check engine BUICK REGAL 2003 Owner's Guide

A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
B. Battery
C. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal
D. Underhood Electrical Center
E. Radiator Pressure Cap
F. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank
G. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Below Generator)
H. Electric Cooling Fan
I. Engine Oil Dipstick
J. Engine Oil Fill Cap
K. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
L. Brake Fluid Reservoir
M. Engine Air Cleaner/FilterEngine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is the yellow loop located
near the front of the engine compartment. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 5-10for more
information on location.
5-13
2003 - Regal OM

Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil
dipstick might not show the actual level.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the the cross-hatched area at the
tip of the dipstick, then you’ll need to add at least one
quart of oil. But you must use the right kind. This
part explains what kind of oil to use. For engine oil
crankcase capacity, seeCapacities and Specifications
on page 5-92.Notice:Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the proper operating
range, your engine could be damaged.
The engine oilfill cap is
located toward the front of
the engine near the
yellow-looped engine oil
dipstick handle. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-10for
more information on
location.
Be sure tofill it enough to put the level somewhere in
the proper operating range in the cross-hatched
area. Push the dipstick all the way back in when
you’re through.
5-14
2003 - Regal OM

SAE 10W-30 is the viscosity grade recommended for
your vehicle. However, you can use SAE 5W-30 if
it’s going to be colder than 60°F (16°C) before your next
oil change. When it’s very cold, colder than 0°F
(-18°C), you should use an SAE 5W-30 oil. These
numbers on an oil container show its viscosity, or
thickness. Do not use other viscosity grade oils, such as
SAE 10W-40 or SAE 20W-50 under any conditions.
Notice:Use only engine oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certied For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the recommended
oil can result in engine damage not covered by
your warranty.
GM Goodwrench
®oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below–20°F (-29°C),itis
recommended that you use either and SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or and SAE 0W-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol are all you will need for
good performance and engine protection.
When to Change Engine Oil
(GM Oil Life System™)
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine oil andfilter. This is
based on engine revolutions and engine temperature,
and not on mileage. Based on driving conditions,
the mileage at which an oil change will be indicated can
vary considerably. For the oil life system to work
properly, you must reset the system every time the oil is
changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE OIL SOON light will come on.
Change your oil as soon as possible within the next two
times you stop for fuel. It is possible that, if you are
driving under the best conditions, the oil life system may
not indicate that an oil change is necessary for over a
year. However, your engine oil andfilter must be
changed at least once a year and at this time the system
must be reset. Your dealer has GM-trained service
people who will perform this work using genuine GM
parts and reset the system. It is also important to check
your oil regularly and keep it at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must change
your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your last oil
change. Remember to reset the oil life system whenever
the oil is changed.
5-16
2003 - Regal OM

Supercharger Oil
Unless you are technically
qualified and have the
proper tools, you should let
your dealer or a qualified
service center perform
this maintenance.
When to Check
Check oil level every 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or every
36 months, whichever occursfirst.
What Kind of Oil to Use
Use only the recommended supercharger oil. See
Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 6-16.
How to Check and Add Oil
Park the vehicle on a level surface. Check oil only when
the engine is cold. Allow the engine to cool two to
three hours after running.
{CAUTION:
If you remove the supercharger oilll plug
while the engine is hot, pressure may cause
hot oil to blow out of the oilll hole. You may
be burned. Do not remove the plug until the
engine cools.
1. Clean the area around the oilfill plug before
removing it.
2. Remove the oilfill plug.
3. The oil level is correct when it just reaches the
bottom of the threads of the inspection hole.
4. Replace the oil plug with the O-ring in place.
Tighten to 88 lb-in (10Y).
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-10for
location of engine air cleaner/filter.
5-18
2003 - Regal OM

When to Inspect
Inspect the air cleaner/filter every 15,000 miles
(25,000 km) and replace every 30,000 miles
(50,000 km). If you are driving in dusty/dirty conditions,
inspect thefilter at each engine oil change.
How to Inspect
To inspect the air cleaner/filter remove it from the
vehicle andlightlyshake thefilter to release loose dust
and dirt. If thefilter remains“caked”with dirt, a new
filter is required.
To check or replace the engine air cleaner/filter, do the
following:
1. Loosen the screw and clamp on the air duct.
2. Lift up on the two clips
located on the top of
thefilter assembly
to unlock the side
cover.3. Disconnect the duct and reposition it while removing
the side cover.
4. Pull out thefilter.
5. Inspect or replace thefilter if needed.
6. Reinstall thefilter.
7. Push down on the two clips located on top of the
filter assembly to lock the side cover.
{CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/lter
off can cause you or others to be burned. The
air cleaner not only cleans the air, it helps to
stopame if the engine backres. If it isn’t
there and the engine backres, you could
be burned. Don’t drive with it off, and be
careful working on the engine with the air
cleaner/lter off.
Notice:If the air cleaner/lter is off, a backre can
cause a damaging enginere. And, dirt can
easily get into your engine, which will damage it.
Always have the air cleaner/lter in place when
you’re driving.
5-19
2003 - Regal OM

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxlefluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both thefluid andfilter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
•In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
•In hilly or mountainous terrain.
•When doing frequent trailer towing.
•Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change thefluid andfilter at 100,000 miles
(166 000 km).
SeePart A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page 6-4.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice:Too much or too littleuid can damage
your transaxle. Too much can mean that some of the
uid could come out and fall on hot engine or
exhaust system parts, starting are. Too littleuid
could cause the transaxle to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxleuid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if you have been driving:
•When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
•At high speed for quite a while.
•In heavy traffic–especially in hot weather.
•While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, thefluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180°Fto200°F
(82°Cto93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C).Ifit’s colder than 50°F (10°C), you may have to
drive longer.
5-20
2003 - Regal OM

Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
•Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
•With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
•With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).
•Let the engine run at idle for three tofive minutes.
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The automatic transaxle
fluid dipstick handle is the
black loop located
toward the rear of the
engine. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-10for more
information on location.
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or
paper towel.2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. Thefluid level must be in the cross-hatched
area.
4. If thefluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxlefluid to use. SeePart D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-16.
If thefluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on the
dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enoughfluid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It doesn’t take muchfluid, generally less than one
pint (0.5 L).Don’t overfill.
5-21
2003 - Regal OM

Notice:We recommend you use onlyuid labeled
DEXRON®–III, becauseuid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused byuid other than DEXRON
®–III is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
3. After addingfluid, recheck thefluid level as
described under“How to Check,”earlier in this
section.
4. When the correctfluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle isfilled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occursfirst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
®extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating or if you need to add coolant to
your radiator, seeEngine Overheating on page 5-25.A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant will:
•Give freezing protection down to−34°F(−37°C).
•Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
•Protect against rust and corrosion.
•Help keep the proper engine temperature.
•Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice:When adding coolant, it is important that
you use only DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL®is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner -- at 30,000 miles
(50,000 km) or 24 months, whichever occursrst.
Damage caused by the use of coolant other
than DEX-COOL
®is not covered by your new
vehicle warranty.
5-22
2003 - Regal OM

What to Use
Use a mixture of one-halfclean, drinkable waterand
one-half DEX-COOL®coolant which won’t damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture,
you don’t need to add anything else.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you wouldn’t get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catchre and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use the proper coolant, you don’t
have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim
to improve the system. These can be harmful.
Checking Coolant
The engine coolant recovery tank is located on the
passenger’s side of the vehicle at the rear of the engine
compartment. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-10for more information on location.
5-23
2003 - Regal OM

The vehicle must be on a
level surface. When your
engine is cold, the
coolant level should be at
the COLD mark or a
little higher. When your
engine is warm, the
level should be up to the
HOT mark or a little higher.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL®
coolant mixtureat the coolant recovery tank,but be
careful not to spill it.
If the coolant recovery tank is completely empty, add
coolant to the radiator. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 5-25.
{CAUTION:
Turning the radiator pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and
scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly.
With the coolant recovery tank, you will almost
never have to add coolant at the radiator.
Never turn the radiator pressure cap -- even a
little -- when the engine and radiator are hot.
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
Occasionally check the coolant level in the radiator. For
information on how to add coolant to the radiator,
seeCooling System on page 5-28.
5-24
2003 - Regal OM