2003 BUICK RANDEZVOUS light

CAUTION: (Continued)
They aren’t designed to inflate in frontal, in
rollover or in rear crashes.
Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety
belt properly — whether or not there’s an air
bag for that person.
{CAUTION:
Bothfrontal and side impact air bags inflate
with great force, faster than the blink of an
eye. If you’re too close to an inflating air bag,
as you would be if you were leaning forward, it
could seriously injure you. Safety belts help
keep you in position for air bag inflation before
and during a crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even withfrontal air bags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible while still
maintaining control of the vehicle. Front
occupants should not lean on or sleep against
the door.
{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any air bag when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Air bags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults, but
not for young children and infants. Neither the
vehicle’s safety belt system nor its air bag
system is designed for them. Young children
and infants need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide. Always secure
children properly in your vehicle. To read how,
see the part of this manual called “Older
Children” or “Infants and Young Children”.
There is an air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel cluster,
which shows the air
bag symbol.
1-69
2003 - Rendezvous OM

The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAir Bag Readiness Light on page 3-37
for more information.
Where Are the Air Bags?
The driver’s frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.The right front passenger’s frontal air bag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
1-70
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag systems in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer and the service
manual have information about servicing your vehicle
and the air bag systems. To purchase a service manual,
seeService Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-9.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
air bag can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you are close to
an air bag when it inflates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the air
bag system. Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualified to do so.
The air bag systems do not need regular maintenance.
Restraint System Check
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.)
1-76
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Lighted Visor Vanity Mirrors
Pull down the sun visor. Flip up the cover to expose the
vanity mirror. The lamps will come on when you open
the cover.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make it
impossible to steal.
Content Theft-Deterrent
Your vehicle may have a theft-deterrent alarm system.
A light located on top of
your instrument panel
(near the center of
the vehicle, next to the
windshield) willflash slowly
to let you know that the
system has been armed.
While armed, the doors will not unlock with the power
door lock switch.Once armed, the alarm will go off if someone tries to
enter the vehicle without the optional remote keyless
entry transmitter or the key or tries to turn the ignition on
without using the correct key. The horn will sound and
the headlamps and parking lamps willflash any time the
alarm sounds.
To open the liftgate while
armed, press the liftgate
release button, located on
the instrument panel
switchbank, or press
REAR on the remote
keyless entry transmitter.
Arming with the Power Lock Switch
Your alarm system will arm when you use either power
door lock switch to lock the doors while any door or
the liftgate is open and the key is removed from
the ignition. The security light will startflashing to let
you know the system is armed.
2-15
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Arming with the Remote Keyless Entry
Transmitter
Your alarm system will arm after a 30 second delay
when you press LOCK on your remote keyless
entry transmitter to lock the doors. The security light will
come on for 30 seconds and then startflashing to let
you know the system is armed.
Disarming with Your Key
Your alarm system will disarm when you use your key
to unlock the front doors. The security light will stop
flashing to let you know the system is no longer armed.
Disarming with the Remote Keyless
Entry Transmitter
Your alarm system will disarm when you press UNLOCK
on your remote keyless entry transmitter to unlock the
doors. The security light will stopflashing to let you know
the system in no longer armed.
PASS-Key®III
Your PASS-Key®III system operates on a radio
frequency subject to Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Changes or modifications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
PASS-Key
®III uses a radio frequency transponder in
the key that matches a decoder in your vehicle.
2-16
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition, you can turn the key to four
different positions.
A (OFF):This is the only position in which you can
remove the key. This position locks the steering wheel,
ignition and transaxle.Notice:If your key seems stuck in OFF and you
can’t turn it, be sure you are using the correct key;
if so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the key
hard. Turn the key only with your hand. Using a
tool to force it could break the key or the ignition
switch. If none of these works, then your vehicle
needs service.
B (ACCESSORY):This position allows you to use
things like the radio and the windshield wipers while the
engine is off. This position will allow you to turn off
the engine, but still turn the steering wheel. Use
ACCESSORY if you must have your vehicle in motion
while the engine is off, for example, if your vehicle
is being pushed or towed.
C (ON):This is the position that the switch returns to
after you start your engine and release the key.
The switch stays in ON when the engine is running. But
even when the engine is not running, you can use
ON to operate your electrical power accessories, and to
display some instrument panel warning lights.
D (START):This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch
will return to ON for normal driving.
If the engine is not running, ACCESSORY and ON are
positions that allow you to operate your electrical
accessories, such as the radio.
2-19
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Parking Brake
The parking brake is
located on the driver’s side
under the instrument
panel.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot and push down on the parking
brake pedal with your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on. SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 3-38.To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot while you push down on
the parking brake pedal with your left foot. (To release
the tension on the parking brake cable, you will need to
apply about the same amount of pressure to the
parking brake pedal as you did when you set the parking
brake.) When you remove your foot from the parking
brake pedal, it will pop up to the released position.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-34. That section shows
what to dofirst to keep the trailer from moving.
2-25
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from headlamps behind you, pull the
lever toward you (to the night position). To return
the mirror to the day position, push the lever away
from you.
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
Your vehicle may have an automatic dimming rearview
mirror. Push the button in the center of the mirror to
turn this feature on or off. The mirror will darken
gradually to reduce glare from headlamps behind you.
This may take a few moments. The mirror will also
lighten whenever you shift to REVERSE (R).The mirror’s two outer buttons operate the lights on the
bottom sides of the mirror.
One photocell on the front of the mirror senses when it
is becoming dark outside. Another photocell, facing
rearward, senses headlamps behind you. To keep the
photocells operating well, occasionally clean them with a
cotton swab and glass cleaner.
Outside Power Mirror
The power mirror controls
are located on the driver’s
door armrest.
To choose either the left or right outside mirror, press
the selector switch. Press any of the four arrows located
on the control pad to move the mirrors in the desired
direction.
Adjust each mirror so you can see the side of your
vehicle and the area behind your vehicle.
2-31
2003 - Rendezvous OM