2003 BUICK REGAL maintenance

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-6
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-6
Child Restraints
.......................................1-27
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-46
Restraint System Check
............................1-54
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-9
Windows
.................................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-17
Mirrors
....................................................2-31
OnStar
®System
......................................2-34
Storage Areas
.........................................2-35
Sunroof
..................................................2-36
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-2
Climate Controls
......................................3-17
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-26
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-42
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-44Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-2
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-31
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
................. 5-8
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-48
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-55
Tires
......................................................5-56
Appearance Care
.....................................5-77
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-85
Electrical System
......................................5-86
Capacities and Specications
.....................5-92
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
......5-93
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-9
Index.................................................................1
2003 Buick Regal Owner ManualM
2003 - Regal Owner Manual

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 7-10.
{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.)
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3. Wait for the system to regulate. This may take from
10 to 30 minutes. Then, adjust the temperature, if
necessary.
Do not cover the solar sensor located in the center
of the instrument panel, near the windshield. For
more information on the solar sensor, see
“Solar Sensor”later in this section.
Manual Operation
During daylight hours, you may want to adjust the
instrument panel brightness control to the highest setting
in order to see the indicator lights that go on for the
various climate control settings.
OFF:Pressing the OFF button cancels automatic
operation and places the system in manual mode. Press
the AUTO button to return to automatic operation.
TEMP (Temperature):To manually adjust the
temperature inside the vehicle, press the up arrow on
the TEMP control to raise the temperature and press the
down arrow to lower the temperature. The display will
show your selection for a few seconds, and then
the outside temperature will be displayed.
When the DUAL light indicator is on, this means the
TEMP control has set the temperature for the driver.
When the DUAL light indicator light is not on, this means
the TEMP control has set the temperature for the
entire cabin.
9FAN:Press the up arrow on the FAN control to
increase fan speed and the down arrow to decrease fan
speed. Pressing the arrows cancels the automatic
operation and places the system in manual mode. Press
the AUTO button to return to automatic operation. If
the airflow seems low when the fan is at the highest
setting, the passenger compartment airfilter, if
equipped, may need to be replaced. For more
information seePassenger Compartment Air Filter on
page 3-24andPart A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
on page 6-4.
AIR FLOW:This control has several setting to control
the direction of airflow when the system is not in AUTO.
To access the various modes available, continue to press
the AIR FLOW up or down arrows until the desired mode,
(listed below), appears in the display.
WINDSHIELD/FLOOR:This setting directs some of the
air to thefloor outlets and some to the defroster and
side window outlets. The air-conditioning compressor will
run automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below 40°F(4°C).
MID/FLOOR:This mode directs airflow through both
thefloor and the instrument panel outlets. A small
amount of air is directed to the windshield and the side
window outlets.
MID (Instrument Panel):This mode directs air through
the instrument panel outlets.
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2003 - Regal OM

=REAR:Press this button to turn the rear window
defogger on. It will turn off after about 15 minutes. If you
turn it on again, the rear defogger will only run for
about seven and one half minutes before turning off.
You can also turn it off by pressing the button again.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the windows are clear.
Notice:Don’t use a razor blade or something
else sharp on the inside of the rear window. If you
do, you could cut or damage the defogger and
the repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not attach a temporary vehicle license, tape,
a decal or anything similar to the defogger grid.
Outlet Adjustment
Open and close the air
outlets, or adjust the
direction of the airflow by
moving the levers in
the center of each outlet.
Operation Tips
•Clear away any ice, snow or leaves from the air
inlets at the base of the windshield that may
block theflow of air into your vehicle.
•Use of non-GM approved hood deflectors may
adversely affect the performance of the system.
•Keep the path under the front seats clear of objects
to help circulate the air inside of your vehicle more
effectively.
•If the airflow seems low when the fan is at the
highest setting, the passenger compartment
airfilter, if equipped, may need to be replaced. For
more information, seePassenger Compartment
Air Filter on page 3-24andPart A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services on page 6-4.
Passenger Compartment Air Filter
The passenger compartment airfilter is located
underneath your hood below the windshield wiper arm,
on the passenger’s side (below the air inlet grille) of
the vehicle.
Thefilter traps most of the pollen from the air entering
the air conditioning module. Like your engine’s air
cleaner/filter, it may need to be changed periodically.
For information on how often to change the passenger
compartment airfilter, seePart A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services on page 6-4.
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2003 - Regal OM

To change the passenger compartment airfilter, use the
following steps:
1. Turn off the ignition when the windshield wipers are
in the up position.
2. Raise the hood.
3. Disconnect the windshield washer pump hose from
the fender rail and air inlet grille.
4. Remove the hood weatherstrip from the passenger’s
side of the vehicle (peel back halfway to center).
5. Remove the three air inlet grille retainers.
6. Remove the air inlet grille.7. Remove the passenger
compartment airfilter.
8. Then replace the old airfilter with the new one. For
the type offilter to use, seeNormal Maintenance
Replacement Parts on page 5-93.
9. Reinstall the air inlet grille.
10. Reinstall the air inlet grille retainers.
11. Reattach the hood weatherstrip.
12. Reconnect the windshield washer pump hose to the
fender rail and air inlet grille.
13. Close the hood.
14. Return the windshield wipers to the park position.
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Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after a while, your emission controls
may not work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as good and your engine may not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may
not be covered by your warranty.
Notice:Modifications made to the engine,
transaxle, exhaust, intake or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is
not running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it
repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
•Light Flashing—Amisfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be required.
•Light On Steady—An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
•Reducing vehicle speed.
•Avoiding hard accelerations.
•Avoiding steep uphill grades.
•If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stopsflashing and remains on steady, see“If
the Light Is On Steady”following.
If the light continues toflash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle.Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see“If
the Light Is On Steady”following. If the light is still
flashing, follow the previous steps, and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
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If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. SeeFilling Your Tank on page 5-6. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine
may not run as efficiently as designed since small
amounts of air are sucked into the fuel line causing a
misfire. The system can detect this. Adding fuel should
correct this condition. Be sure to install the fuel cap
properly. SeeFilling Your Tank on page 5-6. It will take
a few driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-4. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation
on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools tofix any
mechanical or electrical problems that may have
developed.
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 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.
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Low Fuel Warning Light
If your fuel is low, a circular light on your instrument
panel cluster will come on and stay on and a chime will
sound periodically until you add fuel.
It will also come on for a few seconds when youfirst
turn on the ignition as a check to show you it’s working.
If it doesn’t come on then, have itfixed.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
If your vehicle is equipped with the Driver Information
Center (DIC), it is located below the tachometer on the
instrument panel cluster. The DIC gives you important
safety and maintenance facts. When you turn the
ignition on, the entire center lights up for just a
few seconds.
United States
Canada
3800 V6 Engine
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2003 - Regal OM