Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-5
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-7
Child Restraints
.......................................1-26
Airbag System
.........................................1-46
Restraint System Check
............................1-61
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-18
Mirrors
....................................................2-30
OnStar
®System
......................................2-40
HomeLink®Transmitter
.............................2-42
Storage Areas
.........................................2-46
Sunroof
..................................................2-50
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-51
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-25
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-43
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-56Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-50
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-46
Rear Axle
...............................................5-46
Front Axle
...............................................5-47
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-48
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-51
Tires
......................................................5-53
Appearance Care
.....................................5-83
Vehicle Identi cation
.................................5-91
Electrical System
......................................5-92
Capacities and Speci cations
...................5-102
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index................................................................ 1
2005 Buick Rainier Owner ManualM
Q:If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in an
accident — even one that is not your fault — you
and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver does not protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, seeOlder Children on page 1-26
orInfants and Young Children on page 1-28. Follow
those rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you will want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We will start with the driver position.
Driver Position
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to wear
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see
how, see “Seats” in the Index.
1-12
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety
belt properly, seeDriver Position on page 1-12.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt — except for one thing. If
you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the
way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature. If
this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and start
again.
Rear Seat Passengers
It is very important for rear seat passengers to buckle
up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in
the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those
who are wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who are not safety belted can be
thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike
others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All rear seating positions have lap-shoulder belts. Here
is how to wear one properly.
1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
1-20
A. Lower Anchorage
B. Lower Anchorage
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you
need a child restraint designed for that system.
To assist you in locating the
lower anchors for this child
restraint system, each
seating position with the
LATCH system has a label
on the seatback at each
lower anchor position.The labels are located above a ap at the base of the
seatback in the rear outside seating positions. The
anchors are located under the ap. In order to get to the
anchors, you will need to pull the strap at the center
of the seat, where the seat cushion meets the seatback.
This will allow you to fold the seat cushion up and out
of the way. Lift the ap to expose the anchors and then
lower the seat cushion. Be sure the cushion is locked
into place.
{CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached
to its anchorage points, the restraint will not
be able to protect the child correctly. In a
crash, the child could be seriously injured or
killed. Make sure that a LATCH-type child
restraint is properly installed using the
anchorage points, or use the vehicle’s safety
belts to secure the restraint, following the
instructions that came with that restraint, and
also the instructions in this manual.
1-39
5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the
lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor. If you are using a
forward-facing child restraint, you may nd it helpful
to use your knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt. You should not be
able to pull more of the belt from the retractor
once the lock has been set.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
8. If the airbag is off, the off indicator in the inside
rearview mirror will be lit and stay lit when the
key is turned to RUN or START.
1-45
To replace the battery in the remote keyless entry
transmitter do the following:
1. Insert a thin coin in the slot between the covers of
the transmitter housing. Gently pry the transmitter
apart.
2. Remove and replace the battery with a three-volt
CR2032 or equivalent battery.
3. Align the covers and snap them together.
4. Check the operation of the transmitter.Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers — especially children — can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked, the
handle will not open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash if the doors are not locked. So,
wear safety belts properly and lock the
doors whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.
2-7