light BUICK PARK AVENUE 2004 Repair Manual

Perimeter Lighting
When the unlock button on the transmitter is pressed,
the DRL lamps (high-beams at reduced intensity),
parking lamps and back-up lamps will turn on, if it is
dark enough according to the Twilight Sentinel
®.
You can control activation of this feature by choosing
OFF or ON when the PERIMETER LIGHTS choice
is displayed on the DIC. Make your choice by pressing
the ENG/MET button and record your choice by
pressing the RESET button.
If you want to choose PERIMETER LIGHTS ON, you
must also choose LIGHTS for UNLOCK FEEDBACK
while making the security feedback choices.
For more information on this feature, see “Perimeter
Lighting” underExterior Lamps on page 3-12.
Memory Seat Recall
This feature recalls the position of your seat. When this
feature is active, the memory seat and mirror positions
will be recalled for the identied driver when the remote
keyless entry transmitter is used to enter the vehicle.
You can program this feature to be active by choosing
ON when the SEAT RECALL choice appears, or
inactive by choosing OFF when the SEAT RECALL
choice appears on the DIC.
You can also program this feature to recall your
memory seat position or the exit seat position.
Memory Position: Choose ON when the SEAT
RECALL choice appears, and then choose
MEMORY when the RECALL POSITION choice
appears.
Exit Position: Choose ON when the SEAT RECALL
choice appears, then choose EXIT when the
RECALL POSITION choice appears and your seat
will move to the stored exit position. The seat will
also move when you enter the vehicle after unlocking
it with a remote keyless entry transmitter. This will
allow for easy entry as well.
For more information on this feature, seeMemory Seat
and Mirrors on page 2-51.
3-56

Setting the Time
Press the HRS knob lightly so it extends. Turn the knob
until the correct hour appears on the display. Press
the MIN knob lightly so it extends. Turn the knob until
the correct minute appears on the display.
Return these knobs to their stored positions when you
are not using them.
You may set the time with the ignition off if you press
RECALL rst and follow the same procedure described
above.
Radio with Cassette
Playing the Radio
ON/OFF:Push this knob to turn the system on and off.
VOLUME:Turn this knob to increase or to decrease
the volume.
RECALL:Press this button to switch the display
between the radio station frequency and the time.
Pressing this button with the ignition is off, will display
the time.
3-58

Setting Preset Stations
The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your
favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six FM1,
six FM2, and six AM) by performing the following steps:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press AM-FM to select FM1, FM2, or AM.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press TONE to select the equalization.
5. Press and hold one of the six numbered
pushbuttons. The sound will mute. When the sound
returns, release the pushbutton. Whenever you
press that numbered pushbutton, the station you set
will return and the equalization you selected will
be automatically stored for that pushbutton.
6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble)
BASS:Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob to increase or to decrease bass.
TREB (Treble):Press this knob lightly so it extends.
Turn the knob to increase or to decrease treble.
If a station is weak or noisy, you may want to decrease
the treble.
Return these knobs to their stored positions when you
are not using them.
TONE:Press this button to select customized
equalization settings designed for country/western,
jazz, talk, pop, and classical.
To return the bass and treble to the manual mode,
press TONE until MANUAL appears on the display or
press and release the BASS or TREB knob and
turn it until the display goes blank. See “Setting Preset
Stations” listed previously to program the auto tone
feature.
3-60

Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)
BAL (Balance):Press this knob lightly so it extends.
Turn the knob to move the sound toward the left or the
right speakers. The middle position balances the
sound between the speakers.
FADE:Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob to move the sound toward the front or the rear
speakers. The middle position balances the sound
between the speakers.
Return these knobs to their stored positions when you
are not using them.
Playing a Cassette Tape
Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that
are up to 30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes
longer than that are so thin they may not work well
in this player. The longer side with the tape visible
should face to the right. If the ignition is on and the radio
is off, the tape can be inserted and will begin playing.
If you hear nothing but a garbled sound, the tape
may not be in squarely. Press EJECT to remove the
tape and start over.While the tape is playing, use the VOLUME, SEEK,
FADE, BAL, BASS, and TREB controls just as you do
for the radio. The display will show an arrow to show
which side of the tape is playing.
The tape player automatically begins playing the other
side when it reaches the end of the tape.
If you want to insert a tape while the ignition or radio is
off, rst press EJECT or RECALL. Cassette tape
adapter kits for portable compact disc players will work
in your cassette tape player.
Your tape bias is set automatically when a metal or
chrome tape is inserted.
If an error appears on the display, see “Cassette Tape
Messages” later in this section.
1 PREV (Previous):Press this pushbutton to search
for the previous selection on the tape. Your tape
must have at least three seconds of silence between
each selection for previous to work.
2 NEXT:Press this pushbutton to search for the next
selection on the tape. Your tape must have at least
three seconds of silence between each selection for
next to work.
3-61

Setting Preset Stations
The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your
favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six FM1,
six FM2, and six AM) by performing the following steps:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press AM-FM to select FM1, FM2, or AM.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press TONE to select the equalization.
5. Press and hold one of the six numbered
pushbuttons. The sound will mute. When the sound
returns, release the pushbutton. Whenever you
press that numbered pushbutton, the station you set
will return and the equalization you selected will
be automatically stored for that pushbutton.
6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble)
BASS:Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob to increase or to decrease bass.
TREB (Treble):Press this knob lightly so it extends.
Turn the knob to increase or to decrease treble.
If a station is weak or noisy, you may want to decrease
the treble.
Return these knobs to their stored positions when you
are not using them.
TONE:Press this button to select customized
equalization settings designed for country/western,
jazz, talk, pop, and classical.
To return the bass and treble to the manual mode,
press TONE until MANUAL appears on the display or
press and release the BASS or TREB knob and
turn it until the display goes blank. See “Setting Preset
Stations” listed previously to program the auto tone
feature.
3-65

Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)
BAL (Balance):Press this knob lightly so it extends.
Turn the knob to move the sound toward the left or the
right speakers. The middle position balances the
sound between the speakers.
FADE:Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob to move the sound toward the front or the rear
speakers. The middle position balances the sound
between the speakers.
Return these knobs to their stored positions when you
are not using them.
Playing a Cassette Tape
Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are
up to 30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes
longer than that are so thin they may not work well in
this player. The longer side with the tape visible should
face to the right. If the ignition is on and the radio is
off, the tape can be inserted and will begin playing. If
you hear nothing but a garbled sound, the tape may not
be in squarely. Press EJECT to remove the tape and
start over.While the tape is playing, use the VOLUME, SEEK,
FADE, BAL, BASS, and TREB controls just as you do
for the radio. The display will show an arrow to show
which side of the tape is playing.
The tape player automatically begins playing the other
side when it reaches the end of the tape.
If you want to insert a tape while the ignition or radio is
off, rst press EJECT or RECALL. Cassette tape
adapter kits for portable CD players will work in your
cassette tape player.
Your tape bias is set automatically when a metal or
chrome tape is inserted.
If an error appears on the display, see “Cassette Tape
Messages” later in this section.
1 PREV (Previous):Press this pushbutton to search
for the previous selection on the tape. Your tape
must have at least three seconds of silence between
each selection for previous to work.
2 NEXT:Press this pushbutton to search for the next
selection on the tape. Your tape must have at least
three seconds of silence between each selection for
next to work.
3-66

Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes, or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight, and
extreme heat. If they are not, they may not operate
properly or may cause failure of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to
indicate that you have used your tape player for
50 hours without resetting the tape clean timer. If CLN
appears on the display, your cassette tape player needs
to be cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should
clean it as soon as possible to prevent damage to your
tapes and player. If you notice a reduction in sound
quality, try a known good cassette to see if the tape or
the tape player is at fault. If this other cassette has
no improvement in sound quality, clean the tape player.
For best results, use a scrubbing action, non-abrasive
cleaning cassette with pads which scrub the tape
head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn.
The recommended cleaning cassette is available
through your dealer.The cut tape detection feature of your cassette tape
player may identify the cleaning cassette as a damaged
tape, in error. If the cleaning cassette ejects, insert
the cassette at least three times to ensure thorough
cleaning.
You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to
clean the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will
not eject on its own. A non-scrubbing action cleaner
may not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type
cleaner. The use of a non-scrubbing action, dry-type
cleaning cassette is not recommended.
After you clean the player, press and hold the EJECT
button for ve seconds to reset the CLN indicator.
The radio will display --- to show the indicator was reset.
Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality
may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette
tape is in good condition before you have your tape
player serviced.
3-79

Care of Your CDs
Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct
sunlight and dust. If the surface of a CD is soiled,
dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent
solution and clean it, wiping from the center to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the side without writing when
handling CDs. Pick up CDs by grasping the outer edges
or the edge of the hole and the outer edge.
Care of Your CD Player
The use of CD lens cleaners for CDs is not advised,
due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics
with lubricants internal to the CD mechanism.
Heated Backlite Antenna
Your AM-FM antenna is integrated with your rear
window defogger, located in the rear window. Be sure
that the inside surface of the rear window is not
scratched and that the lines on the glass are not
damaged. If the inside surface is damaged, it could
interfere with radio reception.Notice:Do not apply aftermarket glass tinting with
metallic lm. The metallic lm in some tinting
materials will interfere with or distort the incoming
radio reception. Any damage caused to your
backglass antenna due to metallic tinting materials
will not be covered by your warranty.
Notice:Using a razor blade or sharp object to
clear the inside rear window may damage the rear
window antenna and/or the rear window defogger.
Repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not clear the inside rear window with sharp
objects.
If, when you turn on your rear window defogger, you
hear static on your radio station, it could mean that
a defogger grid line has been damaged. If this is true,
the grid line must be repaired.
If you choose to add a cellular telephone to your
vehicle, and the antenna needs to be attached to the
glass, be sure that you do not damage the grid lines for
the AM-FM antenna. Be sure the antenna does not
touch a grid line.
3-80

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself.
You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay on. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light on page 3-39. United States
Canada
4-7

Remember: Anti-lock does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply
your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system works the front brakes and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. See “Cruise Control” under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-5.
4-9