2004 BUICK LESABRE fuel

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake uid, windshield washer and
other uids, and plastic or rubber. You or
others could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill things that will burn onto a hot engine.
5-10

A. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See “Engine
Compartment Fuse Block” underFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-92.
B. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-36.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-42.
D. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling System
on page 5-28.
E. Radiator Pressure Cap. SeeRadiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-26.
F. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
H. Engine Coolant Air Bleed Valve. See “How to Add
Coolant to the Radiator” underCooling System
on page 5-28.
I. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick. See “Checking
the Fluid Level” underAutomatic Transaxle Fluid
on page 5-21.
J. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-37.
K. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.Engine Oil
If the ENGINE OIL LOW
CHECK LEVEL DIC
message appears on the
instrument cluster, it
means you need to check
your engine oil level
right away. For more
information, seeDIC
Warnings and Messages
on page 3-49.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you do not, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
5-13

When to Change Engine Oil (Vehicles
with the GM Oil Life System)
If equipped, your vehicle has a computer system that
lets you know when to change the engine oil and lter.
This is based on engine revolutions and engine
temperature, and not on mileage. Based on driving
conditions, the mileage at which an oil change will be
indicated can vary considerably. For the oil life system to
work properly, you must reset the system every time
the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message
will come on. Change your oil as soon as possible within
the next two times you stop for fuel. It is possible that,
if you are driving under the best conditions, the oil
life system may not indicate that an oil change is
necessary for over a year. However, your engine oil and
lter must be changed at least once a year and at
this time the system must be reset. Your dealer has
GM-trained service people who will perform this
work using genuine GM parts and reset the system. It is
also important to check your oil regularly and keep it
at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must
change your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your
last oil change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Oil Life System
The GM Oil Life System calculates when to change
your engine oil and lter based on vehicle use. Anytime
your oil is changed, reset the system so it can
calculate when the next oil change is required. If a
situation occurs where you change your oil prior to a
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message being
turned on, reset the system.
To reset the Oil Life System, do the following:
1. Display the OIL LIFE INDEX on the DIC.
2. Press and hold the RESET button on the DIC for
more than ve seconds. The oil life will change
to 100%.
3. Turn the key to OFF.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message comes
back on when you start your vehicle, the engine oil
life system has not reset. Repeat the procedure.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer’s
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
5-17

If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment to the low beam
may be necessary if it is difficult to see lane markers (for
horizontal aim), or if oncoming drivers ash their high
beams at you (for vertical aim). If you believe your
headlamps need to be re-aimed, we recommend that
you take your vehicle to your dealer for service.
However, it is possible for you to re-aim your headlamps
as described in the following procedure.
Notice:To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before beginning.
Failure to follow these instructions could cause
damage to headlamp parts.
The vehicle should be properly prepared as follows:
The vehicle should be placed so the headlamps are
25 ft (7.6 m) from a light colored wall or other at
surface.
The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface which is level all the way to the wall
or other at surface.
The vehicle should be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall or other at surface.
The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.
The vehicle should be normally loaded with a
full tank of fuel and one person or 160 lbs (75 kg) on
the driver’s seat.
Tires should be properly inated.
Headlamp aiming is done with the vehicle low-beam
lamps. The high-beam lamps will be correctly aimed if
the low-beam lamps are aimed properly.
5-48

Belt:A rubber coated layer of cords that is located
between the plies and the tread. Cords may be made
from steel or other reinforcing materials.
Bead:The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped by
steel cords that hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in which the plies
are laid at alternate angles substantially less than
90 degrees to the centerline of the tread.
Cold Ination Pressure:The amount of air pressure in
a tire, measured in pounds per square inch (psi)
before a tire has built up heat from driving. See
Ination - Tire Pressure on page 5-65.
Curb Weight:This means the weight of a motor
vehicle with standard and optional equipment including
the maximum capacity of fuel, oil and coolant, but
without passengers and cargo.
DOT Markings:A code molded into the sidewall of a
tire signifying that the tire is in compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation motor vehicle safety
standards. The DOT code includes the Tire Identication
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric designator which can
also identify the tire manufacturer, production plant,
brand and date of production.
GVWR:Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, seeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 4-33.
GAWR FRT:Gross Axle Weight Rating for the front
axle, seeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-33.GAWR RR:Gross Axle Weight Rating for the rear axle,
seeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-33.
Intended Outboard Sidewall:The side of an
asymmetrical tire that must always face outward when
mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa):The metric unit for air pressure.
There are 6.9 kPa’s to one psi.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire:A tire used on light duty
trucks and some multipurpose passenger vehicles.
Load Index:An assigned number ranging from
1 to 279 that corresponds to the load carrying capacity
of a tire.
Maximum Ination Pressure:The maximum air
pressure to which a cold tire may be inated. The
maximum air pressure is molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating:The load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible ination pressure for that tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight:The sum of curb
weight; accessory weight; vehicle capacity weight;
and production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight:The number of occupants a
vehicle is designed to seat multiplied by 150 pounds
(68 kg). SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-33.
5-63

Ination - Tire Pressure
The tire and loading information label, shows the correct
ination pressures for your tires when they’re cold.
“Cold” means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km). See
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-33, for the location
of your vehicle’s tire and loading information label.
Notice:Don’t let anyone tell you that underination
or overination is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underination), you can get
the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (overination), you
can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inated even when they’re underinated. Check
the tire’s ination pressure when the tires are cold.
Cold means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary. If
the ination pressure is low, add air until you reach
the recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
5-65

Cleaning Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with tire cleaner.
Notice:Using petroleum-based tire dressing
products on your vehicle may damage the paint
nish and/or tires. When applying a tire dressing,
always wipe off any overspray from all painted
surfaces on your vehicle.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Original manufacturer replacement parts will provide the
corrosion protection while maintaining the warranty.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the
nish should be repaired right away. Bare metal
will corrode quickly and may develop into major repair
expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials avaliable from your dealer. Larger areas of
nish damage can be corrected in your dealer’s
body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, corrosion and rust can develop on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, oor pan and
exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring, ush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and debris can collect. Dirt packed in close areas of
the frame should be loosened before being ushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can
do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ring-shaped discolorations,
and small, irregular dark spots etched into the paint
surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, GM will
repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs rst.
5-89

Fuses Usage
1 Fuel Pump
2 HVAC Blower
3 Memory
4 Assembly Line Diagnostic Link
5 Not Used
6 Compact Disc (CD)
7 Driver’s Door Module
8 Air Bag System (SIR)
9 Not Used
10 Right Parking Lamp
11 Vent Solenoid
12 Ignition 1
Fuses Usage
13 Left Parking Lamp
14 Dimmer
15 Satellite Digital Radio
16 Left Front Heated Seat
17 Not Used
18 Rear Door Module
19 Stoplamp
20 Park/Reverse
21 Audio
22 Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
23 Not Used
24 Not Used
25 Passenger Door Module
26 Body
27 Interior Lamps
28 Not Used
29 Ignition Switch
30 Instrument Panel
31 Right Front Heated Seat
32 Not Used
33 HVAC
34 Ignition 3 Rear
35 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
36 Turn Signal/Hazard
37 HVAC Battery
38 Dimmer
5-97