tow BUICK PARK AVENUE 1996 Owner's Manual

FRONT This selection is used to defrost the
windshield by directing the airflow toward the windshield.
If
FRONT is selected while in the AUTO mode, the fan
speed and the air temperature from the front defroster will
vary. If a manual
fan speed setting is selected, the fan
speed will remain at that selection until another fan speed
selection is made or the AUTO mode
is selected. To turn
off FRONT, press the AUTO or AIR FLOW button.
FRONT defrost will work better if any ice or snow is
cleared from the hood and the air inlet area between the
base
of the windshield and the hood.
Air Condi,,.
On hot days, open the windows long enough to let hot
inside air escape. This reduces the time it takes for your
vehicle to cool down. Then keep your windows closed
for the air conditioner to work its best.
If you have the electronic touch system, for quick
cool-down on very
hot days, use MAX with the
temperature and fan speed adjusted to COOL and
HIGH.
For normal cooling on hot days, use NORM and adjust the
temperature and fan speed for your comfort. If REClRC is
selected while
in the NORM air conditioning mode, the
system works like
MAX and recirculates the air. Use
BI-LEV to deliver warm air to the floor and cooler air to
the middle instrument panel outlets.
If you have the dual automatic comfortemp system and
on very hot days using the AUTO mode, the system will
automatically enter the RECIRC mode and the
temperature door will be positioned at the full cold
position for maximum cooling. If the system
is not in
the AUTO mode, RECIRC should be selected to provide
maximum cooling. You can choose the extreme comfort
setting of
60°F (16"C), but the system will not cool any
faster by choosing the extreme comfort setting.
When the air conditioner is on, you may sometimes notice
slight changes in your vehicle's engine speed and power.
This is normal because
the system is designed to cycle the
compressor on and
off to keep the desired temperature.
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Heating
If you have the electronic touch system, on cold days,
use HTR with the TEMPERATURE lever toward
WARM. If you have the dual automatic comfortemp
system, press
AUTO and adjust the temperature by
pressing the TEMP up or down arrow. You may also
adjust the dual automatic comfortemp system manually
by pressing the AIR FLOW button until FLOOR
appears. Again, adjust the temperature by pressing the
TEMP up or down arrow.
With each system, outside air will be brought in and sent
through the floor outlets. The heater works best if you
keep your windows closed.
Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use
VENT (on the electronic touch
system or manual operation of the dual automatic
cornfortemp system) to direct outside air through
your
vehicle. Air will flow through the middle instrument
panel outlets.
Your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation system supplies
outside air into the vehicle when it’s moving. When the
vehicle is not moving, you can get outside air to flow
through by selecting any air choice (except the rear
window defogger) and any fan speed.
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Ventilation Tips
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Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow or
any other obstruction such as leaves. The heater and
defroster will work better, reducing the chance of
fogging your windows.
When you enter a vehicle with the electronic touch
system in cold weather, select HTR to supply air
through the floor outlets. Then move the FAN lever
to HIGH for a few moments before driving away.
This will blow moist air from the intake outlets
toward the floor, not the windshield. It reduces the
chance of fogging your windows. If you have the
dual automatic comfortemp system, the AUTO
setting will do this for you. Manual operation of the
automatic comfortemp system in the
FLOOR mode
will also supply air through the floor outlets.
Keep the air path under the front seats clear of objects.
This helps air to circulate throughout your vehicle.
When the engine idles for a long time, the exterior
temperature sensor may cause the system
to blow air
that is too cool. Once the vehicle is moving again,
the system will try to maintain the set temperature
inside your vehicle.
0 When you start your vehicle and the EXT display
flashes (dual automatic comfortemp system only) for
some time, the system may need repair. See your
Buick dealer.
Defogging and Defrosting
On cool but humid days, use FRONT to keep the
windshield and side windows clear and to quickly
remove fog, frost or ice from the windshield.
If you have the the electronic touch system, adjust the
TEMPERATURE lever toward
WARM and the FAN
lever toward HIGH.
If you have the dual automatic cornfortemp system,
while in the AUTO mode, the fan speed will vary.
If a
manual fan speed setting
is selected, the fan speed will
remain at that selection until the engine is turned
off or
another selection has been made. To turn off FRONT,
press
AUTO or AIR FLOW.
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Towing a Trailer
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike and
injure people in
a sudden stop or turn, or in
a crash.
0 Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In a
trunk, put them as far forward as you can.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
0 Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
0 When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
Electronic Level Control
This feature keeps the rear of your vehicle level as the
load changes. It’s automatic
-- you don’t need to
adjust anything.
If you don’t use the corn equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when
you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your Buick dealer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered
by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Buick dealer
for important information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
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Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
3800 (L67) Supercharged engine or the 3800 (L36)
engine and proper trailer towing equipment. To identify
what the vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle,
you should read the information in “Weight of the
Trailer” that appears later in this section. But trailering
is different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability, and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag
of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control if your trailer will
weigh
2,000 lbs. (900 kg) or less. You should always
use a sway control if your trailer will weigh more
than
2,000 lbs. (900 kg). You can ask a hitch dealer
about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that vou
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 kmi) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
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Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer, the weight
of the trailer tongue
and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg),
unless you have the optional
3,000 lbs. (1 350 kg) trailer
towing package. But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull
a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write us at:
Buick Motor Division
Customer Assistance Center
902
E. Hamilton Avenue
Flint, MI 48550
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Assistance Center
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight
to measure because it affects the total capacity
weight of your vehicle. The capacity weight includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in
it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle” in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A B
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Safety Chains Driving with a Trailer
You
should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if
it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer‘ Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
loaded, then
it needs its own brakes -- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into
you vehicle’s brake system.
If you do, both brake
systems won’t work well, or at all. Towing a trailer requires a certain amount
of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving
is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before
you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back
up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide
you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider
turns than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t
strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
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Tbrn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about
to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Your vehicle
has bulb warning lights. When you plug a
trailer lighting system into your vehicle’s lighting
system, its bulb warning lights may not let you know if
one of your lamps goes out.
So, when you have a trailer
lighting system plugged in, be sure
to check your
vehicle and trailer lamps from time to time to be sure
they’re all working. Once you disconnect the trailer
lamps, the bulb warning lights again can tell you if one
of your vehicle lamps
is out.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade,
shift down to THIRD (3) and
reduce your speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce
the possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill.
If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can
be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how
to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
5. Release the regular brakes.
brake, and the shift
to PARK
(P).
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
e Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belts, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help
you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
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