sensor BUICK LESABRE 2004 Owner's Manual

In many crashes severe enough to inate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inate only once. After an
air bag inates, you’ll need some new parts for
your air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air
bag system won’t be there to help protect you
in another crash. A new system will include air bag
modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace
other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic frontal
sensor, which helps the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. Your vehicle is also equipped
with a crash sensing and diagnostic module,
which records information about the frontal air bag
system. The module records information about
the readiness of the system, when the system
commands air bag ination and driver’s safety belt
usage at deployment. The module also records
speed, engine rpm, brake and throttle data.
Let only qualied technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air
bag system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, or the air
bag covering on the driver’s and right front
passenger’s seatback, the bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s air bag, or both the air bag module
and seatback for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s side impact air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
1-55

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 briey to
ash-to-pass.
If the headlamps are off or on low beam, the high-beam
headlamps will turn on. They will 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 “Wiper Activated
Headlamps” underExterior Lamps on page 3-14.
OFF:Turn the band to OFF to turn the wipers off.
MIST:For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to MIST.
Hold it there until the wipers start, then let go. The
wipers will stop after one cycle. If you want more cycles,
hold the band on MIST longer.LO (Low Speed):Turn the band to LO for steady
wiping at a slow speed.
HI (High Speed):Turn the band to HI for steady wiping
at a high speed.
The wiper speed may be set for a long or short delay
between wipes. Turn the band to choose the delay time.
The closer to LO, the shorter the delay.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wiper motor. A
circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools.
Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload.
Keep in mind that damaged wiper blades may prevent
you from seeing well enough to drive safely. To
avoid damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the
wiper blades before using them. If your blades do
become damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Rainsense™ II Wipers
If your vehicle has this feature, the moisture sensor is
mounted on the interior of the windshield below the
rearview mirror and is used to automatically operate the
wipers. This system operates by monitoring the
amount of moisture build-up on the windshield. Wipes
occur as needed to clear the windshield depending
on the driving conditions and the sensitivity setting. In
light rain or snow, fewer wipes will occur. In heavy
rain or snow, wipes will occur more frequently.
3-9

The system will operate in the delay, low speed and
high speed modes. If the system is left on for long
periods of time, occasional wipes may occur without any
moisture on the windshield. This is normal and
indicates that the Rainsense™ system is active.
The Rainsense™ system is activated by turning the
wiper control band to one of the ve sensitivity levels
within the delay area. The delay position closest to
OFF/MIST is the lowest sensitivity setting, level one. The
highest sensitivity setting, level ve, is closest to the
LO position. A single wipe will occur each time you turn
the wiper control band to a higher sensitivity level to
indicate that the sensitivity level has been increased.
Notice:Going through an automatic car wash with
the wipers on can damage them. Turn the wipers
off when going through an automatic car wash.
The MIST and wash cycles operate as normal and are
not affected by the Rainsense™ function. The system
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 rain
sensor. Doing this could cause the rain sensor
to malfunction.Windshield Washer
At the top of the turn signal/multifunction lever, there is
a paddle with the word PUSH on it. To spray washer
uid on the windshield, push the paddle. The wipers will
clear the window and either stop or return to your
preset speed. For more washer cycles, push and hold
the paddle.
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer uid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
Ice build up can block washer nozzles. Remove ice for
proper operation.
SeeWindshield Washer Fluid on page 5-36for more
information.
3-10

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. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
rst sold in Canada.
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 is not covered.
The DRL system will make your high-beam headlamps
turn on at reduced brightness in daylight when the
following conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamp button for the headlamps is off.
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 will not be on.
When it is dark enough outside, your low-beam
headlamps will come on. The other lamps that turn on
with your headlamps will also turn on. When it is
bright enough outside, the regular lamps will go off, and
your high-beam headlamps change to the reduced
brightness of DRL.
To turn off all exterior lighting at night when you are
parked, turn off the headlamps and move the Twilight
Sentinel
®lever all the way toward OFF. The exterior
lamps will turn back on automatically when you move
the transaxle out of PARK (P).
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Cornering Lamps
If your vehicle has this feature, the cornering lamps
come on when the headlamps or parking lamps are on
and you signal a turn with the multifunction lever.
They provide more light for cornering.
3-15

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

Automatic Operation
AUTO (Automatic):Press the AUTO button for
automatic control of the inside temperature, the air
delivery mode and the fan speed.
1. Press the AUTO button.
2. Adjust the temperature to 75° F (24° C).
Choosing the coldest or warmest temperature
setting will not cause the system to heat or cool any
faster. If you set the system at the warmest
temperature setting, the system will remain in
manual mode at that temperature and it will not go
into automatic mode.
In cold weather, the system will start at reduced fan
speeds to avoid blowing cold air into your vehicle
until warmer air is available. The system will
start out blowing air at the oor but may change
modes automatically as the vehicle warms up
to maintain the chosen temperature setting. The
length of time needed for warm up will depend on
the outside temperature and the length of time
that has elapsed since your vehicle was last driven.
3. Wait for the system to regulate. This may take from
10 to 30 minutes. Then adjust the temperature, if
necessary.
Do not cover the solar sensor located in the center of
the instrument panel, near the windshield. For more
information on the solar sensor, see “Sensors” later in
this section.
Manual Operation
Pressing the FAN or AIR FLOW buttons cancels
automatic operation and places the system in manual
mode. Press the AUTO button to return to automatic
operation.
TEMP (Temperature):To manually adjust the
temperature inside the vehicle, push the TEMP arrow.
Push the TEMP up arrow for warmer temperature
settings and the TEMP down arrow for cooler
temperature settings. The setting will be shown on the
display. The display will return to the outside
temperature after a few seconds.
9FAN:Pressing the FAN button will display and hold
the current fan speed while in manual mode. If you
want the fan to run at a lower speed, push the down
arrow on the FAN button. If you want to increase the fan
speed, push the up arrow on the FAN button.
AIR FLOW:Pressing the AIR FLOW button will display
and hold the current setting while in manual mode.
3-27

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

Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for several seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for several seconds,
then ash for several more.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR BAG. The system checks
the air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic
module. For more information on the air bag system,
seeAir Bag Systems on page 1-47.This light will come on
when you start your
vehicle, and it will ash for
a few seconds. Then
the light should go out.
This means the system is
ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
vehicle or comes on when you are driving, your air
bag system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
{CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle, it means the air bag system
may not be working properly. The air bags in
your vehicle may not inate in a crash, or they
could even inate without a crash. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others, have your
vehicle serviced right away if the air bag
readiness light stays on after you start your
vehicle.
3-36

Fuses Usage
1 Not Used
2 Accessory
3 Windshield Wipers
4 Not Used
5 Left Low-Beam Headlamp
6 Right Low-Beam Headlamp
7 Instrument Panel
Fuses Usage
8 Powertrain Control Module Battery
9 Right High-Beam Headlamp
10 Left High-Beam Headlamp
11 Ignition 1
12 Not Used
13 Transaxle
14 Cruise Control
15 Direct Ignition System
16 Injector Bank #2
17 Not Used
18 Not Used
19 Powertrain Control Module Ignition
20 Oxygen Sensor
21 Injector Bank #1
22 Auxiliary Power
23 Cigarette Lighter
24 Fog Lamps/Daytime Running Lamps
25 Horn
26 Air Conditioner Clutch
5-93