2005 BUICK RANDEZVOUS instrument panel

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................1-20
Child Restraints
.......................................1-43
Airbag System
.........................................1-67
Restraint System Check
............................1-83
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-19
Mirrors
....................................................2-31
OnStar
®System
......................................2-33
HomeLink®Transmitter
.............................2-34
Storage Areas
.........................................2-38
Sunroof
..................................................2-47
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-47
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-28
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-37
Message Center
.......................................3-51Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-62
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-75
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-36
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-47
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-53
Tires
......................................................5-55
Appearance Care
.....................................5-95
Vehicle Identication
...............................5-103
Electrical System
....................................5-104
Capacities and Specications
...................5-112
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-11
Index.................................................................1
2005 Buick Rendezvous Owner ManualM

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will nd these notices:
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specic component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help guring out a specic name of a
component, gage, or indicator, reference the following
topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

Manual Lumbar
The knob that controls this
feature is located on the
outboard sides of the
driver’s and front
passenger’s seats.
Turn the knob toward the front of the vehicle to increase
lumbar support. Turn the knob toward the rear of the
vehicle to decrease lumbar support.
Heated Seats
Your vehicle may have
heated seats. If it does,
the heated seat switches
are located in the
instrument panel
switchbank.
This feature will quickly heat the seat cushions and
lower back of the driver’s and front passenger’s seat.
The left switch is for the driver’s seat and the right switch
is for the front passenger’s seat.
Press the top of the switch to turn the heater on. Press
the bottom of the switch to turn the heater off. The
heated seat switch will turn off when the ignition
is turned to OFF and will resume operation when the
ignition is turned to ON, unless the switch is turned off.
1-5

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...or the instrument panel...
1-23

There is an airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel cluster,
which shows the airbag
symbol.
The system checks the airbag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-41
for more information.Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
1-70

The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.If your vehicle has one, the driver’s side impact airbag
is in the side of the driver’s seatback closest to the door.
1-71

What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both
frontal and side impact airbags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inator, which inates
the airbag. The inator, the airbag and related hardware
are all part of the airbag modules. Frontal airbag modules
are located inside the steering wheel and instrument
panel. For vehicles with side impact airbags, the airbag
modules are located in the seatback closest to the
driver’s and/or right front passenger’s door.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the airbag. Side impact airbags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including frontal
or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those airbags. Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and
then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal airbags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for vehicles with a driver’s and right front
passenger’s side impact airbag.
1-75

What Will You See After an Airbag
Inates?
After the airbag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the airbag inated.
Some components of the airbag module will be hot for a
short time. These components include the steering wheel
hub for the driver’s frontal airbag and the instrument
panel for the right front passenger’s frontal airbag. For
vehicles with side impact airbags, the side of the
seatback closest to the driver’s and/or right front
passenger’s door will be hot. The parts of the bag that
come into contact with you may be warm, but not too hot
to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from
the vents in the deated airbags. Airbag ination does not
prevent the driver from seeing or being able to steer the
vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do
so. If you have breathing problems but can not
get out of the vehicle after an airbag inates,
then get fresh air by opening a window or a
door. If you experience breathing problems
following an airbag deployment, you should
seek medical attention.
In many crashes severe enough to inate an airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger airbag.
Airbags are designed to inate only once. After an
airbag inates, you will need some new parts for your
airbag system. If you do not get them, the air bag
system will not be there to help you in another crash.
A new system will include airbag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
1-76