BUICK PARK AVENUE 1998 Owners Manual

This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be
on your vehicle. The pictures will help YOU
locate them.
Warning lights
and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair
or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages coukl also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one
of your vehicle’s hn~tions. As YOU
will see in the details 010. the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when
you start the
engine
just to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with
tis section, YOU should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Cages can indicate when there may
be or is a problem
with of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages
and
warning lights work together to let you how when
there’s a problem
with your vehicle. When one
of the
warning lights comes QII and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what
to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to
d~ repairs can be costly -- and even
dangerous.
So please get to how your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Your vehicle may also have a driver information system
that works along with the warning lights and gages. See
“Driver Information System”
in the Index.
d Bel$ pj&&n(jgp Light
When eke key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on
for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on md stay on
for about 20 seconds, then it
will
flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither the chime nor the
light will come on.
ProCarManuals.com

There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR
BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for rna’rfunctions. The light
tells you
if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air
bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the
wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more infomation on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
This light will come on
when y~u start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds.
Then the Eight
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
I€ the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes QIT when you are driving, your air bag
system may
not work p~operly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds 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 wm you if there is a problem.
VOLT
“‘en you turn the hey to
RUN, this light will come
on briefly, to show the
battery charging systeE
is
working.
When the light goes off and stays off, the charging
system
is working.
Hf the light stays on, a chime will sound indicating you
need service, and you should take your vehicle to the
dealer at once. To save your battery until yo3 get there,
turn off a%B accessories and turn off glow climate
control system.
When a luge number of electrical accessories me
operating ir, the vehicle and the engine is left at an idle
for aa extended period, the engine may idle at a higher
RPM than noma1 to ensure the battery does not mn
down. This may occur when several of the following are
on: parking lamps, high-beam headlamps, rear window
defogger, heated seats and engine cooling fans, etc. It
may take longer for the rear window defogger to dear
the glass, and the heated seats may not feel as warn
as normal.
ProCarManuals.com

This light should come on
whera YOU turn the key to
RUN. If it doesn’t come ora
then, have it fixed so Et will
be ready to warn you if
there‘s 2 problem.
ProCarManuals.com

With the anti-lock brake
system, the
Iight(s) will
come on when you start
your engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
1 That’s BzorfnaI.
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 wm you if there is a problem.
OFF
This warnirag light should
come on briefly 2s you start
the engine. If the warning
iight doesn’t corne on then,
have it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there’s
a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be a problem with your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
The traction control system wming light may come on
for the foIlowing reasons:
dr;ivi3g accordingly.
If yos turn the system off by pressing the button
located on the end of the shift lever, the warning
light will come on and stay on. To turn the system
back on, press the button again. The warning light
should go off. (See “Traction Control System” in the
Index
for more kf~m;ation.)
ProCarManuals.com

TEMPERATURE
This gage neasrrres the
temperature of your engine.
If the pointer moves into the
red area, your engine is ~OO
hot. A tenperatwe indicator
chime
wirl sound.
Bight Wili turn on 2nd a
If you have been operating your vehicle under noma1
driving conditions, and the temperature indicator fight
turns on, you should pull off the road, stop your vehicle
and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a whiie, your emission controls rnay not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not PUR as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by pur warranty.
This jight should corne 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 QII during ;I malfunction in one
of ~WO ways:
8 Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission controi system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service rnay be required.
@ Eight On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction
has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer
or qualified service center diagnosis and
service
may be required.
-.- 8:. f. ,fie ~ 2s F‘fp&-!&g --
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
e Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If YOU are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
Sf the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least IO 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 vehcle to your
dealer or qualified service center €or service.
ProCarManuals.com

If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be cgrrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Maw
you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to he1 your vehicie with quality fuel (see
"Fuel" in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to FJ~ as efficiently as designed. YQU may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
pent the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may
go away once the engine is warned up. j
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn OR.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
chmge the fuel
brand you use. It will n-ecpire at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to tuna the light off.
If none of the above steps hove lrirade the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any nnechanicai or electnictrl
problems that
may have developed.
ProCarManuals.com

could be a problem with
your engine 0i1 pressure.
ProCarManuals.com

'
SERVICE
VEHICLE
non-emission related
vehicle
problems.
SOON
These problems may not be obvious and may affect
vehicle performance or durability. Consult a qualified
dealership for necessary repairs to maintain top vehicle
performance. The
light will come QIP briefly when your
ignition is turned on to S~OW that it is workmg properly.
1 UNLEADED FUEL ONLY I
ProCarManuals.com

&~(-&jJ?-% _. _- &SD&$V 7- 0 7: \@+@--JQ) @ &-J~pp@.&) y-
_Y A dk A a
see things you need to see when it's dark outsside.
Be
sure to keep the HUD image dim and placed
EQW in YOUF field of view.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Wead-Up Display
(HUD), you can see some of the driver infomation that
appears
your irrstrumerat cluster.
The
infomation may be displayed in English or metric
units and appears as a reflection ir, the windshield. The
HLJD consists of the following information:
8 Speedometer Reading
0 Turn Signal Indicators
8 High-Beam Meadlamp Indicator
@ Check Gages Message The
Z-:UD shows these images when they are
lighted on
tke instrument pamS cluster.
Be sure to continue scanning your displays, controls and
driving environment
Just as you wouid in a vehicle
without XUD. If you sever hook at your instrt.merit
panel, you may got see something imgoI-aana, such as a
warning light.
ProCarManuals.com