2000 BUICK PARK AVENUE steering

3-9 Steering Wheel Controls for Climate
Control (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this
feature, you can control the
temperature function by
using the button on your
steering wheel. Press the
TEMP up arrow to increase
the temperature and the
TEMP down arrow to
decrease the temperature.
Audio Systems
Your audio system has been designed to operate easily
and give years of listening pleasure. You will get the
most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it
first. Find out what your audio system can do and how
to operate all its controls, to be sure you're getting the
most out of the advanced engineering that went into it.
Setting the Clock
Press and hold HRS until the correct hour appears.
Press and hold MIN until the correct minute appears.
You may set the clock with the ignition off if you
press RECALL first and follow the same procedure
described above.
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
(If Equipped)

3-33 Audio Steering Wheel Controls
(If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain
radio functions using the buttons on your steering wheel.
Some steering wheel controls may operate climate
controls. See ªSteering Wheel Controls for Climate
Controlº earlier in this section.
SEEK: Press this button to
go to the next higher or
lower radio station.SCAN: Press this button to scan the stations preset on
your radio pushbuttons. This feature works like your
radio's P SCAN button and allows you to listen to each
of your preset stations for a few seconds. The radio will
go to the first preset station, stop for a few seconds, then
go on to the next preset station. Press SCAN again to
stop scanning. If a preset station has weak reception, the
radio will not stop at the preset station.
AM-FM: Press this button to choose AM, FM1 or FM2.
VOL: Press the up or down
arrow to increase or
decrease volume.

4-
4-1
Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you'll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We've also
included many other useful tips on driving.
4
-2 Defensive Driving
4
-3 Drunken Driving
4
-6 Control of a Vehicle
4
-6 Braking
4
-9 Traction Control System (If Equipped)
4
-11 Steering
4
-13 Off-Road Recovery
4
-14 Passing
4
-15 Loss of Control
4
-17 Driving at Night4
-18 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
4
-21 City Driving
4
-22 Freeway Driving
4
-24 Before Leaving on a Long Trip
4
-25 Highway Hypnosis
4
-25 Hill and Mountain Roads
4
-27 Winter Driving
4
-31 Recreational Vehicle Towing
4
-31 Loading Your Vehicle
4
-33 Towing a Trailer

4-6
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you're driving on snow or ice, it's
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle. (Also see ªTraction Control Systemº in
the Index.)
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That's perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That's reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second.
But that's only an average. It might be less with one
driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it's pavement or
gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.

4-9
Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won't have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti
-lock brakes.
Using Anti
-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti
-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System
(If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system works the front brakes and reduces engine power
to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. (See ªCruise Controlº
in the Index.)

4-11
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Magnasteer
(If Equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with GM Magnasteer, a
steering system that continuously adjusts the effort you
feel when steering at all vehicle speeds. It provides ease
when parking yet a firm, solid feel at highway speeds.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here's why:Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you've ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle
at which the curve is banked, and your speed.
While you're in a curve, speed is the one factor you
can control.
Suppose you're steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems -- steering and acceleration -- have to
do their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the
sudden acceleration can demand too much of those
places. You can lose control. Refer to
ªTraction Controlº in the Index.

4-12
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to go, and slow down.
If you have Stabilitrak

, you may see the STABILITY
SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver Information
Center. See ªStability System Active Messageº in
the Index.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are
based on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you'll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can ªdriveº through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can
avoid these problems by braking
-- if you can stop in
time. But sometimes you can't; there isn't room.
That's the time for evasive action
-- steering around
the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. (See ªBraking in
Emergenciesº earlier in this section.) It is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available.

4-13
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find that your right wheels have dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you're driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can turn the steering wheel up to one
-quarter turn
until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then
turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.