2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE warning light

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your master cylinder reservoir is ®lled with DOT-3 brake
¯uid. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake ¯uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The ®rst is that the
brake ¯uid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the ¯uid level goes back up. The other reason is
that ¯uid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, youshould have your brake system ®xed, since a leak
means that sooner or later your brakes won't work well,
or won't work at all.
So, it isn't a good idea to ªtop offº your brake ¯uid.
Adding brake ¯uid won't correct a leak. If you add ¯uid
when your linings are worn, then you'll have too
much ¯uid when you get new brake linings. You should
add (or remove) brake ¯uid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake ¯uid, it can spill on
the engine. The ¯uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
¯uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake ¯uid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. A chime will sound if you try
to drive with this warning light on. See
Brake System
Warning Light on page 3-34.
5-40

Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are ®rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque speci®cations.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See
Brake System Inspection on page 6-24.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GMbrake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system Ð for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in Ð be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If
you don't, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are
wrong for your vehicle, the balance between your front
and rear brakes can change Ð for the worse. The
braking performance you've come to expect can change
in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelcožbattery. When it's time for a new battery, get
one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery's label. We recommend an ACDelco
ž
battery. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for battery location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
5-42

The TIRE PRESSURE LOW message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) if pressure difference
(low pressure) is detected in one tire. The check tire
pressure system may not alert you if:
·more than one tire is low,
·the vehicle is moving faster than 65 mph (105 km/h),
·the system is not yet calibrated,
·the tire treadwear is uneven,
·the compact spare tire is installed,
·tire chains are being used, or
·the vehicle is being driven on a rough or
frozen road.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
the check tire pressure system may not be working
properly. See your dealer for service. Also, see
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-36.
The check tire pressure system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in
tire pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire ± but it doesn't replace normal tire maintenance. See
Tires on page 5-59.When the TIRE PRESSURE LOW message appears on
the Driver Information Center, you should stop as
soon as you can and check all your tires for damage. If
a tire is ¯at, see
If a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-68.
Also check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as
you can. See
In¯ation -- Tire Pressure on page 5-59.
Any time you adjust a tire's pressure or have one
or more tires repaired or replaced, you'll need to reset
(calibrate) the check tire pressure system. You'll
also need to reset the system whenever you rotate
the tires, buy new tires and install or remove the
compact spare.
Don't reset the check tire pressure system without ®rst
correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires. If you reset
the system when the tire pressures are incorrect,
the check tire pressure system will not work properly
and may not alert you when a tire is low or high.
5-61

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a speci®ed government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart signi®cantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction ± AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on speci®ed government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
5-65

A
Accessory Power Outlets.................................3-21
Activating the Theft-Deterrent Feature................3-66
Adding Washer Fluid.......................................5-39
Additional Program Information........................... 7-8
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-6
Add-On Electrical Equipment............................5-86
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)......3-54, 3-58
Air Bag Systems.............................................1-48
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?....................1-54
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle.........1-56
What Makes an Air Bag In¯ate?....................1-54
What Will You See After an
Air Bag In¯ates?......................................1-54
When Should an Air Bag In¯ate?...................1-53
Where Are the Air Bags?..............................1-51
Air Bag .........................................................3-33
Readiness Light..........................................3-33
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-20
AM ...............................................................3-68
Antenna, Heated Backlite.................................3-70
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)............................ 4-7
Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light..............3-36
Appearance Care............................................5-78
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-81
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-84
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle................5-79
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-82
Finish Damage............................................5-84Appearance Care (cont.)
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-83
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-84
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-84
Weatherstrips..............................................5-81
Ashtrays........................................................3-22
Assist Handles...............................................2-44
Audio System(s).............................................3-51
Audio Steering Wheel Controls......................3-68
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player................3-69
Care of Your CD Player...............................3-70
Care of Your CDs........................................3-70
Heated Backlite Antenna...............................3-70
Personal Choice Radio Controls....................3-65
Radio with Cassette and CD.........................3-56
Radio with Cassette.....................................3-52
Setting the Time..........................................3-52
Theft-Deterrent Feature................................3-66
Trunk-Mounted CD Changer..........................3-62
Understanding Radio Reception.....................3-68
Automatic Level Control...................................4-32
Automatic Operation........................................3-23
Automatic Transaxle Check..............................6-20
Automatic Transaxle Shift Lock Control
System Check.............................................6-21
Automatic Transaxle........................................5-22
Fluid..........................................................5-22
Operation...................................................2-24
Auxiliary Instrument Panel Fuse Block...............5-89
1

B
Backing Up....................................................4-36
Battery Replacement......................................... 2-8
Battery Rundown Protection.............................3-17
Battery Warning Light......................................3-34
Battery..........................................................5-42
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.........................4-21
Body Lubrication Service..................................6-20
Brake Fluid....................................................5-40
Brake Wear...................................................5-41
Brake............................................................2-27
Parking......................................................2-27
System Inspection.......................................6-24
System Warning Light..................................3-34
Brakes..........................................................5-40
Braking in Emergencies..................................... 4-8
Braking........................................................... 4-6
Break-In, New Vehicle.....................................2-21
Bulb Replacement...........................................5-49
Front Turn Signal Lamps..............................5-52
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-49
Headlamp Aiming........................................5-47
Headlamps.................................................5-50
Rear Quarter Panel Turn Signal and
Stoplamps...............................................5-56Bulb Replacement (cont.)
Rear Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-Up
Lamps....................................................5-52
Replacement Bulbs......................................5-57
Buying New Tires...........................................5-64
C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-5
Canada ± Customer Assistance.......................... 7-4
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Canadian Roadside Assistance........................... 7-6
Capacities and Speci®cations............................5-96
Carbon Monoxide...................4-24, 4-32, 2-13, 2-31
Care of the HUD............................................3-19
Care of.........................................................5-81
Safety Belts................................................5-81
Your Cassette Tape Player............................3-69
Your CD Player...........................................3-70
Your CDs ...................................................3-70
Cassette Tape Messages.........................3-56, 3-60
Cassette Tape Player Service...........................6-19
CD Changer, Trunk-Mounted............................3-62
Center Console Storage Area...........................2-44
Center Passenger Position, Safety Belts.............1-19
2

Driver Information Center (DIC).........................3-43
DIC Controls and Displays............................3-43
DIC Vehicle Personalization..........................3-46
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-45
Driver............................................................1-12
Position, Safety Belt.....................................1-12
Driving On Grades..........................................4-37
Driving on Snow or Ice....................................4-25
Driving Through Deep Standing Water...............4-18
Driving Through Flowing Water.........................4-18
Driving with a Trailer.......................................4-35
Driving..........................................................4-15
At Night.....................................................4-15
City...........................................................4-19
Defensive..................................................... 4-2
Drunken....................................................... 4-2
Freeway.....................................................4-20
Hill and Mountain Roads..............................4-22
In Rain and on Wet Roads...........................4-16
Winter........................................................4-24
Dual Automatic Climate Control System.............3-22
E
Electrical System............................................5-86
Add-On Equipment......................................5-86
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-87Electrical System (cont.)
Removing the Rear Seat Cushion..................5-92
Emergency Trunk Release Handle.....................2-14
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs...................................................3-39
Engine Coolant Level Check.............................6-19
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing..................4-38
Engine Oil Additives........................................5-17
Engine Oil Level Check...................................6-19
Engine..........................................................5-20
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-20
Battery.......................................................5-42
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-37
Compartment Overview................................5-12
Coolant Heater............................................2-23
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-37
Coolant......................................................5-24
Cooling System Inspection............................6-24
Exhaust.....................................................2-31
Oil .............................................................5-14
Overheating................................................5-27
Starting......................................................2-22
Supercharger Oil.........................................5-19
Entry Lighting.................................................3-14
Erasing HomeLinkžButtons..............................2-42
Express-Down Window....................................2-16
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-26
Exterior Lamps...............................................3-12
5

H
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-4
Head Restraints............................................... 1-5
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer.................... 3-7
Headlamp......................................................5-47
Aiming.......................................................5-47
Headlamps On Reminder.................................3-12
Headlamps....................................................5-50
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-49
Front Turn Signal Lamps..............................5-52
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-49
Head-Up Display (HUD)...................................3-17
Heated Backlite Antenna..................................3-70
Heated Seats................................................... 1-3
Highway Hypnosis...........................................4-22
Hill and Mountain Roads..................................4-22
Hitches..........................................................4-35
HomeLink Transmitter, Programming..................2-39
HomeLink
žTransmitter....................................2-39
Hood............................................................5-10
Checking Things Under................................5-10
Release.....................................................5-10
Horn............................................................... 3-5
How the System Works...................................3-20
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank............................................5-32How to Add Coolant to the Radiator..................5-34
How to Add Fluid............................................5-24
How to Check and Add Oil...............................5-19
How to Check Power Steering Fluid..................5-38
How to Check........................................5-22, 5-60
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter..............................................5-20
How to Use This Manual...................................... ii
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly...................1-11
Hydroplaning..................................................4-17
I
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine..........5-29
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine...............5-28
If the Light Is Flashing.....................................3-38
If the Light Is On Steady.................................3-38
If You Are Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow.......4-28
If You Can't See The HUD Image When the
Ignition is On..............................................3-19
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer.....................4-33
If You're Caught in a Blizzard...........................4-26
Ignition Positions.............................................2-21
Ignition Transaxle Lock Check..........................6-22
Infants and Young Children, Restraints...............1-29
In¯ation -- Tire Pressure..................................5-59
7