tow BUICK PARK AVENUE 1996 User Guide

Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
I
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not
fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
If
you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into the PARK
(P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move the shift lever away from PARK
(P)
without first pulling it toward you. If you can, it means
that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P).
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Running Your Engine While
You’re Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
A CAUTIOF . ;
Idling the engine with the air system control off
could allow dangerous exhaust into your vehicle
(see the earlier Caution under “Engine
Exhaust”).
Also, idling in
a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide
(CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place
this can happen is
a garage. Exhaust -- with
CO -- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be
a blizzard. (See
“Blizzard” in the Index.)
A f‘ AT TTTnN
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you’ve left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK
(P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you’re pulling a
trailer, also see “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
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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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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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Voltage Indicator (Option)
If you have the optional
gage cluster, this gage
shows voltage in the
electrical system. The
8
normal range is I 1 to
18 15 volts.
W
If the reading stays outside the normal range, or the
battery warning light comes on, have your Buick dealer
check the electrical system.
Brake System Warning Light
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come
on
when you turn the ignition
key to
START. If it doesn’t
come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn
you if there’s a problem.
If the light and chime come on while you are driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully. You may notice that
the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer
to the floor. It may take longer
to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will also come on when you set your parking
brake.
The light will stay on if your parking brake
Soesn’t release fully.
If you try to drive off with the
?arking brake set, a chime will also come on until you
release the parking brake. If the light and chime stay on
after your parking brake is fully released, it means you
nave a brake problem. With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on
for several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition
off. Or, if the light
comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible
and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the light still stays on, or comes on
again while you’re driving, your Buick needs service. If
the regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still
have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light
is also on, you don’t
have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with your
regular brakes. See “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier in this
part.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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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.
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 is 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:
0 Reduce vehicle speed.
0 Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see
“If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do
so,
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the
key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On
Steady” following. If the light
is still flashing follow the
previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your dealer or
qualified service center for service.
hauled
as soon
as it is possible.
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The FAN control is used to select the speed of the
blower fan and the force of air you want. There are four
speeds to choose from. Moving the lever between LOW
and
HIGH will decrease or increase the fan speed. The
fan will be off when the system is off.
This lever regulates the temperature
of the air coming
through the system. Move the TEMPERATURE lever to
change the temperature of the air coming through your
outlets. Move the lever between COOL and WARM to
lower or raise the temperature.
de Cc .-
The buttons on your system allow you to choose settings
to deliver
air through lower, middle or windshield outlets.
RECIRC: Press this button to limit the amount of air or
cool the air in your vehicle. To turn off RECIRC, press
the button again. If you select FRONT defrost or
BLEND while RECIRC is selected, the system will
automatically turn
off RECIRC to prevent fogging.
VENT This setting directs airflow through the middle
instrument panel outlets. The air conditioning
compressor
is not working when VENT is selected.
HTR: This button directs air out of the heater outlets.
Most
of the air will come from the floor outlets while
some of it will flow through the windshield and side
window outlets. The air conditioning compressor is not
working when
HTR is selected.
BLEND: When BLEND is selected the airflow will be
split between the windshield and the floor outlets. The
air conditioning compressor will be operating.
FRONT This setting directs most of the airflow toward
the windshield.
OFF: The ventilation system always allows fresh air to
flow through your Buick when the vehicle is moving.
The system will try
to keep the air at a previously
chosen temperature. When the system is
off, the blower
fan is also off.
MAX: This setting directs airflow through the middle
instrument panel outlets.
NORM: This setting cools the air entering your vehicle
and directs it through the middle instrument panel outlets.
BI-LEV: This setting directs warm air to the floor and
cooler air to the middle instrument panel outlets.
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Dual Automatic ComforTemp
Climate Control (Option)
If your Buick has the dual automatic comfortemp
climate control option, the following information tells
you how it works.
You will hear a beep each time a button is pushed and a
small light on the button will indicate which buttons are
active. The lights are on all buttons except TEMP, FAN
and AIR
FLOW. The display will show fan speed,
comfort level setting and airflow direction for a few
seconds whenever AUTO is selected, and then it will
display the outside temperature. The outside temperature
reading is most accurate when the vehicle
is moving.
During stops, the display shows the previous
temperature for best accuracy and system control. If the display
is flashing after the climate control system
is started, there is a problem with the system and you
should see your dealer for service.
Sun and temperature sensors automatically adjust the air
temperature, the airflow direction and the fan speed to
maintain your comfort setting. The system may supply
cooler air to the
side towards the sun. Be careful not to
put anything over the sensors on top of the dash.
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Manual Operation
You may also manually adjust the air delivery or
fan speed.
AIR FLOW: This button is used to change the direction
of the arflow. The airflow choices available are FLOOR,
FLOOR-MID,
MID and WINDSHIELD-FLOOR. If the
system is set for
AUTO, pressing the AIR FLOW button
will display the current airflow direction and the comfort
setting. Press the
AIR FLOW up or down button again to
change the direction of the airflow.
If the
AIR FLOW up button is selected while in the
FRONT defrost mode, the system will direct the air
toward the WINDSHIELD-FLOOR. If the AIR FLOW
down button is selected while in the FRONT defrost
mode, the system will direct the air toward the FLOOR,
and the FRONT defrost mode will cancel. Notice the
arrows in the display.
OFF: If the passenger comfort control is turned on, it
can be turned
off by pressing the OFF button once.
Pressing the
OFF button a second time will turn off the
main system. Turning off the main system causes the fan
to turn
off and the airflow to be directed to the FLOOR.
The system will still try to keep the interior of the
vehicle at the previous chosen comfort setting. The
outside temperature will show on the display when the
system is
OFF.
The ventilation system always allows fresh air to flow
through your Buick when the vehicle is moving even
with the system in the OFF mode.
VENT The VENT button allows outside air to flow
through your Buick without the air conditioning
compressor working. Selecting VENT and the
AUTO
button at the same time allows the system to control
automatically without the use of the air conditioning
compressor or the use of the RECIRC mode. To
turn off
the VENT selection, push the VENT button again.
RECIRC: When RECIRC is selected, the system will
limit the amount
of outside air entering your vehicle.
This
is helpful when you are trying to cool the interior
of the vehicle quickly or limit the amount of outside air
entering your vehicle for some other reason. RECIRC
and AUTO may be selected at the same time. The
system will remain in RECIRC for
12 minutes or
until the ignition is turned off, then the system will
return back to the previously selected mode. RECIRC
can be selected in all manual airflow modes except
FRONT defrost. RECIRC cannot be selected with
the VENT button.
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