2007 BUICK RANDEZVOUS maintenance

INST ECONOMY (Instant Economy):Instant fuel
economy reects the fuel economy that the
vehicle has right now. Instant fuel economy varies
with your driving conditions, such as acceleration,
braking and the grade of the road being
traveled. Unlike average fuel economy, instant fuel
economy cannot be reset.
FUEL RANGE:The fuel range is an estimated
distance that your vehicle can travel on the
remaining fuel. The fuel economy used to calculate
the range is based on your driving history since
the last reset of the average speed.
FUEL USED:The fuel used display will show you
how much fuel has been used since the last
time it was reset. To reset the fuel used to zero,
press and hold the SET button while the fuel used
is displayed on the DIC and until the display
goes to zero.AVG SPEED (Average Speed):The average
speed display will show your average speed from
when you rst started your vehicle. To reset
the average speed, press and hold the SET button
while the average speed is displayed on the
DIC and until the speed resets to your current
speed.
OIL LIFE LEFT HOLD SET TO RESET:This
message displays the current percentage of the oil
life by the engine oil life system. Be careful not
to reset this display other than when the oil
has been changed. See “How to Reset the Engine
Oil Life System” underEngine Oil Life System
on page 368for more information.
In addition to the engine oil life system monitoring
the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 475andEngine Oil on page 365.
237

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal
down while you:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear.
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the
chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when
you are pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance
Schedule for more on this. Things that are
especially important in trailer operation are
automatic transaxle uid, engine oil, belts, cooling
system and brake system. Each of these is
covered in this manual, and the Index will help
you nd them quickly. If you are trailering, it is a
good idea to review these sections before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and
bolts are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
Your vehicle may have a trailer wiring harness
located at the rear of your vehicle. To use
the trailer wiring harness, you need a converter
kit. Contact your dealer for more information.
350

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 404
Tires............................................................ 406
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 407
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 410
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 413
Check Tire Pressure System..................... 414
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 416
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 418
Buying New Tires...................................... 418
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 420
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 420
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 422
Wheel Replacement.................................. 422
Tire Chains............................................... 424
Accessory Inator...................................... 425
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 427
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 428
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 429
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 436
Secondary Latch System........................... 441
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools.......... 444
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 450Appearance Care........................................ 451
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 451
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 453
Leather...................................................... 454
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and
Other Plastic Surfaces........................... 454
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 455
Weatherstrips............................................ 455
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 455
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 456
Finish Care............................................... 456
Windshield, Backglass, and
Wiper Blades......................................... 457
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels......... 457
Tires......................................................... 458
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 458
Finish Damage.......................................... 459
Underbody Maintenance............................ 459
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 459
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 460
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
352

California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain
and/or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth defects
or other reproductive harm. Engine exhaust, many
parts and systems (including some inside the
vehicle), many uids, and some component wear
by-products contain and/or emit these chemicals.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could
be damaged if you try to do service work
on a vehicle without knowing enough
about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement
parts, and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts,
and other fasteners. English and
metric fasteners can be easily
confused. If you use the wrong
fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
If you want to do some of your own service work,
you will want to use the proper service manual. It
tells you much more about how to service your
vehicle than this manual can. To order the proper
service manual, seeService Publications Ordering
Information on page 510.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to do your own service work, see
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 102.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of any service
work you perform. SeeMaintenance Record
on page 488.
355

Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your
vehicle can affect the airow around it. This may
cause wind noise and affect windshield washer
performance. Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part
of the proper maintenance of your vehicle. To
help keep your engine clean and maintain optimum
vehicle performance, GM recommends the use
of gasoline advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is
less than 87, you may notice an audible knocking
noise when you drive, commonly referred to as
spark knock. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher as soon as possible. If you are
using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher and you
hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specication D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines may
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). General Motors recommends against the
use of gasolines containing MMT. SeeAdditives
on page 357for additional information.
356

Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 364
for the location of the engine air cleaner/lter.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/lter at the MaintenanceII
intervals and replace it at the rst oil change after
each 50,000 mile (85 000 km) interval. See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 475for more
information. If you are driving in dusty/dirty
conditions, inspect the lter at each engine oil
change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/lter, remove the lter
from the vehicle and lightly shake the lter to
release loose dust and dirt. If the lter remains
caked with dirt, a new lter is required. Do not use
compressed air to clean the lter.
3.5L V6 Engine shown
370

How to Add Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
what kind of transaxle uid to use. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 485.
If the uid level is low, add only enough of the
proper uid to bring the level into the
cross-hatched area on the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough uid at
the dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It does not take much uid, generally less
than one pint (0.5 L). Do not overll.Notice:Use of the incorrect automatic
transaxle uid may damage your vehicle, and
the damages may not be covered by your
warranty. Always use the automatic transaxle
uid listed inRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 485.
3. After adding uid, recheck the uid level as
described under “How to Check Automatic
Transaxle Fluid,” earlier in this section.
4. When the correct uid level is obtained, push
the dipstick back in all the way.
374

Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is lled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is
designed to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or
150,000 miles (240 000 km), whichever occurs
rst, if you add only DEX-COOL
®extended
life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and
how to add coolant when it is low. If you have
a problem with engine overheating, seeEngine
Overheating on page 378.A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to−34°F
(−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning messages and gages work as
they should.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®
may cause premature engine, heater core, or
radiator corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant may require changing sooner, at
the rst maintenance service after each
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs rst. Any repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your
vehicle.
375