windshield wipers BUICK PARK AVENUE 1993 Owners Manual

Ignition Key Positions
Your square-headed key
operates your ignition lock.
ACC
1
I
This lock gives you five different positions.
Before
you put the key in, your ignition will be in the
“Lock” position. This position locks your ignition,
steering wheel and transaxle. It’s a
theft deterrent
feature.
The other positions let you perform these functions:
ACC: Accessory lets you use things like the radio and
the windshield wipers when the engine is off. To get into
“Acc”, push in the key and turn it toward
you. Your
ProCarManuals.com

The Turn Signal/Headlight Beam
Lever Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
H
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
Headlight High-Low Beam & Passing Signal
0 Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
Cruise Control
C!
The turn signal has two upward (for Right) and two
downward (for Left) positions. These positions allow
you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way
up or down.
When the turn
is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
ProCarManuals.com

A green arrow on the
instrument panel
will flash
in the direction of the turn
or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until
the green arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until
you complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don’t
flash but just stay on, a signal bulb may be burned out
and other drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If
the green arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a turn, check the fuse (see “Fuses”
in the Index)
and for burned-out bulbs.
If you have a trailer towing option with added wiring for
the trailer lights, a different turn signal flasher is used.
With this flasher installed, the signal indicator will flash
even
if a turn signal bulb is burned out. Check the front
and rear turn signal lights regularly to make sure they
are working.
Operation of Lights
Although your vehicle’s lighting system (headlights,
parking lights, fog lamps, side marker lights and
taillights) meet all applicable federal lighting
requirements, certain states and provinces may apply
their own lighting regulations that may require special
attention before
you operate these lights. For example,
some jurisdictions may require that you operate your
lower beam lights with fog lamps at all times, or that
headlights be turned on whenever you must use your
windshield wipers. In addition, most jurisdictions
prohibit driving solely with parking lights, especially at
dawn or dusk. It is recommended that
you check with
you own state or provincial highway authority for
applicable lighting regulations.
ProCarManuals.com

Headlight High-Low Beam
To change the headlights
from low beam to high or
high to low, pull the turn
signal lever. all the way
toward you. Then release it.
When the high beams are
on, this blue light on the
instrument panel also will
be on.
R 1J H
Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by turning the band
marked
“WIPER.”
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to “MIST.”
Hold it there until the wipers start, then let go. The
wipers will stop after one cycle. If you want more
cycles, hold the band on “MIST” longer.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful in light rain or
snow. Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to
“LO,” the shorter the delay.
For steady wiping at low speed, turn the band away
from you to the
“LO” position. For high speed wiping,
turn the band further, to “HI.”
To stop the wipers, move
the band to
“OFF.”
A CAUTION:
Damaged wiper blades may prevent you from
seeing well enough to drive safely.
To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the
wiper blades before using them.
If they’re frozen
to the windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them.
If your blades do become damaged, get new
blades or blade inserts.
93
ProCarManuals.com

Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers. A circuit
breaker will stop them until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or
ice to prevent an overload.
Windshield Washer
At the top of the multifunction lever there’s a paddle
with the word
“PUSH” on it. To spray washer fluid on
the windshield, push the paddle for less than a second.
The washer will spray several times, then stop. Unless
they are already turned on, the wipers will operate at
low speed for several sweeps, then turn
off.
To get more fluid on the windshield, push and hold the
paddle. Spraying will continue as long as
the paddle is
held.
If this light comes on,
it means you’re low on
washer fluid.
’ ! WASHER
FLUID LOW
94
ProCarManuals.com

Driving in Fog, Mist and Haze
r
Fog can occur with high humidity or heavy frost. It can
be
so mild that you can see through it for several
hundred feet (meters). Or it might be
so thick that you
can
see only a few feet (meters) ahead. It may come
suddenly to an otherwise clear road. And it can be
a
major hazard. When you
drive into a fog patch, your visibility will be
reduced quickly. The biggest dangers are striking the
vehicle ahead or being struck by the one behind. Try to
"read" the fog density down the road.
If the vehicle
ahead starts
to become less clear or, at night, if the
taillights are harder
to see, the fog is probably
thickening. Slow down
to give traffic behind you a
chance to slow down. Everybody then has a better
chance to avoid hitting the vehicle ahead.
A patch of dense fog may extend only for a few feet
(meters) or for miles (kilometers); you can't really tell
while you're
in it. You can only treat the situation with
extreme care.
One common
fog condition -- sometimes called mist or
ground fog
-- can happen in weather that seems perfect,
especially at night or in the early morning in valley and
low, marshy areas. You can be suddenly enveloped in
thick, wet haze that may even coat your windshield. You
can often spot these fog patches or mist layers with your
headlights. But sometimes they can be waiting for you
as you come over a hill or dip into a shallow valley.
Start
your windshield wipers and washer, to help clear
accumulated road dirt. Slow down carefully.
ProCarManuals.com

Tips on Driving in Fog
If you get caught in fog, turn your headlights on low
beam, even
in daytime. You’ll see -- and be seen --
better.
Don’t
use your high beams. The light will bounce off
the water droplets that make up fog and reflect back at
you.
Use your defogger. In high humidity, even a light
buildup of moisture on the inside of the glass will cut
down on your already limited visibility.
Run your
windshield wipers and washer occasionally. Moisture
can build up on the outside glass, and what seems to be
fog may actually be moisture
on the outside of your
windshield.
Treat dense fog as an emergency. Try to find a place
IO
pull off the road. Of course you want to respect
another’s property, but you might need
to put something
between you and moving vehicles
-- space, trees,
telephone poles, a private driveway, anything that
removes
you from other traffic.
If visibility is near zero and
you must stop but are
unsure whether you are away from the road, turn your
lights on, start your hazard warning flashers, and sound
your horn at intervals or when you hear approaching
traffic. Pass
other vehicles in fog only if you
can see far enough
ahead to pass safely. Even then, be prepared to delay
your pass if you suspect the fog is worse up ahead.
If
other vehicles try to pass you, make it easy for them.
City Driving
L
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount
of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what
the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.
187
ProCarManuals.com

There are additional fuses located behind the right sound
insulator panel on the passenger side. If these require
service, see your Buick dealer.
Maxifuse/Relay Center
To check the fuses in this underhood fuse center, turn
the two knobs
1/4 turn counterclockwise and remove the
cover. The inside of
the cover has a chart that explains
the features and controls governed by each fuse and
relay.
The PASS-Key 'I1
TM fuse is located in the right side relay
center.
Headlights
The headlight wiring is protected by a circuit breaker in
the underhood fuse center. An electrical overload will
cause
the lights to go on and off, or in some cases to
remain
off. If this happens, have your headlight wiring
checked right away.
*
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor cools. If
the overload is caused by some electrical problem and
not snow, etc., be sure to get it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers in the fuse panel protect the power
windows and other power accessories. When
the current
load is too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and closes,
protecting the circuit until the problem is fixed or goes
away.
ProCarManuals.com

Wet Road Driving ............................... 183
Wheel Alignment
................................ 275
Wheel Covers Removal
........................... 231
Wheel Nut Torque
............................... 236
Wheel Replacement
.............................. 276
Why Wear Safety Belts
? ........................... 20
Windows. Power
................................ -90
Cleaning
.................................... 281
Washer
...................................... 94
Washer Fluid
.................................. 262
Wipers
....................................... 93
Winter Driving
.................................. 197
Wire Wheel Cover
............................... 232
Working On Your Car ............................ 242
Worn Tires
..................................... 273
WreckerTowing
................................. 217
White Sidewall
Tires. Cleaning
..................... 283
Windshield
_.,.
Your Driving and the Road ......... , ............. 159
Your Own Signals
............................... 166
Your Vehicle and the Environment
.................. 295
ProCarManuals.com