2000 BUICK PARK AVENUE Owner's Manual

1-53
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle's safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But if a safety belt isn't long enough to fasten, your
dealer will order you an extender. It's free. When you go
in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the
extender will be long enough for you. The extender will
be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle that
you choose. Don't let someone else use it, and use it
only for the seat it is made to fit. To wear it, just attach it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is
torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
If you've had a crash, do you need new belts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn
during a more severe crash, then you need new belts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have safety belt
or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts and repairs
may be necessary even if the belt wasn't being used at
the time of the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you'll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier in
this section.

2-
2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Keys
2
-4 Door Locks
2
-8 Remote Keyless Entry System
2
-13 Trunk
2
-15 Theft
2
-16 Content Theft-Deterrent System
2
-17 PASS-Key
III
2
-19 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-20 Ignition Positions
2
-21 Starting Your Engine
2
-22 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
-23 Automatic Transaxle Operation
2
-27 Parking Brake
2
-28 Shifting Into PARK (P)
2
-30 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
2
-31 Parking Over Things That Burn
2
-31 Engine Exhaust
2
-32 Running Your Engine While You're Parked2
-33 Windows
2
-34 Tilt Wheel
2
-35 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-42 Exterior Lamps
2
-45 Interior Lamps
2
-48 Mirrors
2
-53 Storage Compartments
2
-61 OnStar
System (If Equipped)
2
-61 Sunroof (Option)
2
-62 HomeLink
Transmitter (If Equipped)
2
-66 The Instrument Panel - Your
Information System
2
-68 Instrument Panel Clusters
2
-71 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
2
-82 Head-Up Display (HUD) (If Equipped)
2
-84 Driver Information Center (DIC)
(If Equipped)

2-2
Keys
CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. A child or
others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate the power windows or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. Don't
leave the keys in a vehicle with children.
Your vehicle has a two-key system. One key is the
master and the other is a valet key.

2-3
The master key is used
for the ignition, as well
as all door locks and
storage compartments.
The valet key is used for the
ignition and the two side
doors only. It will not open
the trunk or glove box.
This is a theft
-deterrent
feature. The valet key
should always be used
when valet parking
your vehicle.When a new vehicle is delivered, the dealer removes the
bar
-coded key tags from the keys, and gives them to the
first owner.
Each tag has a code on it that tells your dealer or a
qualified locksmith how to make extra keys. Keep the
tags in a safe place. If you lose your keys, you'll be able
to have new ones made easily using the tag. The
replacement key must have a transponder embedded
in it.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle has a number of features that can
help prevent theft. But you can have a lot of
trouble getting into your vehicle if you ever lock
your keys inside. You may even have to damage
your vehicle to get in. So be sure you have
extra keys.

2-4
Door Locks
CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers -- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When a door is
locked, the inside handle won't open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be so obvious: You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors aren't locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use your door key or remote keyless
entry transmitter.
To lock the door from the inside, move the manual lock
control on the door handle forward.
To unlock the door, move the manual lock control on the
door handle rearward.
Central Door Unlocking System
From outside the vehicle, if the driver's door key is held
in the unlock position for more than two seconds,
or if the key is turned to the unlock position twice within
three seconds, all doors will unlock.

2-5 Power Door Locks
With power door locks, you
can lock or unlock all doors
of your vehicle by using
either the driver or front
passenger power door
lock switch.
Door Ajar Reminder (If Equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped with the Driver Information
Center (DIC), and a door is not fully closed, the DIC
will display a DOOR AJAR message. See ªDriver
Information Centerº in the Index.
Automatic Door Locks
Close the doors and turn on the ignition. If all the doors
are closed, every time you move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) all of the doors will lock. And, every time
you stop and move the shift lever into PARK (P), the doors will unlock. If someone needs to get out while
you're not in PARK (P), have that person use the manual
or power lock. When the door is closed again, it will not
lock automatically. Just use the manual or power lock to
lock the door again. If you need to lock the doors before
shifting out of PARK (P), just use the manual or power
lock button to lock the doors.
Customizing Your Automatic Door Locks Feature
You can program the memory door locks feature to one
of the following modes:
Mode 0: No automatic door lock or unlock.
Mode 1: All doors automatically lock when shifted out
of PARK (P). No automatic door unlock.
Mode 2: All doors automatically lock when shifted out
of PARK (P). Only the driver's door automatically
unlocks when shifted into PARK (P).
Mode 3: All doors automatically lock when shifted out
of PARK (P). All doors automatically unlock when
shifted into PARK (P).
Vehicles are delivered programmed in Mode 3; however,
each remote keyless entry transmitter can be
programmed to a different mode according to the
user's preference.

2-6
To change modes:
1. Close all the doors and turn the ignition on.
Keep all doors closed throughout this procedure.
2. Press and hold LOCK on the power door lock switch
on the driver's door through Step 4.
3. Press the button with the lock symbol on the remote
keyless entry transmitter to enter the programming
mode. The memory door lock mode will remain in
the current mode.
4. Press the button with the lock symbol on the
transmitter again. Each time the button with the lock
symbol is pressed, the mode will advance by one,
going from Mode 3 to Mode 0 to Mode 1, etc.
For each press of the button with the lock symbol,
the door locks will activate in the same manner they
would activate in the corresponding memory door
lock mode. For example, pressing the button with the
lock symbol on the transmitter to advance to Mode 2
would result in all doors locking and then,
only the driver's door would unlock. For Mode 0,
no locking or unlocking will occur.
5. Release the power door lock switch and turn the
ignition off. The automatic door locks will remain in
the most recent mode selected.You can also program the automatic door locks feature
using the Driver Information Center. See ªDriver
Information Center Personal Choice Programmingº in
the Index.
Delayed Locking
This feature lets the driver delay the actual locking of
the vehicle. When the power door lock switch or the
remote keyless entry button with the lock symbol is
pressed with the key removed from the ignition and the
driver's door open, a chime will sound three times to
signal that the lock delay mode is active. When all doors
have been closed, the doors will lock automatically after
five seconds. If any door is opened before this, the
five
-second timer will reset itself once all the doors have
been closed again.
Pressing the door lock switch or the remote keyless
entry button with the lock symbol a second time will
override this feature.
The delayed locking feature can be turned on or off for
each remote keyless entry transmitter.

2-7
To turn the feature on:
1. Press and hold LOCK on the power door lock switch
on the door throughout this procedure. All the doors
will lock.
2. Press the button with the unlock symbol on the
transmitter to enter the programming mode. The lock
delay is still off and all doors will remain locked.
3. Press the button with the unlock symbol on the
transmitter again. Lock delay is now active and all
doors will unlock.
4. Release the power door lock switch.
To turn this feature off, repeat the above procedure.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you can also program these features
through the DIC. See ªDriver Information Centerº
in the Index.Rear Door Security Locks
Your vehicle is equipped
with rear door security
locks that help prevent
passengers from opening
the rear doors of your
vehicle from the inside.
Using One of These Locks
1. Open one of the rear doors.
2. Move the lever on the door all the way up to the
ENGAGED position.
3. Close the door.
4. Do the same thing to the other rear door lock.
The rear doors of your vehicle cannot be opened from
the inside when this feature is in use.