ESP BUICK PARK AVENUE 1994 Owner's Manual

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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Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control additives will
help prevent deposits from forming
in your engine and
fuel system. That helps keep your engine
in tune and
your emission control system working properly. It’s
good for your vehicle, and you’ll be doing your part for
cleaner air.
Many gasolines are now blended with oxygenates.
General Motors recommends that you use gasolines
with
these blending materials, such as MTBE and ethanol. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts
of the country that have high carbon monoxide
levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated gasoline. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station operators
if their
gasolines contain deposit control additives and
oxygenates, and if they have been reformulated to
reduce vehicle emissions.
Fuel
3800 Supercharged (L67) Engine
The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the VIN at the top left of your instrument panel.
(See “Vehicle Identification Number”
in the Index.)
Use premium unleaded gasoline rated at 91 octane or
higher.
You may use middle grade or regular unleaded
gasolines, but your vehicle may not accelerate as well.
The gasoline you use should meet specifications ASTM
D48 14 in the U.S. and CGSB 3.5-92 in Canada. These
fuels should have the proper additives,
so you should
not have to add anything to the fuel.
In the U.S. and Canada, it’s easy to be sure you get the
right kind of gasoline (unleaded). You’ll see
“UNLEADED” right on the pump. And only unleaded
nozzles
will fit into your vehicle’s’filler neck.
Be sure the posted octane for premium is at least 91 (at
least 89 for middle grade and 87 for regular). If the
octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking
noise when you drive. If it’s bad enough,
it can damage
your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 91 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
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But don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
What about gasoline with blending materials that
contain oxygen (oxygenates), such as MTBE
or alcohol?
MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.’’
Fuel that is no
more than
15% MTBE is fine for your vehicle.
Ethanol is ethyl or grain alcohol. Properly-blended fuel
that is no more than
10% ethanol is fine for your vehicle.
Methanol is methyl or wood alcohol.
NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol is bad for
your vehicle. Don’t use it. It can corrode metal
parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty. And even at
5%
or less, there must be “cosolvents” and
corrosion preventers in this fuel to help avoid
these problems.
Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control additives will
help prevent deposits from forming in your engine and
fuel system. That helps keep your engine in tune and
your emission control system working properly.
It’s
good for your vehicle, and you’ll be doing your part for
cleaner air.
Many gasolines are now blended with oxygenates.
General Motors recommends that
you use gasolines with
these blending materials, such as MTBE and ethanol. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high carbon monoxide
levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated gasoline. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station operators if their
gasolines contain deposit control additives and
oxygenates, and if they have been reformulated to
reduce vehicle emissions.
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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.
0 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 (lO"C), you may have
to drive longer.
To check the fluid level
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
0 With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in "P" (Park).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds
in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in "P" (Park).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
Then, without shutting
off the engine. follow these
steps:
I. Pull out the dipstick
and wipe
it with a
clean rag or paper
towel.
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2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull
it back out again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level must be in the cross-hatched
area.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back
in all the way.
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants’’
in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on the
dipstick.
1.
2.
e
0
Pull out the dipstick.
Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring
it to the proper 1evel.It doesn’t
take much fluid, generally less than a pint
(OSL).
Don’t
overfill. We recommend you use only fluid
labeled DEXRON@-111 or DEXRON@-IIE, because
fluids with that label are made especially for your
automatic transaxle. Damage caused by fluid other
than DEXRON@-I11 or DEXRON@-IIE is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How
to Check.”
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back
in all the way.
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When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60
psi (420 Wa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. Simply looking at the tires will not tell you the
pressure, especially
if you have radial tires -- which
may look properly inflated even if they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to put them back
on. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have them inspected and
rotated at the mileages recommended
in the
Maintenance Schedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance
Services”
in the Index.
FRONT
Use this rotation pattern.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressure
as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in the
Index.
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graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B,
’ and C. They represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based
on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance which all passenger car tires must meet under
the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
These grades are molded on the sidewalls
of passenger
car tires.
While the tires available as standard or optional
equipment on General Motors vehicles may vary
with
respect to these grades, all such tires meet General
Motors performance standards and have been approved
for use on General Motors vehicles.
All passenger type
(P Metric) tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements
in addition to these grades.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
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Section E: Maintenance Record
After the scheduled services are performed, record the
date, odometer reading and who performed the service
in
the columns indicated. When completing the
Maintenance Performed column, insert the numbers from the
Schedule
I or Schedule I1 maintenance charts
which correspond to the maintenance performed. Also,
you should retain all maintenance receipts. Your owner
information portfolio is
a convenient place to store
them.
Maintenance Recora I
SERVICED BY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED
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Part 8 Customer Assistance Information
Here you will find out how to contact Buick if you need assistance. This part also tells you how to obtain service
publications and how to report any safety defects.
Part 8 includes:
Customer Satisfaction .............................................................. 3 14
Customer Assistance for Hearing/Speech Impaired
........................................ 3 14
Reporting Safety Defects
............................................................ 3 15
Courtesy Transportation
............................................................. 3 16
RoadsideAssistance
................................................................ 316
ServicePublications
................................................................ 316
Customer Satisfaction Procedure
Your satisfaction and goodwill are important to your
dealer and Buick. Normally, any concern
with the sales
transaction or the operation of your vehicle will be
resolved by your dealer’s Sales or Service Departments.
Sometimes, however, despite the best intentions of all
concerned, misunderstandings can occur. If your
concern has not been resolved to your satisfaction, the
following steps should be taken: STEP ONE
-- Discuss
your concern with a member of
dealership management. Normally, concerns can often
be quickly resolved at that level. If the matter has
already been reviewed with the Sales, Service, or Parts
Manager, contact
the owner of the dealership or the
General Manager.
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