Black plate (21,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-21
{WARNING
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. They are
under pressure, and if you turn
the coolant surge tank pressure
cap—even a little —they can
come out at high speed. Never
turn the cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
coolant surge tank pressure cap
to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
{WARNING
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant for
non-eAssist engine(s). Use a
50/50 mixture of deionized water
and DEX-COOL coolant for
eAssist engine(s).
Notice: In cold weather, water
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core and other
parts. Use the recommended
coolant and the proper coolant
mixture.
{WARNING
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
2.0L Engine Shown, 2.4L Engines
(with or without eAssist) Similar
1. Remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about
one-quarter of a turn. If you hear
Black plate (98,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
10-98 Vehicle Care
Appearance Care
Exterior Care
Washing the Vehicle
To preserve the vehicle's finish,
wash it often and out of direct
sunlight.
Notice:Do not use petroleum
based, acidic, or abrasive
cleaning agents as they can
damage the vehicle's paint,
metal, or plastic parts. If damage
occurs, it would not be covered
by the vehicle's warranty.
Approved cleaning products can
be obtained from your dealer.
Follow all manufacturer
directions regarding correct
product usage, necessary safety
precautions, and appropriate
disposal of any vehicle care
product.
Notice: Avoid using high
pressure washes closer than
30 cm (12 in) to the surface of the
vehicle. Use of power washers exceeding 8,274 kPa (1,200 psi)
can result in damage or removal
of paint and decals.
Rinse the vehicle well, before
washing and after, to remove all
cleaning agents completely. If they
are allowed to dry on the surface,
they could stain.
Dry the finish with a soft, clean
chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water
spotting.
Finish Care
Application of aftermarket clearcoat
sealant/wax materials is not
recommended. If painted surfaces
are damaged, see your dealer to
have the damage assessed and
repaired. Foreign materials such as
calcium chloride and other salts, ice
melting agents, road oil and tar, tree
sap, bird droppings, chemicals from
industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage the vehicle's finish if they
remain on painted surfaces. Wash
the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non-abrasive
cleaners that are marked safe for
painted surfaces to remove foreign
matter.
Occasional hand waxing or mild
polishing should be done to remove
residue from the paint finish. See
your dealer for approved cleaning
products.
Notice:
Machine compounding
or aggressive polishing on a
basecoat/clearcoat paint finish
may damage it. Use only
non-abrasive waxes and polishes
that are made for a basecoat/
clearcoat paint finish on the
vehicle.
To keep the paint finish looking
new, keep the vehicle garaged or
covered whenever possible.
Protecting Exterior Bright Metal
Parts
Regularly clean bright metal parts
with water or chrome polish on
chrome or stainless steel trim,
if necessary.
Black plate (101,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-101
Interior Care
To prevent dirt particle abrasions,
regularly clean the vehicle's interior.
Immediately remove any soils. Note
that newspapers or dark garments
that can transfer color to home
furnishings can also permanently
transfer color to the vehicle's
interior.
Use a soft bristle brush to remove
dust from knobs and crevices on
the instrument cluster. Using a mild
soap solution, immediately remove
hand lotions, sunscreen, and insect
repellant from all interior surfaces or
permanent damage may result.
Your dealer may have products for
cleaning the interior. Use cleaners
specifically designed for the
surfaces being cleaned to prevent
permanent damage. To prevent
overspray, apply all cleaners directly
to the cleaning cloth. Cleaners
should be removed quickly. Never
allow cleaners to remain on the
surface being cleaned for extended
periods of time.Cleaners may contain solvents that
can become concentrated in the
interior. Before using cleaners, read
and adhere to all safety instructions
on the label. While cleaning the
interior, maintain adequate
ventilation by opening the doors
and windows.
To prevent damage, do not clean
the interior using the following
cleaners or techniques:
.Never use a razor or any other
sharp object to remove a soil
from any interior surface.
.Never use a brush with stiff
bristles.
.Never rub any surface
aggressively or with excessive
pressure.
.Do not use laundry detergents
or dishwashing soaps with
degreasers. For liquid cleaners,
use approximately 20 drops per
3.78 L (1 gal) of water.
A concentrated soap solution
will leave a residue that creates
streaks and attracts dirt. Do not
use solutions that contain strong
or caustic soap.
.Do not heavily saturate the
upholstery when cleaning.
.Do not use solvents or cleaners
containing solvents.
Interior Glass
To clean, use a terry cloth fabric
dampened with water. Wipe droplets
left behind with a clean dry cloth.
Commercial glass cleaners may be
used, if necessary, after cleaning
the interior glass with plain water.
Notice:
To prevent scratching,
never use abrasive cleaners on
automotive glass. Abrasive
cleaners or aggressive cleaning
may damage the rear window
defogger.
Black plate (4,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
11-4 Service and Maintenance
Tire Rotation and Required
Services Every 12 000 km/
7,500 mi
Rotate the tires, if recommended for
the vehicle, and perform the
following services. SeeTire
Rotation on page 10‑58.
.Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑11 andEngine
Oil Life System on page 10‑13.
.Check engine coolant level. See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑19.
.Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑25.
.Visually inspect windshield wiper
blades for wear, cracking,
or contamination. See Exterior
Care on page 10‑98. Replace
worn or damaged wiper blades.
See Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 10‑32.
.Check tire inflation pressures.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑52.
.Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑58.
.Visually check for fluid leaks.
.Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑15.
.Inspect brake system.
.Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of
wear. See Exterior Care on
page 10‑98.
.Check restraint system
components. See Safety System
Check on page 3‑20.
Black plate (4,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
14-4 OnStar
Connections
OnStar Hands-Free Calling allows
calls to be made and received from
the vehicle. The vehicle can also be
controlled from a cell phone through
the OnStar mobile app. See
www.onstar.com for coverage maps.
Hands-Free Calling
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Dial.”System responds:
“Please say the name or number
to call.”
3. Say the entire number without pausing, including a “1”and the
area code. System responds:
“OK calling.”
Retrieve My Number
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “My Number.” System
responds: “Your OnStar
Hands-Free Calling number is.”
End a Call
PushX. System responds: “Call
ended.”
Store a Name Tag for Speed
Dialing
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Store.” System responds:
“Please say the number you
would like to store.”
3. Say the entire number without pausing. System responds:
“Please say the name tag.”
4. Pick a name tag. “System
responds:”About to store
5. Say “Yes”or“No” to try again.
System responds: “OK, storing
Place a Call Using a Stored
Number
1. PushX. System responds:
“OnStar ready.”
2. Say “Call
responds: “OK, calling
Verify Minutes and Expiration
PushXand say “minutes” then
“verify” to check how many minutes
remain and their expiration date.
OnStar Mobile App
With an iPhone®or
Android™-based mobile device,
an OnStar mobile app can be
downloaded. The vehicle can be
remote started, if equipped, or the
doors can be unlocked from
anywhere there is cell phone
service. It can also check the fuel
level, tire pressure, and oil life.
It can connect to an OnStar Advisor
anytime. For OnStar mobile app
compatibility or further information,
see www.onstar.com.
Black plate (4,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
i-4 INDEX
E
E85 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . 5-19
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Electrical System Engine Compartment
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Emergency, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Check and Service Engine
Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-31 Engine (cont'd)
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-28
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-19
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-2
F
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-3
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-103 Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . 10-14
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Power Steering . . . . . . 10-24, 10-25
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . 10-35, 6-4
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Front Seats
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-47
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 5-23
Black plate (6,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
i-6 INDEX
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . 9-15, 9-17
Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Interactive Drive Control System . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Interactive Drive Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . .10-89, 10-91
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-32
Keyless Entry
Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-46
Lamps
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-2
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-15
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
LATCH System
Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-50
LATCH, Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4 Lights
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-18
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 5-19
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 5-22
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-13
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Up-Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Black plate (7,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-7
LocksDoor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-23
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
M
Maintenance
Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-16
Maintenance Schedule Recommended Fluidsand Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-13
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-15
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . . 9-32 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15 Messages
Anti-theft Alarm System . . . . . . . 5-33
Battery Voltage and
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . 5-31
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Object Detection System . . . . . 5-33
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Starting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Mirrors Automatic Dimming
Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15 Monitor System, Tire
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-27
N
Navigation OnStar®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
Net Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Net, Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
O
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Off-Road
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-13
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23