Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159380) - 2016 - CRC - 2/23/16
Driving and Operating 169
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0253.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident). .
Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0192.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159380) - 2016 - CRC - 2/23/16
Vehicle Care 219
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 220
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 220
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 230
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 231
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 237
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Battery - North America . . . . . . 241
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 243
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 243
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 244
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . 246
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 247
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Electrical System Overload . . . 248
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 249 Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 255
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159380) - 2016 - CRC - 2/23/16
228 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0231.
2. Engine Cover.
3. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling
System 0233.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0228.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See Engine Oil0228.
6. High Voltage Cable (Orange Color).
7. Transmission Fluid Cap. See Automatic Transmission
Fluid 0231.
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0240.
9. Battery (Under Cover). See Battery - North America 0241.
10. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0235.
11. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0249.
12. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0239.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
. Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0230.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the oil must be warm and the vehicle must
be on level ground. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0
223 for the location of the engine
oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
2. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all
Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159380) - 2016 - CRC - 2/23/16
Vehicle Care 231
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset the
system:1. Using the DIC controls on the right side of the steering wheel,
display REMAINING OIL LIFE
on the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level Cluster) 0125 orDriver
Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel Cluster) 0127. When
remaining oil life is low, the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the
display. See Engine Oil
Messages 0134. 2. Press
Von the DIC controls
and hold down for a few
seconds to clear the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message
and reset the oil life at 100%.
Be careful not to reset the oil
life display accidentally at any
time other than after the oil is
changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil
change.
The system is reset when the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message is off.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not been reset. Repeat
the procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
transmission fluid level.
A transmission fluid leak is the only reason for fluid loss. If a leak
occurs, take the vehicle to your
dealer and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
There is a special procedure for
checking and changing the
transmission fluid. Because this
procedure is difficult, you should
have this done at your dealer.
Contact your dealer for additional
information. The procedure can be
found in the service manual. To
purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information
0331.
Change the fluid at the intervals
listed in Maintenance Schedule
0 305, and be sure to use the fluid
listed in Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0315.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 223 for the location of the engine
air cleaner/filter.
Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159380) - 2016 - CRC - 2/23/16
310 Service and Maintenance
Maintenance Schedule
Additional Required
Services - Severe12 000 km/7,500 mi
24 000 km/15,000 mi
36 000 km/22,500 mi
48 000 km/30,000 mi
60 000 km/37,500 mi
72 000 km/45,000 mi
84 000 km/52,500 mi
96 000 km/60,000 mi
108 000 km/67,500 mi
120 000 km/75,000 mi
132 000 km/82,500 mi
144 000 km/90,000 mi
156 000 km/97,500 mi
168 000 km/105,000 mi 180 000 km/112,500 mi
192 000 km/120,000 mi
204 000 km/127,500 mi
216 000 km/135,000 mi
228 000 km/142,500 mi
240 000 km/150,000 mi
Rotate tires and perform Required Services.
Check engine oil level and oil life percentage.
Change engine oil and filter, if needed.@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @
Replace passenger compartment air filter. (1)@ @@@@@
Inspect evaporative control system. (2)@ @@
Replace engine air cleaner filter. (3)@@@
Change automatic transmission fluid.@@@
Except 2.0L Engine: Replace spark plugs. Inspect
spark plug wires.@
2.0L Engine Only: Replace spark plugs. Inspect
spark plug wires.@ @
Drain and fill engine cooling system. (4)@
Except with eAssist: Visually inspect accessory
drive belts. (5)@
Vehicles with eAssist: Visually inspect accessory
drive belts. (5)@
Replace brake fluid. (6)
Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159380) - 2016 - CRC - 2/23/16
Index 347
Assistance Systems forParking and Backing . . . . . . . . . . 204
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Shift Lock Control FunctionCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
B
Battery
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . .241, 288, 289
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . 244
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . .117
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 175
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153, 246
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . 247
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . 220, 241, 288, 289
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2 Capacities and
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 3
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . 96
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 115
Check
Ignition Transmission Lock . . . 243
Malfunction IndicatorEngine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . 77
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89, 92
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Climate Control Systems Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159380) - 2016 - CRC - 2/23/16
Index 349
E
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 118
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Electrical System
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 249
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Emergency OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Energy Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 223
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Cooling System Messages . . . 133
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Engine (cont'd)
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 185
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 334
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 150
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 150
F
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 152
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 231
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Fluid (cont'd)
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . 153, 246
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Front Automatic Braking (FAB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Front Seats
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 122
Requirements, California . . . . . 215
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 134