cooling BUICK LESABRE 2005 Owner's Manual

To open a rear door when the security lock is on, do
the following:
1. Unlock the door.
2. Open the door from the outside.
If you do not cancel the security lock feature, adults or
older children who ride in the rear seat will not be
able to open the rear door from the inside. You should
let adults and older children know how these security
locks work, and how to cancel the locks.
To cancel the rear door lock, do the following:
1. Unlock and open the door from the outside.
2. Move the lever all the way to the unlock symbol.
3. Do the same for the other rear door.
The rear door locks will now work normally.
Lockout Protection
The power door locks will not work if the key is in the
ignition and a door is open. You can override this feature
by holding the driver’s side power door lock switch for
more than three seconds.
Trunk
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the trunk lid
open because carbon monoxide (CO) gas can
come into your vehicle. You cannot see or
smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness and
even death. If you must drive with the trunk lid
open or if electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass through the seal
between the body and the trunk lid:
Make sure all other windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed and select the
control setting that will force outside air
into your vehicle. See Climate Control
System in the Index.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
SeeEngine Exhaust on page 2-31.
2-14

Battery Load Management
The battery load management feature is designed to
monitor the vehicle’s electrical load and determine when
the battery is in a heavy discharge condition. During
times of high electrical loading, the engine may idle at a
higher RPM setting than normal to make sure the
battery charges. High electrical loads may occur when
several of the following are on: headlamps, high beams,
rear window defogger, fan at high speed, heated
seats (if equipped) and engine cooling fans.
If your vehicle’s battery remains in a heavy discharge
condition for a long period of time, the fan, rear
defogger, heated seats and heated mirrors will be
disabled and the DIC will display BATTERY SAVER
ACTIVE. This can happen either under long periods of
idling or low speed driving with high electrical loading,
or in the event of a charging system fault.
Inadvertent Power Battery Saver
This feature is designed to protect your vehicle’s battery
against drainage from the interior lamps, or garage
door opener. When the ignition is turned off, the power
to these features will automatically turn off after
10 minutes. Power will be restored for an additional
10 minutes if any door is opened, the trunk is opened or
the courtesy lamp switch is turned on.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{CAUTION:
If the HUD image is too bright, or too high in
your eld of view, it may take you more time to
see things you need to see when it is dark
outside. Be sure to keep the HUD image dim
and placed low in your eld of view.
If your vehicle has the Head-Up Display (HUD) feature,
you can see some of the driver information that
appears on your instrument panel cluster.
The information may be displayed in English or metric
units and appears as an image focused out toward
the front of your vehicle. The HUD consists of the
following information:
Speedometer Reading
Turn Signal Indicators
High-Beam Headlamp Indicator
Check Gages Message
3-20

Climate Controls
Climate Control System
With this system you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation for your vehicle.
TEMPERATURE:This lever is used to adjust the
temperature of the air coming through the system.
Moving the lever between COOL and WARM will change
the temperature of the air coming through your outlets.
9FAN:Move this lever to select the speed of
the fan. Moving the lever between LOW and HIGH will
decrease or increase the fan speed. The fan will be
off when the system is off.To change the current mode, select one of the following:
RECIRC (Recirculation):This mode keeps outside
air from coming in the vehicle. It can be used to prevent
outside air and odors from entering your vehicle or to
help heat or cool the air inside your vehicle more quickly.
Press this button to turn the recirculation mode on or
off. When the button is pressed, an indicator light
will come on. You cannot use RECIRC with FRONT
Defrost or BLEND.
VENT:This mode directs air to the instrument
panel outlets.
HTR (Heater):This mode directs most of the air to the
oor outlets with some air directed to the outboard
outlets (for the side windows) and some air directed to
the windshield.
BLEND:This mode splits the airow between the
windshield and the oor outlets. The air conditioning
compressor will be operating.
OFF:The ventilation system always allows fresh air to
ow through your vehicle when it is moving. The
system will try to keep the air at a previously chosen
temperature. When the system is off, the blower fan is
also off.
3-24

MAX (Maximum Air Conditioning):This mode directs
airow through the instrument panel outlets. The
amount of outside air entering your vehicle is limited.
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 RECIRC 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.
3-25

Dual Automatic Climate
Control System
With this system you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation for your vehicle.
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.
3-27

RECIRC (Recirculation):Press this button to limit the
amount of outside air coming into the vehicle. It can
be used to prevent outside air and odors from entering
your vehicle or to help heat or cool the air inside
your vehicle more quickly. Press this button to turn the
recirculation mode on or off. When the button is
pressed, an indicator light will come on. The recirculation
mode cannot be used with the FRONT defrost or
VENT modes.
On hot days, open the windows to let hot 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, press the AUTO
button and the system will automatically enter
recirculation mode and the temperature will be at the full
cold position for maximum cooling.
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.
1FRONT (Defrost):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.
3-29

Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all uid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system,
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down
to let your engine assist your brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
4-24

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear.
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store
the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle uid (don’t overll),
engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you nd them quickly. If you’re trailering,
it’s a good idea to review this information before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-26.
4-44

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-17
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-28
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-34
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-34
Brakes........................................................5-35Battery........................................................5-38
Jump Starting...............................................5-40
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-45
Headlamp Horizontal Aiming...........................5-46
Headlamp Vertical Aiming..............................5-47
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-48
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-48
Headlamps..................................................5-49
Front Turn Signal Lamps...............................5-50
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps............5-50
Taillamps and Back-Up Lamps.......................5-51
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-53
Tires..............................................................5-54
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-55
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-57
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-60
Check Tire Pressure System..........................5-62
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-63
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-64
Buying New Tires.........................................5-65
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-66
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-67
Wheel Replacement......................................5-67
Tire Chains..................................................5-68
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-89.
B. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-34.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-40.
D. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling System
on page 5-28.
E. Radiator Pressure Cap. SeeRadiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-26.
F. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
H. Engine Coolant Air Bleed Valve. See “How to Add
Coolant to the Radiator” underCooling System
on page 5-28.
I. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick. See “Checking
the Fluid Level” underAutomatic Transaxle Fluid
on page 5-21.
J. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-35.
K. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.Engine Oil
If the ENGINE OIL LOW
CHECK LEVEL DIC
message appears on the
instrument cluster, it
means you need to check
your engine oil level
right away. For more
information, seeDIC
Warnings and Messages
on page 3-50.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this,
the oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and check the level.
5-13