heater BUICK PARK AVENUE 1997 Owners Manual

Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Buick, and information on starting, shifting
and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is working
properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
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2-4
2-8
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2-15 2-16
2- 17
2-
19
2-20
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2-22
2-23
2-27
2-28
2-30
2-3
1
Keys
Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry System
TrUnk
Theft
Content Theft Deterrent
PASS-Key@
III
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Parking Brake Shifting Into PARK
(P)
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Parking Over Things That
Burn
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2-33
2-34
2-34
2-44
2-46
2-50
2-55
2-64
2-64
2-68
2-73
2-82
2-84 Engine Exhaust
Running
Your Engine While You’re Parked
Windows
Tilt Wheel
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Astroroof
Universal Transmitter
Instrument Panel
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
Head-Up Display (HUD)
Driver Information Center (DIC)
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NOTICE:
I
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START for about three to five seconds at a time until
your engine starts. Wait about
15 seconds between
each try to help avoid draining your battery.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears
the extra gasoline from the engine.
After waiting about
15 seconds, repeat the normal
starting procedure.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual that tells how to
do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather, 0°F (- 1 8 O C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum
of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
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To Use the Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could
be damaged. How long should
you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
lund
of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Buick dealer in the area where you’ll be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice
for
that particular area.
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your automatic transaxle has a shift lever located on the
steering column.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
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Theater Dimming
This feature allows for a three to five-second fade out of
the courtesy lamps instead
of immediate turn off.
Delayed Exit Lighting
With this feature, the interior lamps will come on for
25 seconds after you remove the key from the ignition.
This will give you time to find the door pull handle or
lock switches.
Illuminated Entry System
When you open either front door or press the UNLOCK
button on the remote keyless entry transmitter, the
lamps inside your vehicle will turn on. These lamps
will turn
off after about 40 seconds. These lamps will
also turn
off if you start the engine or activate the power
door locks.
Perimeter Lighting
When the UNLOCK button on the Remote Keyless
Entry transmitter is pressed, the daytime running lamps
(high-beams at reduced intensity), parking lamps and
back-up lamps will come on if it is dark enough outside
according to the twilight sentinel. This feature
will only be activated when the security
feedback feature is programmed to be in modes
1, 3 or 5
on the transmitter. Modes 0,2 and 4 do not respond with
exterior lights flashing when unlocking the vehicle
so
perimeter lighting will not be active.
This feature can be prograrnmed'on or off for
each transmitter.
To turn the feature
off
1. Press and hold the door lock switch on the door
throughout this procedure. All doors will lock.
2. Press the instant alarm button on the transmitter to
enter the programming mode. Perimeter lighting
remains on at this time and the horn will chirp
two times.
3. Press the instant alarm button on the key transmitter
again. Perimeter lighting is disabled and the horn
will chirp one time.
4. Release the door lock switch. The perimeter lighting
feature is now off.
NOTE: Pressing the UNLOCK button repeatedly may
cause the back-up lamps to turn on.
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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 until the ignition is
turned
off. The system will return back to the previously
selected mode when the car is turned back on. RECIRC
can be selected in all manual airflow modes except
FRONT defrost. RECIRC cannot be selected with the
VENT button.
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 Conditioning
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.
On very hot days, 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.
Heating
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.
Outside air will be brought in and sent through the
floor outlets. The heater works best if you keep your
windows closed.
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Ventilation Tips
0 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.
e Keep the air path under the front seats clear of objects.
This helps
air to circulate throughout your vehicle.
Passenger Compartment Air Filter (Option)
rassenger compartment air, both outside air and
recirculated air, is routed through a passenger
compartment filter, which is part of a three piece filter
system. The filter removes certain particles from the air,
including pollen and dust particles. Reductions in
airflow, which may occur more quickly in dusty areas,
indicate that the filter needs to be replaced early. The
particle filter is located inside the air control
module with an access panel underneath the instrument
panel near the accelerator pedal. The filter should be
replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance. See
“Maintenance Schedule” in the Index for replacement
intervals. See your Buick dealer for details on changing
the filter.
Once you remove your filter, if you choose not
to
replace it, it will not damage your vehicle. However, the
air will no longer be filtered.
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Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That
is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But
do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Loading Your Vehicle
‘ OCCUPANTS
VEHICLE CAP. WT.
TIRE-LOADING
INFORMATION
FRT. CTR. RR.
TOTAL LBS. KG
MAX. LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CAPACITY WEIGHT XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE SIZE SPEED PRESSURE RTG
PSI/KPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA.
IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PSli28KPa
SEE OWNER’S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire Loading Information label
found on the rear edge of the driver’s door tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle.
It also gives you
important information about the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the Vehicle Capacity Weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for
a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0)
or THIRD (3).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops.
But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn ofthe engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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The coolant level should be at or above the FULL
COLD mark.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is
a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see
if the electric engine fans are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fans should be running.
If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
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How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t at or above the
FULL COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for
more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix
will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
I NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mix.
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