light BUICK PARK AVENUE 1996 User Guide

If you accidentally use a key that has a damaged or
missing resistor pellet, the starter won’t work and the
SECURITY light will flash. But you don’t have,to wait
three minutes before trying another ignition key.
See your Buick dealer or a locksmith who can service
the PASS-Key
11 to have a new key made.
If you’re ever driving and the SECURITY light comes
on and stays
on, you will be able to restart your engine if
you turn it off. Your PASS-Key 11 system, however, is
not working properly and must be serviced by your
Buick dealer. Your vehicle is not protected by the
PASS-Key
I1 system.
If you lose or damage a PASS-Key
11 ignition key, see
your Buick dealer or a lockskth who can service
PASS-Key
11 to have a new key made.
,
New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your modern Buick doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (804 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time
you get new brake linings.
Don’t tow a trailer during break-in. See
“Towing
a Trailer” in the Index for more
information.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
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I.
I
Ignition Positions
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five different positions.
.. c
I
A E
ACCESSORY (A): An on position in which you can
operate your electrical power accessories. Press in the
ignition switch as you
hun the top of it toward you.
LOCK
(B): This is the only position in which yqu can
remove
the key. This position locks your ignition, steering
wheel and transaxle. It’s a theft-deterrent feature.
.. ,
OFF (C): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still turn the steering wheel. It doesn’t lock the steering
-.
wheel like LOCK and it doesn’f send any electrical
power to the accessories. Use
OFF if you must have
your vehicle
in motion while the engine is not running.
RUN (D): This is- an on position that the switch returns
to after you start your engine and release the switch.
This is the position for driving.-Even when the engine is
not running, you can use RUN to operate your electrical ’
power accessories and to display some instrument panel
warning lights.
START (E): This position starts your engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch
will
return to RUN for normal driving.
NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it is all the
way in. If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand. Using
a tool to force it could break
the key or the ignition switch.
If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
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Pal _____
Your Park Avenue has a
PUSHTORELEASE
parking brake pedal.
To set
the parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down with your right foot. Push
down the parking brake
pedal with your left foot.
If
the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will
come on and a single chime
will be heard.
The parking brake uses the brakes on the rear wheels.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down and push the parking brake pedal with your
left foot. This will unlock the pedal. When you lift your
left foot, the parking brake pedal will follow it to the
release position. If
you try to drive
off (approximately 40 feet (12.2 m)),
with the parking brake on, the brake light stays
on
and a continuous chime sounds until you release the
parking brake.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes
to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That part shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
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If you have a trailer towing option with added wiring for
the trailer lamps,
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 lamps regularly
to make sure they
are working.
lbm Signal On Chime
If your turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 of a mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound at each flash of the turn
signal.
To turn off the chime, move the turn signal lever
to the
off position. When the
high beams are
on, a light on the instrument
panel will also be on.
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high or
high to low, pull the
turn signal lever toward you, then
release it.
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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.
Remember that 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 become damaged, get new blades or
blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wiper motor.
A circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools.
Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload.
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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
wipers will clear the window and then either stop or
return to your preset speed. For more washer cycles,
push and hold the paddle.
1
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer until
the windshield
is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid
can form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
I
If this light comes on, it
means you’re low on
washer fluid.
WASHER
FLUID LOW
Driving without washer fluid can be dangerous. A bad
mud splash can block your vision.
You could hit another
vehicle or
go off the road. Check your washer fluid level
often. See “Windshield Washer Fluid” in the Index.
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Setting CI I
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you're not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you don't want to.
You
could be startled and even lose control. Keep
the cruise control switch
OFF until you want
to use
it.
1.
2.
Move the cruise control
switch to ON.
Get up to the speed
you want.
3. Push in the SET
button at the end of the
lever
and release it.
The CRUISE light on
the instrument panel
will come on.
4. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
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Using Cruise Control on Hills
Haw well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill, you may
have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down. Of course, applying the brake
takes you out of cruise control. Many drivers find this
to
be too much trouble and don’t use cruise control on
steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal; or
0 Move the cruise switch to OFF. The CRUISE light
will also go
out.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
Lamps
H Adlamps
This switch controls these systems:
Headlamps
Taillamps
Parking Lamps
License Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
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Press the LIGHTS switch to turn the headlamps on.
Press it again to turn them
off.
Press the PARK switch to turn the parking lamps on.
Press it again
to turn them off. (If the parking lamps
were turned on with the PARK switch, they must be
turned off with that switch.)
Lamps On Reminder
If you leave the manual headlamp or parking lamp
switch on, remove the key from the ignition and open
the driver’s door, you will hear a continuous warning
chime. The chime will turn
off when the lamps are
turned
off.
Daytime Running Lamps (Canada Only)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be’helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel monitors
the exterior light level
for the operation of DRL and
twilight sentinel,
so be sure it isn’t covered. The
DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness in daylight when:
The ignition is on,
0 The headlamp switch is off, and
0 The transaxle is not in PARK (P).
When DRL are on, only your low-beam headlamps will
be on. The parking lamps, taillamps, sidemarker and
other lamps won’t be on. Your instrument panel won’t
be lit up either.
When it’s dark enough outside, your low-beam
headlamps will change to full brightness. The other
lamps that turn on with your headlamps, will also turn
on. When it’s bright enough outside, the regular lamps
will turn
off, and your low-beam headlamps change to
the reduced brightness of
DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, shift the
transaxle into PARK
(P). The DRL will stay off until
you shift out of PARK (P).
To turn off all exterior lighting at night when you are
parked, turn
off the headlamps and move the twilight
sentinel control all the way toward
MIN.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
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Lamp Monitors (Option)
This system will let you know when certain exterior
lamp bulbs fad. When you start your car, all eight lamps
come
on briefly to show that'the system is working.
When a bulb
fails, an indicator will flash for several
seconds and then
stay on until the failed bulb is replaced
and lit.
For example, if a burned out back-up,lamp bulb
is replaced, the indicator for back-up lamps will stay on
until the transaxle is put in REVERSE (R) with the
ignition
ON. The bulbs are monitored only while they
are being used.
If you.have recently had a low battery condition or the
battery has been disconnected and reconnected, the
indicators
will flash when you turn the ignition switch to
RUN. Turning on the parking lamps will return the lamp
monitor system to normal operation.
Bulbs Monitored
Indicator
High Beam
Low Beam
Left Turn
Right Tun
Tail
Parking
stop
Back-up
Bulbs Monitored
Both Headlamp High Beams
Both Headlamp Low Beams
1 Front Left Turn/Pwk
1 Front Right Turnpark
2 Tail Only
2 Park/TUm
4 Rear StopDurn
2 Back-up
Cornering Lamps (Option)
The cornering lamps are designea 10 come on when you
signal a turn.
This will provide more light for cornering
at night.
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