filter may need
to be replaced. See “Maintenance Schedule” in
the Index.
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Heating Ventilation System
On cold days, use HTR with the temperature knobs all
the way in the red area. The system will bring in outside
air, heat it and send it to the floor ducts.
If your vehicle has an engine coolant heater, you can use
it
to help your system provide wm air faster when it’s
cold outside
(0°F (-18°C) or lower). An engine coolant
heater wms the coolant your engine and heating
system use to provide heat. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in the Index.
Defogging and Defrosting
Your system has two settings for clearing the front and
side windows.
To defrost the windows quickly, press the
FRONT button; set the temperature to 90 OF (32”C),
select high fan speed and turn the DUAL button off. To
warm passengers while keeping the windows clear, push
the AIR
FLOW button until WINDSHIELDFLOOR
appears in the display. Select fan speed for comfort and
windshield clearing performance. Adjust the direction
of airflow by moving
the vents.
Your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation system supplies
outside air into the vehicle when it
is moving. Outside
air will also enter the vehicle when the air conditioning
fan is running.
If the airflow seems very low when the fan knob is
turned
to the highest setting regardless of the mode
setting, your passenger compartment air filter may
need
to be replaced. See “Maintenance Schedule’’
in the Index.
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Parking on Hills 0 Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on
a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the
trailer’s wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and shift to
PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
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;
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, drive 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 this information
before you start your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
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then start the vehicle. If the CHANGE OIL SOON light
comes back on, the system has not reset. Repeat the
procedure.
(If you have a driver information center, the
system may be reset by depressing the DIC
RESET
button for five seconds while viewing the oil life display
on the DIC. See “Driver Information Center” in
the Index.)
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t
let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water,
or a good hand 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 threat 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 collects 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 help.
Air Cleaner
To check or replace the air
filter, loosen the wing nut
on the air duct and lift
up on
the two clips located on the
top of the filter cover.
Disconnect the duct and
reposition
it while removing
the side cover.
Pull out the filter. Be sure
to install the air filter and
install the cover tightly when you are finished.
Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services’’ in the Index.
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