wheel BUICK LESABRE 2000 Owner's Guide

3-
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3-1
Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you'll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your vehicle.
Be sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3
-2 Comfort Controls
3
-7 Air Conditioning
3
-8 Heating
3
-8 Defogging and Defrosting
3
-9 Rear Window Defogger
3
-9 Ventilation System
3
-11 Passenger Control (If Equipped)
3
-12 Steering Wheel Controls for Climate Control
(If Equipped)
3
-12 Audio Systems
3
-12 Setting the Clock
3
-13 AM-FM Stereo
3
-15 AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
(If Equipped)
3
-18 AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player and
Automatic Tone Control (If Equipped)3
-22 AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player and
Automatic Tone Control (If Equipped)
3
-26 AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and
Compact Disc Player with Automatic Tone
Control (If Equipped)
3
-32 Trunk-Mounted CD Changer (Option)
3
-35 Personal Choice Radio Controls
(If Equipped)
3
-35 Theft-Deterrent Feature (If Equipped)
3
-36 Audio Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
3
-37 Understanding Radio Reception
3
-37 Tips About Your Audio System
3
-38 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
3
-39 Care of Your Compact Discs
3
-39 Care of Your Compact Disc Player
3
-39 Diversity Antenna System

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3-12 Steering Wheel Controls for Climate
Control (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this feature, you can control the
temperature function by using the button located on
your steering wheel.
Press the TEMP up arrow to
increase the temperature
and the TEMP down arrow
to decrease the temperature.
Audio Systems
Your audio system has been designed to operate easily
and give years of listening pleasure. You will get the
most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it
first. Find out what your audio system can do and how
to operate all its controls, to be sure you're getting the
most out of the advanced engineering that went into it.
Setting the Clock
Press and hold HRS until the correct hour appears.
Press and hold MIN until the correct minute appears.
You may set the clock with the ignition off if you
press RECALL first and follow the same procedure
described above.

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3-36 Audio Steering Wheel Controls
(If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain
radio functions using the buttons on your steering wheel.
Some steering wheel controls may operate climate
controls. See ªSteering Wheel Controls for Climate
Controlº earlier in this section.
VOL: Press the up or down arrow to increase or
decrease volume.SEEK: Press the up arrow to tune to a higher radio
station and the down arrow to tune to a lower radio
station. The sound will mute while seeking. When
playing a cassette tape or a compact disc, press SEEK to
hear the next selection.
AM
-FM: Press this button to choose AM, FM1 or FM2.
SCAN: Press this button to scan your radio preset stations.
SRCE: If you have radio
-only controls, you will have
this control. Press SRCE to play a cassette tape or
compact disc when the radio is playing. If both a tape
and disc are installed, the system will first go to tape
play. Press SRCE again to go to disc play.
MUTE: If you have radio
-only controls, you will have
this control. Press MUTE to silence the system. Press it
again to turn on the sound.

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4-8
Here's how anti-lock works. Let's say the road is wet.
You're driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here's what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.The anti
-lock system can change the brake pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road conditions.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.

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Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won't have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti
-lock brakes.
Using Anti
-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti
-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Traction Control System (If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system works the front brakes and reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but
this is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. (See ªCruise Controlº
in the Index.)
This light should come on
briefly when you start the
engine. If it stays on or
comes on while you are
driving, there's a problem
with your traction
control system.

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See ªTraction Control System Warning Lightº in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. (You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See ªRocking Your Vehicleº
in the Index.)To turn the system off, press the TRACTION OFF
button located at the end of the shift lever on the right
side of the steering wheel.
The traction control system warning light will come on
and stay on. If the system is limiting wheel spin when
you press the button, the warning light will come
on
-- but the system won't turn off right away.
It will wait until there's no longer a current need to
limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The traction control system warning
light should go off.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.

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Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here's why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you've ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you're
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.Suppose you're steering through a sharp curve. Then you
suddenly accelerate. Both control systems
-- steering and
acceleration
-- have to do their work where the tires meet
the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much of those places. You can lose control. Refer to
ªTraction Controlº in the Index.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to go, and slow down.
If you have Stabilitrak

, you may see the STABILITY
SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver Information
Center. See ªStability System Active Messageº
in the Index.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are
based on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you'll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can ªdriveº through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.

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If you have Stabilitrak
, to help you steer in the
direction you want to go, during certain sharp or sudden
cornering maneuvers, gear selection is controlled. This
will maximize the available drive wheel torque and
minimize the transaxle response time and shift activity.
During this kind of maneuver, the transaxle shifts
automatically as vehicle speed changes.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than
braking. For example, you come over a hill and find a
truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked
cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking
-- if you can stop in time. But
sometimes you can't; there isn't room. That's the time for
evasive action
-- steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. (See ªBraking in
Emergenciesº earlier in this section.) It is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.

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Off-Road Recovery
You may find that your right wheels have dropped off the
edge of a road onto the shoulder while you're driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to one
-quarter turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your
steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two
-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two
-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents
-- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:

ªDrive ahead.º Look down the road, to the sides and to
crossroads for situations that might affect your passing
patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass, wait for a better time.

Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it's all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid
line on your side of the lane or a double solid line,
even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic.

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4-15 Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not ªoverdrivingº
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle's
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren't rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the traction control system, remember:
It helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have traction control, or if the system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by
easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you'll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or braking
(including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear).
Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide. You
may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is
skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues
-- such as
enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to make a
ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow down when you
have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.