2004 BUICK REGAL ignition

Notice:Driving in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h)
may damage the transaxle. Also, shifting into
SECOND (2) at speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h) can
cause damage. Drive in THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) instead of SECOND (2).
SECOND (2): This position gives the vehicle more
power but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can
use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control the
speed going down steep mountain roads, but then you
would also want to use the brakes off and on.
FIRST (1): This position gives the vehicle even more
power but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2).
You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or
mud. If the shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle
will not shift into rst gear until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.Parking Brake
To set the parking brake,
hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right
foot. Push down the
parking brake pedal with
your left foot.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. When you lift your
left foot, the parking brake pedal will follow it to the
released position.
A warning chime will sound if the parking brake is set,
the ignition is on, and the shift lever is not in PARK (P)
or NEUTRAL (N).
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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 parking on any hill, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-39. That section shows what
to do rst to keep the trailer from moving.
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 4-39.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake with your left foot.2. Move the shift lever
into PARK (P) by
pressing the shift lock
button at the top of
the lever while pushing
the shift 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 the vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in PARK (P).
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Shifting Out of Park (P)
The vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock control
system which locks the shift lever in PARK (P) when the
ignition is in the OFF position. The regular brakes must
be fully applied before the vehicle can be shifted from
PARK (P) when the ignition in RUN. SeeAutomatic
Transaxle Operation on page 2-21.
If the vehicle cannot be shifted out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever and push the shift lever all the
way into PARK (P) as brake application is maintained.
Then, move the shift lever into the desired gear.
If the brake pedal is pressed down but the vehicle still
cannot be shifted out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the ignition key to ACCESSORY. There is no
shift interlock in this key position.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift the transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the engine and then shift to the desired gear.
5. Have the system xed as soon as possible.
Shift Lock Release
The vehicle is equipped with a shift lock release system.
It is designed to prevent ignition key removal unless
the shift lever is in PARK (P) and the shift lever button
is fully released.
It also prevents the shift lever from moving out of
PARK (P) when the ignition is in OFF or in LOCK. The
shift lock release system will not operate in the case
of a dead or low voltage (less than 9 V) battery.
If the vehicle has a dead battery or a battery with low
voltage, there are two override access slots that
will allow you to override the shift lock release system.
The rst access slot is located underneath the
steering column below the lock cylinder. To use this
slot, do the following:
1. Verify that the shift lever is in PARK (P) with the
shift lever button released.
2. Remove the override access slot cap to show the
override mechanism release button.
3. Insert a key or tool into the access slot and then
press and hold the override mechanism release
button.
4. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
5. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
6. Put the override access slot cap back on.
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The key will not be able to be removed from the ignition
unless the shift lever is in PARK (P) with the shift
lever button fully released.
The second override
access slot is located on
the upper right side of
the console shift panel.
To use this slot, do the following:
1. Remove the override access slot cap.
2. Insert a key or tool into the access slot and press
and hold the override mechanism release button.
3. Move the shift lever into the desired gear position.
4. Put the override access slot cap back on.Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, dry grass or other
things that can burn.
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Convenience Net
The vehicle has a convenience net located on the back
wall of the trunk.
Put small loads, like grocery bags, behind the net. It can
help keep them from falling over.
The net is not for larger, heavier loads. Store those in
the trunk as far forward as possible.
Unhook the net so that it will lie at when not in use.
Sunroof
The vehicle may have a sunroof. It includes a sliding
glass panel and a sunshade.
The switch to open the sunroof is located overhead on
the headliner.The switch works only when the ignition is on or when
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) is active. See
“Retained Accessory Power (RAP)” inIgnition Positions
on page 2-18.
VENT:To raise the sunroof to the vent position, push
and hold the front of the switch until the sunroof glass
stops. The sunshade must be opened by hand. To close
the sunroof from the vent position, push and hold the rear
of the switch until the sunroof glass closes.
Open/Express Open:To open the sunroof, push the
rear of the switch once. The sunroof and sunshade
will open by themselves. To close the sunroof, push and
hold the front of the switch until the sunroof motor
stops. The sunshade must be closed by hand.
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Hazard Warning Flashers
The hazard warning ashers let you warn others to use
caution when approaching your vehicle. They also
let police know you have a problem.The hazard warning
asher button is located on
the top of the steering
column.
Press the button to activate the front and rear turn
signals to ash on and off.
The hazard warning ashers work no matter what
position the key is in, and even if it is not in the ignition.
When the hazard warning ashers are on, the
individual turn signals will not operate.
Other Warning Devices
If you store reective, safety triangles in the vehicle, put
one at the side of the road, about 300 feet (100 m)
behind the vehicle to warn oncoming traffic of an
emergency situation.
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Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher
speed. Push in the SET button, then release
the button and the accelerator pedal. The vehicle
will now cruise at the higher speed.
Move the cruise switch from ON to R/A. Hold it there
until you accelerate to the desired speed, and then
release the switch. To increase the vehicle’s speed in
very small amounts, move the switch to R/A briey
and then release it. Each time this is done, the
vehicle will go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
The accelerate feature will only work after the cruise
control speed is set, by pushing the SET button.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to reduce the vehicle’s speed while
using cruise control:
Push in the SET button until the vehicle slows down
to the desired speed, then release it.
To slow the vehicle down in very small amounts,
push the SET button briey. Each time this is done,
the vehicle will go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the vehicle’s
speed. When you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the cruise control speed you
set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work on hills depends
upon the speed and load of the vehicle, and the
steepness of the hills. When going up steep hills, you
may have to step on the accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle’s speed. When going downhill, you may have to
brake or shift to a lower gear to keep the vehicle’s speed
down. Of course, applying the brake takes the vehicle out
of cruise control. Many drivers nd this to be too much
trouble and do not use cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Speed Memory
When the cruise control or the ignition is turned off, or
the vehicle is shifted into PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N),
the cruise control set speed memory is erased.
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Exterior Lamps
The control located to the
left of the cluster on the
instrument panel, operates
the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamps control has three positions:
Off:Push the control all the way to turn off all lamps.Parking Lamps:Pull the control out, halfway to the
rst position, to turn on the parking lamps together with
the following:Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
Headlamps:Pull the control out all the way, to the
second position, to turn on the headlamps together with
the previously listed lamps and lights.
A warning chime will sound if the driver’s door is
opened when the ignition switch is turned to OFF, LOCK
or ACCESSORY and the headlamps are on.
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