1996 Buick Park Avenue Owners Manual

clean thoroughly any areas where mud and other debris can collect.

Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections Listed below are inspections and services which should be performed at least twice a year (for instance, each spring and fall). You should let your GM dealer’s service department or other qualified service center do these jobs. Make sure any necessary repairs are completed at once. Proper procedures to perform these services may be found in a Buick service manual. See “Service and Owner Publications” in the Index. Steering, Suspension and Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Boot and Seal Inspection Inspect the front and rear suspension and steering system for damaged, loose or missing parts, signs of wear, or lack of lubrication. Inspect the power steering lines and hoses for proper hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Clean and then inspect the drive axle boot seals for damage, tears or leakage. Replace seals if necessary. Exhaust System Inspection Inspect the complete exhaust system, Inspect the body near the exhaust system. Look for broken, damaged, missing or out-of-position parts as well as open seams,

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holes, loose connections, or other conditions which could cause a heat build-up in the floor pan or could let exhaust fumes into the vehicle. See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index. Radiator and Heater Hose Inspection Inspect the hoses and have them replaced if they are cracked, swollen or deteriorated. Inspect all pipes, fittings and clamps; replace as needed. Throttle Linkage Inspection Inspect the throttle linkage for interference or binding, and for damage or missing parts. Replace parts as needed. Replace any cables that have high effort or excessive wear. Do not lubricate accelerator and cruise control cables. Brake System Inspection Inspect the complete system. Inspect brake lines and hoses for proper hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Inspect disc brake pads for wear and rotors for surface condition. Also inspect drum brake linings for wear and cracks. Inspect other brake parts, including drums, wheel cylinders, calipers, parking brake, etc. Check parking brake adjustment. You may need to have your brakes inspected more often if your driving habits or conditions result in frequent braking.

wicants

and

NOTE: Fluids and lubricants identified below by name, ification may be obtained from your part number or spe GM dealer.

USAGE

Engine Oil

Engine Coolant

FLUID/LUBRICANT Engine oil with the American Petroleum Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines “S tarburst” symbol of the proper viscosity. To determine the preferred viscosity for your vehicle’s engine, see “Engine Oil” in the Index. 50/50 mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and GM Goodwrench’ DEX-COOL TM or Havoline@ DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze conforming to GM Specification 6277M. See “Engine Coolant’’ in the Index.

USAGE

Coolant Supplement Sealer Parking Brake Cable Guides

Power Steering System

Automatic Transaxle Key Lock Cylinders

FLUID/LUBRICANT

GM Part No. 3634621 or equivalent with a complete flush and refill. Chassis lubricant (GM Part No. 1052497 or equivalent) or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI Grade 2, Category LB or GC-LB. GM Power Steering Fluid (GM Part No. 1052884 - 1 pt., 10500 17 - 1 qt., or equivalent). DEXRON@-111 Automatic Transmission Fluid. Multi-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube@ (GM Part No. 12346241 or equivalent).

FLUID/LUBRICANT

USAGE

Hood and Door Hinges

Multi-purpose lubricant, Superlube@ (GM Part No. 12346241 or equivalent). Dielectric Silicone Grease (GM Part No. 12345579 or equivalent).

Weatherstrip Conditioning See “Replacement Parts” in the Index for recommended replacement filters and spark plugs.

Supercharger Oil (GM Part No. 12345982). See “Supercharger Oil” in the Index. Chassis lubricant (GM Part No. 1052497 or equivalent) or lubricant meeting requirements

I of NLGI Grade 2, Category LB

or GC-LB. GM Optikleen@ Washer Solvent (GM Part No. 105 15 15) or equivalent. Lubriplate lubricant aerosol (GM Part No. 12346293 or equivalent) or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI Grade 2, Category LB or GC-LB.

~~

FLUIDlLUBRICANT USAGE Supercharger

Chassis Lubrication

Windshield Washer Solvent

~~~~

Hood Latch Assembly, Pivots, Spring Anchor and Release Pawl

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Part E: Maintenance Record After the scheduled services are performed, record the date, odometer reading and who performed the service in the boxes provided after the maintenance interval.

Any additional information from “Owner Checks and Services” or “Periodic Maintenance” can be added on the following record pages. Also, you should retain all maintenance receipts. Your owner information portfolio is a convenient place to store them.

Maintenance Record

DATE

ODOMETER READING

SERVICED BY

MAINTENANCE PERFORMED

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Maintenance Record

7-46

Section 8 Customer Assistance Information

Customer Satisfaction Procedure

Here you will find out how to contact Buick if you need assistance. This section also tells you how to obtain service publications and how to report any safety defects. This section includes information on:

The Customer Satisfaction Procedure Customer Assistance for Text Telephone (TTY) Users Roadside Assistance Courtesy Transportation BBB Auto Line -- Alternative Dispute Resolution Program Reporting Safety Defects Service and Owner Publications

Your satisfaction and goodwill are important to your dealer and Buick. Normally, any concern you may have 8-1

For help outside of the United States and Canada, call the following numbers as appropriate: 0 In Mexico: (525) 625-3256 0 In Puerto Rico: 1-800-496-9992 (English) or

1-800-496-9993 (Spanish)

0 In the U.S. Virgin Islands: 1-800-496-9994 0 In the Dominican Republic: 1-800-75 1-4135

(English) or 1-800-75 1-4136 (Spanish)

0 In the Bahamas: 1-800-389-0009

In Bermuda, Barbados, Antigua and the British Virgin Islands: 1-800-534-0 122

0 In all other Caribbean countries: 1-809-763- 13 15 0 In other overseas locations, call GM North American

Export Sales in Canada at 1-905-644-41 12

with your vehicle can be handled by your selling or servicing dealer. Your dealer has the facility, trained technicians, special tools and up-to-date information to promptly address any issue which may arise. Buick has empowered its dealers to make decisions and repair vehicles, and they are eager to resolve your concern to your complete satisfaction. If your concern has not been resolved to your satisfaction, take the following steps: STEP ONE -- Discuss your concern with a member of dealer management. Normally, concerns can be quickly resolved at that level. If the matter has already been reviewed with the Sales, Service, or Parts Manager, contact the owner of the dealership or the General Manager. STEP TWO -- If after contacting a member of dealership management, it appears your concern cannot be resolved by the dealership without further help, contact the Buick Customer Assistance Center by calling 1-800-521 -7300. In Canada, contact GM of Canada Customer Assistance Center in Oshawa by calling 1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854 (French).

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When contacting Buick, please remember that your concern will likely be resolved in the dealership, using the dealer’s facilities, equipment and personnel. That is why we suggest you follow Step One first if you have a concern. Customer Assistance for Text Telephone (TTY) Users To assist customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired and who use Text Telephones (TTYs), Buick has TTY equipment available at its Customer Assistance Center. Any TTY user can communicate with Buick by dialing: 1-800-83-BUICK. (TTY users in Canada can dial 1-800-263-3830.)

For prompt assistance, please have the following information available to give the Customer Assistance Representative:

Your name, address, home and business telephone numbers

0 Vehicle Identification Number (This is available

from the vehicle registration or title, or the plate at the top left of the instrument panel and visible through the windshield.)

0 Dealership name and location 0 Vehicle delivery date and present mileage 0 Nature of concern We encourage you to call us so we can give your inquiry prompt attention. However, if you wish to write Buick, write to:

Buick Motor Division Customer Assistance Center 902 E. Hamilton Avenue Flint, MI, 48550

Refer to your Warranty and Owner Assistance Information booklet for addresses of Canadian and GM Overseas offices.

P--%de Assistar-

c 7

Buick Motor Division is proud to offer Buick Premium Roadside Assistance to customers for vehicles covered under the 3 year/36,000 mile (60,000 km) new car warranty (whichever occurs first).

Our commitment to Buick owners has always included superior service through our network of 3,000 Buick dealers, Buick Premium Roadside Assistance provides an extra measure of convenience and security. Buick Premium Roadside Assistance: - Provides owners with access to minor repairs or

towing for disabled vehicles.

- Takes the anxiety out of uncertain situations by

providing easy access to service professionals trained to work with Buick owners, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays.

For details on Buick Premium Roadside Assistance, please consult your Buick Premium Roadside Assistance owner booklet included with your owner’s manual. For needed assistance, call the Buick Premium Roadside Assistance toll-free hotline: 1-800-252- 11 12.

lian Kc ds

e L

Vehicles purchased in Canada have an extensive Roadside Assistance program accessible from anywhere in Canada or the United States. Please refer to the separate brochure provided by the dealer or call 1-800-268-6800 for emergency services.

Courtesy Transportation To Buick Motor Division, Quality Means Service -- and service means “keeping you on the road.” Included with your 1996 Buick new car warranty (36 month/36,000 miles (60,000 km), whichever occurs first), is Courtesy Transportation, a program which will provide Buick retail customers with: - Reimbursement toward a loaner vehicle, courtesy of

Buick Motor Division, for up to five days for vehicles requiring overnight warranty repairs. Also, reimbursement up to $30 a day (five days maximum) may be available for the cost of a rental car, bus or even a cab.

- A free one-way shuttle ride up to 10 miles from the dealership is available for customers whose vehicles require same-day warranty repairs.

Courtesy Transportation is Buick’s way of extending the Premium Service you’ve come to expect from Buick and its 3,000 dealers. Please review the Courtesy Transportation glove box card contained in your vehicle, or consult your Buick dealer for details. Some state insurance regulations make it impractical to rent vehicles to people under 21 years of age. If you are under 21 and have difficulty renting a vehicle, Buick will reimburse you up to $30/day, for any documented transportation you receive. Please consult your dealer for details. For warranty repairs during the Complete Vehicle Coverage period in the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, interim transportation may be available under the Courtesy Transportation program. Please consult your dealer for details. The Courtesy Transportation program is available only in the United States and Canada.

GM Participation in’;.BBB AUTO LINE - Alternative ;Dispute Resolution Program* *This program may not be available in all states, depending on state law. Canadian owners refer to your Warranty and Owner Assistance Information booklet. General Motors reserves the right to change eligibility limitations and/or to discontinue its participation in this program. Both Buick and your Buick dealer are committed to making sure you are completely satisfied with your new vehicle. Our experience has shown that, if a situation arises where you feel your concern has not been adequately addressed, the Customer Satisfaction Procedure described earlier in this section is very successful. There may be instances where an impartial third party can assist in arriving at a solution to a disagreement regarding vehicle repairs or interpretation of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. To assist in resolving these disagreements, Buick voluntarily participates in BBB AUTO LINE.

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BBB AUTO LINE is an out-of-court program administered by the Better Business Bureau system to settle disputes between customers and automobile mariufacturers. This program is available fi-ee of charge to customers who currently own or lease a GM vehicle. Satisfaction Procedure, you may contact the BBB uskg the toll-free telephone number, or write them at the following address:

you are not satisfied after following the Customer

BBB AUTO LINE Council of Better Business Bureaus 4200 Wilson Boulevard Suite 800 Arlington, VA 22203 Telephone: 1-800-955-5 100

To file a .claim, you will be asked to provide your name and address, your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and a statement of the nature of your complaint. Eligibility is l u t e d by vehicle age and mileage, and other factors.

We prefer you utilize the Customer Satisfaction Procedure before you resort to AUTO LINE, but you may contact the BBB at any time. The BBB will attempt to resolve the complaint serving as an intermediary between you and Buick. If this mediation is unsuccessful, an informal hearing will be scheduled where eligible customers may present their case to an impartial third-party arbitrator. The arbitrator will make a decision which you may accept or reject. If you accept the decision, GM will be bound by that decision. The entire dispute resolution procedure should ordinarily take about 40 days from the time you file a claim until a decision is made. Some state laws may require you to use this program before filing a claim with a state-run arbitration program or in the courts. For further information, contact the BBB at 1-800-955-5 100 or the Buick Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-7300.

REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in addition to notifying General Motors. If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your dealer, or General Motors. To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in the Washington, D.C. area) or write to:

NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation Washington, D.C. 20590

You can also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from the Hotline.

REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS TO THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT If you live in Canada, and you believe that your vehicle has a safety defect, you should immediately notify Transport Canada, in addition to notifying General Motors of Canada Limited. You may write to:

Transport Canada Box 8880 Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3J2

REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS TO GENERAL MOTORS In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada) in a situation like this, we certainly hope you'll notify us. Please call us at 1-800-521-7300, or write:

Buick Motor Division Customer Assistance Center 902 E. Hamilton Avenue Flint, MI 48550

In Canada, please call us at 1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854 (French). Or, write: General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Assistance Center 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario LlH 8P7

8-8

Service and Owner Publications

Service Manuals Service manuals contain diagnostic and repair information for all chassis and body systems. They may be useful for owners who wish to get a greater understanding of their vehicle. They are also useful for owners with the appropriate skill level or training who wish to perform “do-it-yourself” service. These are authentic General Motors service manuals meant for professional, qualified technicians.

Service manuals, service bulletins, owner’s manuals and other service literature are available for purchase for all current and many past model General Motors vehicles. Toll-free telephone numbers for ordering information: United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-55 1-4123 Canada .................... 1-800-668-5539

Owner Publications Owner’s manuals, warranty folders and various owner assistance booklets provide owners with general operation and maintenance information.

Service Bulletins Service bulletins covering various subjects are regularly sent to all General Motors dealerships. GM monitors product performance in the field. When service methods are found which promote better service on GM vehicles, bulletins are created to help the technician perform better service. Service bulletins may involve any number of vehicles. Some will describe inexpensive service; others will describe expensive service. Some will advise of new or unexpected conditions, and others may help avoid future costly repairs. Service bulletins are meant for qualified technicians. In some cases bulletins refer to service manuals, specialized tools, equipment and safety procedures necessary to service the vehicle. Since these bulletins are issued throughout the model year and beyond, an index is required and published quarterly to help identify specific bulletins. Subscriptions are available. You can order an index at the toll-free numbers listed previously, or ask a GM dealer to see an index or individual bulletin.

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n Section 9 In

A i r Bag ...................................... 1 . 17 How Does it Restrain .......................... 1-21 How it Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . 19 Location .................................... 1-19 Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.18. 2.70 Servicing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22 What Makes it Inflate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20 What Will You See After it Inflates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21 When Should it Inflate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20 Aircleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 Air Conditioning Refrigerants ..................... 6-65 Air Control. Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.1. 3-3 Alarm. Instant. Keyless Entry ...................... 2-8 Alarm. Universal Theft-Deterrent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2- 16 Alignment and Balance. Tire ...................... 6-44 Aluminum Wheels. Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-53 Antenna. Power ................................ 3-32 Antifreeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23 Anti-Lock

Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.72. 4.6 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anti.Theft. Radio 3-27 Appearancecare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-47 Appearance Care Materials ....................... 6-55 Arbitration Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6

Armrest. Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-59 Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-61 Astroroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-63 Audio Controls. Steering Wheel Touch Control . . . . . . . 3-29 Audio Equipment. Adding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30 Audio Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 Automatic ComforTemp Climate Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3 Automatic Pull-Down Feature. Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15 Automatic

Overdrive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25 Ride Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-26 Transaxle Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39 Transaxle Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20 Transaxle Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23 Transaxle Park Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-41

Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replacement. Keyless Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rundown Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warning Light Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-33 5-2 2-12 2-50 2-70 5.2. 5.4 BBB Auto Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6 Belt. Engine Accessory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.67. 6.68 Better Business Bureau Mediation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6 9-1

I.

Adjustment .................................. 6-32 Fluid ......................................... 6-30 Master Cylinder ............................... 6-30 Parking .. i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27 Pedal Travel .... -. ............................... 6-32 Replacing System Parts ......................... 6-33 System Warning Light ......................... 2-71 Trailer ....................................... 4-34 Transaxle Shift Interlock ....................... 2-30 Transaxle Shift Interlock Check .................. 7-40 Wear ......................................... 6-32 Brakes, Anti-Lock. ............................... 4-6 Braking ........................................ :4-5 Braking in Emergencies ............................ 4-9 .......................... 2-19 Break-In, New Vehicle Brightness Control .............................. 2-46 BTSI ......................................... 2-3 0 BTSICheck ................................... 7-40 Bulb Replacement .............................. 6-34 Canadian Roadside Assistance ..... 1. ............. 8-4 Capacities apd Specifications ........................ 6-64 Carbon Monoxide ......... : .......... 2-31,2-32, 4-27 Cassette Deck Service ........................... 7-38 Cassette Tape Player .................. 3-14,3-17, 3-24 Cassette Tape Player Care ......................... 3-3 1 Cassette Tape Player Errors ........ : .... 3-14,3-18, 3-25 CD Player Theft-Deterrent Feature .................. 3-27 Center Passenger Position ........................ 1-24 Central Door Unlocking System .................... 2-4 9-2

. .

!’. ... 4-29 Certification Label .......................... Certification/”ire Label ..................... 4.28, 4.29 Chains. Safety .................................. 4-34 Chains. Tire ......... ; ......................... 6-46 Change Oil Soon Light .......................... 2-80 Changing a Flat Tire ............................. 5-22 Check Engine Light ............................. 2-75 Check Oil Level Light ........................... 2-79 Checking Your. Restraint Systems .................. 1-44 Chemical Paint Spotting .......................... 6-54 Child Restraints ................................ 1-33 Securing in a Rear Outside Seat Position ... .. ....... 1-35 Securing in the Center . Rear Seat Position .......... 1-37 Securing in the Right Front Seat Position .......... 1-39 TopStrap .................................... 1- 34 Where to Put ................................. 1-33 Cigarette Lighter ............................... 2-61 Circuit Breakers and Fuses ....................... 6-58 Cleaner. Air ................................... 6-17 Cleaning Aluminum Wheels ........................ .... 6-53 Fabric ...................................... 6-48 Glass ....................................... 6-51 Inside of Your Buick .......................... 6-47 InstrumentPanel ............................. 6-50 Leather ..................................... 6-49 Outside of Your Buick .......................... 6-52 Speaker Covers ............................. 6-50 Special Problems ............................ 6-48 Stains ...................................... 6-48 Tires ........................................ 6-53 Vinyl ....................................... 6-49

..

’

Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Windshield and Wiper Blades

6-53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-51 Climate Control. Steering Wheel Touch Control . . . . . . . 3- 11 Climate Control System ........................... 3- 1 Clock. Setting the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 Coinholder .................................... 2-59 Comfort Controls ................................ 3 - 1 Comfort Controls. Steering Wheel Touch Control . . . . . 3- 11 Compact Disc Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3 1 Compact Disc Player ....................... 3- 18. 3.22 Compact Disc Player Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.20. 3.25 Compact Spare Tire ............................. 5-34 Compass. Rearview Mirror with . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-52 Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Convenience Net ............................... 2-60 Convex Outside Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-55 Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23 2-22 5-14. 5-16 Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5- 14 Cornering Lamps ............................... 2-45 Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-47 Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5 Cruise Control ................................. 2-39 Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-59 Customer Assistance for Text Telephone Users . . . . . . . . . 8-3 Customer Assistance Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8- 1 Customer Satisfaction Procedure .................... 8- 1

Heater, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recovery Tank ..........................

Damage. Finish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54 Damage. Sheet Metal ............................ 6-53

Daytime Running Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-44 Defects. Reporting Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7 . 8-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 Dead Battery Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Defogger. Rear Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . 10 Defogging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 Defrosting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-66 Dimensions. Vehicle Dolby B Noise Reduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14.3-17. 3-25 Door

Ajar Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-81 Central Unlocking System ....................... 2-4 Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Driver Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . 11 Driving City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19 Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Drunken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Freeway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20 InaBlizzard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-26 In Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4 In the Rain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16 Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14 On Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 On Grades While Towing a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36 On Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22 OnSnowandIce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25 Throughwater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18 WetRoads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16 Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-24 With a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 9-3

Drunken Driving

6.10. 6.11 6.67. 6.68

Electrical Equipment. Adding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.30. 6.57 Electrical System ............................... 6-57 Electrochromic Daymight Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 1 Electronic Level Control ......................... 4-30 Electronic Touch Climate Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3- 1 Engine .................................. Accessory Belt .......................... Coolant ..................................... 6-23 Coolant Heater ............................... 2-22 Coolant Level Check .......................... 7-38 Coolant Temperature Gage ..................... 2-74 Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-74 Exhaust ..................................... 2-31 Identification ................................ 6-56 OilLevelCheck .............................. 7-38 Overheating ................................. 5-12 Running While Parked ......................... 2-32 Specifications ................................ 6-65 Starting ..................................... 2-21 Language Supercharged ................................ 6-11 Engineoil .................................... 6- 12 Adding ..................................... 6-13 Additives ................................... 6-15 Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13 LifeMonitor ................................. 2-80 Pressure Light/Gage ........................... 2-78 Used ....................................... 6-16 Whentochange .............................. 6-16 Entry Lighting. Delayed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-47 Exhaust. Engine ................................ 2-31

Manual

9-4

Exit Lighting. Delayed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-47 Express-Down Window .......................... 2-33 Express-Open Sunroof ........................... 2-63

Fabric Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48 Fan Control. Climate Control System . . . . . . . . 3.2.3.4. 3.5 Filling Your Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5 Filter. Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17 Filter. Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16 Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52 Finish Damage ................................. 6-54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-26 First Gear, Automatic Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1 Flashers. Hazard Warning ............................. 5-22 Flat Tire. Changing Fluid Capacities ................................ 6-64 Fluids and Lubricants ............................ 7-43 Foreign Countries, Fuel ........................... 6-4 .. French 11 Front Storage Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-59 FrontTowing ................................... 5-9 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4 DoorLock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6 Filling Your Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5 Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-82 In Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58

...........................

Fuses and Circuit Breakers

G a g e s

Engine Coolant Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-74 Engine Oil Pressure ........................... 2-78 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-82 Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-56 GAWR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29 Gear Positions. Automatic Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23 GloveBox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-55 Gross Axle Weight Rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29 Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ...................... 4-29 .. Guide en Franqais 11 GVWR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Halogen Bulbs ................................ 6-34 Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1 Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-43 Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-34 High/'Low Beam Changer ...................... 2-36 On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-44 Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57 Hearing Impaired. Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3 Heated Outside Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-55 Heatedseats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7 High-Beam Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-36 Highway Hypnosis .............................. 4-22 Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-22 Hitches. Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33

Hood

Checking Things Under . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8 Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8 Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-33 Hydroplaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18

Ignition Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20 Illuminated Entry ............................... 2-47 Inflation. Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-50 Inside Day/Night Rearview Mirror Inspections

Brakesystem ................................ 7-42 Exhaust Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42 Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Boot Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42 Radiator and Heater Hose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42 Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42 Suspension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42 Throttle Linkage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . 7-42 ............................... 2-64 Brightness Control ............................ 2-46 Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50 Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-66, 2-67 FuseBlock .................................. 6-59 Interior Lamps ................................. 2-46

Instrument Panel

Jack. Tire .................................... Jump Starting ...................................

5-24 5-2

. . . .

K e y Lock Cylinders Service ..................... Key Reminder Warning .......................... Keyless Entry System. Remote Instant Alarm ................................. Personal Choice ...............................

2-8 2-8 Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

7-39 2-21

Labels

Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29 Certificationflire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28 Service Parts Identification ..................... 6-56 Tire-Loading Information ...................... 4-28 Vehicle Identification Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-56 Lamps ........................................ 2-43 Courtesy .................................... 2-47 Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-46 Monitor System .............................. 2-45 OnReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-44 Perimeter Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-48 TheaterDimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-47 Leaving Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7 Leaving Your Vehicle with the Engine Running . . . . . . . 2-29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-63 License Plate Holder Light Sensor. Twilight Sentinel .................... 2-46 2-61 . Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lights

Air Bag Readiness ....................... 1 - 18. 2-70 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-72.4-6 Battery Warning .............................. 2-70

Loading Your Vehicle Locks

Brake System Warning ......................... 2-71 ChangeOilSoon ............................. 2-80 CheckEngine ................................ 2-75 DoorAjar ................................... 2-81 Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-78 Engine Oil Pressure Light/Gage Interior ..................................... 2-46 Low Coolant Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-75 LowFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-82 OilLevelCheck .............................. 2-79 Safety Belt Reminder ...................... 1-6, 2-69 Traction Control System Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-73, 4-8 TrunkAjar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-81 4-28

........................... Cylinders ................................... 7-39 Door ........................................ 2-3 FuelDoor .................................... 6-6 Key Lock Cylinder Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39 Lockout Protection ............................. 2-7 Memory Door ................................. 2-4 PowerDoor .................................. 2-4 Rear Door Security ............................. 2-6 Steering Column Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-40 Trunk ...................................... 2-13 Window .................................... 2-33 Low Coolant Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-75 LowFuelLight ................................ 2-82 Lubricants and Fluids ............................ 7-43 Lubrication Service, Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39

................................. Magnasteer 4.9 Maintenance. Normal Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-66 Maintenance Record ............................ 7-45 Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 Long Tripmghway Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5 Long Tripmighway Intervals .................... 7-27 Owner Checks and Services ..................... 7-38 Periodic Maintenance Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42 Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-43 Scheduled Maintenance Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3 Short Trip/City Definition ....................... 7-4 Short Trip/City Intervals ........................ 7-6 Maintenance. Underbody ......................... 6-54 Maintenance When Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37 Malfunction Indicator Lamp ...................... 2-75 Manual Front Seat ............................... 1-1 Maxifuse/Relay Center .......................... 6-58 Memory Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Memory Seat and Mirrors ......................... 1-2 Methanol ...................................... 6-4 Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-50 Convex Outside .............................. 2-55 Electrochromic Daymight Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 1 Heated Outside ............................... 2-55 Inside Daymight Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-50 Power Remote Control ......................... 2-54 Visor Vanity ................................. 2-62 MMT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4 MountainRoads ................................ 4-22 Multifunction Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-34

N e t . Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-60 ..................... 2-24 Neutral. Automatic Transaxle ........................... 2-19 New Vehicle Break-In Nightvision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15

Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-68 Odometer. Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11 Off-Road Recovery Oil. Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12 Oil Level Check Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-79 Oil Pressure Light/Gage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-78 Oil. Supercharger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19 Opener. Garage Door ............................ 2-56 Overdrive. Automatic Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25 Overheating Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12 Owner Checks and Services ....................... 7-38 Owner Publications. Ordering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9

6-54

Parking

Paint Spotting. Chemical ........................ Park Automatic Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shifting Into ................................. Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AtNight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27 Brake Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-41 Lots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-31 With a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36

2-23 2-28 2-30

9-7

. . . I1

* ' b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Passenger Temperature Control .................... 3- 1 I ................................ 4-12 Passing 2-18 PASS-Key Perimeter Lighting .............................. 2-48 Periodic Maintenance Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-42 Personal Choice Features. Keyless Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8 Power Antenna Mast Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32 Antennaservice .............................. 7-39 DoorLocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Remote Control Mirror ........................ 2-54 Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Seatback Recliner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Steering ..................................... 4-9 Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-28 Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-33 2-21

Power, Retained Accessory ....................... Power Seat Memory Function .............................. 1-2 Regnancy, Use of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23 Problems on the Road ............................ 5- 1 Protection, Lockout .............................. 2-7 Publications, Service and Owner .................... 8-9 Pull-Down Feature, Automatic, Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2- 15

Radiator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.14. 5.19 Radiator Pressure Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-27 Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30 Radios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 Rain. Driving In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4- 16

2-49

Rearview Mirror

2-6 1-25 1-29 1-25 2-59 5 . 10 3-10

Reading Lamps ................................ Rear ........................... Door Security Locks Outside Seat Position .......................... Safety Belt Comfort Guides ..................... Seatpassengers .............................. Storage Armrest .............................. Towing ..................................... Window Defogger ............................ Electrochromic Daymight ...................... Inside Daymight ............................. Reclining Front Seatbacks ......................... Recovery Tank. Coolant ..................... Refrigerants. Air Conditioning .................... Remote ............................. 6-6 Fuel Door Release Keyless Entry ................................. 2-7 Keyless Entry. Instant Alarm ..................... 2-8 Keyless Entry. Personal Choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8 Trunk Release ................................ 2-13 Bulbs ...................................... 6-63 Parts ....................................... 6-66 Wheel ...................................... 6-45 Replacing Safety Belts ........................... 1-44 Reporting Safety Defects ...................... 8-7. 8.8 Restraints

2-51 2-50 1-4 5- 14. 5- 16 6-65

Checking ................................... 1-44 Child ....................................... 1-33 Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

Replacement

Replacing Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-44 Systemcheck ................................ 7-39 Reverse. Automatic Transaxle ..................... 2-24 Ride Control. Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-26 Right Front Passenger Position .................... 1-23 Roadside Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4 Roadside Assistance. Canadian ..................... 8-4 ........................... 5-35 Rocking Your Vehicle Rotation. Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-41

Safety Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-44 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Adults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11 Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50 Center Passenger Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24 Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31 1 - 1 1 Driver Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-44 How to Wear Properly ......................... 1 - 1 1 Incorrect Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 - 13, 1-42, 1-43 LapBelt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24 Lap-Shoulder ........................... 1 - 11, 1-26 Larger Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-41 1 - 10 Questions and Answers ........................ Rear Comfort Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-29 Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25 Rear Seat Passengers .......................... 1-25 Reminder Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6, 2-69 Replacing After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-44 Right Front Passenger Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23

Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12 Smaller Children and Babies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23 Use During Pregnancy WhyThey Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7 Safety Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34 Safety Defects. Reporting ..................... 8-7. 8-8 ... Safety Warnings and Symbols ...................... v111 Scheduled Maintenance Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3 Seatback Power Recliner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Reclining Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Seats

Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 ManualFront . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . 1 Seat Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Securing a Child Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-35. 1-37. 1-39 Second Gear. Automatic Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25 Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1 Bulletins. Ordering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Manuals. Ordering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Parts Identification Label ....................... 6-56 Publications. Ordering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Work. Doing Your Own . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2 Service and Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1 Service and Owner Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Service Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Buick . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22

Sheet Metal Damage ............................ ShiftLever .................................... Shifting

6-53 2-23 Automatic Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23 Into Park (P) ................................. 2-28 OutofPark .................................. 2-30 Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster ..................... 1-12 Signaling Turns ................................ 2-35 Skidding ...................................... 4-13 Sound Equipment. Adding ........................ 3-30 Spare Tire. Compact ............................. 5-34 Speaker Covers. Cleaning ........................ 6-50 Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-64 Specifications. Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-65 Speech Impaired. Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3 Speedometer ................................... 2-68 SRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17 Stains. Cleaning ................................ 6-48 Starter Switch Check ............................ 7-39 Starting Your Engine ............................ 2-21 Steam ........................................ 5-12 Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 Column Lock Check .......................... 7-40 In Emergencies ............................... 4- 10 ................................. Magnasteer 4-9 Power ....................................... 4-9 Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 Wheel. Tilt .................................. 2-34 Steering Wheel Touch Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3- 11. 3-29 Storage Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-55

Storage. Vehicle ................................ 6-33 Stuck: In Sand. Mud. Ice or Snow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35 Sunvisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-62 Sunroof ....................................... 2-63 Supercharged Engine ............................ 6-11 Supercharger Oil ............................... 6-19 Supplemental Restraint System .................... 1-17 Symbols. Vehicle ..................................

Tachometer .................................. 2-68 Taillamp Bulb Replacement ....................... 6-36 Tape Player Care ............................... 3-31 Temperature Control. Climate Control System” ..... 3- 1. 3-3 Temperature Control. Passenger ................... 3-11 TheaterDimming ............................... 2-47 Theft ......................................... 2-15 Theft-Deterrent Feature. CD Player ................ 3-27 ................................ THEFTLOCK 3-27 Thermostat .................................... 6-27 Third Gear. Automatic Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25 Tilt Steering Wheel ............................. 2-34 Time Out Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-47 Time. Setting the ............................... 3-12 Tirechains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46 TireLoading ................................... 4-28 Tire-Loading Information Label ................... 4-28 Tires ......................................... 6-39 Alignment and Balance ........................ 6-44 BuyingNew ................................. 6-42

9-10

Chains ..................................... 6-46 Changing a Flat .............................. 5-22 Cleaning .................................... 6-53 . Compact Spare ............................... 5-34 Inflation .................................... 6-40 . Inflation Check ............................... 7-38 Inspection and Rotation ........................ 6-41 Loading .................................... 4-28 Pressure ...................................... 6-40 Temperature ................................. 6-44 Traction .................................... 6-44 Treadwear .................................... 6-43 Uniform Quality Grading ....................... 6-43 Wear Indicators ............................... 6-42 Wheel Replacement ........................... 6-45 When It's Time for New ....................... 6-42 TopStrap ...................................... 1-34 TorqueLock .................................... 2-30 Torque, Wheel Nut ......................... 5-31, 6-64 Towing 8 Trailer ................................ 4-30 Towing Your Vehicle .............................. 5-7 Traction Control System ................................ 4-8 Control System Wasrning Light .............. 2-73, 4-8 Brakes .'.................................... 4-34 DrivingonGrades ............................ 4-36 Drivingwith ................................. 4-34 Hitches ..................................... 4-33 Maintenance When Towing ..................... 4-37

Trailer

Parking on Hills .............................. 4-36 Safety Chains ................................ 4-34 Tongueweight ............................... 4-32 Total Weight on Tires .......................... 4-33 Towing ..................................... 4-30 Turnsignals ................................. 4-36 Weight ...................................... 4-32 Transaxle Fluid .Automatic .........?......................... 6-20 Transmitters, Remote Keyless Entry ................. 2-7 Transportation, Courtesy ........ .I ................. 8-5 Trip Odometer ................................. 2-68 TrUnk AjarLight ................................... 2-81 Automatic Pull-Down Feature ................... 2-15 Lock ....................................... 2-13 Release, Remote .............................. 2-13 SecurityOverride .............................. 2-14 TrUnkLamp ................................... 2-50 TTYUsers ..................................... 8-3 Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator ............. 2-35 Turn Signal On Chime ........................... 2-36 Turn SignalNultifunction Lever ................... 2-34 Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer ................ 4-36 Twilight Sentinel ............................... 2-46

. underbody Flushing Service ..................... 7-41 Underbody Maintenance ......................... 6-54 l Universal Theft-Deterrent System .................. 2-16

~~

%ll

t .

..

Vehicle

Control ...................................... 4-5 Damage Warnings ................................ ix Dimensions ................................. 6-66 Identification Number ......................... 6-56 Loading .................................... 4-28 Storage ...................................... 6-33 Ventilation System ............................... 3-7 ............................ 2-62 Visor Vanity Mirrors Visors, Sun .................................... 2-62 Voltage Indicator ................................ 2-7 1

w a r n i n g Devices ........................... 5.1. 5.2 Warning Lights. Gages and Indicators ................ 2-69 ........................ 6-29 Washer Fluid. Windshield Washing Your Vehicle .. : ........................ 6-52 Weatherstrips ................................... 6-52

Wheel

Alignment .................................. 6-44 LockKey ................................... 5-25 Nut Torque ............................. 5-31, 6-64 Replacement ............................... : .. 6-45 Wrench ..................................... 5-23 WindowLock .................................. 2-33 Windows ..................................... 2-33 Express-Down ............................... 2-33 Power ...................................... 2-33 2-38 Fluid ................................... 2-38, 6-29 Fluid Level Check ............................ 7-38 Windshield Wiper ............................... 2-37 6-38 Blade Replacement Fuses ....................................... 6-57 Winter Driving ................................. 4-24 Wiring, Headlamp ............................... 6-57 WreckerTowing ................................. 5-7 Wrench ,Wheel ................................. 5-24

Windshield Washer .............................

...........................

..

The 1996 Buick Park Avenue Owner’s Manual

This section explains how to start and operate your Buick.

This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains “SRS” system.

This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.

Seats and Restraint Systems ............................................................. Features and Controls .................................................................. Comfort Controls and Audio Systems ..................................................... YourDrivingandtheRoad .............................................................. Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions. ProblemsontheRoad .................................................................. ServiceandAppearanceCare ............................................................ Maintenanceschedule .................................................................. Customer Assistance Information ........................................................

This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.

This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.

Here the manual tells you how to keep your Buick’ running properly and looking good.

This section tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service publications. It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8-7.

Index ................................................................................

Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read.

1-1

2-1

3-1

4-1

5-1

6-1

7-1

8-1

9-1

GENERAL MOTORS, GM and the GM Emblem, BUICK, the BUCK Emblem and the name PARK AVENUE are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Buick Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual. Please keep this manual in your Buick, so it will be there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new owner can use it.

in

U.S.A.

Litho Part No. 2563945 1 B First Edition ii

We support voluntary technician certification.

WE SUPPORT

VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION THROUGH

National Institute for

A U T O M O T I V E

S E R V I C E

E X C E L L E N C E

For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual: Aux proprietaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en franqais chez votre concessionaire ou au:

DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1500 Bonhill Rd. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1C7

@Copyright General Motors All

Corporation Rights Reserved

1995

“valve-in-head” engine, a light, powerful and reliable engine which would eventually influence the entire automotive industry. William C. Durant was instrumental in promoting Buicks across the country using his Durant-Dort Carriage Co. outlets and salespeople as the nucleus or a giant distribution system. He knew the Buick as a “self-seller.” If automobiles could be this good, he thought, maybe it was time to switch from the horse and buggy business to automobiles.

At the 1905 New York Auto Show, Durant took orders for 1,000 Buicks before the company had built 40. On Buick’s success, Durant created a holding company, September 16, 1908. He called it General Motors.

William C. (Billy) Duvant

Walter Maur and Thomas Buick

Buick’s chief engineer, Walter L. Marr (left), and Thomas D. Buick, son of founder David Dunbar Buick, drove the first Flint Buick in a successful Flint-Detroit round trip in July 1904. David Buick was building gasoline engines by 1899, and Marr, his engineer, apparently built the first auto to be called a Buick in 1900. However, Buick traditionally dates its beginnings to 1903. That was the year the company was reorganized, refinanced and moved from Detroit to Flint. Buick has always been a product innovator. Buick engineers developed the

1.

Durant also created a racing team that won 500 racing trophies in 1909 and 19 10, including successes at Indianapolis two years before the Indy 500 began. The success of Buick engines was visible not only on the race track, but in endurance tests across the country and around the world. Buick was the only car to complete a 1,000-mile Chicago-to-New York race in 1906. And a Buick was the first car to travel across South America, driven from Buenos Aires, Argentina, over the Andes to Santiago, Chile in 1914.

Buick drew plenty of attention because it could climb hills and run through mud like no other car. Buick’s endurance and reliability were world famous. During World War I, Buick built Liberty aircraft engines as well as Red Cross ambulances so successfully that one Buick ambulance was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government. As a builder of premier automobiles, Buick was hard hit by the Great Depression. However, new General Manager Harlow H. Curtice created popular new models including the Special and the Roadmaster. Buick sales soon flourished. I :

I 9 I I Model 21 Touring Car on Buick’s Test Hill

First Buick Factory

In World War 11, Buick built aircraft engines, tanks and other military hardware. This post-war period brought great styling and engineering changes which resulted in increased sales. The torque converter automatic transmission, Dynaflow, was introduced in the 1948 Roadmaster. Buick’s famous “portholes” came along in 1949.

A high-compression V-8 engine was introduced in 1953. And Buick’s famous vertical pillar “toothy” grille, (introduced in 1942)’ became more massive in the post-war era.

I953 Skylark

Motor Trend magazine named the 1962 Buick Special “Car of the Year.” The first production V-6 engine was used in the Special.

1949 Roadmaster

vi

1962 Buick Special

Ed Mertz, ‘General Manager-, Buick Motor Division

Built inside the walls of the old buildings in Buick’s former Flint complex, which formed the cornerstone of General Motors, Buick City is a state-of-the-art assembly facility with more than 200 robots and other high-tech equipment. It was completed in the fall of 1985. Buicks are, and will continue to be, premium American motorcars with smooth power, high performance, rich detail and comfortable accommodation.

Our mission is simple: “Buick will provide Premium American Motorcars backed with services that exceed our customers’ expectations, throughout the purchase, ownership, service and repurchase experience.” Buicks are SUBSTANTIAL. Buicks are DISTINCTIVE. Buicks are POWERFUL. Buicks are MATURE.

How to Use This Manual Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly. Index A good place to look for what you need is the Index in the back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of all that’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it. Safety Warnings and Symbols You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.

These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people.

In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or others could be hurt.

I You will also find a circle

~~

~~~ with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means “Don’t,” “Don’t do this,” or “Don’t let this happen.”

Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, in this book you will find these notices:

NOTICE:

These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle.

not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words CAUTION or NOTICE.

In the notice area, we tell you about something that can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would

Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven:

DOOR LOCK UNLOCK

FASTEN SEAT BELTS

POWER WINDOW

These symbols have to do with your lights:

These symbols are on some of your controls:

WINDSHIELD WIPER

TURN SIGNALS

e e A HAZARD $0

DAYTIME - RUNNING LAMPS ' * *

WARNING FLASHER

WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER

WINDOW DEFOGGER

FOG LAMPS

VENTILATING FAN

These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights:

Here are some other symbols you may see:

FUSE

(0) HORN h=r SPEAKER b n3 e,

FUEL

COOLANT TEMP

CHARGING I-1

BATTERY

SYSTEM

BRAKE

ENGINE OIL PRESSURE

LIGHTER I

ANTI-LOCK (@)

BRAKES

For example, these symbols are used on an original battery:

CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY

PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING

CAUSTIC

BURNS

AVOID SPARKS OR FLAMES

SPARK OR FLAME COULD EXPLODE BATTERY

,\I/,

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Buick and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts. Seats and Seat Controls This part tells you about the seats -- how to adjust them, and also about memory seats, reclining seatbacks and head restraints. Manual Seat You may have a manual seat on the passenger side of your Park Avenue. Move the lever under the front seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it. Then release the lever and try to move the seat with your body, to make sure the seat is locked into place.

Power Seat

Front Tilt Control (F): Raise the front of the seat by pressing on the left side of the switch. Press on the right side of the switch to lower the front of the seat. Center Controls (C): Move the seat forward or back by pressing the control on the front or back. Raise the seat by pressing the control on the left. Press the control on the right to lower the seat.

1-1

Rear Tilt Control (R): Raise the rear of the seat by pressing the switch on the left. Pressing the switch on the right lowers the rear of the seat. Mc 5 (( If your Buick has this option, the control on the driver’s door armrest looks like this:

rnd Mi1

or:

n)

You can use this memory function to save your seat and mirror adjustment settings by using the following procedure.

Adjust the driver’s seat to a safe and comfortable driving position. Adjust both outside mirrors to suit you. See “Outside Mirrors” in the Index.

1-2

Press the SET button. You will hear one beep. Press one of the two MEMORY buttons within five seconds. You will hear two beeps to confirm that the mirror and seat positions have been entered into memory.

just stored

Now it’s set. When your Buick is in PARK (P) with the ignition on, push the memory button you and the seat and mirrors will move to the set position. With the ignition OFF, the system will work in any shift lever position. To set the seat and mirror positions for a second driver, follow the previous steps, but use the other MEMORY button. If you press the wrong MEMORY button, or if there is a third driver, the seat adjuster will still work. The EXIT button allows for easy exit from the vehicle. Push the EXIT button while in PARK (P) with the ignition on, or anytime while the ignition is OFF and the seat will move all the way down and back. You will hear a beep when the EXIT button is pressed.

Remote Keyless Entry Personal Choice Feature (Option)

ieated Front Seats (Option)

If your Park Avenue is equipped with the Remote Keyless Entry System, each transmitter can be programmed to move the driver’s seat and outside mirrors to a set memory position when the transmitter’s UNLOCK button is pressed.

For programming instructions, see “Personal Choice Features” in the Index.

If your vehicle has this option, the controls are located to the side of the driver and front passenger seats. Push the switch closest to the front of the driver’s seat forward and the driver’s seat will start to warm up. Push the switch closest to the front of the front passenger’s seat forward and the front passenger seat will begin to warm up.

1-3

The light on top of the switch will turn orange for low or red for high. Push the switch rearward to stop the seat from warming. Reclining Front Seatbacks

To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outer side of the seat. Release the lever to lock the seatback where you want it. Pull up on the lever and the seat will go to its upright position.

If you have the power recline option, it works with the switch on the side of the seat. Push it back to recline the seat, push it forward to return the seat to its upright position.

I

Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts can’t do their job when you’re reclined like this. The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. a crash the The lap belt can’t do its job either. In belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.

ead Restrain’-

Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.

But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.

Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts. And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), or air bag system.

A CAUTIOI..

Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts are fastened properly too.

Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. (See “Safety Belt Reminder Light” in the Index.)

In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work. You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 25 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot!

Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.

Put someone on it.

Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat on wheels.

1-7

Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider doesn’t stop.

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...

or the instrument panel ...

or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why safety belts make such good sense.

Here Are Questions Many People Ask Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from About Safety Belts -- and the Answers

home, why should I wear safety belts?

A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an

accident -- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver doesn’t protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 b/h). Safety belts are for everyone.

A:

Q: A:

Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I’m wearing a safety belt? You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you’re upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to wear safety belts? Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag