Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-6
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-8
Child Restraints
.......................................1-26
Airbag System
.........................................1-48
Restraint System Check
............................1-62
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-17
Mirrors
....................................................2-29
OnStar
®System
......................................2-41
Universal Home Remote System
................2-43
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)
.......................................3-58Driving 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
........................................5-45
Rear Axle
...............................................5-45
Front Axle
...............................................5-46
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-47
Windshield Replacement
...........................5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-50
Tires
......................................................5-52
Appearance Care
.....................................5-85
Vehicle Identi cation
.................................5-94
Electrical System
......................................5-94
Capacities and Speci cations
...................5-105
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-13
Index................................................................ 1
2006 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 1-29. 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.
3. 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.
1-13
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety
belt properly, seeDriver Position on page 1-13.
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 seat 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
To assist you in locating
the lower anchors, each
seating position with lower
anchors has two labels,
near the crease between
the seatback and the
seat cushion, showing
where the anchors
are located.
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.
The top tether anchors for each rear seating position
are located on the oor in the cargo area of your vehicle.
Do not use the rear tie-down brackets near the liftgate
for top tethers. Be sure to use an anchor located on the
same side of the vehicle as the seating position where
the child restraint will be placed.Do not secure a child restraint in the right front
passenger’s position or in the third row seating position,
if the vehicle has one, if a national or local law
requires that the top tether be attached, or if the
instructions that come with the child restraint say that
the top tether must be attached. There is no place
to attach the top tether in this position.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
SeeWhere to Put the Restraint on page 1-36for
additional information.
1-39
Refer to your child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired
seating position.
1.2. 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.
SeeRear Seat Operation on page 1-6
for additional information. Be sure the
cushion is locked into place.
1.3. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.4. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on
the child restraint to the lower anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends
that the top tether be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether anchor, if equipped.
Refer to the child restraint instructions and the
following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. Route and tighten the top tether according
to your child restraint instructions and the
following instructions. If your vehicle is
equipped with a cargo shade, route the
top tether between the seatback and
the cargo shade.Fold down the head
restraint and route the
single tether under
the head restraint and in
between the head restraint
posts. SeeRear Seat
Operation on page 1-6.
Fold down the head
restraint and route the
dual tether around
the head restraint. See
Rear Seat Operation
on page 1-6.
3. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
1-41
4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out
of the retractor to set the lock.5. 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.
1-43
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
1-46
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.
If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child
restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint.
If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting
the vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make
sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly
recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat
cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is
not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle and
check with your dealer.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety
belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an
adult or larger child passenger.
1-47