fuel BUICK LESABRE 2001 User Guide

2-77
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust, intake or fuel system of your vehicle or
the replacement of the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light to come on. Modifications to these systems
could lead to costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. This may also result in a failure to pass
a required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:

Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

Light On Steady
-- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:

Reducing vehicle speed.

Avoiding hard accelerations.

Avoiding steep uphill grades.

If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.

2-78
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
See ªFuelº in the Index. Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start
-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration
or stumbling on acceleration. (These conditions may
go away once the engine is warmed up.) This will be
detected by the system and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.

2-81 Cruise Light
The CRUISE light comes
on when you set the
vehicle's cruise control.
See ªCruise Controlº
in the Index.
Fuel Gage
United States CanadaThe fuel gage shows about how much fuel is in your
tank. It works only when the ignition is on. When the
indicator moves to the edge of the low fuel warning
band, the low fuel warning light will come on and a
chime will sound. You still have a little fuel left, but
you need to get more fuel right away.
Here are some things that some owners ask about.
None of these show a problem with your fuel gage:

At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.

It takes more (or less) fuel to fill up than the gage
indicated. For example, the gage may have indicated
half full, but it took more (or less) than half the
tank's capacity to fill it.

The gage moves up a little when you turn a corner,
speed up or make a hard stop.

The gage doesn't go back to empty when you turn
off the ignition.

2-83

FUEL INFO: Press this button to display
fuel information.
Press the FUEL INFO button until the display
shows FUEL ECONOMY AVERAGE. Average fuel
economy is viewed as a long term approximation of
your overall driving conditions. To learn the average
fuel economy from a new starting point, press the
RESET button while the average fuel economy is
displayed in the DIC.
Press the FUEL INFO button until the display
shows FUEL ECONOMY INST. Instantaneous fuel
economy varies with your driving conditions, such
as acceleration, braking and the grade of the road
being traveled. The RESET button does not function
in this mode.
Press the FUEL INFO button until the display shows
FUEL RANGE. The fuel range will calculate the
remaining distance you can drive without refueling.
This calculation is based on the average fuel
economy for the last 25 miles (40.25 km) driven,
and the fuel remaining in the fuel tank. The RESET
button does not function in this mode.
GAGE INFO: Use this button to display oil
pressure, oil life, coolant temperature, tire pressure
and battery information.
Press the GAGE INFO button until OIL PRESSURE
appears in the display. If there are no problems
detected with the oil pressure, the display will show
OIL PRESSURE NORMAL. If a low oil pressure
condition is detected, the display will show OIL
PRESSURE LOW. If you see the OIL PRESSURE
LOW message, your vehicle could be low on oil
or the oil is not going through the engine properly.
See your dealer for service.
Press the GAGE INFO button until COOLANT
TEMP appears in the display. If there are no
problems detected with the temperature, COOLANT
TEMP NORMAL will appear in the display. If the
temperature is too high, COOLANT TEMP HOT
will appear in the display. If you see the COOLANT
TEMP HOT message, the engine is overheated.
You should pull off the road, stop your vehicle
and turn off your engine as soon as possible.
This manual explains what to do. See ªEngine
Overheatingº in the Index.

4-23
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you're ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you're not fresh
-- such as after a day's
work
-- don't plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it's ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you'll find experienced and able service experts in
Buick dealerships all across North America.
They'll be ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:

Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?

Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?

Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?

Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?

Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble
-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long
-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?

Weather Forecasts: What's the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?

Maps: Do you have up
-to-date maps?

4-29

Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well
-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.

4-30
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed,
see ªTowing Your Vehicleº in the Index.
NOTICE:
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground will damage drivetrain components.
Loading Your Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire
-Loading Information label
found on the rear edge of the driver's door tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives you
important information about the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the vehicle capacity weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory
-installed options.

4-31
The other label is the Certification label, found on
the rear edge of the driver's door. It tells you the
gross weight capacity of your vehicle, called the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR
includes the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel
and cargo. Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the
front or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it out.
Don't carry more than 176 lbs. (80 kg) in your trunk.
CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, and it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten the life
of your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that fail because of overloading.
If you put things inside your vehicle -- like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything else
-- they will go as fast
as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn quickly,
or if there is a crash, they'll keep going.

4-32
CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike and
injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in
a crash.

Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In a
trunk, put them as far forward as you can.
Try to spread the weight evenly.

Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.

Don't leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.

When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Electronic Level Control
This feature keeps the rear of your vehicle level as the
load changes. It is automatic
-- you do not need to
adjust anything.
Towing a Trailer
CAUTION:
If you don't use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the brakes
may not work well
-- or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured. You may also
damage your vehicle; the resulting repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Pull a trailer only if you
have followed all the steps in this section. Ask your
dealer for advice and information about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in ªWeight of the Trailerº
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.

6-
6-1
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6
-5 Filling Your Tank
6
-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-11 Engine Oil
6
-18 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-18 Passenger Compartment Air Filter
(If Equipped)
6
-19 Automatic Transaxle Fluid
6
-22 Engine Coolant
6
-25 Radiator Pressure Cap
6
-25 Power Steering Fluid
6
-26 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-27 Brakes
6
-31 Battery
6
-38 Bulb Replacement6
-42 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-43 Tires
6
-52 Appearance Care
6
-53 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-55 Care of Safety Belts
6
-55 Cleaning Glass Surfaces
6
-56 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-58 Cleaning Tires
6
-58 Sheet Metal Damage
6
-59 Finish Damage
6
-60 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-61 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-61 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-62 Electrical System
6
-70 Replacement Bulbs
6
-70 Capacities and Specifications
6
-71 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts