ABS BUICK PARK AVENUE 2005 Owner's Manual

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-9
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-9
Steering......................................................4-10
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-12
Passing.......................................................4-13
Loss of Control.............................................4-14
Driving at Night............................................4-16
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-17City Driving..................................................4-20
Freeway Driving...........................................4-21
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-22
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-23
Winter Driving..............................................4-25
If You Are Stuck: In Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow......................................4-29
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-30
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-30
Towing..........................................................4-35
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-35
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-35
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-37
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

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 and 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 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.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
4-7

A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the traction control system, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid. If you do not have
traction control, or if the system is off, then an
acceleration skid is also best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
If you have Stabilitrak
®, you may see the STABILITY
SYSTEM ACTIVE message on the Driver Information
Center. See “Stability System Active Message”
underDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-49.Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you
will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow
on the road to make a mirrored surface — and
slow down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
4-15

Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have the anti-lock braking system, you
will want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-7.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne
until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On
an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach:
around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or
an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding
roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead
of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you are actually on the ice, and avoid
sudden steering maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are
some things to do to summon help and keep yourself
and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
4-27

When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It
is important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Your vehicle has bulb warning lights. When you plug a
trailer lighting system into your vehicle’s lighting
system, its bulb warning lights may not let you know if
one of your lamps goes out. So, when you have a trailer
lighting system plugged in, be sure to check your
vehicle and trailer lamps from time to time to be sure
they are all working. Once you disconnect the trailer
lamps, the bulb warning lights again can tell you if one
of your vehicle lamps is out.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforeyou start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you do not shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift to THIRD (3) and reduce
your speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce
the possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here is
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but do not shift into
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks behind the
trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
4-42

Fuses Usage
SBM Interior Lamps
PDM PDM Module
A/C HVAC Motor, HVAC Mix Motors
IGN SENAuto Dimming Mirror, Driver HTS
Seat, Rear Defog Relay, MEM
Module, Cool LVL Sensor,
Passenger Heated Seat
ELCHVAC Flat Pk Mtrs, Electronic Level
Control Sensor, Electronic Level
Control Sensor (Rear Fuse Block)
Fuses Usage
ABS Anti-Lock Brake System Module
HVACHVAC Main Con Head,
HVAC Programmer, Instrument
Panel Cluster
CR CONT Stepper Motor Cruise, Cruise Switch
HUDHead-Up Display Switch,
Head-Up Display
CSTR/SBMHVAC Programmer, Instrument
Panel Cluster, SBM (275 to LCM)
(1135 to BTSI SL)
LP PK LUnderhood Lamp, Left
Park/Sidemarker, Left Park/Turn
Lamp, SBM, Left Tail Signal
Lamp, Left Tail/Stoplamp, Left
Rear Sidemarker
LP PK RRight Park/Sidemarker Lamp, Right
Park/Turn Lamp, Right Tail/Sign
Lamp, Right Tail/Stoplamp, Right
Rear Sidemarker, Stop/Taillamp,
Tail/Signal Lamp, License
Lamp, RFA
RUN Run/Accessory
WSW Wiper Motor
Blank Not Used
WSW/RFA Wiper Switch, RFA, Rain Sense
B/U LPAuto Dimming Mirror,
Back-Up Lamps
5-93

Fuses Usage
11 Spare
12 Injectors #1-6
13 C-31
14 Right High Beam
15 Spare
16 Left High Beam
17 Spare
18 Right Low Beam
19 Left Low Beam
20 Stop
21 Fuel Pump Relay (Wire in BEC)
22 Run/Crank
23 Powertrain Control Module
24 Parking Lamps
25 Hazard Flashers
26 Spare
27 Spare
28 ABS #2
Relays Usage
29 Ignition
30 Horn
31 Cooling Fan 1
Relays Usage
32 Starter
33 Not Used
34 Cooling Fan SP
35 Cooling Fan 2
36 Air Conditioning Clutch
37 Fuel Pump
Fuses Usage
38 Bat #1
39 Blower Motor
40 Cooling Fan 1
41 Headlamp
42 BAT #2
43 Ignition
44 Starter
45 ABS
46 Fuse Puller
5-96

A
Accessory Power Outlets.................................3-24
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-5
Add-On Electrical Equipment............................5-91
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-19
Air Conditioning..............................................3-25
Airbag
Readiness Light..........................................3-36
Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM)...... 7-9
Airbag System................................................1-49
How Does an Airbag Restrain?......................1-55
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle..........1-57
What Makes an Airbag Inate?......................1-55
What Will You See After an Airbag Inates?....1-55
When Should an Airbag Inate?....................1-53
Where Are the Airbags?...............................1-51
Antenna, Heated Backlite.................................3-74
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)........................... 4-7
Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light..............3-39
Appearance Care............................................5-82
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels..............5-88
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-86
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-89
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses....................5-87
Fabric/Carpet..............................................5-83
Finish Care.................................................5-87Appearance Care (cont.)
Finish Damage............................................5-89
Glass Surfaces............................................5-86
Instrument Panel.........................................5-85
Interior Plastic Components...........................5-85
Leather......................................................5-85
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-89
Speaker Covers..........................................5-86
Tires..........................................................5-88
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-89
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-90
Vinyl..........................................................5-85
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-87
Weatherstrips..............................................5-86
Windshield and Wiper Blades........................5-88
Ashtrays........................................................3-25
Audio System(s).............................................3-55
Audio Steering Wheel Controls......................3-72
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player................3-73
Care of Your CD Player...............................3-74
Care of Your CDs........................................3-74
Heated Backlite Antenna...............................3-74
Personal Choice Radio Controls....................3-69
Radio with Cassette.....................................3-56
Radio with Cassette and CD.........................3-60
Setting the Time..........................................3-55
Theft-Deterrent Feature................................3-70
1

Audio System(s) (cont.)
Trunk-Mounted CD Changer..........................3-66
Understanding Radio Reception.....................3-72
Automatic Transaxle
Fluid..........................................................5-22
Operation...................................................2-26
B
Battery..........................................................5-40
Run-Down Protection...................................3-19
Battery Warning Light......................................3-37
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.........................4-22
Brake
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)........................ 4-7
Emergencies................................................ 4-9
Parking......................................................2-29
System Inspection.......................................6-24
System Warning Light..................................3-38
Brakes..........................................................5-37
Braking........................................................... 4-6
Braking in Emergencies..................................... 4-9
Break-In, New Vehicle.....................................2-22
Bulb Replacement...........................................5-47
Front Turn Signal Lamps..............................5-50
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-47
Headlamp Aiming........................................5-45
Headlamps.................................................5-47Bulb Replacement (cont.)
Rear Quarter Panel Turn Signal and
Stoplamps...............................................5-54
Rear Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-Up Lamps.......................................5-50
Replacement Bulbs......................................5-56
Buying New Tires...........................................5-68C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-5
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Capacities and Specications..........................5-100
Carbon Monoxide...................2-14, 2-32, 4-25, 4-37
Care of
Safety Belts................................................5-86
Your Cassette Tape Player............................3-73
Your CD Player...........................................3-74
Your CDs ...................................................3-74
CD Changer, Trunk-Mounted............................3-66
Center Console Storage Area...........................2-46
Center Passenger Position, Safety Belts.............1-19
Chains, Tire...................................................5-72
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-40
Tire Pressure System...................................5-65
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-10
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-89
2