tow BUICK LESABRE 2003 User Guide

Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your automatic transaxle has a shift lever located on
the steering column.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels. It's the
best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle can't move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake ®rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). See ªShifting Into Park (P)º in the
Index. If you are pulling a trailer, see ªTowing
a Trailerº in the Index.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle
shift lock control system. You have to fully apply
your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of
PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever and push the
shift lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain
brake application. Then move the shift lever into
the gear you wish. See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on
page 2-30.
2-25

REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see If
You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-30.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine doesn't
connect with the wheels. To restart when you're already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
ªracingº (running at high speed) is dangerous.
Unless your foot is ®rmly on the brake pedal,
your vehicle could move very rapidly. You
could lose control and hit people or objects.
Do not shift into a drive gear while your engine
is racing.
Notice:Damage to your transaxle caused by
shifting into a drive gear with the engine running at
high speed isn't covered by your warranty.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X):This position is for
normal driving. If you need more power for passing, and
you're:
·Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
·Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X):
·When driving on hilly, winding roads.
·When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
·When going down a steep hill.
2-26

Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
cause your rear brakes to overheat. You may have
to replace them, and you could also damage
other parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-35. That section
explains what to do ®rst to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into Park (P)
{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 ®rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure your vehicle will
not move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, see ªTowing a Trailerº in the
Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this:
·Pull the lever toward you.
2-28

·Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to 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).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake ®rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch ®re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is ®rmly set before you leave it. After
you've moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold
the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can
move the shift lever away from PARK (P) without ®rst
pulling it toward you. If you can, it means that the
shift lever wasn't fully locked into PARK (P).
2-29

Running Your Engine While You
Are Parked
It's better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under
ªEngine Exhaust.º
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the climate control fan is at the highest setting.
One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust Ð with CO Ð can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the engine
running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard. See
ªWinter Drivingº in the Index.
{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 ®rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle will not move, even when
you are 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
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 2-28.
If you are parking on a hill and if you're pulling a trailer,
also see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-35.
2-32

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
When you are sitting in a comfortable driving position,
adjust the mirror so you can see clearly behind your
vehicle. Grip the mirror in the center to move it up
or down and side to side. The day/night adjustment
allows you to adjust the mirror to avoid glare from any
headlamps behind you. Push the tab away from
you for daytime use; pull it toward you for night use.
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
Your vehicle may have an automatic dimming rearview
mirror. Your vehicle's mirror may also contain OnStarž
controls. SeeOnStaržSystem on page 2-37for
more information.
At night, when the glare is too high, the mirror will
gradually darken to reduce glare. This change may take
a few seconds. The mirror will return to its clear
daytime state when the glare is reduced.
Mirror Operation
AUTO:Press this button to turn on the automatic
dimming feature.
OFF:Press this button to turn off the automatic
dimming feature.
O(On/Off):For mirrors equipped with OnStarž
controls, press this button to turn on the automatic
dimming feature. To turn off automatic dimming, press
this button again.
The indicator light will be illuminated when this feature
is active.
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
with Compass
Your vehicle may have an automatic dimming rearview
mirror with a compass. Your vehicle's mirror may
also contain OnStar
žcontrols. SeeOnStaržSystem on
page 2-37for more information.
The mirror also includes an eight-point compass display
in the upper right corner of the mirror face.
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper towel or similar
material dampened with glass cleaner. Do not spray
glass cleaner directly on the mirror as that may cause
the liquid cleaner to enter the mirror housing.
2-33

Express Open:When the glass panel is express
opening, pressing the switch in any direction will stop it
in a partially-opened position. The glass panel may
be fully opened by pressing the switch rearward again.
If you press and hold the switch in the express open
position for more than one and a half seconds, the
express open operation will be overridden and
the sunroof will operate manually.
Close:To close the glass panel, press and hold the
switch forward. As the glass panel reaches the closed
position, it will open slightly toward the vent position and
then drop down to the closed position to provide a
better seal. The sunshade must be closed manually.
Vent:Once the sunroof is closed, it can be opened to
the vent position by pushing the switch upward. To
close the glass panel, pull the switch downward. The
sunshade must be opened and closed manually for vent
operation.Vehicle Personalization
Memory Seat and Mirrors
If your vehicle has this feature, the controls are located
on the driver's door panel, and are used to program
and recall memory settings for the driver's seating,
outside mirror positions and climate controls. See
Climate Control System on page 3-24for more
information.
To save your seat and mirror positions into memory,
use the following procedure:
1. First identify the DRIVER # on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) by pressing the MEMORY button 1
or 2 or by pressing the unlock button on the remote
keyless entry transmitter. See
Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 3-45.
2-44

Horn
Press the center area of the steering wheel to sound
the horn.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt wheel allows you to adjust the steering wheel
before you drive. You can also raise it to the highest
level to give your legs more room when you exit
and enter the vehicle.
The lever that allows you to tilt the steering wheel is
located on the left side of the steering column.
To tilt the wheel, hold the
wheel and pull the lever
toward you. Then move the
wheel to a comfortable
position and release
the lever to lock the wheel
in place.
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
·Turn and Lane-Change Signals
·Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
·Flash-To-Pass
·Windshield Wipers
·Windshield Washer
For more information on exterior lamps, see
Exterior
Lamps on page 3-14.
3-7

Turn and Lane-Change Signals
To signal a turn, move the lever on the left side of the
steering wheel all the way up or down. The lever returns
automatically when the turn is complete.
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will ¯ash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Head-Up Display
(HUD), an arrow will also appear in the display area to
indicate the direction of the turn or lane change.
See
Head-Up Display (HUD) on page 3-20for more
information.
You may also have an arrow in the outside mirror that
¯ashes when the turn signal is used. See
Outside Power
Mirrors on page 2-35for more information.
Raise or lower the lever until the arrow starts to ¯ash to
signal a lane change. Hold it there until the lane
change is complete.
If the arrows ¯ash very fast as you signal a turn or a
lane change, a signal bulb may be burned out and other
drivers won't see your turn signal.If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don't go on at all when you signal
a turn, check the fuse. See
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
on page 5-86.
Turn Signal On Chime
If your turn signal is left on for more than 0.8 miles
(1.3 km), a chime will sound at each ¯ash of the turn
signal. To turn off the chime, move the turn signal lever
to the off position.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high beam
or high beam to low beam, pull the turn signal lever
toward you and release it.
When the high beams are
on, this light located on the
instrument panel cluster
will also be on.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Head-Up Display
(HUD), this symbol will also appear in the display area to
indicate the high beams are on. See
Head-Up Display
(HUD) on page 3-20for more information.
3-8

Flash-To-Pass
This feature lets you use the high-beam headlamps to
signal the driver in front of you that you want to pass. It
works even if your headlamps are off.
Pull the turn signal lever toward you brie¯y to
¯ash-to-pass.
If the headlamps are off or on low beam, the high-beam
headlamps will turn on. They'll stay on as long as
you hold the lever toward you and the high-beam
indicator on the instrument panel cluster will come on.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wipers are controlled by turning the
band marked WIPER.
If your windshield wipers are on for more than six
seconds while you are driving, the low-beam headlamps,
instrument panel cluster backlighting and taillamps will
turn on. For more information see ªWiper Activated
Headlampsº under
Exterior Lamps on page 3-14.
Off:Turn the band to OFF to turn the wipers off.
3-9