cooling BUICK RAINIER 2004 Owner's Manual

Liftgate/Liftglass
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the liftgate or
liftglass open because carbon monoxide (CO)
gas can come into your vehicle. You can not
see or smell CO. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death. If you must
drive with the liftgate open or if electrical
wiring or other cable connections must pass
through the seal between the body and the
liftgate or liftglass:
Make sure all other windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed and select the
control setting that will force outside air
into your vehicle. See Climate Control
System in the Index.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
SeeEngine Exhaust on page 2-29.
Liftgate Release
To unlock the liftgate, you may use the power door
locks or the keyless entry system described earlier.
On some vehicles the liftglass will also unlock when the
liftgate is unlocked. Press the pushbutton on the
liftglass to open it.
To open the entire liftgate, lift the handle located in the
center of the liftgate. If you open the liftgate, the
liftgate module will lock the liftglass after a one to two
second delay.
Emergency Release for Opening
Liftgate
1. Remove the trim plug to expose the access hole in
the trim panel. The access hole is located on the
inside of the liftgate.
2. Use a tool to reach through the access hole in the
trim panel.
3. Pry the left release lever up to the unlock position.
Pry the right release lever up to unlatch the liftgate.
4. Reattach the trim plug.
2-14

Climate Controls
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System
With this system you can control the heating, cooling and
ventilation for your vehicle. When your vehicle is rst
started and the climate control system is on, or if the
climate control system has been turned on, the display
will show the driver’s temperature setting for ve
seconds. Then it will show the outside temperature.OFF:Press this button to turn off the entire climate
control system. Outside air will still enter the vehicle,
and will be directed to the oor. Press the AUTO button,
the mode button, the fan arrows, or either temperature
knob to turn the system on.
MODE:Press this button to manually select the air
delivery mode to the oor, instrument panel, or windshield
outlets. The system will stay in the selected mode until
the mode button is pressed again or the AUTO button
is pressed.
Driver’s Side Temperature Knob:Turn this knob
clockwise or counterclockwise to manually raise or lower
the temperature on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
The display will show the temperature setting decreasing
or increasing and the word DRIVER will appear on
the display. This knob can also adjust the passenger’s
side temperature setting simultaneously if the two
zones are linked. The words DRIVER and PASS will
then appear on the display.
3-20

Passenger’s Side Temperature Knob:Turn this knob
clockwise or counterclockwise to manually raise or lower
the temperature on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
The display will show the temperature setting decreasing
or increasing and the word PASS will appear on the
display. The passenger’s temperature setting can be set
to match and link to the driver’s temperature setting by
pressing and holding the AUTO button for three seconds.
Now, by adjusting the driver’s side temperature setting,
the passenger’s side temperature setting will follow and
both DRIVER and PASS will appear on the display.
The passenger’s side temperature setting also resets
and relinks to the driver’s side temperature setting if the
vehicle has been off for more than two hours.
Automatic Operation
AUTO (Automatic):When automatic operation is
active, the system will control the inside temperature,
the air delivery mode, and the fan speed.Use the steps below to place the entire system in
automatic mode:
1. Press the AUTO button.
When AUTO is selected, the air conditioning
operation and air inlet mode will be automatically
controlled. The air conditioning compressor will run
when the outside temperature is over approximately
40°F (4°C). The air inlet will normally be set to
outside air. If it’s hot outside, the air inlet will
automatically switch to recirculate inside air to
help quickly cool down your vehicle.
2. Set the driver’s and passenger’s temperature.
To nd your comfort setting, start with a 72°F (22°C)
temperature setting and allow about 20 minutes
for the system to regulate. Turn the driver’s or
passenger’s side temperature knob to adjust the
temperature setting as necessary. If you choose the
temperature setting of 60°F (15°C), the system
will remain at the maximum cooling setting. If you
choose the temperature setting of 90°F (32°C),
the system will remain at the maximum heat setting.
Choosing either maximum setting may not cause
the vehicle to heat or cool any faster.
3-21

Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the rear window.
<(Rear):Press this button to turn the rear window
defogger on or off.
An indicator light in the button will come on to let you
know that the rear window defogger is activated.
The rear window defogger will turn off approximately
10 minutes after the button is pressed. If you need
additional warming time, press the button again.
Notice:Using a razor blade or sharp object to
clear the inside rear window may damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Do not clear the inside of the
rear window with sharp objects.
Outlet Adjustment
Use the air outlets located in the center and on the
side of your instrument panel to direct the airow.
Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use the vent setting to direct outside
air through your vehicle.
Your vehicle’s ventilation system supplies outside air to
the inside of your vehicle when it is moving. With the side
windows closed, air will ow into the front air inlet grilles,
through the vehicle and out the air exhaust valves.
Outside air will also enter the vehicle when the heater
or the air conditioning compressor is running, unless you
have pressed the recirculation button.
3-24

Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use the panel outlet setting to direct
outside air through your vehicle. Air will ow through
the instrument panel outlets.
Your vehicle’s ow-through ventilation system supplies
outside air into the vehicle when it’s moving. When
the vehicle is not moving, you can get outside air to ow
through by selecting any air delivery mode and any
fan speed.Your vehicle has air outlets that allow you to adjust
the direction and amount of airow inside the vehicle.
Move the control in the center of each outlet side-to-side
to direct the air from the outlet. Use the thumbwheel
under the outlet to close the louvers. For the most
efficient airow and temperature control, keep the
louvers in the fully opened position.
Climate Controls Personalization
If your vehicle is equipped with the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you can store and recall the climate control
settings for temperature, air delivery mode and fan speed
for two different drivers. The personal choice settings
recalled are determined by the transmitter used to enter
the vehicle. After the button with the unlock symbol on a
remote keyless entry transmitter is pressed, the climate
control will adjust to the last settings of the identied
driver. The settings can also be changed by pressing one
of the memory buttons (1 or 2) located on the driver’s
door. When adjustments are made, the new settings are
automatically saved for the driver.
3-26

ENGINE COOLANT HOT/ENGINE
OVERHEATED
If the cooling system temperature gets hot, this message
will appear in the DIC and you will hear a chime.
Refer to “Engine Overheating” for the proper course of
action. This message will clear when the coolant
temperature drops to a safe operating temperature.
OIL PRESSURE LOW/STOP ENGINE
If low oil pressure levels occur, this message will be
displayed on the DIC. Stop the vehicle as soon as safely
possible and do not operate it until the cause of the low oil
pressure has been corrected. Check your oil as soon as
possible and have your vehicle serviced.
BATTERY NOT CHARGING
If the battery is not charging during operation, this
message will appear on the DIC. Driving with this
problem could drain your battery. Have the electrical
system checked as soon as possible. Press the select
button to acknowledge this message and clear it
from the DIC display.
SERVICE AIR BAG
If there is a problem with the air bag system this
message will be displayed on the DIC. Have a qualied
technician inspect the system for problems. Press
the select button to acknowledge this message and clear
it from the DIC display.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
If a problem occurs with the brake system this message
will appear on the DIC. If this message appears, stop
as soon as possible and turn off the vehicle. Restart the
vehicle and check for the message on the DIC display.
If the message is still displayed, or appears again when
you begin driving, the brake system needs service.
TURN SIGNAL ON
If a turn signal is left on for 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km),
this message will appear on the display and you will
hear a chime. Move the turn signal/multifunction lever to
the off position. Press the select button to acknowledge
this message and clear it from the DIC display.
3-53

After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a re hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust
system for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and
cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
for additional information.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
4-29

Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. SeeOperating
Your All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle Off Paved Roads on
page 4-16for information about driving off-road.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all uid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transmission. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you
go down a steep or long hill.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
4-38

Driving with a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you have a rear-most window open and you
pull a trailer with your vehicle, carbon
monoxide (CO) could come into your vehicle.
You can not see or smell CO. It can cause
unconsciousness or death. SeeEngine
Exhaust on page 2-29. To maximize your safety
when towing a trailer:
Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting on your trip.
Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through a window in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main
heating or cooling system on and with
the fan on any speed. This will bring
fresh, outside air into your vehicle.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Do not use the climate control setting for
maximum air because it only recirculates
the air inside your vehicle. SeeDual
Automatic Climate Control System on
page 3-20.
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains, electrical connection, lamps,
tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
4-59

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal
down while you:
start your engine,
shift into a gear, and
release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission uid (don’t overll),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belt(s), cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you nd them quickly. If you’re
trailering, it’s a good idea to review these sections before
you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-62