BUICK REGAL 1997 User Guide
Page 11 of 422
I962 Buick Special
Built inside the walls of the old buildings in Buick’s
former Flint complex, which formed the cornerstone of
General Motors, Buick City is a state-of-the-art
assembly facility with more than
200 robots and other
high-tech equipment. It was completed in the fall
of 1985.
Buicks are, and will continue to be, premium American
motorcars with smooth power, high performance, rich
detail and comfortable accommodation.
Ed Mertz, General Manage4 Buick Motor Division
Our mission
is simple:
“Buick will provide Premium American Motorcars
backed with services that exceed our customers’
expectations, throughout the purchase, ownership,
service and repurchase experience.”
Buicks are SUBSTANTIAL.
Buicks are DISTINCTIVE.
Buicks are POWERFUL.
Buicks are PREMIUM.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 12 of 422
How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If
you do this,
it will help you learn about the features
and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll
find that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
the back
of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s
in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell
you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this,’’ or “Don’t
let this happen.”
viii
ProCarManuals.com
Page 13 of 422
Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
I
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would
not be covered by your warranty, and it could be
costly. But the notice will tell
you what to do to help
avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different
colors or in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words,
CAUTION or NOTICE.
ix
ProCarManuals.com
Page 14 of 422
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BAllERY
CAUSE
BURNS
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS @ e
TURN
These symbols
are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
I
LIGHTER n
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
ProCarManuals.com
Page 15 of 422
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Buick \
and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should
not do with air bags and safety belts.
1-2
1-5
1-10
1-11
1-11
1-18
1-19
1-19
1-25
1-28 Seats and Seat Controls
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
Here
Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
How
to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Driver Position Safety Belt
Use During Pregnancy
Right Front Passenger Position
Air Bag System
Rear Seat Passengers
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults 1-30
1-32
1-34
1-49
1 1-57.
~ 1-60 1-60
1-61 Center Passenger Position
Children
Built-in Child Restraint Child Restraints
Larger Children
Safety Belt Extender Checking Your Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash
ProCarManuals.com
Page 16 of 422
Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you how to adjust the seats and
explains
the reclining seatbacks and head restraints.
Manual Front Seat
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you,
or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving. 2-Way
Manual Seat
Lift the bar under the front of the seat using a twisting
motion. This will unlock the seat. Slide the seat to where
you want
it and release the bar. Try to move the seat
with your body to be sure the seat is locked into place.
1-2
ProCarManuals.com
Page 17 of 422
6-Way Power Seat (If Equipped) Heated Seat (If Equipped)
You may have a driver’s six-way power seat and a
six-way power passenger’s seat (if equipped).
This switch is designed to imitate the movements
of your
seat cushion. It is located on the left side of the driver’s
seat cushion.
To move the seat forward or rearward, push
the switch folward or rearward.
To raise or lower the
entire seat, push the switch up or down. To raise
or lower
the front portion of your seat, push
the front of the switch
up or down.
To raise or lower the rear portion of your seat,
push the rear of the switch up or down.
0
If your vehicle is equipped with heated seats, the
driver’s side and passenger’s side three-position
switches are located
on the center console, just behind
your automatic transaxle shift lever. Press
LO to warm
the seat at a lower temperature. Press HI to warm the
seat at a higher temperature.
To turn this feature off,
return the switch to its center position. The button
directly in the middle of the heated seat switches is
used for traction control (see “Traction Control System”
or “Enhanced Traction System” in the Index).
1-3
ProCarManuals.com
Page 18 of 422
Reclining Front Seatbacks
Lift the lever to release the seatback, then move the
seatback to where you want it. Release the lever
to
lock the seatback in place. Pull up on the lever
without pushing on the seatback and the seatback
will move forward. But
don't have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
1-4
ProCarManuals.com
Page 19 of 422
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even
if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do
its job because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do
its job either. In a crash
the belt could go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
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.
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.
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.
1-5
ProCarManuals.com
Page 20 of 422
I
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured
or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in
a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as
a reminder
to buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have
a crash,
you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes
are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between.
In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
... a lot!
1-6
ProCarManuals.com