Black plate (25,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-25
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out
of the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
it is on fairly level ground, always
set the parking brake and move
the automatic transmission shift
lever to P (Park), or the manual
transmission shift lever to Neutral.
Follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
If the vehicle has an automatic
transmission, see Shifting Into Park
(Automatic Transmission) on
page 9‑21.
Automatic
Transmission
The automatic transmission has a
shift lever located on the console
between the seats.
The mode or selected gear is shown
in the instrument cluster.
Black plate (26,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
9-26 Driving and Operating
P (Park):This position locks the
drive wheels. It is the best position
to use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on level ground, always
set the parking brake and move
the shift lever to P (Park). See
Shifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 9‑21. Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The regular brake must be
fully applied first and then the shift
lever button pressed before shifting
from P (Park) when the ignition key
is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out
of P (Park), ease pressure on the
shift lever, then push the shift lever
all the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then
press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever into another
gear. See
Shifting out of Park
(Automatic Transmission) on
page 9‑22.
Without the brake pedal applied, the
control indicator will be on.
If the shift lever is not in P (Park)
when the ignition is turned to OFF,
the control indicator and P will flash.
Black plate (27,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-27
R (Reverse):Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑11.
N (Neutral): In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only with the brake pedal
applied.
The vehicle has an automatic
neutral shift feature which allows
the transmission to automatically
shift to N (Neutral) when the vehicle
is stopped with a forward gear
engaged and the brake pedal applied. The reduced load on the
engine improves vehicle fuel
economy.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park)
or N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle. D (Drive):
This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If more power is
needed for passing, and the
vehicle is:.Going less than 56 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
Notice: If the vehicle seems to
accelerate slowly or not shift
gears when you go faster, and
you continue to drive the vehicle
that way, you could damage the
transmission. Have the vehicle
serviced right away.
Black plate (30,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
9-30 Driving and Operating
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake
pedal, and shift to Neutral.
Neutral:Use this position when
you start or idle the engine.
The shift lever is in Neutral when it
is centered in the shift pattern, not in
any gear.
R (Reverse): To back up, with the
vehicle at a complete stop, press
down the clutch pedal. Then pull up
on the button on the selector lever,
and shift into R (Reverse). Let up
on the clutch pedal slowly while
pressing the accelerator pedal. If R (Reverse) gear does not
engage, shift the transmission to
Neutral, release the clutch pedal
and press it back down. Repeat the
gear selection.
Notice:
Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
Use R (Reverse) along with the
parking brake to park the vehicle.
When operating, press the clutch
pedal down completely. Do not use
the pedal as a foot rest.Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑17.
Black plate (31,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-31
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get tooclose to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
The vehicle has an Electric Parking
Brake (EPB). The switch for the
EPB is on the center console.
The EPB can always be activated,
even if the ignition is off. To prevent
draining the battery, avoid repeated
cycles of the EPB system when the
engine is not running.
Black plate (32,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
9-32 Driving and Operating
The system has a parking brake
status light and a parking brake
warning light. SeeElectric Parking
Brake Light on page 5‑16. There are
also three Driver Information Center
(DIC) messages. See Brake System
Messages on page 5‑26 for more
information. In case of insufficient
electrical power, the EPB cannot be
applied or released.
Before leaving the vehicle, check
the parking brake status light to
ensure that the parking brake is
applied.
EPB Apply
The EPB can be applied any time
the vehicle is stopped. The EPB is
applied by momentarily lifting up on
the EPB switch. Once fully applied,
the parking brake status light will be
on. While the brake is being applied,
the status light will flash until it is
fully applied. If the light does not
come on, or remains flashing, you
need to have the vehicle serviced.
Do not drive the vehicle if the
parking brake status light is flashing. See your dealer. See
Electric
Parking Brake Light on page 5‑16
for more information.
If the EPB is applied while the
vehicle is in motion, a chime will
sound, and the DIC message
RELEASE PARK BRAKE SWITCH
will be displayed. The vehicle will
decelerate as long as the switch is
held in the up position. Releasing
the EPB switch during deceleration
will release the parking brake. If the
switch is held in the up position until
the vehicle comes to a stop, the
EPB will remain applied.
If the parking brake status light
flashes continuously, then the EPB
is only partially applied or released,
or there is a problem with the EPB.
The DIC message SERVICE
PARKING BRAKE will be displayed.
If this light flashes continuously,
release the EPB, and attempt to
apply it again. If this light continues
to flash, do not drive the vehicle.
See your dealer. If the parking brake warning light is
on, the EPB has detected an error
in another system and is operating
with reduced functionality.
To apply the EPB when this
light is on, lift up on the EPB
switch and hold it in the up position.
Full application of the parking brake
by the EPB system may take a
longer period of time than normal
when this light is on. Continue to
hold the switch until the parking
brake status light remains on. If the
parking brake warning light is on,
see your dealer.
For maximum EPB force when
parking on a hill, pull the EPB
switch twice.
If the EPB fails to apply, the rear
wheels should be blocked to
prevent vehicle movement.
Black plate (33,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-33
EPB Release
To release the EPB, place the
ignition in the ON/RUN position,
apply and hold the brake pedal, and
push down momentarily on the EPB
switch. If you attempt to release
the EPB without the brake pedal
applied, a chime will sound, and
the DIC message PRESS BRAKE
PEDAL TO RELEASE PARK
BRAKE will be displayed. The EPB
is released when the parking brake
status light is off.
If the parking brake warning
light is on, the EPB has detected
an error in another system and is
operating with reduced functionality.
To release the EPB when this light
is on, push down on the EPB switch
and hold it in the down position.
EPB release may take a longer
period of time than normal when
this light is on. Continue to hold the
switch until the parking brake status
light is off. If the light is on, see your
dealer.Notice:
Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to
drive away. Avoid rapid acceleration
when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake lining life.
The EPB can also be used to
prevent roll back for vehicles with a
manual transmission taking off on
a hill. In a situation where no roll
back is desired, an applied EPB will
allow both feet to be used for the
clutch and accelerator pedals in
preparation for starting the vehicle
moving in the intended direction. In this situation, perform the normal
clutch and/or accelerator actions
required to begin moving the
vehicle. There is no need to push
the switch to release the EPB.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement
the power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle.
Black plate (34,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
9-34 Driving and Operating
The stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time
is normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates.
The brake assist feature will
automatically disengage when
the brake pedal is released or
brake pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.Hill Start Assist (HSA)
Some vehicles have a Hill Start
Assist (HSA) feature, which may be
useful when the vehicle is stopped
on a grade. This feature is designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling,
either forward or rearward, during
vehicle drive off. After the driver
completely stops and holds the
vehicle in a complete standstill on a
grade, HSA will be automatically
activated. During the transition
period between when the driver
releases the brake pedal and starts
to accelerate to drive off on a grade,
HSA holds the braking pressure to
ensure that there is no rolling. The
brakes will automatically release
when the accelerator pedal is
applied within the two‐second
window. It will not activate if the
vehicle is in a drive gear and facing
downhill or if the vehicle is facing
uphill and in R (Reverse).
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The vehicle may have a Traction
Control System (TCS) that limits
wheel slip. The system operates if it
senses that one or both of the front
wheels are slipping or beginning to
lose traction. When this happens,
the system reduces engine power
and/or applies brake pressure to the
slipping wheel(s).
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working, but this is
normal.
TCS automatically comes on
whenever the vehicle is started.
To limit wheel slip, especially in
slippery road conditions, the system
should always be left on. But,
TCS can be turned off if needed.