engine BUICK PARK AVENUE 1993 Workshop Manual

Page 211 of 340

@ Part 5 Problems on the Road
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Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road .
Part 5 includes:
Hazard Warning Flashers
............................................................ 210
OtherWarningDevices
............................................................. 211
“Jump”Starting
.................................................................... 212
TowingYourBuick
................................................................ 217
Engineoverheating
................................................................ 221
IfaTireGoesFlat
................................................................. 228
ChangingaFlatTire
................................................................ 229
CompactSpareTire
................................................................ 237
If You’re Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow .............................................. 239
209
...... c-~ ~
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I
A CAUTION:
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transaxle
in “P” (Park) or a manual
transaxle
in “N” (Neutral).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
lights that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. And it could
save your radio!
A CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing anA
tools away from any underhood
electric fan
1 NOTICE:
3
If you leave your ram0 or ’t could be baaly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered b)
your warranty.
Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on eact
battery.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
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A CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enoug,h water. You don’t
need to add water to the Delco Freedom@ battery
installed in’ every new GM vehicle. But if a battery
has filler caps,
be sure the right amount of fluid
is there. If it is low, add water to’ take care of that
first
If you don’tt, explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get
it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and
get medical help immediately.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
th.ings
you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive
(+) a~d mgative (-) will go to negative (-) or a
metal engine part. Don’t connect
(+) to (-) or you’ll
get a short that would damage the battery and maybe
other parts,
too.

A CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.
214
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Page 217 of 340

6. Connect the red
positive
(+) cable to
the positive (+)
terminal of the
vehicle with the
dead battery. Use a
remote positive
(+)
terminal if the
vehicle has one.
7. Don’t let the other
end touch metal.
Connect
it to the
positive (+)
terminal of the
good battery. Use a
remote positive
(+)
terminal if the
vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the
black negative
(-)
cable to the good
battery’s negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anything until the next
step. The other end
of the negative cable doesn’t go
to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy unpainted
metal part on the engine
of the vehicle with the dead
battery.
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Page 218 of 340

c
9. Attach the cable at
least
18 inches (45
cm) away from the
dead battery, but
not near engine
parts that move.
The elecbical connection is just as
good there, but the
chance of sparks
getting back to the
battery is much
less.
12. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don't touch
each other or any other metal.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
.
11. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won't
start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
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Page 223 of 340

Engine Overheating
You will find the warning light about a hot engine on
your Buick instrument panel and if you have the
optional gage cluster,
a coolant temperature gage.
You will also find a low coolant warning light
on your
Buick instrument panel.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine:
A CAUTION:
- _earn from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even
if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming
.. -m it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there
is no sign of steam or coolant before
opening the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in
it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine
if it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
sngine is cool.
- -
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine:
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little
too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
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Page 224 of 340

If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to “N” (Neutral).
If
you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just
to be safe, drive slower for about ten minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then, if
you still have the
warning, TURN
OFF THE ENGINE AND GET
EVERYONE OUT
OF THE VEHICLE until it cools
down. You
may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
e
w . ._
,
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
Coolant recovery tank
* Radiator pressure cap
Electric engine fans
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I A CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine
is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down.
. .” P
The coolant level should be at or above “FULL COLD.”
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump
or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
I I
A CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine
if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I
Engine damage? Il’onl I mning bUrlr engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warrbllr
If there seems to be no leak, check to see if the electric
engine fans are running. If the engine
is overheating,
both fans should be running. If they aren’t, your vehicle
needs service.
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Page 226 of 340

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery
Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level In cold weather, water can free
isn’t at or above “FULL COLD,” add a 50/50 mixture
of clean water (preferably distilled) and the proper
antifreeze at the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine
Coolant’’ in the Index for more information about the
proper coolant mix.)
I A CAUTION:
I Adding plain water to your cooling system can
be dangerous. Plain water, or some other liquid
like alcohol, can boll befare the proper coolant
mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning system
is set for the groper coolant mix. With plain water
.of the wrung mix, your engine could get too hot
but you wouldn’t get the overheat warning. Your
engine could catch fire and you or others could
be burned. Use a 50/50 mix of Glean water and a
proper antifreeze.
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Page 227 of 340

A CAUTION: A CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill cootant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at or
above
“FULL COLD,” start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try.
You can add the proper coolant mix
directly
to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before
you do it.
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the radiator
pressure cap
-- even a little -- they can come out
at high speed. Never turn the pressure cap when
e cooling system, including the radiator
pressure cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system
and radiator pressure cap to cool
if you ever
have
to turn the pressure cap.
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