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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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@ Section 1 Seats  and  Restraint  Systems 
Here you’ll find information  about the  seats in your  Buick and  how to use your safety belts properly.  You can also 
learn about some things  you should  not do with  air bags and safety belts. 
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1-26  Seats and 
Seat Controls 
Safety Belts: They’re 
for Everyone 
Here  Are Questions  Many People Ask About 
Safety Belts 
-- and the Answers 
How  to Wear  Safety Belts Properly 
Driver Position  Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy 
Right Front Passenger  Position  Air Bag  System 
Rear  Seat Passengers  1-29 
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1-66  Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides 
for Children 
and  Small  Adults 
Center Passenger Position 
Children 
Built-in  Child Restraint (Option) 
Child Restraints 
Larger Children 
Safety Belt Extender 
Checking  Your Restraint Systems 
Replacing Restraint System Parts  After a Crash 
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Seats  and  Seat  Controls 
This section tells you how to adjust the  seats and 
explains  the reclining seatbacks and  head restraints. 
Manual  Front  Seat 
A C. UTION: 
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You can  lose  control  of  the  vehicle  if  you  try  to 
adjust  a  manual  driver’s  seat  while  the  vehicle  is 
moving.  The  sudden  movement  could  startle  and  confuse 
you, or make  you  push  a  pedal  when  you 
don’t  want  to.  Adjust  the  driver’s  seat  only  when 
the  vehicle 
is not  moving. 
2-Way  Manual  Seat 
Lift the bar under the  front of the seat using  an upward 
motion.  This will unlock the  seat,  Slide the seat to where 
you  want it and release the  bar.  Try to move the seat 
with your  body to 
be sure the seat is locked into place. 
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Reclining  Front  Seatbacks 
If your vehicle is equipped with heated seats, the 
driver’s  side and passenger’s  side three-position 
switches 
are located  on the  center  console,  just behind 
your  automatic  transaxle shift lever. Press 
LO to warm 
the  seat  at a lower temperature. Press 
HI to warm  the 
seat  at  a higher temperature. 
To turn  this  feature off, 
return the switch  to its center position. The button 
directly  in 
the middle of the heated  seat switches  is  used 
for  traction control (see “Traction Control System” 
or 
“Enhanced Traction System” in the  Index).  Lift the 
lever  to  release the  seatback, then move  the 
seatback  to where  you want it. Release the lever  to 
lock the seatback 
in place. Pull  up on the lever 
without pushing  on the seatback and the seatback  will 
move  forward. 
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Safety Belts: They’re  for Everyone 
This  part of the manual tells  you  how to use safety belts 
properly. 
It also tells you some things  you should not do 
with safety belts. 
And  it explains the  air 
bag system. 
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Don’t let  anyone  ride  where  he or she  can’t  wear 
a safety  belt  properly. If you are in a  crash  and 
you’re  not  wearing 
a safety  belt,  your  injuries 
can  be  much  worse. You can  hit  things  inside  the 
vehicle  or be  ejected  from  it. You  can  be  seriously 
injured 
or killed.  In  the  same  crash,  you might 
not  be 
if you  are  buckled  up.  Always fasten  your 
safety  belt,  and  check  that  your  passengers’  belts 
are  fastened  properly  too. 
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It is extremely  dangerous to ride  in a cargo  area, 
inside  or outside  of 
a vehicle.  In a collision, 
people  riding  in  these  areas  are  more likely to  be 
seriously  injured 
or killed. Do not  allow  people to 
ride  in  any  area of your  vehicle  that is  not 
1 equipped  with  seats  and  safety  belts. Be sure 
everyone  in  your  vehicle is  in  a  seat  and  using 
a 
safety  belt  properly. 
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Q: If I’m a good driver,  and I never  drive far from 
home,  why  should 
I wear  safety  belts? 
A: You may  be an excellent  driver, but  if you’re  in an 
accident 
-- even one that isn’t your  fault -- you and 
your  passengers  can be hurt. Being a good  driver 
doesn’t  protect you from  things  beyond your 
control,  such as bad drivers. 
Most  accidents  occur  within 
25 miles (40 km) of 
home.  And the  greatest  number 
of serious injuries 
and  deaths  occur  at speeds 
of less  than 40 mph 
(65 km/h). 
Safety belts  are  for  everyone. 
How to Wear  Safety  Belts  Properly 
Adults 
This  part is only for  people  of adult  size. 
Be  aware  that  there  are  special  things  to know  about  safety 
belts  and  chddren. And  there  are different  rules  for  smaller 
children  and  babies. 
If a  child  will  be  riding  in  your 
vehicle,  see  the  part 
of this  manual  called  “Children.” 
Follow 
those rules  for everyone’s  protection. 
First,  you’ll  want to know which restraint  systems your 
vehicle  has. 
We’ll  start with  the driver  position. 
Driver  Position 
This part describes  the driver’s  restraint  system. 
Lap-Shoulder  Belt 
The  driver  has a lap-shoulder  belt. Here’s  how to wear  it 
properly. 
1. Close and lock the door. 
2. Adjust the seat  (to  see how, see  “Seats”  in the Index) 
so  you  can sit up  straight. 
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A rear-facing infant restraint (B) positions an infant 
to  face  the rear  of the vehicle. Rear-facing infant 
restraints 
are designed  for infants of up to about 
20 lbs. (9 kg) and about one year  of age. This type 
of restraint faces  the rear so that  the  infant’s head, 
neck and body  can have the support  they need  in a 
crash. Some infant seats come in two 
parts -- the 
base stays secured in the vehicle and the seat part 
is  removable. 
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A booster seat (F, G) is designed  for children who 
are about 
40 to 60 lbs. (I 8 to 27 kg)  and about  four 
to eight years  of age.  It’s designed to improve the 
fit  of the vehicle’s safety belt system. Booster seats 
with shields  use lap-only  belts; however, booster 
seats without shields  use lap-shoulder belts. 
Booster  seats can 
also help  a  child to see out 
the  window. 
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