brake BUICK PARK AVENUE 1996 Service Manual

How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have
this done at your hick dealership
Service' Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
1 NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be sure to
get an acc ate reading if
you check your
transaxle fluid. UT
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level
if you have been driving:
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.
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
(1.0"C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you may have
to drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
0
0
0
0
Park your vehicle on a level place.. Keep the
engine running.
With the parking brake applied, place the
shift lever
in PARK (P).
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 PARK (P). '
Let the engine run at idle for three to five rhinutes.
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I
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
1. The transaxle fluid
dipstick top is
a
round loop and is
next to the brake
master cylinder
behind the engine
block. Pull out the
dipstick and wipe it
I with a clean rag or
paper towel.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level must
be in the cross-hatched area.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
8
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Brakes
Brake Fluid
system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at
all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a
leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
There are only
two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might go down. ,The first is that the brake fluid
goes down to
an acceptable level during normal brake
1 lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid level
I goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system.
If it is, you should have your brake !
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is hot
enough. You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come
on. A chime will sound if you
try to drive with this warning light on. See “Brake
System
Warning Light” in the Index.
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What to Add When you do need brake fluid, use only
DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM Part
No. 1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only, and always clean
the brake fluid
reservoir cap before removing
it.
A CAU”’3N:
With the wrong kind of‘fluid.in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause
a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
I NOTICE:
0
I
0
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
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Brake Wear
Your Buick has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come and
go
or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except
when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
The brake wear warning sound means that sooner
or later your brakes won’t work well. That could
lead to an accident. When
you hear the brake
wear warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something
is wrong with
your brakes.
Free movement of brake calipers and properly torqued
wheel nuts are necessary
to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect brake calipers
for movement, brake pads for wear, and evenly torque
wheel nuts in the proper sequence to
GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but
if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected. Also, the rear brake drums
should be removed and inspected each time the tires
are
removed for rotation or changing. When you have the
front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase
in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
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Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality
GM brake
parts in them,
as your Buick does when it is new. When
you replace parts of your braking system
-- for example,
when your brake linings wear down
and you have to
have new ones put in
-- be sure you get new genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your brakes may
no longer work properly. For example, if someone
puts in brake linings that are wrong for your vehicle,
the balance between your front and rear brakes can
change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways
if someone puts
in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new Buick has a Delco Freedom@ battery. You
never have to add water to one of these. When it’s time
for a new battery, we recommend a Delco Freedom
battery. Get one that has the replacement number shown
on the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days
or more, take off the black, negative
(-) cable from
the battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around
a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Feature” in the Index.
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Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See
your
Buick dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind
of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one
it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new
GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure
to have
the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your
Buick model. Using
the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous.
It could affect the braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air and make
you
lose control. You could have a collision in which
you or others could be injured. Always use
the correct wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for replacement.
NOTICE:
The WtMg wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain‘clearance to the body and chassis.
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for
more information.
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- - er ’s Slae r ‘use Panel
The left side fuse panel is located under the instrument
panel, next to the parking brake. When
finished, replace the cover by pressing
it back up
into place.
Snap
off the cover to reveal the fuses. You’ll find a fuse
puller clipped to the inside of
the cover. Place the wide
end
of the fuse puller over the plastic end of the fuse.
Squeeze the ends over the fuse and pull it out.
Spare fuses are located in the slots labeled “Spare”
on
the following chart.
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1 4
1 I*
5 6789
Position
1
2
3
4
5
1A
2A
3A
4A
5A
6A
7A 8A
9A 1B
2B 3B
Circuitry
Circuit Breaker-Power Windows,
Astroroof
Not Used
Circuit Breaker-Power Seats
Not Used
Not Used Start-up Si nal- Air Bag,
PASS-Key
8 I1
Spare
Not Used Interior Lamps
Base Cluster, Automatic
A/C,
Lamp Monitors - Low Coolant,
Oil Level
Courtesy Lamps, Power Mirrors,
Memory Seat Switch
Not Used
Perimeter Lighting
Front Ashtray Cigarette Lighter
Turn Signal, Back-up Lamps,
Cornering Lamps,
Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock
Spare
Not Used
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Position
4B
5B
6B
7B 8B
9B 1c
2c 3c
4c
5c
6C
7c 8C
9c
1D
2D
3D
4D
5D
6D
Circuitry
Not Used
Anti-Lock Brake System
Brake and Hazard Lamps
Not Used
Interior Lighting
Electronic Level Control Air Bag
Spare
Not Used
Not Used
Cooling Fans, Transaxle
Parking Lamps
Not Used Not Used
Chime, Radio, Cluster
Ignition (Run/Crank), Chime, Cluster
Spare
Heated Mirror
Not Used
Base A/C
Not Used
Position
7D
8D
9D
1E
2E
3E
4E
5E
6E
7E
8E
9E
Circuitry
Not Used
Radio
Rear Cigarette Lighters
Not Used
Air BagPASS-Key
I1
Ignition (Off/Unlock)
Not Used
Not Used
Not Used
Not Used
Wipers, Washer
Rear Defog
Passenger’s Side Fuse Panel
Additional fuses are located in the relay center, on the
far right side, below the instrument panel. You must
remove the sound insulator on
the right side of the
passenger footwell to replace these fuses.
Replacing these fuses is difficult. We recommend that
you see your dealer if you need one replaced.
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