BUICK PARK AVENUE 1996 Owners Manual

Page 231 of 388

Horn )., Add CL=-~=- to the Radiator
1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure cap
and upper radiator hose, is no longer hot. Turn the
pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until it first
stops. (Don’t press down while turning the
pressure cap.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there
is still some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push
down as
you turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
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Page 232 of 388

I
3. Fill the radiator with the proper mix, up to tffe base
of the filler neck. 4. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the FULL
5. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
COLD mark.
leave the radiator pressure cap
off.
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Page 233 of 388

6. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine fans.
7. By this time the coolant level inside the radiator
filler neck may be lower.
If the level is lower, add
more of the proper mix through the filler neck until
the level reaches the base
of the filler neck.
8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins to
flow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows
on the pressure cap line up like this.
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Page 234 of 388

If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if
you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But
if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what
to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d
use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to
go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop -- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
Changing
a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people.
You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire
on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
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Page 235 of 388

Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you’ll need is in the trunk.
The following steps will tell you how touse the jack and
change a tire. Lift the carpeting
from the floor of the trunk.
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Page 236 of 388

Turn the center retainer bolt on the spare tire cover
counterclockwise to remove
it, then lift the tire cover.
Remove the spare tire from the trunk. See “Compact
Spare Tire” later in this section for more information
about the compact spare.
Remove the jack hold-down
screw, then remove the jack.
1
The tools you’ll be using include the jack (A) and the
wheel wrench
(B).
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Page 237 of 388

Wheel Covers
The following steps are necessary only if you have wire
wheel covers:
1. Remove the special key
wrench that's attached to
the trunk sidewall.
2. Using the handle
.of the special key
wrench,
pry off
the center emblem
cover to reveal the
theft-deterrent wheel nut.
3. Push the end. of
the special key
wrench onto the
theft-deteq-ent
wheel nut and'twist
it counterclockwise
to remove the nut.
,.
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Page 238 of 388

4. Do not pry the wheel cover off. Remove the wheel
cover by hand. Note: When replacing the wheel
cover, carefully line up the tire valve stem and the
notch in the wheel cover.
The following steps are necessary if you have the alloy
(aluminum) wheel with
a center cover that conceals the
wheel nuts.
2. If your vehicle has
this aluminum
wheel,
you may
have plastic wheel
nut caps. Use the wheel nut wrench
to remove the
wheel
nut caps
and
to loosen the
wheel nuts.
3. When reinstalling the decorative nut caps, tighten the
caps snugly with the wheel wrench, then continue
one-eighth rotation for steel caps and one-quarter
rotation for plastic caps.
4. When replacing the cover after the wheel is put back
on the vehicle, do
not use a hammer or mallet to
install the cover.
1. Insert the flat end of the wheel wrench in the
notch and pry
off the center cover. Do not drop
the cover
or lay it face down, as it could be scratched
or damaged.
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Page 239 of 388

Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire
1. Use the wheel wrench to loosen the wheel nuts, but
don’t remove them yet.
2. The jack has a bolt at the
end. Attach the wheel
wrench to the jack bolt.
3. Rotate the wheel wrench clockwise (to the right) to
raise the jack head a few inches.
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Page 240 of 388

4. Near each wheel well is a notch in the frame to put
the jack head into. The front notch
is 10 inches
(25 cm) back from the front wheel well. The rear
notch is
8 inches (20 cm) forward from the rear
wheel well.
5. .Position the jack and raise the jack head until it fits
firmly on the ridge in the vehicle’s frame nearest the
flat tire.
Do not raise the vehicle yet. Put the compact
spare tire near
you.
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous.
If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured
or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
_I
NOTICE:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned will damage the vehicle
or may allow
the vehicle to fall off the jack. Be sure to fit the
jack lift head into the proper location before
raising your vehicle.
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