lock BUICK PARK AVENUE 2000 Owner's Manual

Free lockout assistance
Free dead-battery assistance
Free out-of-fuel assistance
Free flat-tire change
Emergency towing
1-800-252-1112
(For vehicles purchased in Canada,
call
1-800-268-6800)
that provides in an emergency:
1-800-252-1112
(For vehicles purchased in Canada,
call
1-800-268-6800)
Bumper-to-Bumper
3-years/36,000 miles (60 000 km)
Limited Warranty
Courtesy
Transportation

Every
2000
Park Avenue
under warranty is
backed with the
following
services:

Table of Contents
Keys and Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry System
Trunk Release
Automatic Transmission
Parking Brake
Windows
Tilt Wheel
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
Windshield Wipers
Cruise Control
Interior and Exterior LampsMirrors
Storage Compartments
Convenience Net
Auxiliary Power Outlets
OnStar® System (If Equipped)
Sunroof (Option)
HomeLink® Transmitter (If Equipped)
Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages
Head-Up Display (If Equipped)
Driver Information Center (If Equipped)
Personal Choice Features Seats and Seat Controls
Safety BeltsAir Bag Systems
Child Restraints
Section
1
Section
2
Seats and Restraint Systems
Features and Controls

Section
3
Section
4
Section
5
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Control of a Vehicle
Braking
SteeringDriving Tips for Various Road Conditions
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer Heating and Air Conditioning
Setting the Radio Clock
Radio/Cassette Player/CD PlayerRadio Theft-Deterrent Feature
Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your VehicleEngine Overheating
Changing a Flat Tire
If You're Stuck
Problems on the Road
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
Your Driving and the Road

ix
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
CAUTION
POSSIBLE
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
ACID COULD
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR
FLAME
COULD
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
AIR BAG
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
MASTER
LIGHTING
SWITCH
TURN
SIGNALS
PARKING
LAMPS
HAZARD
WARNING
FLASHER
DAYTIME
RUNNING
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
WASHER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
REAR
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
COOLANT
TEMP
BATTERY
CHARGING
SYSTEM
BRAKE
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
HORN
SPEAKER
FUEL
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

1-4
To save your seat and mirror positions into memory,
use the following procedure:
1. You must first turn on the SEAT RECALL feature on
the Driver Information Center (DIC). See ªPersonal
Choice Features, Memory Seat Recallº in the Index
for instructions.
2. Synchronize the transmitter with the appropriate
MEMORY button.
This can be accomplished by pressing the button
with the unlock symbol on the transmitter with the
ignition in RUN. The DRIVER # will be displayed
on the DIC.
3. Adjust the driver's seat and lumbar position (if
equipped) to a safe and comfortable driving position.
Adjust both outside mirrors to suit you. See ªOutside
Mirrorsº in the Index.
4. Press and hold the MEMORY button (1 or 2)
corresponding with your DRIVER # displayed on the
DIC for longer than three seconds. You will hear two
beeps confirming that the seat and mirror positions
have been entered into memory.To set the seat and mirror positions for a second driver,
follow the previous steps, but start by pressing the
button with the unlock symbol on the transmitter that
displays the other DRIVER # on the DIC. Be sure to use
the MEMORY button (1 or 2) which corresponds to the
DRIVER # identified by the second transmitter.
To store the exit position for an easy exit, use the
following procedure:
1. Adjust the driver's seat to the desired exit position.
2. Press and hold the EXIT button for longer than three
seconds. You will here two beeps confirming that the
seat exit position has been entered into memory.
To recall your memory positions, your vehicle must be
in PARK (P). Push and release the MEMORY button
(1 or 2) or the appropriate keyless entry transmitter
corresponding to the desired driving position. The seat
and mirrors will move to the position previously stored
for the identified driver. You will hear one beep.
To recall the exit position, your vehicle must be in
PARK (P). Push and release the EXIT button and the
seat will move to the exit position previously stored for
the current identified driver. You will hear one beep.
If an exit position has not been stored for the current
identified driver, the seat will move all the way back.

1-7 Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
On some models, the head restraints tilt forward and
rearward also.
Adjust the head restraint by grasping the top of the
restraint and moving it forward or rearward until it is in
the desired position.
The rear seat head restraints in your vehicle are
adjustable. Slide an adjustable head restraint up or down
so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of
your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck
injury in a crash.
On some models, the head restraints tilt forward and
rearward also.
There are three different positions for the rear seat head
restraints. Adjust a rear head restraint by grasping the
top of the restraint and moving it forward the way you
want it to go until you hear a click. It will then be locked
into position until you need to move it again. Pulling it
forward past the last position will allow the head
restraint to return to its full rear position.
Safety Belts: They're for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the air bag system.
CAUTION:
Don't let anyone ride where he or she can't wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you're not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers' belts
are fastened properly too.

1-13
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different rules
for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, see the part of this manual
called ªChildren.º Follow those rules for
everyone's protection.
First, you'll want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We'll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver's restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here's how to wear
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see ªSeatsº in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don't let it get twisted.
The lap
-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.

1-14
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt isn't long enough, see ªSafety Belt
Extenderº at the end of this section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on
the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies
force to the strong pelvic bones. And you'd be less likely
to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt
would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go
over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the
body are best able to take belt restraining forces.
The safety belt locks if there's a sudden stop or crash, or
if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt height
adjuster to the height that is right for you.
Using the power seat control, raise or lower the shoulder
belt height adjuster by pushing the vertical control up
or down.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the
belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be
away from your face and neck, but not falling off
your shoulder.

1-20
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it's more
likely that the fetus won't be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger's
safety belt properly, see ªDriver Positionº earlier in
this section.
The right front passenger's safety belt works the same
way as the driver's safety belt
-- except for one thing.
If you ever pull the lap portion of the belt out all the
way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature.
If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and
start again.
If your vehicle has a center passenger position,
be sure to use the correct buckle when buckling your
lap
-shoulder belt. If you find that the latch plate will not
go fully into the buckle, see if you are using the buckle
for the center passenger position.
Air Bag Systems
This part explains the frontal and side impact air
bag systems.
Your vehicle has four air bags
-- a frontal air bag for
the driver, another frontal air bag for the right front
passenger, a side impact air bag for the driver, and
another side impact air bag for the right front passenger.
Frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of
injury from the force of an inflating frontal air bag. But
these air bags must inflate very quickly to do their job
and comply with federal regulations.

1-25
CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person. The path
of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don't
put anything between an occupant and an air
bag, and don't attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering and don't let seat covers block the
inflation path of a side impact air bag.
When should an air bag inflate?
The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags
are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or
near
-frontal crashes. The frontal air bags are designed to
inflate only if the impact speed is above the system's
designed ªthreshold level.º If your vehicle goes straight
into a wall that doesn't move or deform, the threshold
level is about 9 to 15 mph (14 to 24 km/h). The
threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle
design, so that it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your vehicle strikes something that will move
or deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will
be higher. The driver's and right front passenger's
frontal air bags are not designed to inflate in rollovers,
side impacts, or rear impacts, because inflation would
not help the occupant.
The side impact air bags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe side crashes involving a front door.
A side impact air bag will inflate if the crash severity is
above the system's designed ªthreshold level.º The
threshold level can vary with specific vehicle design.
Side impact air bags are not designed to inflate in frontal
or near
-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts,
because inflation would not help the occupant. A side
impact air bag will only deploy on the side of the
vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For
frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle of
the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down in
frontal and near
-frontal impacts. For side impact air
bags, inflation is determined by the location and severity
of the impact.