coolant BUICK LESABRE 1993 Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbols
These
are some of the symbols you will find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
Q
CAUSTIC
BURNS AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
4
BELTS
WINDOW POWER
These symbols
have
to do with
your lights:
LIGHTING - 8 -
MASTER 8
SWITCH 0 ,
SIGNALS e 9
TURN
LIGHTS
Pf
HIGH BEAM OR = =o
FOG LAMPS # 0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD ' ' ' 4- e-
WASHER
wlNDsHIELDw DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
HEADLAMP
- r~.c.r
WASHER :Q
WIPER -
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT F*
TEMP -.--
ENGINE
CHARGING
I-1
BATTERY SYSTEM
RADIATOR
a
COOLANT
FUEL
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
TEMP OIL
&
ANTILOCK (@)
BRAKE
Here are some
other symbols
you
may see:
FUSE
RADIO >
VOLUME
CONDITIONING
AIR 33
HATCHBACK /y
TRUNK
RELEASE
t LIGHTER

/I CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed when the
“TRACTION OFF“ warning light is on, they can
explode and you or others could be injured. And,
spinning your tires with the “TRACTION OFF”
warning light on can cause the transaxle to
overheat
or can cause other problems. That
could
cause an engine fire or other damage.
When you’re stuck,
spin the wheels as little as
possible. Don’t spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/hl as shown on the speedometer.
I
:’NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels whel. ..?e “Tl .A (ION
OFF” warning light is on can destroy parts 01
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin your
wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle
back and forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
rheel!
s little B
I
When yor-’-e stud
possible. bin
Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning
Light
TEMP
This light tells you that your engine coolant has
overheated or your radiator cooling fans are
not
working. If you have been operating your vehicle under
normal driving conditions, you should
pull off the road,
stop your vehicle and turn the engine
off as soon as
possible.
HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY!
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
If you have the Gage Cluster, you have a gage that
shows the engine coolant temperature. If the gage
pointer moves into the red area, your engine
is too hot!
That reading means the same thing as the warning light.
It means that
your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off
the engine as soon as possible.
HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY!
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE
,ENGINE SOON
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
A computer monitors operation of your fuel, ignition
and emission control systems. This light should come
on
when the ignition is on, but the engine is not running, as
a check to show
you it is working. If it does not come on
at all, have
it fixed right away. If it stays on, or it comes
on while you are driving, the computer
is indicating that
you have a problem. You should take your vehicIe in for
service soon.
111

“Change Oil Soon’’ Light (Option)
This light is activated by
the Engine Oil Life
Monitor System. It
indicates that the engine oil
has degraded enough to
require changing. See
“Engine Oil”
in the Index.
After changing the engine oil, the system should be
reset.
This will cause the “Change Oil Soon” light once
again, to be lit for just
the bulb check period of 3
seconds.
This
is determined by electronically monitoring engine
speed, coolant temperature and vehicle speed. Since the
change interval is dependent on driving habits and
conditions, the “Change Oil Soon” light may come on as
early as
2,000 miles or less for harsh circumstances.
The “Change Oil Soon” light is lit for three seconds as a
bulb check each time the ignition key is turned to
the
RUN position. If an oil change is required, it will stay
on for 60 seconds each time the engine is started. If the
“Change Oil Soon” light is on continuously, there is a
problem with the Oil Life Monitor System and service
is
required. The reset button
is inside this hole, which is under the
passenger’s side of the instrument panel, near the door.
With the ignition key in
the RUN position, but the
engine not started, use a pen
to push the reset button,
holding
it in for at least 5 seconds but not more than 60
seconds. After 5 seconds, the “Change Oil Soon” light
will flash
4 times and then turn off. This indicates that
the Oil Life Monitor System has been reset.
1lA
I

Auto
When the system is set for
automatic, air will come
from the floor outlets, the
instrument panel outlets, or
both.
Fan speed will vary
(unless a blower
LO or HI
button has been pushed) as
the system gets to and
maintains the temperature
setting
you have selected.
Dual Zone
____
The front seat passenger
can control air temperature
in their seating area.
The display will show the set temperature and blower
speed.
In cold weather the system will delay turning on the fan,
to avoid blowing cold air. The length
of the delay
depends
on engine coolant temperature, outside
temperature, and time since the engine was last started.
Pushing a
LO or HI blower button will override this
delay, and cause the fan to start.
To rid the system of stale air in warm weather, air will
come out
of the floor outlets for a short time. The air temperature for
the right side of the front seat
can be set using the control on
the passenger’s door.
Both
DUAL ZONE and AUTO buttons will light up. To
turn off this part of the system , push the DUAL ZONE
button again.
121

Winter Driving 0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk.
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your Buick in good shape for winter. Be sure
your engine coolant mix
is correct.
0 Snow tires can help in loose snow, but they may give
you less traction
on ice than regular tires. If you do
not expect
to be driving in deep snow, but may have
to travel over ice, you may not want to switch to
snow tires at all. Include an ice scraper,
a small brush
or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth, and a
couple
of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will be
driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of
sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags to
help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these
items in your vehicle.
185

Engine Overheating
You will find the warning light about a hot engine on
your Buick instrument panel,
If you have the optional gage cluster, you may also have
a coolant temperature warning gage.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine:
CAUTION:
eam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open
the hood. Stay away
from
the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from
it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
From the vehicle until
it cools down. Wait until
there
is no sign of steam or coolant before
opening the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine
if it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool. badly
damaged. The costly
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine:
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too
hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to “N” (Neutral).
208

If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just
to be safe, drive slower for about ten minutes.
If the warning doesn't come back on, you can drive
normally.
If
the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign
of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you're parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning, TURN
OFF THE ENGINE AND GET
EVERYONE OUT OF THE VEHICLE until it cools
down. You
may decide not to lift
the hood but to get service
help right away.
I 4
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll
see:
0 Coolant recovery tank
Radiator pressure cap
Electric engine fans
209

0 -' e
A! ek-bic fan under the kod-can start up even
when' the endne is not runniiig and can Injure
yoG. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
I
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down.
I-
rs-
L
I
P
The coolant level should be at or above "FULL COLD.''
If it isn't, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else in
the cooling system,
I
/A CAUTION: 0
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very
hot. Don't touch them. If you p
do, you can be burned.
Don't run the engine if there is a leak.
If you run
the engine,
it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn't covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, check to see if the electric
engine fans are running.
If the engine is overheating,
both fans
should be running. If they aren't, your vehicle
needs service.

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at or above
“FULL COLD,” add a 50/50 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and
a proper
antifreeze at the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine
Coolant”
in the Index for more information about the
proper coolant mix.)
‘A CAUTION: Q
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water,
or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant
mix will. Your vbhicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the properecoolant mix. With
plain water or the’wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot
but you douldn’t get the overheat
warning.
Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a 50/50 mix of clean
water and
a proper antifreeze.”
I NOTICE 1
I fr ze an :rack In cold weather, water c
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts. Us€
the recommended coolant. I
211