ignition BUICK LESABRE 2000 Owner's Guide

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FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud.
If the selector lever is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle
won't shift into first gear until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can't rotate, don't try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don't hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes or shift into PARK (P)
to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
Parking Brake
This vehicle has a PUSH
TO RELEASE parking
brake pedal. To set the
parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down
with your right foot. Push
down the parking brake
pedal with your left foot.
If the ignition is in RUN or OFF/UNLOCK, the brake
system warning light will turn on while the parking
brake is set. The parking brake uses the brakes on the
rear wheels.

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2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this:

Pull the lever toward you.
Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF/ LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).

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Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock
control system. You have to fully apply your regular
brake before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition is in RUN. See ªAutomatic Transaxleº in
the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you want. If you ever
hold the brake pedal down but still can't shift out of
PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to the OFF/UNLOCK ignition position.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Take your vehicle to an authorized service center as
soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don't park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things
that can burn.

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CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don't leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you've left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won't move, even when you're on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won't
move. See ªShifting Into PARK (P)º in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you're pulling a
trailer, also see ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index.
Windows
Power Windows
The power window controls located on the driver's
armrest operate each of the windows while the ignition is
on or while retained accessory power is active. In addition,
each passenger door has a control for its own window.

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Wipers (If Equipped)
The moisture sensor is mounted on the passenger's interior
side of the windshield behind the rearview mirror and is
used to automatically operate the wipers by monitoring the
amount of moisture that is on the windshield.
The Rainsense system can be activated by turning the
wiper control band to one of the five sensitivity settings
within the delay area. The delay position closest to OFF
MIST is the lowest sensitivity setting. This allows more
water to collect on the windshield between wipes. You
can increase the sensitivity of the system and the
frequency of wipes by turning the wiper control band
away from you to the other delay settings. A single wipe
will occur each time you turn the wiper control band to a
higher sensitivity setting.
An initial wipe occurs when you turn the ignition on as a
reminder that Rainsense is active.
The Rainsense wipers operate in a delay mode as well as
a continuous low or high speed depending on the
amount of moisture on the windshield and the sensitivity
setting. The MIST and ªwashº cycles operate as normal
and are not affected by the Rainsense function.NOTICE:
The wipers must be turned off when going
through a car wash to avoid damage.
It is important to note that the Rainsense delay wiping
feature can be overridden at any time by manually
changing the wiper control to LO or HI speed.
NOTICE:
Do not place stickers or other items on the
exterior glass surface directly in front of the
rainsensor. Doing this could cause the rainsensor
to malfunction.

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Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down. Applying the brake or shifting
into a lower gear will take your vehicle out of cruise
control. If you need to apply the brake or shift to a lower
gear due to the grade of the downhill slope, you may not
want to attempt to use your cruise control feature.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:

Step lightly on the brake pedal; or

press the ON/OFF button.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.Exterior Lamps
These switches control these systems:

Headlamps

Taillamps

Parking Lamps

License Lamps

Sidemarker Lamps

Instrument Panel Lights
Headlamps
Press the button with the lamp symbol on it to turn on
the headlamps. Press it again to turn them off. When the
headlamps are turned on, the instrument panel lights as
well as the parking lamps will also turn on.
Wiper
-Activated Headlamps
This feature turns on the headlamps and parking lamps
when the Twilight Sentinel
 is in day mode and after
the windshield wipers have been in use for
approximately six seconds.

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To operate the wiper-activated headlamps, the Twilight
Sentinel must be on. If the wiper
-activated headlamps
are on and the ignition switch is turned to RUN, the
wiper
-activated headlamps will continue. When you
turn the key to OFF/UNLOCK, the wiper
-activated
headlamps will immediately turn off. The
wiper
-activated headlamps will also turn off if you
turn off the Twilight Sentinel or the windshield wipers.
Parking Lamps
Press the PARK button to turn on the parking lamps.
Press it again to turn them off. (If the parking lamps
were turned on with the PARK button, they must be
turned off with that button).
When the parking lamps are turned on during the day,
the instrument panel cluster lights and backlighting to
buttons will turn on. At night, the brightness of this
lighting can be adjusted by the instrument panel
intensity/brightness control if the ignition key is turned
to RUN. The radio and climate control displays will also
be on. When it becomes dark outside, the instrument
panel intensity/brightness control will operate all
instrument panel lighting.
Lamps On Reminder
If you leave the manual headlamp or parking lamp
switch on, remove the key from the ignition and open
the driver's door, you will hear a continuous warning
chime. The chime will turn off when the lamps are
turned off.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel monitors
the exterior light level for the operation of DRL and
Twilight Sentinel, so be sure it isn't covered.
The DRL system will make your high
-beam headlamps
turn on at reduced brightness in daylight when:

The ignition is on,

the headlamp switch is off and

the transaxle is not in PARK (P).
When the DRL are on, only your high
-beam headlamps
will be on. The parking lamps, taillamps, sidemarker
and other lamps won't be on.

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Park Lamp Override Feature
If the Twilight Sentinel lighting is active, it can be
disabled by turning on the manual parking lamps. The
lighting will be disabled until the ignition is moved from
RUN or until the outside light level becomes daylight.
The outside light level changing to daylight will cause
the Twilight Sentinel feature to deactivate. If it becomes
dark again, the parking lamps will have to be turned on
again. (If the parking lamps are already on, they will
have to be turned off, then back on to disable twilight).
The wiper
-activated headlamps will override the
twilight disable feature.
Light Sensor
Your Twilight Sentinel and
DRL work with the light
sensor located on top of the
instrument panel.
Don't cover it up. If you do, the sensor will read ªdarkº
and the Twilight Sentinel lighting will turn on.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Intensity/
Brightness Control
The brightness of the
instrument panel lights can
be adjusted by moving the
INTERIOR lever between
LO and HI.
The instrument panel lights will be on only when the
parking lamps are on. The interior courtesy lamps can
be turned on by sliding the INTERIOR lever all the way
to the top, to HI.

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2-47 Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several lamps go on. They
make it easy for you to enter and leave the vehicle. You
can also turn these lamps on by sliding the INTERIOR
lever all the way to the top.
Delayed Entry Lighting
When you open the door, the interior lamps will turn on.
When you close the door with the ignition off, the
interior lamps will stay on for up to 25 seconds or until
the ignition is turned to an on position. When the lamps
turn off as a result of the 25 second timer or the ignition
switch being turned on, the lighting will deactivate via
the theater dimming effect. Note that locking the doors
will override the delayed entry lighting feature and the
lamps will turn off right away.
Theater Dimming
This feature allows for a three to five-second fade out of
the courtesy lamps instead of immediate turn off.
Delayed Exit Lighting
With this feature, the interior lamps will turn on and stay
on for approximately 25 seconds after you remove the
key from the ignition. This will give you time to find the
door pull handle or lock switches. The exit lighting will
be cancelled and the lighting will be theater dim once
the key is reinserted into the ignition.
Illuminated Entry
Press the button with the unlock symbol on the remote
keyless entry transmitter and the interior courtesy lamps
will turn on and stay on for approximately 40 seconds.
The lamps will turn off immediately by pressing the
button with the lock symbol on the remote keyless entry
transmitter, turning the ignition key to RUN or
activating the power door locks.
Perimeter Lighting
When the button with the unlock symbol on the remote
keyless entry transmitter is pressed, the DRL headlamps,
parking lamps and back
-up lamps will turn on if it is
dark enough outside.

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Personal Choice Programming
This feature can be programmed in the on or off mode
for each transmitter. Vehicles are delivered with this
feature on.
To turn the feature off:
1. Close all the doors and turn the ignition on. Keep all
doors closed throughout this procedure.
2. Press and hold LOCK on the power door lock switch
throughout this procedure. All the doors will lock.
3. Press the instant alarm on the transmitter. Perimeter
lighting remains on at this time and the horn will
chirp two times.
4. Press the instant alarm on the transmitter again.
Perimeter lighting is disabled and the horn will chirp
one time.
5. Release the door lock switch. The perimeter lighting
feature is now off.To turn the feature on:
1. Close all the doors and turn the ignition on. Keep all
doors closed throughout this procedure.
2. Press and hold LOCK on the power door lock switch
throughout this procedure. All the doors will lock.
3. Press the instant alarm on the transmitter. Perimeter
lighting is now remains off at this time and the horn
will chirp one time.
4. Press the instant alarm on the transmitter again.
Perimeter lighting is now enabled and the horn will
chirp two times.
5. Release the door lock switch. The perimeter lighting
feature is now on.
This procedure only changes the mode for the
transmitter used to change this setting. The procedure
will need to be repeated for the second transmitter.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you must program this feature through
the DIC. See ªDriver Information Centerº in the Index.