brakes BUICK LESABRE 1993 Owner's Manual

e e Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you
do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. adequate.
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly. Because you have anti-lock
brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake
system.
If you do, both brake systems won’t work well,
or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
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
so
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to
the road if it becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be provided by the
hitch manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow safety
chains to drag
on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes
-- and they must be
192
~-
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform,
safety chains, electrical connector, lights, 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 lights and any trailer brakes
are still working.

Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help
you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then,
to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand
to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making nrns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this
so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows
on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash 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’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t 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 down to “D” (Drive) and
reduce your speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to
reduce the possibility of engine and transaxle
overheating.
193

Parking on Hills
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’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into “P7’
(Park) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under 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
“P” (Park).
5. Release the regular brakes.
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
0 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 transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belts, cooling system, and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered
in this manual, and the Index
will help you find 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.
194

@ Part 6 Service & Appearance Lare
Here you will find information about the care of your Buick . This part begins with service and fuel information. and
then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant level\
s
. There is also technical information about your
vehicle. and a section devoted to its appearance care .
Part 6 includes:
ServiceTips
......................................................................
Fuel ........................................................................\
.....
HoodRelease .....................................................................
Engineoil ....................................................................... \
AirFilter ........................................................................\
.
Automatic Transaxle Fluid ............................................................
Enginecoolant ....................................................................
Power Steering Fluid ...............................................................
Windshield Washer Fluid ............................................................
Brakes ........................................................................\
...
Battery ........................................................................\
..
BulbReplacement .................................................................
Tires ........................................................................\
.....
Appearancecare ..................................................................
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) ..................................................
FusesandCircuitBreake ............................................................
Capacities and Specifications .........................................................
LoadingYourVehicle ...............................................................
230
231
234
236
240
241
243
246 247
248
249
250
253
255
262
269
270
275
229

Brake Master Cylinder
Your brake master cylinder is here. It is filled with
DOT-3 brake fluid. won’t
work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’
your brake fluid. Adding brake fluid won’t correct a
leak.
If you add fluid when your linings are worn, then
you’ll have too much fluid when you get new brake
linings. You should add (or remove) brake fluid, as
necessary, only when work
is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
A CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is hat
,..ough. You or others could be burned, and you1
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
your master cylinder might
go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the fluid level goes back up.
The other reason is that
fluid
is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system fixed, since a leak means
that sooner
or later your brakes won’t work well, or When your brake
fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. See “Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
When your brake fluid falls to a low
level, your brake
warning light will come
on and a chime will sound.
248

What to Add:
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM Part
No. 1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
DOT-5 silic
your vehicle. Don’t use it.
0 Don’t let someone put in the wrong kind o
fluid. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in
your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to
Brake fluid can damage paint,
so be caref
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking. Vehicles
we design and test have top-quality GM brake
parts in them, as your Buick does when it is new. When
you replace parts of your braking system -- for example,
when your brake linings wear down and you have to
have new ones put in
-- be sure you get new genuine
GM replacement parts.
If you don’t, your brakes may no
longer work properly. For example, if someone puts in
brake linings that are wrong for your vehicle, the
balance between your front and rear brakes can change,
for the worse. The braking performance you’ve come to
expect can change in many other ways if someone puts
in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new Buick has a Delco Freedoms battery. You
never have to add water to one of these. When it’s time
for a new battery, we recommend a Delco Freedoms
battery. Get one that has the catalog number shown
on
the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, take
off the black, negative (-) cable from the
battery. This will help keep your battery from running
down.
249

To put the fuse panel back to its original position,
squeeze the two tabs together and push the panel up.
r
E
6
P-
..
-
FUSE USAGE
--- ~
Amp Description
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25. 10
20
30
30
10
15
10
20
10
15
15
20
20
15 15
10
25
10
10 10
10
20
25
10
25
Crank Signal - Sir
Trunk Release/Back-up Lamps (W/Retained Acsrv Pwr Opt)
Breaker Pwr Wdo/Sun Roof
Brkr-Pwr Acsry
Htd Mirror/Compass
Ign/Rem Acsry Cont/lnst Cstr
Supplemental Inflatable
Rst
Corn Lpsflurn Sig/(Add Trnk
Rel/Bu Lps W/O Rap Option)
Spare
Spare
Bat/Radio/lP/Oil Lvl-life
Electronic Level Control
Brake
& Hazard Lamps
Park Lamps
Courtesy Lps/Pwr Mirrors
Cooling Fanflransmission
Air Cond
Heated Windshield
Antilock Brakes Low Cool/Lp Mon/Oil Lvl-life
IP Lights
Spare
Spare Ignition/Radio
WiperWasher
271

CHECK OR
SERVICE
Parking Brake
and Automatic
Transmission
“P” (Park)
Mechanism
Check
WHAT TO DO
CAUTION: When you are doing
this check, your vehicle could
begin
to move. You or others
could be injured and property
could be damaged. Make sure
there
is room in front of your
vehicle in case it begins to roll.
Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the
-
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set the
parking brake.
To check the parking brake: With
the engine running and
transmission in
“N’ (Neutral),
slowly remove foot pressure from
the regular brake pedal. Do this
until the vehicle is held by the
parking brake only.
mechanism’s holding ability: Shift
to “P’ (Park). Then release all
brakes.
To check the “P” (Park)
CHECK OR
I SERVICE I WHAT TO DO
Underbody
Flushing At least every spring, use plain water
to flush
any corrosive materials from
the underbody. Take care to clean
thoroughly any areas where mud and
other debris can collect.

INSPECTION OR SERVICE
Brake System
Inspection
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
Inspect the complete system. Inspect
brake lines and hoses for proper hookup, binding, leaks, cracks,
chafing, etc. Inspect disc brake pads
for wear and rotors for surface
condition. Inspect other brake parts, including calipers, parking brake,
etc. Check parking brake
adjustment.
You may need to have
your brakes inspected more often
if
your driving habits or conditions
result in frequent braking.
NOTE:
A low brake fluid level can
indicate worn disc brake pads which
may need to be serviced. Also,
if the
brake system warning light stays on
or comes on, something may be
wrong with the brake system. See
“Brake System Warning Light” in
the Index. If your anti-lock brake
system warning light stays
on or
comes on, something may be wrong
with the anti-lock brake system. See
“Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
Section D: Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
NOTE: Fluids and lubricants identified below by name,
part number
or specification may be obtained from your
GM dealer.
FLUID/LUBRICANT
GM Goodwrench Motor Oil or
equivalent for API service SG
Energy Conserving I1 oils of the
proper viscosity. The
“SG’
designation may be shown alone
or
in combination with others,
such as “SG/CC,” “SG/CD,” or
“SF,SG,CC,” etc.
To determine the
preferred viscosity for your vehicle’s
engine, see “Engine Oil’’ in the
Index.
50/50 mixture of water (preferably
distilled) and good quality ethylene
glycol base antifreeze (GM Part
No.
1052753 or equivalent) conforming
to GM Specification 1825M or
approved recycled coolant
conforming to GM Specification
1825M.
293
-

Brake Adjustment
................................... 163
Fluid 248 .......................................
Lining Replacement. How to Drive After .......... 249
Master Cylinder
.............................. 248
Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock
................... 73. 80
Brake System. Antilock Warning Light ............... 108
Brake System Warning Light
....................... 107
Brake Wear Indicators. Disc
....................... 162
Brakes. Antilock
................................ 160
Braking Emergencies
............................. 163
Braking if Your Engine Stops
...................... 160
Break-In. New Vehicle
............................. 68
Break-In Schedule. When Towing a Trailer
............ 189
Bulb Replacement. Headlamp
...................... 250
Bulb Replacement Taillamp
........................ 252
Bulbs. Halogen
.................................. 250
Bulbs.
Turn Signal ................................ 85
Parking ...................................... 76
PedalTravel
................................. 163
Brakes,Rear
.................................... 163
Braking 158 ........................................
Bulbchart ..................................... 274
Camper. Towing a
.............................. 189
...................................... Capacities 275
Cap. Radiator Pressure 245
Care,Appearance
................................ 262
I ............................ Carbon Monoxide in Exhaust ....................... 81
Cassette Tape Player Care
......................... 141
Cautions, Safety
.................................. 10
CB Radio, Adding a
.............................. 128
I
Cellular Telephone. Adding a ...................... 128
“Change Oil Soon” Light
.......................... 114
Change Oil. When to
............................. *239
Changing a Flat Tire
.............................. 216
Charge.Battery.. Warning Light
..................... 115 .
“Check Oil Level” Light .......................... 113
Engine Coolant
............................... 243
Engine Oil Level
.............................. 236
Power Steering Fluid
.......................... 246
Safety Belt Systems
............................ 55
Transaxle Fluid ............................... 241
Windshield Washer Fluid
.......................... 247
Chemical Paint Spotting
........................... 367
Children and Safety Belts
.......................... 41
Cleaner. Air
............... .................... 240
Aluminum Wheels
............................ 266
Inside Your Car
................................ 262
Outside Your Car
............................. 265
Top of the Instrument Panel ..................... 264
Underbody
of Your Car ........................ 267
Vinyl
or Leather .............................. 264
..................................... Chains. Tie 261
Checking BrakeFluid
.................................. 248
UndertheHood
................................. 234
.................................. Child Restraints 43
Cigarette Lighter
................................ 103
CircuitBreakers
................................. 270
City Driving 175
Cleaning ....................................
Fabric ...................................... 263
Glass
...................................... 265
PowerAntenna
............................... 142
Safety Belts 265 ..................................