tow BUICK LESABRE 2004 Owner's Guide

Twilight Sentinel®
Twilight Sentinel®turns your headlamps on and off by
sensing how dark it is outside.
The lever for this feature is
located to the left of the
steering column.
To operate it, leave the exterior lamp button off.
If you slide the lever all the way to MAX, your
headlamps will remain on for about three minutes after
you turn off your engine. As you slide the lever
toward OFF, the headlamps will turn off more quickly.
You can change this delay time from only a few seconds
to three minutes.The exterior lamps can be completely shut off while the
vehicle is in PARK (P) by sliding the Twilight
Sentinel®lever all the way to OFF. To turn the exterior
lamps back on, slide the lever toward MAX again,
or shift out of PARK (P).
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. 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.
Do not cover it up. If you do, the sensor will read “dark”
and the Twilight Sentinel
®lighting will turn on.
3-16

Also in this mode, the RECIRC function is activated to
create the maximum cooling effect in the vehicle. If
RECIRC was activated before selecting MAX, the light
in the RECIRC button will go off. If RECIRC is
selected after MAX, the light in the RECIRC button will
not come on.
NORM (Normal Air Conditioning):This mode cools
the outside air entering your vehicle and directs it
through the instrument panel outlets.
BI-LEV (Bi-Level Air Conditioning):This mode directs
about half of the air to the instrument panel outlets,
and then directs most of the remaining air to the oor
outlets. Some air may be directed toward the windshield.
Cooler air is directed to the upper outlets and warmer
air to the oor outlets. The air conditioning compressor is
on in this mode.
On hot days, open the windows to let hot inside air
escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for your vehicle to cool down. It also helps
the system to operate more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot days, do the following:
1. Select the vent mode.
2. Select the recirculation mode.
3. Select MAX.
4. Select the coolest temperature.
5. Select the highest fan speed.Using these settings together for long periods of time
may cause the air inside of your vehicle to become too
dry. To prevent this from happening, after the air in
your vehicle has cooled, turn the recirculation mode off.
The air conditioning system removes moisture from
the air, so you may sometimes notice a small amount of
water dripping underneath your vehicle while idling or
after turning off the engine. This is normal.
Sensors
The solar sensor on your vehicle monitors the solar
radiation and the air inside of your vehicle, then uses the
information to maintain the selected temperature by
initiating needed adjustments to the temperature, the fan
speed and the air delivery system. The system may
also supply cooler air to the side of the vehicle facing the
sun. The recirculation mode will also be activated, as
necessary. Do not cover the solar sensor located in the
center of the instrument panel, near the windshield,
or the system will not work properly.
Defogging and Defrosting
Fog on the inside of windows is a result of high humidity
(moisture) condensing on the cool window glass. This
can be minimized if the climate control system is
used properly. This mode allows you to clear fog or
frost from your windshield.
3-25

Sensors
The solar sensor on your vehicle monitors the solar
radiation and the air inside of your vehicle, then uses the
information to maintain the selected temperature by
initiating needed adjustments to the temperature, the fan
speed and the air delivery system. The system may
also supply cooler air to the side of the vehicle facing the
sun. The recirculation mode will also be activated, as
necessary. Do not cover the solar sensor located in the
center of the instrument panel, near the windshield,
or the system will not work properly.
Defogging and Defrosting
Fog on the inside of windows is a result of high humidity
(moisture) condensing on the cool window glass. This
can be minimized if the climate control system is
used properly.
1FRONT:Press the FRONT button to defrost the
windshield by directing airow toward the windshield and
outboard outlets (for the side windows). To turn off
FRONT, press the AUTO or AIR FLOW buttons.
If the AIR FLOW up button is pressed while in the
FRONT defrost mode, the system will direct the
air toward the instrument panel outlets. If the AIR FLOW
down button is pressed while in the FRONT defrost
mode, the system will direct the air toward the oor, and
the FRONT defrost mode will cancel. Do not drive the
vehicle until all the windows are clear.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog or frost from the rear window.
=REAR:Press this button to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. Be sure to clear as much snow from
the rear window as possible.
At speeds above 35 mph (55 km/h), the defogger will
operate continuously until you press the REAR
button again. After 10 minutes of driving below 35 mph
(55 km/h), the defogger will turn off automatically. If
you need additional warming time, push the button
again. The system will then operate for ve minutes
before going off by itself.
If your vehicle has heated outside rearview mirrors, the
mirrors will heat to help clear fog or frost from the
surface of the mirror when the rear window defogger
button is pressed.
Notice:Using a razor blade or sharp object to clear
the inside rear window may damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not clear the inside of the rear
window with sharp objects.
3-29

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t
release fully. If you try to drive off with the parking brake
set, a chime will also come on until you release the
parking brake. If the light stays on after your parking
brake is fully released, it means you have a brake
problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the
oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-31.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system warning light on
can lead to an accident. If the light is still on
after you have pulled off the road and stopped
carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, the light(s) will
come on when your engine
is started and may stay
on for several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon
as possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the
engine again to reset the system. If the light still stays
on, or comes on again while you’re driving, your vehicle
needs service. If the regular brake system warning
light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have
anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes
and there’s a problem with your regular brakes. See
Brake System Warning Light on page 3-37.
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on
briey when you turn the ignition key to RUN. This
is normal. If the light doesn’t come on then, have it xed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
3-38

Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transaxle, exhaust, intake or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is
not running. If the light does not come on, have it
repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle.Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still
ashing, follow the previous steps and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
3-41

To scan preset stations, press and hold one of the
SEEK arrows for more than four seconds until PSCAN
and the preset number appear on the display. You
will hear a double beep. The radio will go to the rst
preset station stored on your pushbuttons, play for a few
seconds, then go on to the next preset station. Press
one of the SEEK arrows again to stop scanning presets.
The radio will seek and scan only to stations that are
in the selected band and only to those with a strong
signal.
Setting Preset Stations
The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your
favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six FM1,
six FM2 and six AM) by performing the following steps:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press BAND to select FM1, FM2, or AM.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press EQ to select the EQ setting. It will be stored
with the preset station.
5. Press and hold one of the six numbered
pushbuttons. When you hear the radio produce one
beep, release the pushbutton. Whenever you
press that numbered pushbutton, the station you
set will return.
6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble)
AUDIO:Push and release AUDIO until BASS, MID, or
TREBLE appears on the display. Then turn the
AUDIO knob to increase or to decrease. If a station is
weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble.
To adjust bass, midrange or treble to the middle
position, select BASS, MID, or TREBLE. Then push and
hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear
a beep. BASS and a zero, MID and a zero or TREBLE
and a zero will appear on the display.
To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls
to the middle position, end out of audio mode by
waiting ve seconds without making any changes. Then
push and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds
until you hear a beep. ALL CENTERED will appear on
the display.
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)
AUDIO:To adjust the balance between the right
and the left speakers, push and release AUDIO until
BAL appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob
to move the sound toward the right or the left speakers.
A bar graph with indicators will show how the sound
is balanced between the right and the left speakers.
3-57

To adjust the fade between the front and the rear
speakers, push and release AUDIO until FADE appears
on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob to move
the sound toward the front or the rear speakers. A bar
graph with indicators will show how the sound is
balanced between the front and rear speakers.
To adjust balance or fade to the middle position, select
BAL or FADE. Then push and hold AUDIO for more
than two seconds until you hear a beep. The indicator
will be centered on the display.
To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls
to the middle position, end out of audio mode by
waiting ve seconds without making any changes. Then
press and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds
until you hear a beep. ALL CENTERED will appear on
the display.
EQ (Equalizer):Press this button to choose bass, mid
and treble equalization settings designed for different
program types.Using RDS
Your audio system is equipped with a Radio Data
System (RDS). RDS features are available for use only
on FM stations that broadcast RDS information.
Using this system, the radio can do the following:
With RDS, your radio can do the following:
Seek to stations broadcasting the selected type of
programming
Receive announcements concerning local and
national emergencies
Display messages from radio stations
Seek to stations with traffic announcements
This system relies upon receiving specic information
from these stations and will only work when the
information is available. In rare cases, a radio station
may broadcast incorrect information that will cause
the radio features to work improperly. If this happens,
contact the radio station.
While you are tuned to an RDS station, the station
name or the call letters will appear on the display,
instead of the frequency. RDS stations may also provide
the time of day, a program type (PTY) for current
programming, and the name of the program being
broadcast.
3-58

Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble)
AUDIO:Push and release AUDIO until BASS, MID, or
TREBLE appears on the display. Then turn the
AUDIO knob to increase or to decrease. If a station is
weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble.
To adjust bass, midrange or treble to the middle
position, select BASS, MID, or TREBLE. Then push and
hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear
a beep. BASS and a zero, MID and a zero or TREBLE
and a zero will appear on the display.
To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls
to the middle position, end out of audio mode by
waiting ve seconds without making any changes. Then
push and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds
until you hear a beep. ALL CENTERED will appear on
the display.
EQ (Equalizer):Press this button to choose bass, mid
and treble equalization settings designed for different
program types.
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)
AUDIO:To adjust the balance between the right
and the left speakers, push and release AUDIO until
BAL appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob
to move the sound toward the right or the left speakers.
A bar graph with indicators will show how the sound
is balanced.
To adjust the fade between the front and the rear
speakers, push and release AUDIO until FADE appears
on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob to move
the sound toward the front or the rear speakers. A bar
graph with indicators will show how the sound is
balanced.
To adjust balance or fade to the middle position, select
BAL or FADE. Then push and hold AUDIO for more
than two seconds until you hear a beep. The indicator
will be centered on the display.
To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls
to the middle position, end out of audio mode by
waiting ve seconds without making any changes. Then
press and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds
until you hear a beep. ALL CENTERED will appear on
the display.
3-65

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-6
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-9
Steering......................................................4-10
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-13
Passing.......................................................4-13
Loss of Control.............................................4-15
Driving at Night............................................4-16
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-17
City Driving..................................................4-20Freeway Driving...........................................4-21
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-22
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-24
Winter Driving..............................................4-25
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-30
Towing..........................................................4-31
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-31
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-32
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-33
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-39
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle back
and forth, you can destroy your transaxle. See
“Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out.”
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-72.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn the system off.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-9. Then
shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle. If that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your
Vehicle” following.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-6.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
4-31