2004 BUICK RANDEZVOUS steering wheel

The main components of the instrument panel are the
following:
A. Exterior/Interior Lamps Control. SeeExterior Lamps
on page 3-14andInterior Lamps on page 3-16.
B. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. SeeTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-8.
C. Hazard Warning Flasher Switch. SeeHazard
Warning Flashers on page 3-6.
D. Instrument Panel Cluster. SeeInstrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-40.
E. Shift Lever. SeeAutomatic Transaxle Operation on
page 2-23.
F. Instrument Panel Outlets. SeeOutlet Adjustment on
page 3-38.
G. Audio System. SeeAudio System(s) on page 3-73.
H. Audio Steering Wheel Controls. SeeAudio
Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-129.
I. Head-Up Display Switch and Driver Information
Center (DIC) Controls. SeeHead-Up Display (HUD)
on page 3-21andDIC Controls and Displays on
page 3-62.J. Hood Release. SeeHood Release on page 5-11.
K. Ignition Switch. SeeIgnition Positions on page 2-20.
L. Climate Controls. SeeClimate Control System on
page 3-28,Dual Climate Control System on
page 3-32orDual Automatic Climate Control System
on page 3-35.
M. Instrument Panel Switchbank. SeeInstrument Panel
Switchbank on page 3-21.
N. Front Armrest Storage. SeeFront Armrest Storage
Area on page 2-40.
O. Ashtray/Cigarette Lighter/Accessory Power
Outlet/Cell Phone Storage/Purse
Storage/Cupholders. SeeAshtrays and Cigarette
Lighter on page 3-28,Accessory Power Outlets on
page 3-27,Cell Phone Storage Area on page 2-39,
Floor Console Storage Area on page 2-40and
Cupholder(s) on page 2-39.
P. Floor Console Fuse Block. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-109.
Q. Glove Box. SeeGlove Box on page 2-39.
3-5

Other Warning Devices
If you carry reective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind your
vehicle.
Horn
You can sound the horn by pressing the center of your
steering wheel.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt wheel allows you to adjust the steering wheel
before you drive. You can raise it to the highest level to
give your legs more room when you exit and enter
the vehicle.
The lever that allows you to tilt the steering wheel is
located on the left side of the steering column.To tilt the wheel, hold the
steering wheel and pull
the lever.
Then move the steering wheel to a comfortable position
and release the lever to lock the wheel in place.
3-7

Notice:If you try to use the HUD image as a
parking aid, you may misjudge the distance and
damage your vehicle. Do not use the HUD image as
a parking aid.
The HUD controls are
located to the left of the
steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
When the HUD is on, the speedometer reading will
always be displayed. The current audio system
information will only be displayed for three seconds after
the radio, tape or CD track status changes. This will
happen whenever one of the radio controls is pressed,
either on the radio or on the audio steering wheel
controls, if equipped.To adjust the HUD so you can see it properly,
do the following:
1. Start your engine and turn the dimmer knob to the
desired HUD image brightness.
The brightness of the HUD image is determined by
the ambient light conditions in the direction your
vehicle is facing and where you have the HUD
dimmer knob set. If you are facing a dark object or a
heavily shaded area, your HUD may anticipate that
you are entering a dark area and may begin to dim.
2. Adjust the driver’s seat. If you change your seat
position, you may have to readjust your HUD.
3. Press the UP or DN buttons until the HUD image is
easy to see and then press the DN button until the
HUD image is as low as possible, but remains
in full view straight ahead near the front bumper.
The HUD image can only be adjusted up and down,
not side-to-side.
4. To turn the image off, turn the dimmer knob
counterclockwise until it stops.
If the sun comes out or it becomes cloudy, you may
need to adjust the HUD brightness again using
the dimmer knob. Polarized sunglasses could make the
HUD image harder to see.
3-23

Audio Steering Wheel Controls
If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain
radio functions using the buttons on your steering wheel.
SOURCE:Press this button to play a cassette tape,
CD, or a DVD (if equipped) when listening to the radio.
If a cassette tape, and CD, and/or DVD are loaded,
the system will go to the tape play rst.
MUTE:Press this button to silence the system. Press it
again, or any other radio button, to turn on the sound.
QVOLR(Volume):Press the up or down arrow
to increase or decrease volume.
QSEEKR:Press the up arrow to seek to the next
station and the down arrow to seek to the previous
station. The sound will mute while seeking. When
playing a cassette tape or a CD, press the up arrow to
hear the next selection.
BAND:Press this button to choose FM1, FM2, AM, or
XM1 or XM2 (48 contiguous US states, if equipped).
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
preset stations that are in the selected band and only to
those with a strong signal. Press this button again to
stop scanning.
DVD Distortion
You may experience video distortion when operating
cellular phones, scanners, CB radios, Global Position
Systems (GPS)*, two-way radios, mobile fax, or
walkie talkies.
It may be necessary to turn off the DVD player when
operating one of these devices in or near the vehicle.
*Excludes the OnStar
®System.
3-129

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Driver Behavior..............................................4-2
Driving Environment........................................4-2
Vehicle Design...............................................4-3
Defensive Driving...........................................4-3
Drunken Driving.............................................4-4
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-7
Braking.........................................................4-7
Traction Control System (TCS).......................4-11
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.......................4-12
Steering......................................................4-13
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-15
Passing.......................................................4-15
Loss of Control.............................................4-17Driving at Night............................................4-18
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-20
City Driving..................................................4-23
Freeway Driving...........................................4-24
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-25
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-26
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-26
Winter Driving..............................................4-28
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow . . .4-32
Towing..........................................................4-33
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-33
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-34
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-36
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-42
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

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
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if you do not have anti-lock, your
rst reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and hold
it down — may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheelscan stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle can not
respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it
in whatever direction it was headed when the wheels
stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very
thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you do not have anti-lock, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking
while maintaining steering control. You can do this by
pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing
pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal.
This will help you retain steering control. If youdohave
anti-lock, it is different. See “Anti-Lock Brake System”
in this section.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
4-10

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.
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 apply the brakes. Both control
systems — steering and braking — have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Unless you have
four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can
demand too much of those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you are steering through
a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those
two control systems — steering and acceleration — can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the
road and make you lose control. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-11.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way
you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
4-13

Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and nd
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can not; there is not
room. That is the time for evasive action — steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
SeeBraking on page 4-7. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available.An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you
can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-14