BUICK PARK AVENUE 1994 Owners Manual

If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else
until it cools down.
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 NOTICE:
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.
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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 the
“FULL COLD” mark, 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.)
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts. Use
the recommended coolant.
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When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at or
above the
“FULL COLD” mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try.
You can add the proper coolant mix
directly to the radiator but be sure the cooling system
is
cool before you do it.
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How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
1
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1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when the
cooling system, including
the radiator pressure cap
and upper radiator hose,
is no longer hot. Turn the
pressure cap slowly to the left
until it first stops.
(Don't press down while turning the pressure cap.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there
is still some pressure left.
I 3. Fill the radiator
with the proper
mix, up
to the base
of the filler neck.
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4. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to “FULL COLD.”
5. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap off.
6. Start the engine and
let it run
until you
can feel the upper
radiator hose
getting hot. Watch
out for the engine
fans.
7. By this time the coolant level inside the radiator
filler neck may be lower. If the level
is lower, add
more of the proper mix through the filler neck until
the level reaches the base of the filler neck.
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8. Then replace the
pressure cap. At
any time during this
procedure
if coolant
begins to
flow out
of the filler neck,
reinstall the
pressure cap. Be
sure the arrows on
pressure cap line up
like this.
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 a tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use
your jacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely.
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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.
i
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change
a tire.
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The equipment you'll need is in the trunk. Start
with the jack and the
wheel wrench.
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The jack has a bolt at
the end. Attach the
wheel wrench to the
jack bolt.
Rotate the wheel wrench clockwise
(to the right). That
will raise
the lift head a little.
If your Buick has a wheel cover, you must take it off to
reach the wheel nuts.
'A
A
If your vehicle has an aluminum wheel with a center
cover, remove
it using the flat end of the wheel wrench.
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If your vehicle has this
aluminum wheel, you may
have plastic wheel
nut caps.
Use the wheel
nut wrench
to remove the wheel nut
caps and
to loosen the
wheel nuts.
When reinstalling the decorative nut caps, tighten the
caps snug with
the wheel wrench, then continue 1/8
rotation for steel caps and 1/4 rotation for plastic caps.
If your vehicle has wire
wheel covers, remove them
as follows:
P
F
.
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Use the wire wheel key
wrench to remove the wire
wheel cover.
Using the flat end of
the
key wrench-handle,
between the wire wheel
cover and the center cap,
pry off the center cap.
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