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Instruments and Controls 95
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 96
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 96
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . 96
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 97
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Instrument Cluster (Base Cluster) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel Cluster) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 109
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 110
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 111
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 111
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . 115
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . . 116
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . 117
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 118
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 118 Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 118
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . 119
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 119
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Brake System Messages . . . . . 126
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . . 126
Cruise Control Messages . . . . . 126
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . 127
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . 128
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 129
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . . 129
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 129
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Security Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 132
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Instruments and Controls 117
Caution (Continued)
engine and it may not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. See
Engine Overheating0227.
The engine coolant temperature
warning light comes on when the
engine has overheated.
If this happens, pull over and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
See Engine Overheating 0227.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the engine is
started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS. When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A Driver Information Center (DIC)
tire pressure message may also
display. See
Tire Messages 0132.
Stop as soon as possible, and
inflate the tires to the pressure value
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See Tire Pressure
0 251.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minute
and then stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPMS. If the
problem is not corrected, the light
will come on at every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation 0253.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine oil
low can also damage the engine.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check
the oil level as soon as possible.
Add oil if required, but if the oil
level is within the operating range
and the oil pressure is still low,
have the vehicle serviced. Always
follow the maintenance schedule
for changing engine oil.
This light should come on briefly as
the engine is started. If it does not
come on, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer.
Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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118 Instruments and Controls
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
Low Fuel Warning Light
This light is near the fuel gauge and
comes on briefly when the ignition is
turned on as a check to show it is
working.
It also comes on when the fuel tank
is low on fuel. The light turns off
when fuel is added. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced.
Security Light
The security light should come on
briefly as the engine is started. If it
does not come on, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally, the
indicator light turns off.
If the light stays on and the engine
does not start, there could be a
problem with the theft-deterrent
system.
SeeImmobilizer Operation (Key
Access) 039 orImmobilizer
Operation (Keyless Access) 040.
High-Beam On Light
This light comes on when the
high-beam headlamps are in use.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer 0143.
Front Fog Lamp Light
If equipped, this light comes on
when the fog lamps are on.
The light goes out when the fog
lamps are turned off. See Fog
Lamps 0146.
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128 Instruments and Controls
engine, the air conditioning
compressor automatically turns off.
When the coolant temperature
returns to normal, the air
conditioning compressor turns back
on. The vehicle can continue to be
driven.
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
COOLANT LEVEL LOW ADD
COOLANT
This message will display if the
coolant is low. SeeEngine Coolant
0 224.
ENGINE OVERHEATED —
IDLE ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down.
ENGINE OVERHEATED —
STOP ENGINE
This message displays and a
continuous chime sounds if the
engine cooling system reaches unsafe temperatures for operation.
Stop and turn off the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so to avoid
severe damage. This message
clears when the engine has cooled
to a safe operating temperature.
HIGH COOLANT
TEMPERATURE
This message may display if the
coolant temperature is hot. See
Engine Overheating
0227.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the Oil Life System.
See Engine Oil Life System 0220,
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0119 orDriver
Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel)
0 122, Engine Oil 0218, and
Maintenance Schedule 0294.
ENGINE OIL HOT, IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine oil temperature is too hot.
Stop and allow the vehicle to idle
until it cools down.
ENGINE OIL LOW —ADD OIL
On some vehicles, this message
may display when the engine oil
level is too low. Check the oil level.
See Engine Oil 0218.
OIL PRESSURE LOW —STOP
ENGINE
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check the oil as soon as
possible and have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
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Driving and Operating 159
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. .
Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
. Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt. .
Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Track Events and
Competitive Driving
Racing, track testing, or competitive
driving may affect the vehicle
warranty. See the warranty manual
before using the vehicle for racing
or other competitive driving.
Caution
If the vehicle is used for track
events and competitive driving,
the engine may use more oil than
it would with normal use. Low oil
levels can damage the engine.
Check the oil level often and
maintain the proper level. See
Engine Oil 0218.
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160 Driving and Operating
For the 2.0L engine: Add and keep
the oil level at 1 L (1 qt) above the
high mark when driving under these
conditions. For information on how
to check and add oil, seeEngine Oil
0 218.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road. There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.
Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0243.
. 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.
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Vehicle Care 211
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 212
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 212
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 220
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 222
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 227
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Battery - North America . . . . . . 231
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 232
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 233
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 233
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . 235
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 236
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Electrical System Overload . . . 238
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 238 Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 245
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
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218 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0222.
2. Engine Cover.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0218.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0218.
5. Transmission Fluid Cap and Dipstick. See Automatic
Transmission Fluid 0221.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0230.
7. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0224.
8. Battery (Under Cover). See Battery - North America 0231.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0239.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 228.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 0220.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0
215 for the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the
oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground.
Check the engine oil level after
the engine has been off for at
least two hours. Checking the
engine oil level on steep grades
or too soon after engine shutoff
can result in incorrect readings.
Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to
starting. Remove the dipstick
and check the level.