2004 BUICK RANDEZVOUS Owner's Manual

Cleaning the Outside of Your
Vehicle
The paint nish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s nish is to keep it
clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold water.
Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Use a car washing soap. Don’t use strong soaps
or chemical detergents. Be sure to rinse the vehicle
well, removing all soap residue completely. You can get
GM-approved cleaning products from your dealer.
SeeVehicle Care/Appearance Materials on page 5-106.
Don’t use cleaning agents that are petroleum based,
or that contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning agents
should be ushed promptly and not allowed to dry on the
surface, or they could stain. Dry the nish with a soft,
clean chamois or an all-cotton towel to avoid surface
scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter
your vehicle.
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and a car
washing soap to clean exterior lamps and lenses.
Follow instructions under “Washing Your Vehicle.”
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your vehicle by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from the
paint nish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your dealer. SeeVehicle Care/Appearance
Materials on page 5-106.
If your vehicle has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint nish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat paint
nish.
Notice:Machine compounding or aggressive
polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint nish may
damage it. Use only non-abrasive waxes and
polishes that are made for a basecoat/clearcoat
paint nish on your vehicle.
5-103

Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc.,
can damage your vehicle’s nish if they remain
on painted surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as
possible. If necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that
are marked safe for painted surfaces to remove
foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a
period of years. You can help to keep the paint nish
looking new by keeping your vehicle garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Cleaning the Windshield, Backglass
and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or if the wiper blade chatters when running,
wax, sap or other material may be on the blade or
windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with a full-strength
glass cleaning liquid. The windshield is clean if beads do
not form when you rinse it with water.Grime from the windshield will stick to the wiper blades
and affect their performance. Clean the blade by
wiping vigorously with a cloth soaked in full-strength
windshield washer solvent. Then rinse the blade
with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as necessary;
replace blades that look worn.
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome-Plated
Wheels
Your vehicle may be equipped with either aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels.
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel. A wax
may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners,
cleaners with acid, or abrasive cleaning brushes on
them because you could damage the surface. Do not
use chrome polish on aluminum wheels.
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Use chrome polish only on chrome-plated wheels, but
avoid any painted surface of the wheel, and buff off
immediately after application.
Don’t take your vehicle through an automatic car wash
that has silicone carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface of these wheels.
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.
5-105

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.
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
See your GM dealer for more information on purchasing
the following products.
Description Usage
Polishing Cloth
Wax-TreatedInterior and exterior
polishing cloth.
Tar and Road Oil
RemoverRemoves tar, road oil and
asphalt.
Description Usage
Chrome Cleaner and
PolishUse on chrome or
stainless steel.
White Sidewall Tire
CleanerRemoves soil and black
marks from whitewalls.
Vinyl CleanerCleans vinyl tops,
upholstery and
convertible tops.
Glass CleanerRemoves dirt, grime,
smoke and ngerprints.
Chrome and Wire Wheel
CleanerRemoves dirt and grime
from chrome wheels and
wire wheel covers.
Finish EnhancerRemoves dust,
ngerprints, and surface
contaminants. Spray on
wipe off.
Swirl Remover PolishRemoves swirl marks,
ne scratches and other
light surface
contamination.
Cleaner WaxRemoves light scratches
and protects nish.
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Description Usage
Foaming Tire Shine Low
GlossCleans, shines and
protects in one easy step,
no wiping necessary.
Wash Wax ConcentrateMedium foaming
shampoo. Cleans and
lightly waxes.
Biodegradable and
phosphate free.
Spot LifterQuickly and easily
removes spots and stains
from carpets, vinyl and
cloth upholstery.
Odor EliminatorOdorless spray odor
eliminator used on
fabrics, vinyl, leather and
carpet.
See your General Motors parts department for these
products. SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-12.
Vehicle Identication
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)
This is the legal identier for your vehicle. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on
the driver’s side. You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certication and Service Parts
labels and the certicates of title and registration.
Engine Identication
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, specications
and replacement parts.
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Service Parts Identication Label
You will nd this label on the inside of the access panel
located on the driver’s side of the rear of the vehicle.
It is very helpful if you ever need to order parts.
On this label, you will nd the following:
VIN
Model designation
Paint information
A list of all production options and special
equipment
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
Notice:Don’t add anything electrical to your
vehicle unless you check with your dealer rst.
Some electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working as they
should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting
to add anything electrical to your vehicle, see
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-82.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by internal fuses in
the fuse block. An electrical overload will cause the
lamps to go off and remain off. If this happens, have
your headlamp wiring checked right away.
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Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by an internal
circuit breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to
heavy snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor
cools. If the overload is caused by some electrical
problem, be sure to get it xed.
Power Windows and Other Power
Options
Circuit breakers in the oor console fuse block protect
the power windows and other power accessories. When
the current load is too heavy, the circuit breaker
opens and closes, protecting the circuit until the problem
is xed.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers
and fusible thermal links.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical
size and rating.
If you ever have a problem on the road and do not have
a spare fuse, you can borrow one that has the same
amperage. Just pick a feature of your vehicle that
you can get along without – like the radio or cigarette
lighter - and use its fuse, if it is the right amperage.
Replace it as soon as you can.
There are two fuse blocks in your vehicle: the oor
console fuse block and the underhood fuse and relay
center.
5-109

Floor Console Fuse Block
The oor console fuse block is located to the left of the
glove box near the oor.
Pull the door open to access the fuse block.
Fuse Usage
1 Empty
2 Steering Wheel Radio Controls
3 Power Door Locks
4 Empty
5 Empty
6 Empty
7 Empty
8 Empty
9 Empty
10Turn Signal and Hazard Lamp
Flashers
5-110