2003 BUICK REGAL time

Fog Lamps
To turn the fog lamps on,
press the fog lamps button
located below the
exterior lamps control on
the left side of the steering
column.
A light will glow in the button to let you know that the
fog lamps are on. Your parking lamps or low-beam
headlamps must be on or your fog lamps won’t come
on. Press the button again to turn the fog lamps off. The
fog lamps will go off whenever you change to high-beam
headlamps. When you return to low beams, the fog
lamps will come on again.
Cornering Lamps
The cornering lamps are designed to come on when
you signal a turn. This will provide more light for
cornering at night.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness
This feature controls the brightness of the instrument
panel lights.
You can brighten or dim the instrument panel lights by
turning the exterior lamp knob.Turning the knob all
the way clockwise turns on the courtesy lamps.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several lamps come on.
These lamps are courtesy lamps. They make it easy for
you to enter and leave your vehicle. You can also
turn these lamps on by turning the exterior lamps control
clockwise to MAX.
Entry Lighting
Your courtesy lamps will come on and stay on for a set
time whenever you press UNLOCK on the remote
keyless entry transmitter.
If you open a door, the lamps will stay on while it’s open
and then turn off automatically about 25 seconds after
you close it. If you press UNLOCK and don’t open
a door, the lamps will turn off after about 40 seconds.
3-13
2003 - Regal OM

Entry lighting includes a feature called theater dimming.
With theater dimming, the lamps don’t just turn off at
the end of the delay time. Instead, they slowly dim after
the delay time until they go out. The delay time is
canceled if you turn the ignition key to RUN or START.
When the ignition is on, entry lighting is inactive,
which means the courtesy lamps won’t come on unless
a door is opened.
Delayed Entry Lighting
Delayed entry lighting lights your vehicle’s interior for a
period of time after all the doors have been closed.
The ignition must be off for delayed entry lighting
to work. Just after all the doors have been closed, the
delayed entry lighting feature will continue to work
until one of the following occurs:
•The ignition is in RUN, or
•the doors are locked, or
•an illumination period of 25 seconds has elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened,
the timed illumination period will be canceled and the
interior lamps will remain on.
Delayed Exit Lighting
This feature illuminates the interior for a period of time
after the ignition key is removed from the ignition.
The ignition must be off for delayed exit lighting to work.
When the ignition key is removed, interior illumination
will activate and remain on until one of the following
occurs:
•The ignition is in RUN, or
•the power door locks are activated, or
•an illumination period of 25 seconds has elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened,
the timed illumination period will be canceled and the
interior lamps will remain on.
Perimeter Lighting
Perimeter lighting provides a period of exterior vehicle
lighting. Perimeter lighting is only activated when
the function is enabled, the doors are closed, the ignition
is in OFF and the security feedback feature is in
Mode 3 or 4. See“Security Feedback”underRemote
Keyless Entry System Operation on page 2-4for
more information. The vehicle headlamps and back-up
lamps are then activated for a period of 25 seconds
or until the ignition switch is turned to RUN.
3-14
2003 - Regal OM

VENT (Ventilation):This mode brings in outside air
direct and directs it through the instrument panel outlet.
BI-LEV (Bi-Level):This mode directs approximately
half of the air to the instrument panel outlets, and then
directs most of the remaining air to thefloor outlets.
Some air may be directed toward the windshield.
HTR (Heater):This mode directs most of the air to the
floor outlets, with some air directed to the outboard
outlets (for the side windows) and some air directed to
the windshield.
BLEND:This mode directs half of the air to go to the
floor outlets and half 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).
The right knob can also be used for the defrost mode.
Information on defrosting and defogging can be
found later in this section.
9FAN:The left knob controls the fan speed.
OFF:Turn the knob all the way counterclockwise to
turn off the fan.
LO (Low Fan Speed):This setting creates the lowest
fan speed.HI (High Fan Speed):This setting creates the highest
fan speed.
DRIVER (Driver’s Side Temperature):The lever on
the left adjusts the air temperature for the driver’s
side outlets. Slide the lever up to raise the temperature
and down to lower the temperature.
PASSENGER (Passenger’s Side Temperature):The
lever on the right adjusts the air temperature for the
passenger’s side outlets. Slide the lever up to raise the
temperature and down to lower the temperature.
"(Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn the
air-conditioning on and off. An indicator light above the
button will come on when the air conditioning is on.
During daylight hours you may need to adjust the interior
lighting control to the highest setting in order to see
the light. The system will cool and dehumidify the
air inside the vehicle when the A/C indicator light is on.
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to
let hot, inside air escape. This reduces the time for the
vehicle to cool down.
For a quick cool-down on a very hot day, use MAX with
the temperature levers all the way in the blue area. If
this setting is used for long periods of time, the air
in your vehicle may become too dry.
For normal cooling on hot days, use VENT with the
temperature levers in the blue area. The system
will bring in outside air and cool it.
3-18
2003 - Regal OM

Dual Automatic Climate Control
System
With this system you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation for your vehicle.
Automatic Operation
AUTO (Automatic):Press the AUTO button for
automatic control of the inside temperature, the air
delivery mode and the fan speed. You may notice a
delay of two to three minutes before the fan comes on
when the automatic operation is used in cold weather.
For the automatic system to function, the temperature
must be set between 61°F (16°C) and 89°F (31°C).
1. Adjust the temperature to a comfortable setting.2. Press the AUTO button.
Choosing the coldest or warmest temperature
setting will not cause the system to heat or cool any
faster.
If you set the system at the warmest temperature
setting, 90°F (32°C), hot air will be directed to
thefloor, the fan will increase to the highest speed,
and, the system will remain in manual mode at
that temperature. The system will not return
to automatic until the temperature setting is lowered.
If you set the system at the coldest temperature
setting, 60°F (15°C), cold interior air will be
recirculated through the air panel outlets, and the
fan will increase to the highest speed. The
system will not return to automatic until the
temperature is raised.
In cold weather, the system will start at reduced fan
speeds to avoid blowing cold air into your vehicle
until warmer air is available. The system will
start out blowing air at thefloor but may change
modes automatically as the vehicle warms up
to maintain the chosen temperature setting. The
length of time needed for warm up will depend on
the outside temperature and the length of time
that has elapsed since your vehicle was last driven.
3-20
2003 - Regal OM

FLOOR:This setting sends most of the air through the
outlets near thefloor. The rest comes out of the
defroster and side window outlets.
VENT:Press this button to turn the air-conditioning
compressor on or off. The indicator light on the VENT
mode is lit when the compressor is turned off. You may
have to adjust the interior brightness control to the
highest setting during the day in order to see the
indicator lamp.
VENT does not operate in the FRONT defrost mode.
RECIRC (Recirculation):Press this button to turn this
mode on or off. RECIRC limits the amount of outside
air coming into the vehicle and recirculates most of the
air inside your vehicle. It can be use to prevent
outside air and odors from entering your vehicle or to
quickly heat or cool the air inside your vehicle. When this
button is pressed an indicator light will come on. You
may have to adjust the interior brightness control to the
highest setting during the day in order to see the
indicator lamp.
This setting is not permitted in FRONT defrost mode
and is only permitted in WINDSHIELD/FLOOR mode if
the compressor is turned on.
On hot days, open the window to let hot inside air
escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for your vehicle to cool down. It also helps
the system to operate more efficiently.For quick cool down on hot days, press the AUTO
button and the system will automatically enter the
recirculation mode and the temperature will be at the full
cold position for maximum cooling.
The air-conditioning system removes moisture from the
air, so you may sometimes notice a small amount of
water dripping underneath your vehicle while idling
or after turning off the engine. This is normal.
Operating the climate control system in the RECIRC
mode may cause fogging of the vehicle’s windows when
the weather is cold and damp. To clear the fog, select
either WINDSHIELD/FLOOR or defrost mode and
increase the speed.
Sensors
The solar sensor on your vehicle monitors the solar
radiation and the air inside of your vehicle, then uses the
information to maintain the selected temperature by
initiating needed adjustments to the temperature, the fan
speed and the air delivery system. The system may
also supply cooler air to the side of the vehicle facing the
sun. The recirculation mode will also be activated, as
necessary. Do not cover the solar sensor located in the
center of the instrument panel, near the windshield,
or the system will not work properly.
3-22
2003 - Regal OM

Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
If your vehicle has a
Traction Control System
(TCS), the traction
control system warning
light may come on for the
following reasons:
•If you turn the system off by pressing the traction
control button located on the black panel directly
behind your automatic transaxle shift lever, the
warning light will come on and stay on. To turn the
system back on, press the button again. The
warning light should go off. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-10for more information.
•With Full-Range Traction Control equipped vehicles,
if there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control
system will turn off and the warning light will come
on. If your brakes begin to overheat, the traction
control system will turn off and the warning light will
come on until your brakes cool down.
•If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
•With Full-Range Traction Control, if there is a base
brake problem, the system will turn off and the light
will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Low Traction Light
If your vehicle has the
traction control system,
this light will come on when
the system is limiting
wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the traction control system
working, but this is normal. Slippery road conditions
may exist if the low traction light comes on, so adjust
your driving accordingly. The light will stay on for a
few seconds after the traction control system stops
limiting wheel spin. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 4-10orFull-Range Traction Control System
on page 4-9.
3-33
2003 - Regal OM

Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Light
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine, or come on when
you are driving.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated. The engine
could be low on oil or could have some other oil
problem. Have itfixed right away.The oil light could also come on in the following
situations:
•The light will come on briefly when you turn on the
ignition to show you that it is working properly. If it
doesn’t come on with the ignition on, you may
have a problem with the fuse or bulb. Have itfixed
right away.
•Sometimes when the engine is idling at a stop, the
light may blink on and off. This is normal.
{CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catchesfire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
Notice:Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
3-38
2003 - Regal OM

Low Oil Level Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with an oil level monitoring
system. When the
ignition key is turned on,
the LOW OIL light will
come on briefly.
If the light does not come on briefly, have itfixed so it
will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If the light stays on, stop the vehicle on a level surface
and turn the engine off. Check the oil level using the
engine oil dipstick. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-13.Ifthe
light does not come on briefly, have the low oil level
sensor system repaired so it will be ready to warn you if
there’s a problem.
The oil level monitoring system only checks oil level
during the brief period between key on and engine
crank. It does not monitor engine oil level when
the engine is running. Additionally, an oil level check is
only performed if the engine has been turned off for
a considerable period of time, allowing the oil normally
in circulation to drain back into the oil pan.
Change Engine Oil Light
The CHANGE OIL SOON
light should come on
briefly as a bulb check
when you start the engine.
If the light doesn’t come
on, have it serviced.
If the CHANGE OIL SOON light comes on and stays on
after you start the engine, have the oil changed.
For additional information, see“When to Change Engine
Oil (GM Oil Life System)”underEngine Oil on
page 5-13. To reset the CHANGE OIL SOON light, see
“How to Reset the System”underEngine Oil on
page 5-13.
3-39
2003 - Regal OM