2004 BUICK RAINIER ignition

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your gear
shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks the rear wheels.
It’s the best position to use when you start the engine
because your vehicle can’t move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the shift
lever to PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-27. If you are pulling a trailer,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-53.Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transmission
shift lock control system. You have to fully apply the
regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when
the ignition key is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of
PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever, press the
button on the shift lever and push the shift lever all
the way into PARK (P) as you maintain brake
application. Move the shift lever into the gear you wish.
SeeShifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-28.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, seeIf
You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-44.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, the engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
2-24

All-Wheel Drive
Your vehicle may have this feature. There is no lever or
switch to engage or disengage the front axle. It is fully
automatic and adjusts as needed for road conditions.
Your vehicle has an active transfer case allowing
two-wheel-drive operation on dry roads. The transfer
case will shift automatically into all-wheel drive on
slippery surfaces. You may feel an extra shift when
the all-wheel drive engages.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your foot and pull up on the parking brake
lever located on the center console. If the ignition
is on, the brake system warning light will come on.To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can
press in the button at the end of the lever. Hold the button
in as you move the parking brake lever all the way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and you must park on a hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-53. That section
shows what to do rst to keep the trailer from moving.
2-26

Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-53.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your foot and
set the parking brake.2. Move the shift lever
into PARK (P)
like this:
Press and hold in the
button on the lever.
Push the lever all the
way toward the front
of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the key, your vehicle is
in PARK (P).
2-27

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine running,
be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your parking
brake is rmly set before you leave it. After you’ve moved
the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal
down. Then, see if you can move the shift lever away
from PARK (P) without rst pressing the button on the
console shift lever. If you can, it means that the shift lever
wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull the shift lever
out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift into
PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s seat.
To nd out how, seeShifting Into Park (P) on page 2-27.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)beforeyou release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system. You have to fully apply the regular
brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition is in RUN. SeeAutomatic Transmission
Operation on page 2-24.
2-28

Sunroof
Your vehicle may be equipped with a power sliding
sunroof. To open or close your sunroof, the ignition
must be on or Retained Accessory Power (RAP) must
be active.
Press and release the back of the button in the overhead
console to open the sunroof. Press the front of the
button to close the sunroof. Once the sunroof is closed,
press the forward side of the button to open the
sunroof to the vent position.
The sunroof is also equipped with a sunshade which
you can pull forward to block sun rays.
Vehicle Personalization
Memory Seat
The memory seat controls
are located on the driver’s
door, and are used to
program and recall
memory settings for the
driver’s seating positions,
outside mirror positions
and adjustable pedals
(if equipped).
Adjust the driver’s seat, including the seatback recliner
and lumbar, both of the outside mirrors, and the
adjustable pedals to the desired position. Then press
and hold button 1 (for driver 1) for three seconds.
A double chime will sound to let you know that the
position has been stored.
2-45

A second mirror position, seating position and adjustable
pedal position can be programmed by repeating the
procedure with a second driver and pressing button 2 for
three seconds. Each time button 1 or 2 is pressed and
released while the vehicle is in PARK (P), a single chime
will sound, and the memory position will be recalled.
If you use the unlock button on the remote keyless entry
transmitter to enter your vehicle, the preset driver’s
seat, mirror positions and adjustable pedal position will
be recalled if programmed to do so through the
Driver Information Center (DIC). The numbers on the
back of the transmitters, 1 or 2, correspond to the
numbers on the memory controls.
The seat positions, mirror positions and adjustable
pedal positions can also be recalled by placing the key
in the ignition if programmed to do so through the
Driver Information Center (DIC). SeeDIC Operation
and Displays on page 3-43.
To stop recall movement of the memory feature at
any time, press one of the power seat controls or
memory buttons.Two personalized exit positions can be set by rst
recalling the driver’s position by pressing 1 or 2, then
positioning the seat in the desired exit position for that
driver. Press and hold the button with the exit symbol for
three seconds. A double chime will sound to let you know
that the position has been stored. With the vehicle in
PARK (P), the exit position for that driver can be recalled
by pressing the exit button. The mirrors, power lumbar,
recline and adjustable pedal positions will not be stored
or recalled for the exit positions. If no exit position is
stored, the default is all the way rearward.
Further programming for automatic seat and mirror
movement can be done through the Driver Information
Center (DIC). You may choose to either select or
not select the following:
Automatic seat, mirror movement and pedal
position when the vehicle is unlocked with the
remote keyless entry
automatic seat, mirror movement and pedal position
when a key is placed in the ignition
automatic seat movement to the exit position when
the vehicle is in PARK (P)
2-46

The main components of your instrument panel
are the following:
A. Exterior Lamp Controls.
SeeExterior Lamps on page 3-14.
B. Air Outlets. See “Outlet Adjustment”
underDual Automatic Climate
Control System on page 3-20.
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.
SeeTurn Signal/Multifunction Lever
on page 3-7.
D. OnStar and Audio Steering Wheel Controls.
SeeAudio Steering Wheel Controls
on page 3-113.
E. Instrument Panel Cluster.
SeeInstrument Panel Cluster
on page 3-28.
F. Audio Steering Wheel Controls.
SeeAudio Steering Wheel Controls
on page 3-113.
G. Ignition Switch.
SeeIgnition Positions
on page 2-20.
H. Audio System.
SeeAudio System(s)
on page 3-56.I. Climate Controls.
SeeDual Automatic Climate
Control System on page 3-20.
J. Hood Release.
SeeHood Release on page 5-12.
K. Driver Information Center (DIC)
Steering Wheel Controls.
SeeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-43.
L. Rear Window Washer/Wiper.
See “Rear Window Washer/Wiper”
underTurn Signal/Multifunction Lever
on page 3-7.
M. Lighter.
SeeAshtrays and Cigarette
Lighter on page 3-19.
N. Accessory Power Outlet.
SeeAccessory Power Outlets
on page 3-19.
O. Rear Window Defogger.
See “Rear Window Defogger” under
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 3-20.
P. Glove Box.
SeeGlove Box on page 2-40.
3-5

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
Press the set button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you want, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, briey press
the set button. Each time you do this, you’ll go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may want to
step on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.When going downhill, you may have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep your speed down.
Of course, applying the brake takes you out of cruise
control. Many drivers nd this to be too much
trouble and don’t use cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
Move the cruise switch to off, or
Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-13