brake BUICK LESABRE 1993 Service Manual

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.
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’
A CAUTION:
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transaxle in
“P” (Park) or a manual
transaxle
in “N” (Neutral).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
lights that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. And
it could
save
your radio!
If you leave your radio on, It could be my
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
1
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
‘
A CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing
and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
I
Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on each
battery.

When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device designed
for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s steering
column lock for this. The transaxle should be in Neutral
and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless
you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, don’t
go more than 55 mph (88 kph) or
farther than
500 miles (800 km) or your transaxle will
be damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
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A CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
properly secured, This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehlcle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains
or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
zdges underneath the towed vehicle.

If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly.
If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails,
the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control
by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well
off the road if possible.
If your tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use
your jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to
a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
A CAUTION:
Changing 8 tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can
slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured. Find
eve1 place to change your tire. To help prevent
the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever In “P” (Park).
3. Turn off the engine.
lo be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put chocks at the front and rear of the tire
Farthest away from the one being changed. That
would
be the tire on the other side of the vehicle,
at the oppll le end.
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Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check
the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi (420
Wa). The compact spare is made to go up to 3,000 miles
(5000 km), so you can finish your trip and have your
full-size tire repaired or replaced where you want. Of
course, it’s best
to replace your spare with a full-size tire
as soon as
you can. Your spare will last longer and be in
good shape in case you need it again.
Your anti-lock brake system warning light may come
on
when you are driving with a compact spare. See
“Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” in the Index. Don’t
use your
compact spare on some other vehicle.
And don’t mix your compact spare or wheel with other
wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare and its
wheel together.
Tire chains wo
them will damage
y
chains too. Do
compact spar I
A CnUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire, or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or colllsian, loose
mwipment could strike someone. Store all these
.__ the proper place.
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@ 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 ...............................................................
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250
253
255
262
269
270
275
229

A CAUTION:
If you get gasoline on you and then something
ignites
it, you could be badly burned. Gasoline
can spray out on you
if you open the fuel filler
cap too quickly. This spray can happen if your
tank
is nearly full, and is more likely in’hot
weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and wait
for any “hiss” noise
to stop. Then unscrew the
cap
all the way.
When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right until
you hear a clicking noise.
1
If you need a new cap, be sure to get tlie rlgnt
type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you ge
the wrong type, it may
not fit or have propor
venting, and your fuel tank
and emissions
system might be damaged
Checking Things Under the Hood
Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the
vehicle.
It is located on the lower
left side
of the instrument
panel,
next to the parking
brake.
234
.I

A CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic
or rubber. You or others
could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that
will burn onto a hot engine.
I
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on
properly.
Then just pull the hood down and close it firmly.
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 is directly behind the engine fan.
Turn
off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
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Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if
you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90 " F (32 " C).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is
180 F to 200 " F (82 " C
to 93 "C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50 " F
(10' C). If it's colder than 50 " F (1 0 ' C), you may have
to drive longer.
To check the fluid level:
Park your vehicle on a level place.
Place the shift lever in 7'" (Park) with the parking
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
brake
applied.
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range.
Then, position the shift
lever in "P" (Park).
Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes. Then, without
shutting off the engine, follow these
steps:
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.
242

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.
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