2004 BUICK PARK AVENUE steering

Passenger Compartment Air Filter
Passenger compartment air, both outside air and
recirculated air, is routed through a passenger
compartment lter, which is part of a three piece lter
system. The lter removes certain particles from the air,
including pollen and dust particles. Reductions in
airow, which may occur more quickly in dusty areas,
indicate that the lter needs to be replaced early.
The particle lter is located inside of the air control
module. The air control module is located behind
an access panel near the accelerator pedal.The lter should be replaced as part of routine
scheduled maintenance. SeePart A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services on page 6-4for replacement
intervals. See your dealer for details on changing
the lter.
Once you remove your lter, if you choose not to replace
it, it will not damage your vehicle. However, the air will
no longer be ltered.
Steering Wheel Climate Controls
If your vehicle has this
feature, you can control
the temperature function
by using the switch located
on your steering wheel.
wTEMPx(Temperature):Press the up or down
arrow on this switch to increase or decrease the
temperature.
3-30

Driver Information Center (DIC)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Driver Information
Center (DIC). The DIC will display information about
how your vehicle is functioning, as well as warning
messages if a system problem is detected.
The following buttons are
on the DIC control panel
located to the left of
the steering column:
ODO/TRIP (Odometer/Trip):Use this button to display
your total and trip miles.
FUEL INFO (Information):Press this button to display
fuel information such as fuel used, fuel range and
fuel economy.GAGE INFO (Information):Use this button to display
oil pressure, oil life, coolant temperature, tire pressure
and battery information.
RESET:This button, used along with other buttons, will
reset system functions.
ENG/MET (English/Metric):Use this button to change
the display between English and metric units.
DIC Controls and Displays
When you turn the ignition on, the DIC will display your
driver number. You can have your dealer program
your name to appear on this display line. See your
dealer for more information.
The system will then perform a status check and display
any messages if a problem is detected. If there are
no problems detected, the display will return to the mode
selected by that driver the last time the ignition was
turned off.
If a problem is detected, a diagnostic message will
appear in the display. The following pages will show
the messages you may see on the DIC display.
The message center is continuously updated with the
vehicle’s performance status.
3-47

DIC Warnings and Messages
Other warning messages may appear in the DIC
display. For Canadian drivers, in addition to the DIC
message your DIC will display EXP with a number after
it which reects the following messages:
EXP
(Export ID) Warning Message
23 DOOR AJAR
24 TRUNK AJAR
25 WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID LOW
36 ENGINE OIL LOW – CHECK LEVEL
54 SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM
55 STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE
82 CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
91TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
ACTIVE
140 TIRE PRESSURE LOW
The EXP codes are used to make translation from
English to other languages easier.
Pressing any of the DIC control buttons will remove
the messages or warnings from the DIC display.SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM – 54:If you ever see
the SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM message, it means
there may be a problem with your stability enhancement
system. If you see this message, try to reset the system:
stop, turn off the engine, then start the engine again.
If the SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM message still
comes on, it means there is a problem. You should see
your dealer for service. Reduce your speed and drive
accordingly.
STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE – 55:You may see the
STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver
Information Center. It means that an advanced,
computer-controlled system has come on to help your
vehicle continue to go in the direction in which you
are steering. This stability enhancement system
activates when the computer senses that your vehicle is
just starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of
ice or other slippery spot on the road. When the system
is on, you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the
brake pedal. This is normal.
3-50

Audio Steering Wheel Controls
If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain
radio functions using the buttons on your steering wheel.
wVOLx(Volume):Press the up or the down arrow
to increase or to decrease volume.
wSEEKx:Press the up or the down arrow to seek
to the next station or to the previous station. When
playing a cassette tape or a CD, press the up arrow to
hear the next selection.AM/FM:Press this button to choose FM1, FM2, or AM.
SCAN:Press this button to scan your radio preset
stations. The radio will scan to the rst preset station
stored on your pushbuttons, play for a few seconds, then
go on to the next preset station. The radio will scan
only to preset stations that are in the selected band and
only to those with a strong signal. Press this button
again to stop scanning.
Understanding Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise.
FM
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km).
Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals,
causing the sound to come and go.
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Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-9
Steering......................................................4-11
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-13
Passing.......................................................4-14
Loss of Control.............................................4-15
Driving at Night............................................4-17
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-18
City Driving..................................................4-21Freeway Driving...........................................4-22
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-23
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-24
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-24
Winter Driving..............................................4-26
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-30
Towing..........................................................4-31
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-31
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-31
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-33
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-38
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice,
it is easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. Also seeTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 4-9.
Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeand
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That isperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That isreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second.
But that is only an average. It might be less with one
driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs
and frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it is pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy);
tire tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
4-6

Remember: Anti-lock does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply
your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system works the front brakes and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. See “Cruise Control” under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-5.
4-9

Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Magnetic Speed Variable Assist
Steering
Your vehicle may be equipped with this steering system
that continually adjusts the effort you feel when
steering at all vehicle speeds. It provides ease when
parking yet a rm, solid feel at highway speeds.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject
to the same laws of physics when driving on curves.The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction.
If you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you
will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you are
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — have to do
their work where the tires meet the road. Adding
the sudden acceleration can demand too much of those
places. You can lose control. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
4-11