
Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13557849) -
2020 - CRC - 6/25/19
228 Driving and Operating
Tires
.Do not tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire on the
vehicle.
. Tires must be properly inflated to
support loads while towing a
trailer. See Tires0265 for
instructions on proper tire
inflation.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer, and attach
the chains to the holes on the trailer
hitch platform. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by
the hitch manufacturer or by the
trailer manufacturer.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent
the tongue from contacting the road
if it becomes separated from the
hitch. Always leave just enough
slack so the combination can turn.
Never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer Brakes
State or local regulations may
require trailers to have their own
braking system if the loaded weight
of the trailer exceeds certain
minimums that can vary from state
to state. Read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly. Never attempt
to tap into your vehicle's hydraulic
brake system. If you do, both the
vehicle antilock brakes and the
trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each
trip, and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals will illuminate to indicate
the vehicle is turning, changing
lanes, or stopping. When towing a
trailer, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will illuminate even if the
trailer is not properly connected or
the bulbs are burned out.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from
vehicle tires. Trailer tires are
designed with stiff sidewalls to help
prevent sway and to support heavy
loads. These features can make it
difficult to determine if the trailer tire
pressures are low only based on a
visual inspection.
Always check all trailer tire
pressures before each trip when the
tires are cool. Low trailer tire
pressure is a leading cause of trailer
tire blow-outs.

Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13557849) -
2020 - CRC - 6/25/19
230 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 231
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 232
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 240
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 242
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 247
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Battery - North America . . . . . . 251
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 252
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 252
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 253
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 254
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . 255
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . 257
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 258
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 259
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 267
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 284

Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13557849) -
2020 - CRC - 6/25/19
232 Vehicle Care
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
electronic keys, may contain
perchlorate materials. Perchlorate
Material–special handling may
apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/
hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty. Damage to suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 070.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner ’s manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see
Publication Ordering Information
0 349.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 070.

Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13557849) -
2020 - CRC - 6/25/19
236 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0242.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0238.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0238.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 243.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0250.
6. Battery (Under Cover). See Battery - North America 0251.
7. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0243.
8. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0306.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0259.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 248.
11. Remote Negative (-) Ground Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0306.

Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13557849) -
2020 - CRC - 6/25/19
238 Vehicle Care
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 248.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0238.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0238.
4. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 243
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0250.
6. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0242.
7. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0243.
8. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0306.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0259.
10. Remote Negative (-) Ground Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0306.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 0240.
. 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
0235 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

Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13557849) -
2020 - CRC - 6/25/19
Vehicle Care 249
Caution (Continued)
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
. When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
. Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or can be heard all the time when the
vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes. Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications. See
Capacities and
Specifications 0337.
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system parts
with new, approved replacement
parts. If this is not done, the brakes
may not work properly. The braking
performance expected can change
in many other ways if the wrong
replacement brake parts are
installed or if parts are improperly
installed.

Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13557849) -
2020 - CRC - 6/25/19
250 Vehicle Care
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with GM approved DOT 4
brake fluid as indicated on the
reservoir cap. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview 0235 for
the location of the reservoir.
Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a
level surface, the brake fluid level
should be between the minimum
and maximum marks on the brake
fluid reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir may
go down:
. Normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are installed, the
fluid level goes back up. .
A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system. Have the
brake hydraulic system fixed.
With a leak, the brakes will not
work well.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done
on the brake hydraulic system.
{Warning
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system. When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See
Brake System Warning
Light 0121.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid
at the specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0324.
What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 4
brake fluid from a clean, sealed
container. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0333.
{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake
fluid could result in damage to the
brake system. This could result in
the loss of braking leading to a
possible injury. Always use the
proper GM approved brake fluid.

Buick Regal Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13557849) -
2020 - CRC - 6/25/19
Vehicle Care 251
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces, the
paint finish can be damaged.
Immediately wash off any painted
surface.
Battery - North America
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove
the cap and do not add fluid.
If equipped with a V6 engine, the
battery is under the trim panel on
the left side of the rear cargo area.
If equipped with an L4 engine, the
battery is under the hood. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0235. Refer to the replacement
number on the original battery label
when a new battery is needed.
The battery is an Absorbed Glass
Mat (AGM) 12-volt battery.
Installation of a standard 12-volt
battery will result in reduced 12-volt
battery life. When using a 12-volt battery
charger on the 12-volt AGM battery,
some chargers have an AGM
battery setting on the charger.
If available, use the AGM setting on
the charger, to limit charge voltage
to 14.8 volts.
{Warning
WARNING:
Battery posts,
terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Batteries also
contain other chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer. WASH HANDS AFTER
HANDLING. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See California Proposition
65 Warning 0231 and the back
cover. Stop/Start System
This vehicle has a Stop/Start
system to shut off the engine to help
conserve fuel. See
Stop/Start
System 0178.
Vehicle Storage
{Warning
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. See Jump Starting -
North America 0306 for tips on
working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
12-volt battery black, negative (−)
cable from the battery to keep the
battery from running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
12-volt battery black, negative (−)
cable from the battery or use a
battery trickle charger.
Remember to reconnect the battery
when ready to drive the vehicle.