mirror BUICK PARK AVENUE 1999 User Guide

yellowblue
2-53 Power Remote Control Mirror
Your vehicle has an electric mirror control located on
the driver's door armrest.
Move the switch below the control to choose the right or
left mirror. If you place the switch in the center position,
no movement of the mirror will occur. To adjust the
mirror, push the arrow control in the direction you want
the mirror to go.Adjust each mirror so you can just see the side of your
vehicle and the area behind your vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped with the optional memory
seat and mirrors feature, these mirror positions, along
with the driver's seat position can be stored in memory.
See ªMemory Seat and Mirrorsº in the Index.
Parallel Park Assist Mirror (If Equipped)
If you have the optional DIC feature, the passenger's
outside rearview mirror also includes a tilt
-down feature
that operates when the shift lever is in REVERSE (R).
When the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE (R), the
passenger mirror will return to its original position after
a five
-second delay. This delay prevents movement of
the mirror if multiple gear transitions (reverse to drive to
reverse) occur during a parallel parking maneuver. This
feature can be programmed on or off through the
Personal Choice selection menu. See ªDriver
Information Centerº or ªPersonal Choice Featuresº in
the Index for programming instructions. This feature
assists the driver with improved rear obstacle detection.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
2-54 Convex Outside Mirror
Your passenger's side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror's surface is curved so you can see more from the
driver's seat.
CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
Automatic Dimming/Heated Outside
Rearview Mirror (If Equipped)
If you have this feature, the driver's side outside mirror
will adjust for the glare of headlamps behind you. This
feature is controlled by the on and off settings on the
automatic electrochromic day/night rearview mirror. See
ªAutomatic Electrochromic Day/Night Rearview
Mirrorº earlier in this section.
If you have this feature, the left and right outside mirrors
are also heated when you activate the rear window
defogger. See ªRear Window Defoggerº in the Index.
Both outside mirrors can be folded forward or rearward.
In the rearward position, they will fold flush with the
vehicle. This feature is particularly useful in automatic
car washes.
Storage Compartments
Glove Box
The glove box is directly in front of the front
passenger's seat. Use the door key to lock and unlock
the glove box. To open the glove box, pull the handle
upward until the latch opens.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
2-61 Cigarette Lighter
There are cigarette lighters near the front and rear
ashtrays. To use one, push it in all the way and let go.
When it's ready, it will pop back by itself.
NOTICE:
If you hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand
while it is heating, it won't be able to back away
from the heating element when it's ready. That
can make it overheat, damaging the lighter and
the heating element.
Sun Visors
Illuminated Visor Vanity Mirror
Your vehicle has illuminated visor vanity mirrors. When
you open the visor vanity mirror by pulling up, the
lamps turn on.
The brightness of the lamps can be adjusted by sliding
the switch. Your vehicle may also have visor vanity
mirrors for the rear seat passengers.
To block out glare, swing down the visors. The larger
sun visor can be removed from the center mount and
moved to the side, while the auxiliary sun visor remains
to block glare from the front.
The front side of the driver's sun visor also contains a
pocket for map storage.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
2-88
If you unlock the vehicle using your door key instead of
your transmitter, the DIC will not change drivers and
will recall the information from the last transmitter used
or the last driver using one of the MEMORY buttons. If
this happens and you were not the last driver of the
vehicle, simply press your correct driver number on the
appropriate MEMORY button or press UNLOCK on
your transmitter.
The DIC can be used to program the following personal
choice features available with your vehicle:

Memory Seats

Memory Door Locks

Security Feedback

Delayed Locking

Perimeter Lighting

Parallel Park Assist Mirror

Window Lockout
See ªPersonal Choice Featuresº in the Index.See the following steps for personal choice
programming instructions.
1. Turn the ignition on and keep the transaxle in
PARK (P).
2. Inform the DIC which driver you are by pressing the
UNLOCK button on your transmitter or the
appropriate memory seat control.
3. Press and hold the ENG/MET button for five
seconds. WELCOME TO BUICK OPTION
FEATURE will appear in the display.
The next display will be your driver number and the
message ARMREST BUTTON CHANGES
DRIVER #. You are now in the selection mode
and the DIC is ready to program your personal
choices in memory.
Each feature that can be personalized will appear in
the display. Once you have made a selection for a
feature, the DIC will move on to the next personal
choice feature.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
2-89
4. Scroll through the following messages and
feature options:

PARALLEL PARK
- OFF/ON

AUTO DOOR LOCKS
- OFF/ON

UNLOCK IN PARK
- OFF/ON

WHICH DOORS
- ALL/DRIVER

DELAYED LOCKING
- OFF/ON

LOCK FEEDBACK
- OFF/ON

LOCK FEEDBACK
- LIGHTS/LIGHTS +
HORN

UNLOCK FEEDBACK
- OFF/LIGHTS

PERIMETER LIGHTS
- OFF/ON

SEAT RECALL
- OFF/ON

RECALL POSITION
- MEMORY/EXIT

WINDOW LOCKOUT
- ALL PASS/REAR
If you would like to exit the selection mode without
moving through each of the personal choice features,
simply press a different button on the DIC or turn off the
ignition. Whatever personal choices you made will still
be retained, even without passing through each of
the features.If you happen to move past a selection you would like to
make a personal choice for, press UNLOCK on your
transmitter or press the appropriate driver number on the
seat control. This will return you to the beginning of the
option feature programming mode.
A description of each feature programmable through the
DIC follows.
Parallel Park Assist
The parallel park assist mirror, which tilts the passenger
mirror while the vehicle is in REVERSE (R), can be
made active or inactive through the DIC. When
PARALLEL PARK
-OFF-ON appears on the display,
use the ENG/MET button to toggle the arrow between
OFF and ON. When you have made your choice, press
the RESET button to record your selection. For more
information on this feature, see ªMirrorsº in the Index.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
2-92
Perimeter Lighting
When the UNLOCK button on the transmitter is
pressed, the DRL lamps (high
-beams at reduced
intensity), parking lamps and back
-up lamps will turn on
if it is dark enough according to the twilight sentinel.
You can control activation of this feature by choosing
OFF or ON when the PERIMETER LIGHTS choice is
displayed on the DIC. Make your choice by pressing the
ENG/MET button and record your choice by pressing
the RESET button.
NOTE: If you want to choose PERIMETER
LIGHTS ON, you must also choose LIGHTS for
UNLOCK FEEDBACK while making the security
feedback choices.
For more information on this feature, see ªPerimeter
Lightingº in the Index.
Memory Seat Recall
This feature recalls the position of your seat. When this
feature is active, the memory seat and mirror positions
will be recalled for the identified driver when the remote
keyless entry transmitter is used to enter the vehicle.You can program this feature to be active by choosing
ON when the SEAT RECALL choice appears, or
inactive by choosing OFF when the SEAT RECALL
choice appears on the DIC.
You can also program this feature to recall your memory
seat position or the exit seat position.

Memory Position: Choose ON when the SEAT
RECALL choice appears, and then choose
MEMORY when the RECALL POSITION
choice appears.

Exit Position: Choose ON when the SEAT RECALL
choice appears, then choose EXIT when the
RECALL POSITION choice appears and your seat
will move to the stored exit position. The seat will
also move when you enter the vehicle after
unlocking it with a remote keyless entry transmitter.
This will allow for easy entry as well.
For more information on this feature, see ªMemory
Seatsº in the Index.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
4-14

Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you're awaiting an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces your area of
vision, especially if you're following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won't have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.

When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don't
get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
ªrunning startº that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.

If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn't trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)

Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two
-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.

Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.

If you're being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
4-15
Loss of Control
Let's review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don't have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don't give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area
of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and
by not ªoverdrivingº those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle's
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren't rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the traction control system, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid.If you do not have traction control, or if the system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by
easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you'll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
4-16
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.Here are some tips on night driving.

Drive defensively.

Don't drink and drive.

Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.

Since you can't see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.

Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.

In remote areas, watch for animals.

If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
4-22
At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it's slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn't another vehicle in your
ªblindº spot.Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
ProCarManuals.com