2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE Owner's Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-6
Child Restraints
.......................................1-27
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-48
Restraint System Check
............................1-56
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-9
Windows
.................................................2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-21
Mirrors
....................................................2-33
OnStar
žSystem
......................................2-37
HomeLinkžTransmitter
.............................2-39
Storage Areas
.........................................2-42
Sunroof
..................................................2-45
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-46
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-2
Climate Controls
......................................3-22
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-29
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-43
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-51Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-29
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-47
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-58
Tires
......................................................5-59
Appearance Care
.....................................5-78
Vehicle Identi®cation
.................................5-86
Electrical System
......................................5-86
Capacities and Speci®cations
.....................5-96
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
......5-97
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-8
Index................................................................ 1
2003 Buick Park Avenue Owner ManualM

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK, the
BUICK Emblem and the name PARK AVENUE are
registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles ®rst
sold in Canada, substitute the name ªGeneral Motors of
Canada Limitedº for Buick Motor Division whenever it
appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be
there if you ever need it when you're on the road. If you
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the
new owner can use it.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 25735900 B First Edition
Copyright General Motors Corporation 10/28/02
All Rights Reserved
Canadian Owners
You can obtain a French copy of this manual from your
dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many people read their owner's manual from beginning
to end when they ®rst receive their new vehicle. If
you do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you will ®nd
that pictures and words work together to explain things.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what
is in the manual, and the page number where you will
®nd it.
ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will ®nd a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about
things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the
warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don't, you
or others could be hurt.You will also ®nd a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means ªDon't,º
ªDon't do thisº or ªDon't let
this happen.º
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will ®nd these notices:
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice will tell you about something that can damage
your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be
covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the
notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the
damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
You'll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle,
are shown along with the text describing the operation
or information relating to a speci®c component, control,
message, gage or indicator.
If you need help ®guring out a speci®c name of a
component, gage or indicator, reference the
following topics:
·Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
·Features and Controls in Section 2
·Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
·Climate Controls in Section 3
·Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3
·Audio System(s) in Section 3
·Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may ®nd on your vehicle:
v

-NOTES
vi

Front Seats......................................................1-2
Power Seats..................................................1-2
Power Lumbar...............................................1-3
Heated Seats.................................................1-3
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-4
Head Restraints.............................................1-5
Safety Belts.....................................................1-6
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone.................1-6
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts......1-10
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-11
Driver Position..............................................1-12
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-18
Right Front Passenger Position.......................1-19
Center Passenger Position.............................1-19
Rear Seat Passengers..................................1-21
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults..........................1-24
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-26
Child Restraints.............................................1-27
Older Children..............................................1-27
Infants and Young Children............................1-29
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-33
Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-36Top Strap....................................................1-37
Top Strap Anchor Location.............................1-39
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)...........................1-39
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System....................................1-41
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position................................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center
Rear Seat Position....................................1-44
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position....................................1-46
Air Bag Systems............................................1-48
Where Are the Air Bags?...............................1-51
When Should an Air Bag In¯ate?....................1-53
What Makes an Air Bag In¯ate?.....................1-54
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?.....................1-54
What Will You See After an
Air Bag In¯ates?.......................................1-54
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle.........1-56
Restraint System Check..................................1-56
Checking Your Restraint Systems...................1-56
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash............................................1-57
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
Power Seats
The power seat controls are located on the outboard
sides of both the driver's and front passenger's seats.To adjust the power seats, do the following:
Horizontal Control:Raise or lower the front of the seat
cushion by pressing the forward edge of the control
up or down.
Raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion by pressing
the rear edge of the control up or down.
Move the seat forward or rearward by pressing the
control toward the front or rear of the vehicle.
Move the seat higher or lower by holding the whole
control up or down.
Vertical Control:Move the seatback into a reclined
position by pressing the top of the control backward.
Move the seatback forward by pressing the top of
the control forward.
1-2