2001 BUICK REGAL steering

3-
3-1
Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you'll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your vehicle.
Be sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3
-2 Comfort Controls
3
-2 Dual ComforTemp
Climate Control
3
-4 Dual Automatic ComforTemp
Climate
Control (If Equipped)
3
-8 Defogging and Defrosting
3
-9 Rear Window Defogger
3
-10 Ventilation System
3
-11 Audio Systems
3
-11 Setting the Clock
3
-11 AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player and
Automatic Tone Control
3
-15 AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and
Compact Disc Player with Automatic Tone
Control (If Equipped)3
-21 Theft-Deterrent Feature
3
-23 Audio Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
3
-24 Understanding Radio Reception
3
-24 Tips About Your Audio System
3
-25 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
3
-26 Care of Your Compact Discs
3
-26 Care of Your Compact Disc Player
3
-26 Backglass Antenna
3
-27 Diversity Antenna System (If Equipped)
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3-23 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.
SEEK: Press the up or
down arrow to tune to
the next or previous
radio station.
If a cassette tape or compact disc is playing, the player
will advance to the next or previous selection.
SCAN: Press the SCAN button and SCAN will appear
on the display. SCAN works as the PSCAN button on
your radio. It will scan through each of the preset radio
stations. If a preset radio station has weak reception, the
radio will not stop at the preset station. Press SCAN
again to stop scanning.AM
-FM: Press this button to choose AM, FM1 or FM2.
If a cassette tape or compact disc is playing, press this
button to stop it and the radio will play.
SRCE: Press this button to
change to the cassette tape,
compact disc function or
return to playing the radio.
MUTE: Press this button to silence the audio system.
Press it again to turn on the sound.
VOL: Press the up or down arrow to increase or
decrease volume.
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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 Full-Range Traction Control System
(With 3800 Supercharged V6 Engine)
4
-11 Traction Control System (3800 V6 Engine)
4
-12 Steering
4
-15 Off-Road Recovery
4
-15 Passing
4
-17 Loss of Control4
-18 Driving at Night
4
-20 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
4
-23 City Driving
4
-24 Freeway Driving
4
-25 Before Leaving on a Long Trip
4
-26 Highway Hypnosis
4
-26 Hill and Mountain Roads
4
-28 Winter Driving
4
-32 Recreational Vehicle Towing
4
-32 Loading Your Vehicle
4
-34 Towing a Trailer
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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 and
ªFull
-Range Traction 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.
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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.
Full-Range Traction Control System
(With 3800 Supercharged V6 Engine)
Your vehicle has a Full Range 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.
The low traction light
will come on when the
traction control system
is limiting wheel spin.
See ªLow Traction
Lightº in the Index.
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.
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4-12
To turn the system
on or off, press the
TRACTION button on
the black panel located
directly behind your
automatic transaxle
shift lever.
When you turn the system off, the Traction Control
System warning light will come on and stay on. If the
Traction Control System is limiting wheel spin when you
press the button to turn the system off, the warning light
will come on and the system will turn off right away.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The Traction Control System warning
light should go off.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.
Magnetic Variable Effort Steering
This steering system provides lighter steering effort for
parking and when driving at low speeds. Steering effort
will increase at higher speeds for improved road feel.
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.
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4-13
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 ªFull Range
Traction Control Systemº or ªTraction Control Systemº
in the Index.
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.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.
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4-14 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.
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.
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