checking oil BUICK PARK AVENUE 1997 Owners Manual

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Buick. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2
6-3
6-9
6-12
6- 17
6-20
6-2
1
6-24
6-28
6-29
6-30
6-34
6-34
6-46
6-47 Service
Fuel Checking Things Under the
Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner Supercharger Oil
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant Radiator Pressure Cap
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires 6-56
6-57
6-6
1
6-64
6-64
6-65
6-66
6-67
6-73
6-75 6-76
6-77
6-77
6-78
6-78 Appearance
Care
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Buick
Cleaning the Outside of Your Buick
Underbody Maintenance
Chemical Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System
Removing the Rear Seat Cushion
Replacement Bulbs Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Engine Specifications Vehicle Dimensions
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
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Checking Things Under the Hood Hood Release
A CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
A CAUTION: I I
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not
to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
To open the hood, pull the
handle inside the vehicle. It
is located on the lower left
side
of the instrument panel.
6-9
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It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel.
In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
Turn
off the engine and
give the oil a few minutes
to drain back into the oil
pan.
If you don’t, the oil
dipstick might not show the
actual level.
Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
6-13
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Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83
000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you
do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Buick 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.
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 accurate reading if you check your
1 transaxle fluid.
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.
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
(10OC).
If it’s colder than 50°F (lO”C), you may have
to drive longer.
6-21
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I I
BBB Auto Line ................................. 8-7
Better Business Bureau Mediation
................... 8-7
Brake Belt. Engine Accessory
..................... 6-78. 6-79
Blizzard. Driving In
............................. 4-28
Adjustment
.................................. 6-33
Fluid
....................................... 6-30
Master Cylinder
.............................. 6-30
Parking
..................................... 2-27
PedalTravel
.................................. 6-33
Replacing System Parts
........................ 6-33
System Warning Light
......................... 2-75
Trailer
...................................... 4-36
Transaxle Shift Interlock
....................... 2-30
Transaxle Shift Interlock Check
.................. 7-41
Wear
....................................... 6-32
Brakes. Anti-Lock
............................... 4-7
Braking
........................................ 4-6
Braking
in Emergencies .......................... 4- 10
Break-In. New Vehicle
.......................... 2- 19
BTSI
......................................... 2-30
BTSICheck
................................... 7-41
Bulb Replacement
.............................. 6-34
Canadian Roadside Assistance
.................... 8-5
Capacities and Specifications
...................... 6-76
Carbon Monoxide
.......... 2-15.2-31.2-32.4-29. 4-35
Cassette Deck Service
........................... 7-39
Cassette Tape Player
....................... 3- 10. 3- 14
Cassette Tape Player Care ........................ 3-34 Cassette
Tape Player Errors
.................. 3.12. 3.16
CDChanger. TrunkMounted
...................... 3-27
Cellular Phone Readiness Package
................. 2-63
Center Passenger Position
........................ 1-26
Central Door Unlocking System
.................... 2-5
Certification Label .............................. 4-31
Chains. Safety
................................. 4-36
Chains. Tire
................................... 6-56
Change Engine Oil Soon
......................... 6-16
Changing a Flat Tire
............................. 5-22
Check Tire Pressure System
....................... 6-49
Checking
Your Restraint Systems .................. 1-47
Chemical Paint Spotting
.......................... 6-64
Child Restraints
................................ 1-35
Securing in a Rear Outside Seat Position
........... 1-37
Securing in the Center Rear Seat Position
.......... 1-39
Securing in the Right Front Seat Position
.......... 1-41
TopStrap
................................... 1-36
Wheretoput
................................ 1-35
Chrome Wheels. Cleaning
........................ 6-62
Cigarette Lighter
............................... 2-62
Circuit Breakers and Fuses
....................... 6-68
Cleaner, Air
................................... 6-17
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome Wheels
................... 6-62
Exterior LampsLenses
........................ 6-61
Fabric
................................. 6-57. 6-58
Glass
....................................... 6-60
Inside
of Your Buick .......................... 6-57
Instrument Panel
............................. 6-59
9-2
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DriverPosition ................................. 1-13
Driving City
........................................ 4-21
Defensive
.................................... 4-2
Drunken
..................................... 4-2
Freeway
.................................... 4-22
InaBlizzard
................................. 4-28
In Foreign Countries
........................... 6-5
In the Rain
.................................. 4- 18
Night
...................................... 4-16
On Curves
.................................. 4-11
On Grades While Towing a Trailer
............... 4-38
On Hill and Mountain Roads
.................... 4-24
OnSnowandIce
............................. 4-27
Throughwater
............................... 4-20
WetRoads
.................................. 4-18
Winter
...................................... 4-26
With a Trailer
................................ 4-36
Drunken Driving
................................ 4-2
Dual Automatic ComforTemp Climate Control
......... 3-2
Electrical Equipment, Adding
.......... 2-22,3-33, 6-67
Electrical System
............................... 6-67
Electrochromic Day/Night Rearview Mirror
.......... 2-50
With Compass ............................... 2-51
Electronic Level Control
......................... 4-32
Engine
....................................... 6-11
Accessory Belt
.......................... 6-78, 6-79
Coolant
..................................... 6-24
Coolant Heater
............................... 2-22 Coolant
Level Check
.......................... 7-39
Coolant Temperature Gage
..................... 2-77
Exhaust
................. 2.15.2.31.2.32. 4 .29. 4.35
Identification
................................ 6-66
OilLevelCheck
.............................. 7-39
OilLifeIndex
................................ 2-87
Overheating
................................. 5-12
Specifications
................................ 6-65
Starting
..................................... 2-21
Supercharged
................................ 6-12
Engineoil
.................................... 6-12
Adding
..................................... 6-14
Additives
................................... 6-16
Checking
................................... 6-13
Pressure Light
............................... 2-80
Used
....................................... 6-17
Whentochange
.............................. 6-16
Entry Lighting, Delayed
.......................... 2-46
Exhaust, Engine
................. 2-15,2-31,2-32, 4-35
Exit Lighting, Delayed
........................... 2-47
Express-Down Window
.......................... 2-33
Express-Open Astroroof
......................... 2-64
Fabric Cleaning
.......................... 6-57, 6-58
Fan Control, Climate Control System
................ 3-3
Filling Your Tank
................................ 6-6
Filter, Air
..................................... 6-17
Filter, Engine Oil
............................... 6-16
Filter, Passenger Compartment Air
.................. 3-7
Running
While Parked
......................... 2-32
9-4
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