2003 BUICK RANDEZVOUS child restraint

5. To tighten the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt
while you push down on the child restraint. You
mayfind it helpful to use your knee to push down on
the child restraint as you tighten the belt.
6. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety
belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an
adult or larger child passenger.
Air Bag Systems
This part explains the frontal and side impact air bag
systems.
Your vehicle has air bags–a frontal air bag for the
driver and another frontal air bag for the right front
passenger. Your vehicle may also have a side impact
air bag. Side impact air bags are available for the driver
and right front passenger.
If your vehicle has a side impact air bag for the driver, the
words AIR BAG will appear on the air bag covering on the
side of the driver’s seatback closest to the door.
1-67
2003 - Rendezvous OM

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

weigh station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can
help you with this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the GAWR
for either the front or rear axle.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, and it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose
control and crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehicle.
Notice:Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that fail because of overloading.
If you put things inside your vehicle–like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything else–they will go as fast
as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn
quickly, or if there is a crash, they’ll keep going.
{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
•Put things in the cargo area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly.
•Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that some of them
are above the tops of the seats.
•Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
•When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
•Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
Automatic Level Control
On vehicles equipped with the automatic level control,
the rear of the vehicle is automatically kept level as you
load or unload your vehicle. However, you should still
not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR.
If the key is in ACCESSORY, ON or when Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) is active, you may hear
the compressor operating when you load your vehicle or
4-33
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Care of
Safety Belts................................................5-80
Your Cassette Tape Player..........................3-108
Your CD and DVD Player...........................3-109
Your CDs and DVDs ..................................3-109
Cargo Cover..................................................2-42
Cargo Lamp...................................................3-17
Carrier Assembly-Differential
(Rear Drive Module)....................................5-42
Cassette Tape Messages.................................3-80
Cassette Tape Player Service............................. 6-9
CD Adapter Kits.............................................3-80
Cell Phone Storage Area.................................2-38
Center Rear Passenger Position, Safety Belts.....1-38
Chains, Tires..................................................5-56
Change Engine Oil Message............................3-47
Charging System Indicator Message..................3-46
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-40
Tire Pressure System...................................5-49
Checking Coolant............................................5-20
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................... 5-9
Checking Your Restraint Systems
......................1-76
Chemical Paint Spotting
...................................5-83
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems
...............................1-51
Infants and Young Children
...........................1-47
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
..........................1-59Child Restraints (cont.)
Older Children.............................................1-45
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System........................................1-61
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Rear
Seat Position...........................................1-63
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside
Seat Position...........................................1-61
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position...........................................1-65
Top Strap...................................................1-54
Top Strap Anchor Location............................1-56
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-54
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-24
Cleaning
Inside of Your Vehicle..................................5-78
Outside of Your Vehicle................................5-80
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-83
Video Screen............................................3-110
Weatherstrips..............................................5-80
Your DVD Player.......................................3-109
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.......................5-81
Climate Control System...................................3-24
Dual ..........................................................3-27
Dual Automatic............................................3-29
Outlet Adjustment
........................................3-32
Compact Disc Errors
...............................3-71, 3-81
Compact Disc Messages
..................................3-93
Compact Spare Tire
........................................5-77
Compass Variance
..........................................3-54
3
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Gasoline (cont.)
Specifications............................................... 5-5
Gate Operator and Canadian Programming........2-36
Glass Surfaces...............................................5-80
Glove Box.....................................................2-37
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities.................................................... 7-5
H
Hatch Ajar Warning Message............................3-48
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-5
Head Restraints............................................... 1-6
Headlamp Exit Delay.......................2-47, 3-15, 3-57
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer.................... 3-8
Headlamp Wiring............................................5-86
Headlamps....................................................5-43
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-42
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-43
Headphones...................................................3-94
Head-Up Display (HUD)...................................3-18
Heated Seats................................................... 1-4
Highbeam Out Warning Message......................3-53
Highway Hypnosis
...........................................4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads
..................................4-24
Hitches
..........................................................4-37
HomeLink
®Transmitter
....................................2-34
HomeLink®Transmitter, Programming
................2-34Hood
Checking Things Under.................................. 5-9
Release....................................................... 5-9
Horn ............................................................... 3-6
How the System Works...................................3-22
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank............................................5-26
How to Add Coolant to the Radiator..................5-28
How to Add Fluid............................................5-18
How to Check........................................5-17, 5-49
How to Check Power Steering Fluid..................5-32
How to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/Filter.......5-16
How to Use This Manual...................................... ii
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly...................1-24
Hydroplaning..................................................4-19
I
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine..........5-23
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine...............5-22
If the Light Is Flashing.....................................3-41
If the Light Is On Steady.................................3-42
If You Are Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow.......4-30
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer.....................4-35
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard...........................4-28
Ignition Positions.............................................2-19
Ignition Transaxle Lock Check..........................6-12
Infants and Young Children, Restraints...............1-47
Inflation -- Tire Pressure..................................5-49
7
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Inspection
Brake System
.............................................6-14
Engine Cooling System
................................6-13
Exhaust System
..........................................6-13
Fuel System
...............................................6-13
Part C - Periodic Maintenance
.......................6-13
Steering, Suspension and Front Drive Axle
Boot and Seal
.........................................6-13
Throttle System
...........................................6-14
All-Wheel Drive
...........................................6-14
Instrument Panel
Cluster
.......................................................3-34
Overview
..................................................... 3-4
Switchbank
.................................................3-18
Instrument Panel Brightness
.............................3-14
Integrated Windshield Antenna
........................3-110
Interior Lamps
................................................3-14
Interior Lamps Control
.....................................3-14
Interior Lighting Delay
......................................3-58
Interior Lighting On
.........................................3-59
Interior Plastic Components
..............................5-80
J
Jump Starting
.................................................5-36
K
Key Lock Cylinders Service..............................6-10
Keyless Entry System....................................... 2-5
Keys............................................................... 2-3
L
Lamps
Exterior......................................................3-12
Interior.......................................................3-14
Lamps on Reminder........................................3-13
Lap-Shoulder Belt...........................1-24, 1-35, 1-38
LATCH System
Child Restraints...........................................1-59
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System........................................1-61
Leather.........................................................5-79
Leaving Your Vehicle.......................................2-11
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running......2-27
Liftgate..........................................................2-11
Liftgate Release..............................................2-12
Light
Air Bag Readiness.......................................3-37
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning...................3-39
Brake System Warning.................................3-38
Cruise Control.............................................3-43
8
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Maintenance When Trailer Towing.....................4-41
Making Turns.................................................4-39
Malfunction Indicator Light................................3-40
Manual Lumbar Controls.................................... 1-4
Manual Operation...........................................3-30
Manual Passenger Seat.................................... 1-2
Matching Transmitter(s) to Your Vehicle............... 2-7
Memory Seat.................................................2-52
Message
All-Wheel Drive Disable Warning....................3-49
Center.......................................................3-44
Change Engine Oil......................................3-47
Charging System Indicator............................3-46
Door Ajar Warning.......................................3-48
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning.............3-45
Highbeam Out Warning................................3-53
Low Brake Fluid Warning..............................3-51
Low Engine Oil Level...................................3-47
Low Fuel Warning.......................................3-50
Low Oil Pressure.........................................3-46
Low Tire .....................................................3-48
Low Washer Fluid Warning
...........................3-50
Park Lamp Warning
.....................................3-53
PASS-Key
®III Security
.................................3-49
Program Mode
............................................3-52
Rear Hatch Ajar Warning
..............................3-48
Remote Keyless Entry Transmitter Battery
Low Warning
...........................................3-52
Service Traction System Warning
...................3-44
Service Vehicle Soon
...................................3-51Message (cont.)
Traction Active............................................3-45
Mexico, Central America and Caribbean
Islands/Countries (Except Puerto Rico
and U.S. Virgin Islands)................................. 7-4
Mirrors
Automatic Dimming Rearview........................2-31
Manual Rearview Mirror................................2-31
Outside Convex Mirror.................................2-32
Outside Curb View Assist Mirror....................2-32
Outside Heated Mirrors................................2-32
Outside Power Mirror...................................2-31
MyGMLink.com................................................ 7-3
N
New Vehicle Break-In......................................2-18
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts............5-93
O
Odometer......................................................3-35
Off-Road Recovery..........................................4-13
Oil
Engine.......................................................5-11
Pressure Message.......................................3-46
Older Children, Restraints................................1-45
Online Owner Center........................................ 7-3
OnStar
®Personal Calling.................................2-33
OnStar®Services............................................2-33
10
2003 - Rendezvous OM

Removing the Split Bench Seat.......................... 1-8
Removing the Stowable Seat............................1-17
Replacement Bulbs.........................................5-46
Replacing Brake System Parts..........................5-35
Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash.....1-77
Replacing the Captain’s Chairs.........................1-14
Replacing the Extended Rear
Convenience Center.....................................2-43
Replacing the Rear Convenience Center on
Vehicles with the Third Row Stowable Seat.....2-45
Replacing the Split Bench Seat.........................1-10
Replacing the Stowable Seat............................1-17
Reporting Safety Defects
Canadian Government................................... 7-9
General Motors............................................. 7-9
United States Government.............................. 7-8
Reprogramming a Single HomeLink
®Button.......2-37
Resetting Defaults...........................................2-37
Restraint System Check.................................... 6-9
Checking Your Restraint Systems...................1-76
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash..........................................1-77
Restraint Systems
Checking....................................................1-76
Replacing Parts...........................................1-77
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)......................2-20
Retro-Active Reset..........................................3-36
Right Front Passenger Position, Safety Belts......1-33Roadside
Assistance Program
....................................... 7-5
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
...................4-30
Roof Rack System
..........................................2-39
Running Your Engine While You Are Parked
.......2-30
S
Safety Belt
Reminder Light
............................................3-37
Safety Belts
Care of
......................................................5-80
Center Rear Passenger Position
....................1-38
Driver Position
............................................1-24
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
................1-24
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts
.....1-23
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults
......................................1-40
Rear Seat Passengers
.................................1-34
Right Front Passenger Position
......................1-33
Safety Belt Extender
....................................1-44
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
.................1-32
Safety Belts Are for Everyone
.......................1-19
Safety Chains
.................................................4-37
Safety Warnings and Symbols
.............................. iii
Scheduled Maintenance
..................................... 6-5
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2003 - Rendezvous OM