
Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-2nd Timed Print-U.S./Canada-
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234 Driving and Operating
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts too
often under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes,
engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at lower altitudes.
If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle could show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run, preferably on
level ground, with the transmission
in P (Park) for a few minutes before
turning the engine off. If the
overheat warning comes on, see
Engine Overheating0256.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death,
always park your vehicle and
trailer on a level surface when
possible. When parking your vehicle and your
trailer on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if
facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, gradually release the
brake pedal to allow the chocks
to absorb the load of the trailer.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
.Start the 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
The vehicle needs service more
often when used to tow trailers. See
Maintenance Schedule 0332. It is
especially important to check the
automatic transmission fluid, engine
oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling
system, and brake system before
and during each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and
bolts on the trailer hitch are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
0 256.

Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-2nd Timed Print-U.S./Canada-
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240 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 241
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 242
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 249
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 251
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 256
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Battery - North America . . . . . . 260
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 261
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 261
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 262
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 263
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . 266
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 267
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 268
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268 Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 276
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 293

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Vehicle Care 253
3.6L V6 Engine
1. Engine Cooling Fans (Outof View)
2. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can
start up even when the engine is
not running and can cause injury.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts.
They can be very hot and can
burn you. Do not run the engine if
there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an
engine fire and can burn you. Fix
any leak before driving the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for five years
or 240 000 km (150,000 mi),
whichever occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating 0256.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such
as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. With
plain water or the wrong mixture,
the engine could get too hot but
there would not be an 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. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down
to−37 °C (−34 °F), outside
temperature.
. Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F), engine
temperature.
. Protects against rust and
corrosion.

Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-2nd Timed Print-U.S./Canada-
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256 Vehicle Care
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the
indicated level mark.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
Check the level in the coolant surge
tank when the cooling system has
cooled down. If the coolant is not at
the proper level, repeat Steps 1–
3 and reinstall the pressure cap.
If the coolant still is not at the proper
level when the system cools down
again, see your dealer.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and engine
damage may occur. Be sure the
cap is properly and tightly
secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an engine coolant
temperature gauge and an engine
coolant temperature warning light on
the instrument cluster to warn of
engine overheating.
See Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge 0130 and Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light 0138.
If it is decided not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, but
instead get service help right away,
see Roadside Assistance Program
0 350.
If it is decided to lift the hood, make
sure the vehicle is parked on a level
surface.
Then check to see if the engine
cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans
should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine,
and have the vehicle serviced.Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak in the engine cooling system.
This can cause a loss of all
coolant and can damage the
system and vehicle. Have any
leaks fixed right away.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.

Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-2nd Timed Print-U.S./Canada-
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274 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. See
the warranty manual for
information regarding the tire
warranty and where to get
service. For additional
information refer to the tire
manufacturer.
{Warning
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can
cause overheating as a
result of too much
flexing. There could be a
blowout and a serious
crash. SeeVehicle Load
Limits 0183.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Underinflated tires pose
the same danger as
overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could
cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently
to maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires
are cold.
.Overinflated tires are
more likely to be cut,
punctured, or broken by
a sudden impact —such
as when hitting a pothole.
Keep tires at the
recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can
cause a crash. If the
tread is badly worn,
replace them.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Replace any tires that
have been damaged by
impacts with potholes,
curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires
can cause a crash. Only
the dealer or an
authorized tire service
center should repair,
replace, dismount, and
mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.
See Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation 0282 for
inflation pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.

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Vehicle Care 281
(1/16 in) of tread remains. See
When It Is Time for New Tires
0288.
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards)
:A tire
information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a
tire's traction, temperature, and
treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire
manufacturers using
government testing procedures.
The ratings are molded into the
sidewall of the tire. See Uniform
Tire Quality Grading 0291.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The
number of designated seating
positions multiplied by
68 kg (150 lb) plus the rated
cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits 0183.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight. Vehicle Placard
:A label
permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle
capacity weight and the original
equipment tire size and
recommended inflation pressure.
See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits 0183.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of
air pressure to operate
effectively.
Caution
Neither tire underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires
that do not have enough air,
can result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating which could
lead to a blowout.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires that
have too much air, can
result in:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards.
The Tire and Loading
Information label on the vehicle
indicates the original equipment
tires and the correct cold tire
inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the
minimum air pressure needed to

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Index 375
Driving (cont'd)Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 28
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 180
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 182
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
E
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . 198
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 135
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Electrical System
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 268
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Check Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 244
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 194
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 358
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 159 Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 160
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
F
FeaturesMemory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 162
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 250
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Forward Automatic Braking . . . . . 219
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

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376 Index
Front Pedestrian Braking(FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . . 69
Front Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . . . 266
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 139
Requirements, California . . . . . 228
Fuses Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 268
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . 155Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 Gauges
Engine Coolant
Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
General Information Service and Maintenance . . . . . 330
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 162
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Head-up Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Adaptive ForwardLighting (AFL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Headlamps (cont'd)
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 139
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 160
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 140
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Heater
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . 282
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 180
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . 200
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
HVAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168