2002 BUICK LESABRE engine oil

2-25
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer. If you don't,
your engine might not perform properly.
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather, 0
F (-18
C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm
-up. Usually, the
coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of four
hours prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures above
32
F (0
C), use of the coolant heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The engine coolant heater cord is located on
the passenger's side of the vehicle, above the
headlamp assembly.3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110
-volt AC outlet.
CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three
-prong
11 0
-volt AC outlet. If the cord won't reach,
use a heavy
-duty three-prong extension cord
rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for
that particular area.

2-79
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have
or may begin programs to inspect the emission
control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass
this inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
SERVICE ENGINE SOON light is on or not
working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on
-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen
if you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is designed
to evaluate critical emission control systems during
normal driving. This may take several days of routine
driving. If you have done this and your vehicle still
does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD system
readiness, see your dealer or qualified service center to
prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Light
If your vehicle has the
standard instrument panel
cluster, this light will come
on if there is a problem
with your vehicle's engine
oil pressure.
If your vehicle has the optional gage cluster, you can
read your oil pressure directly from the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See ªDIC Displays and
Controlsº in the Index.
The oil pressure light will come on briefly when you
turn your key to RUN. That's just a check to be sure
the light works. This is normal and doesn't show a
problem. If it doesn't come on and then go off, be sure
to have it fixed so it will be there to warn you if there is
a problem.

2-80
When this light comes on and stays on, and a chime
sounds, it means oil isn't going through the engine
properly. The oil could be low, or there might be some
other oil problem. See your dealer for service.
CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Service Vehicle Soon Light
This light will come on
and stay on if your vehicle
has certain non
-emission
related problems.
These problems may not be obvious and may affect
vehicle performance or durability. Consult a qualified
dealership for necessary repairs to maintain top
vehicle performance.
This light will come on briefly when the ignition is
turned on to show that it is working properly.
Security Light
Your vehicle may have
a content theft
-deterrent
alarm system. With this
system, the SECURITY
light will flash as you open
the door (if your ignition
is off).
For more information see ªContent Theft
-Deterrentº in
the Index.

2-83
FUEL INFO (Information): Press this button to
display fuel information.
Press the FUEL INFO button until the display shows
FUEL ECONOMY AVERAGE. Average fuel economy
is viewed as a long term approximation of your overall
driving conditions. To learn the average fuel economy
from a new starting point, press the RESET button while
the average fuel economy is displayed in the DIC.
Press the FUEL INFO button until the display
shows FUEL ECONOMY INST. Instantaneous fuel
economy varies with your driving conditions, such as
acceleration, braking and the grade of the road being
traveled. The RESET button does not function in
this mode.
Press the FUEL INFO button until the display shows
FUEL RANGE. The fuel range will calculate the
remaining distance you can drive without refueling. This
calculation is based on the average fuel economy for the
last 25 miles (40.25 km) driven, and the fuel remaining
in the fuel tank. The RESET button does not function in
this mode.GAGE INFO (Information): Use this button to display
oil pressure, oil life, coolant temperature, tire pressure
and battery information.
Press the GAGE INFO button until OIL PRESSURE
appears in the display. If there are no problems detected
with the oil pressure, the display will show OIL
PRESSURE NORMAL. If a low oil pressure condition
is detected, the display will show OIL PRESSURE
LOW. If you see the OIL PRESSURE LOW message,
your vehicle could be low on oil or the oil is not going
through the engine properly. See your dealer for service.
Press the GAGE INFO button until COOLANT TEMP
appears in the display. If there are no problems detected
with the temperature, COOLANT TEMP NORMAL
will appear in the display. If the temperature is too high,
COOLANT TEMP HOT will appear in the display.
If you see the COOLANT TEMP HOT message,
the engine is overheated. You should pull off the road,
stop your vehicle and turn off your engine as soon as
possible. This manual explains what to do. See ªEngine
Overheatingº in the Index.

2-84
Press the GAGE INFO button until the display shows
BATTERY STATE. If the voltage is normal the display
will show BATTERY STATE NORMAL. If the voltage
drops below 10.5 volts, the display will show BATTERY
STATE LOW. If the voltage is above 16.2 volts, the
display will show BATTERY STATE HIGH. If the display
shows the high or low message, you need to have your
battery and charging system checked.
Press the GAGE INFO button until OIL LIFE INDEX
appears in the display. The OIL LIFE INDEX
NORMAL display will show an estimate of the oil's
remaining useful life. When the oil life index is less than
10 percent, the display will show OIL LIFE INDEX
CHANGE OIL. When you have the oil changed
according to the maintenance schedule (see
ªMaintenance Scheduleº in the Index), you will have to
reset the oil life monitor. To reset the Oil Life System
(Index), see ªOil Life Systemº or ªEngine Oil, When to
Changeº in the Index.
Press the GAGE INFO button until TIRE PRESSURE
appears in the display. TIRE PRESSURE NORMAL is
displayed when the check tire pressure system believes
your vehicle's tire pressures are normal. If a potential
tire pressure problem is detected, the display will show
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE.If you see the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE message, you
should stop as soon as you can and check all your tires
for damage. (If a tire is flat, see ªIf a Tire Goes Flatº in
the Index.) Also check the tire pressure in all four tires
as soon as you can. See ªInflation
-- Tire Pressureº
and ªCheck Tire Pressure Systemº in the Index.
There are times when you will have to reset (calibrate)
the Check Tire Pressure System. See ªCheck Tire
Pressure Systemº in the Index.
RESET: This button, used along with other buttons, will
reset system functions.
ENG/MET (English/Metric): Use this button to change
the display between English and metric units.
DIC messages can be displayed in one of three languages:
English, French or Spanish. The language of the display
is set by holding the FUEL INFO and RESET buttons
together for five seconds. As the buttons are held, each
language will be displayed for three seconds. Release the
FUEL INFO and RESET buttons when the desired
language is displayed. All DIC messages will now be in
the selected language. Language selection can also be
done through the DIC Personal Choice Programming. See
ªDIC Personal Choice Programmingº later in this section.

2-85 DIC Warnings and Messages
Other messages or warnings may appear in the DIC
display. For Canadian drivers, in addition to the DIC
message your DIC will display EXP with a number after
it which reflects the following messages:
EXP (Export ID) Warning Message
20 TURN SIGNAL STILL ON?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24 TRUNK AJAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
25 WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID LOW. . . . . . .
27 BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36 ENGINE OIL LOW
- CHECK LEVEL . . . . . . . .
40 THEFT ATTEMPT DETECTED. . . . . . . . . . . . .
54 SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM. . . . . . . . . . . .
55 STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . .
61 GAS CAP LOOSE
- CHECK CAP . . . . . . . . . . .
81 CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON. . . . . . . . . . . . .
91 TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ACTIVE. . .
102 CHECK CHARGE SYSTEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
139 DOOR AJAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
144 CHECK TIRE PRESSURES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The EXP codes are used to make translation from
English to other languages easier.
Pressing any of the DIC control buttons will remove
the messages or warnings from the DIC display.
SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM
- 54 : If you ever
see the SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM message,
it means there may be a problem with your stability
enhancement system. If you see this message, try to
reset the system (stop; turn off the engine; then start the
engine again). If the SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM
message still comes on, it means there is a problem.
You should see your dealer for service. Reduce your
speed and drive accordingly.
STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE
- 55 : You may see
the STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the
Driver Information Center. It means that an advanced,
computer
-controlled system has come on to help your
vehicle continue to go in the direction in which you're
steering. This stability enhancement system activates
when the computer senses that your vehicle is just
starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of ice or
other slippery spot on the road. When the system is on,
you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal.

4-23
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on
to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you're ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you're not fresh
-- such as after a day's
work
-- don't plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it's ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you'll find experienced and able service experts in
Buick dealerships all across North America.
They'll be ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:

Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?

Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?

Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?

Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?

Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble
-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long
-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated
to the recommended pressure?

Weather Forecasts: What's the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?

Maps: Do you have up
-to-date maps?

4-40 When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:

start your engine,

shift into a gear, and

release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don't overfill),
engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you're trailering, it's
a good idea to review this information before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index.