Page 131 of 368

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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3-5
Automatic Operation
Press the AUTO button when you want the system to
automatically adjust to changes in the temperature inside
the vehicle, the outside temperature and the sun load on
the vehicle. When the system is set for automatic
operation, air will come from the floor, middle or
windshield outlets depending on the temperature inside
the vehicle, the outside temperature and sun load. Fan
speed will vary as the system gets to and maintains the
comfort setting you have selected through the use of the
TEMP button.
To find your comfort setting, start with the system in
AUTO mode and the TEMP button adjusted to 75F
(24C), give the vehicle about 20 minutes to stabilize,
and adjust your comfort setting if necessary, by using
the TEMP button. The display will show the comfort
setting for a few seconds and then it will display the
outside temperature. If you want to see your current
automatic fan speed, airflow direction and comfort
setting, press the AUTO button.
In cold weather, the system will delay turning on the
fan, to avoid blowing cold air. The length of the delay
depends on the engine coolant temperature and the
outside temperature. Pushing the FAN, AIR FLOW or
FRONT buttons will override this delay, turn off the
AUTO setting and change the fan speed.Manual Operation
You may also manually adjust the air delivery or
fan speed.
AIR FLOW: This button is used to change the direction
of the airflow. The airflow choices available are FLOOR,
FLOOR
-MID, MID and WINDSHIELD-FLOOR. If the
system is set for AUTO, pressing the AIR FLOW button
will display the current airflow direction and the comfort
setting. Press the AIR FLOW up or down button again to
change the direction of the airflow.
If the AIR FLOW up button is selected while in the
FRONT defrost mode, the system will direct the air
toward the windshield and the floor. If the AIR FLOW
down button is selected while in the FRONT defrost
mode, the system will direct the air toward the floor, and
the FRONT defrost mode will cancel. Notice the arrows
in the display.
OFF: If the passenger comfort control is turned on, it can be
turned off by pressing the OFF button once. Pressing the OFF
button a second time will turn off the main system. Turning
off the main system causes the fan to turn off and the airflow
to be directed toward the floor. The system will still try to
keep the interior of the vehicle at the previous chosen
comfort setting. The outside temperature will show on the
display when the system is OFF.
Page 167 of 368

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4-3
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It's the number one contributor to
the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive
a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness.
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle
-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, over 17,000 annual motor
vehicle
-related deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured.
Many adults
-- by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population
-- choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under 21, it's
against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws.The obvious way to solve the leading highway safety
problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then
drive. But what if people do? How much is ªtoo muchº
if the driver plans to drive? It's a lot less than many
might think. Although it depends on each person
and situation, here is some general information on
the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
The amount of alcohol consumed
The drinker's body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
According to the American Medical Association, a
180
-lb. (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4
-ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1
-1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
Page 276 of 368
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6-40
Windshield Wiper
Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See ªWiper Blade
Checkº in Section 7 of this manual under Part B ªOwner
Checks and Servicesº for more information.
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways. Here's how to remove the
type with a release hole:
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from
the windshield.
2. Insert a small screwdriver into the hole (A) and pull
the blade assembly off the wiper arm (B).
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on the wiper arm.
For the proper windshield wiper blade replacement
length and type, see ªNormal Maintenance Replacement
Partsº in the Index.
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see
your Buick Warranty booklet for details.
Page 301 of 368

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6-65
Normal Maintenance
Replacement Parts
Air Cleaner Filter AC Type A-1096C . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine Oil Filter AC Type PF
-47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fuel Filter AC Type GF
-627 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transaxle Filter GM Part No. 8651909. . . . . . . . . . . .
Spark Plugs AC Type 41
-921 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gap: 0.060 inch (1.52 mm)
Windshield Wiper Blades
Type Pin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Length 22 inches (56 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vehicle Dimensions
Length 200 inches (508.0 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Width 73.6 inches (186.9 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Height 55.7 inches (141.5 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wheelbase 110.8 inches (281.4 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tread Width
Front 60.4 inches (153.4 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear 60.2 inches (152.9 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .