service BUICK PARK AVENUE 1998 User Guide

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.)
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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.
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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.
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'
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
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Fuel Range: Press the FUEL button until the display
shows
FUEL RANGE. The fuel range will calculate the
remaining distance you can chive without refueling. This
calculation is based on the average fuel economy for the
last 25 miles (40.25 km) driven, and the fuel remaining
in the fuel
tank. The RESET button does not function in
this mode.
Fuel Used: Press the mTEk button until the display
shows
IFCTIEL USED. This display will show you how
much fuel has been used since the last reset.
TQ learn
how much fuel is used from a new starting point, press
the RESET button while the fbel used is displayed
-h
the DIC.
Oil Pressure: Press the GAGES button until OIL
PRESSURE appears in the display. If there are no
problems detected with the oil pressure, the display
will
show OIL PRESSURE NORMAL. If a low oil pressure
condition is detected, the display
will show OIL
PRESSURE LOW. If you see the OIL PRESSURE
LOW message, you could be low on oil or your oil is
not going through the engine properly. See your dealer
for service.
Coolant Temperature: Press the GAGES button until
COOLANT TEMB appears in the display. If there are no
problems detected with the temperature, C~C&4NI’
TEMP NORMAL will appear in the display. If the
temperature is too
high, COOLANT TEMP HOT will
appear in the display. If you see the COOLANT TEMP
HOT message, your engine is overheated. You should
pull off the road, stop your vehicle and turn off your
engine as soon as possible.
This manual explains what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
Battery Volts: Press the GAGES button until the
display shows BATTERY STAm.
If the voltage is
normal the display will show BATTERY STATE
NORMAE. If the voltage drops below 10.5 volts, the
display will show
BATTERY STAm LOW. If the
voltage
is above 16 volts, the display will show
BATTERY STATE
HIGH. If the display shows the high
or low message, you need
to have your battery checked.
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Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your raciio may display CLM to indicate
that you have used your tape player €or 50 hours ~ith~ut
resetting the tape clean timer.
€f this message appears om
the display, your cassette tape player needs to be
cleaned.
It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as
SOOR as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and.
known good cassette to see if it is the tape or the tape
player at fault. If this other cassette has EO improvement
in sound quality, clean the tape player.
pkiYLX. If Y0t.i IIOtiCe a redPrCtiOn iEm SOUd quality, &j‘ a
After ycu clean the player, press and hold EJECT for
five seconds to reset the CLN indicator. The rxlio will
display --- to show the indicator was reset.
Cassettes me subject to wear
md the sound quality
may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette
tape is in good condition before you have YOLK tape
player serviced.
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Make sure you’re ready. Try to be wel rested. if par
must start when you’re not fresh -- such as after a day’s
wo& -- don’t plan to make too many des that Eirst part
of the journey. Wew comhrta’ole ciothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
1s your vehick ready for a Iong trip? If ycu keep it
serviced mb maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have
it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ET find experienced and able service experts in
Buickdealerships ail across North America.They’!l be
ready and
willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check befme a trip:
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]Is there actually such a ~~nrdition as “highway
hypnosis”? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel?
Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness,
or whatever.
mere
is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, dong with the hum of the tires on the
road, the &one
of the engine, and the msh of the wind
against the vehicle
that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in less than a secondy and you could crash agld
be injured.
@ Keep YQW eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check YOLK rearview ~~II-QI-S and your
instruments frequently.
@ If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
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................... ............ .................... ....... ......... ... ........ .. ... ..... ........... .........
IO. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection is just as good
thee, but the chance of sparks getting back to the
battery is much less.
11. Now star& the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
.. !: :. 1%. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
_. . If it won’t start &er a few tries, it probably
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
.:,:’ . +
.. needs service. .. ,.. .I ..
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2
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains OF
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicje. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook siob. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components. When your vehicle
is being towed, have the ignition key
in OW. The steering wheel should be
clamped in a.
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service. DQ not use the vehicle’s
steering
column iock for this. The transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed the front wheels,
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed QII the
front wheels, be sure to fallow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section or your transaxle will be
damaged. If these Limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
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