headlamp BUICK PARK AVENUE 2000 User Guide

2-49
Mirror Operation
To turn on the automatic dimming feature, press AUTO.
To turn off automatic dimming, press OFF. The green
indicator light will be illuminated when this feature
is active.
Time Delay
The automatic mirror has a time delay feature which
prevents unnecessary switching from the night back to
the day position. This delay prevents rapid changing of
the mirror as you drive under lights and through traffic.
Cleaning the Photocells
Use a cotton swab and glass cleaner to clean the
photocells when necessary.
Electrochromic Day/Night Rearview Mirror
with Compass (If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have an electrochromic inside
rearview mirror with a compass.
When set in the MIRROR position, this mirror
automatically changes to reduce glare from headlamps
behind you. A time delay feature prevents rapid
changing from the day to night positions while driving
under lights and through traffic.
The mirror also includes an eight
-point compass display
in the upper right corner of the mirror face. When on, the
compass automatically calibrates as the vehicle is driven.
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper towel or similar
material dampened with glass cleaner. Do not spray glass
cleaner directly on the mirror as that may cause the liquid
cleaner to enter the mirror housing. Use a cotton swab
and glass cleaner to clean the photocells when necessary.

2-53 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.

2-67
The main components of your instrument panel are:
A. Air Outlet
B. Headlamps/Parking Lamps Switch
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
D. Instrument Cluster/Gages
E. Hazard Warning Flasher Switch
F. Climate Control System and Audio Steering
Wheel Controls
G. Gearshift Lever
H. Audio System
I. Air OutletJ. Fuel Door Release Button
K. Trunk Release and Lockout Button
L. Hood Release
M. Audio System Steering Wheel Controls
N. Ignition Switch
O. Traction Control Button
P. Ashtray and Cigarette Lighter
Q. Climate Control System
R. Glove Box
S. Passenger Climate Control

2-82
Head-Up Display (HUD)
(If Equipped)
CAUTION:
If the HUD image is too bright, or too high in
your field of view, it may take you more time to
see things you need to see when it's dark outside.
Be sure to keep the HUD image dim and placed
low in your field of view.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Head-Up Display
(HUD), you can see some of the driver information that
appears on your instrument panel cluster.
The information may be displayed in English or metric
units and appears as a reflection in the windshield.
The HUD consists of the following information:

Speedometer Reading

Turn Signal Indicators

High
-Beam Headlamp Indicator

CHECK GAGES Message
The HUD shows these images when they are lighted on
the instrument panel cluster.
Be sure to continue scanning your displays, controls and
driving environment just as you would in a vehicle
without HUD. If you never look at your instrument
panel, you may not see something important, such as a
warning light.

2-83
NOTICE:
Although the HUD image appears to be near the
front of the vehicle, do not use it as a parking aid.
The HUD was not designed for that purpose.
If you try to use the display as a marker for the
front of your vehicle, such as in a parking lot, you
may misjudge distance and hit an obstacle or
another vehicle.
The HUD controls
are located in the
overhead console.1. Start your engine and slide the HUD dimmer control
all the way up.
The brightness of the HUD image is determined by
whether the headlamps are on or off, and where you
have the HUD dimmer control set.
2. Adjust the seat to your driving position. Slide the
image height adjuster control all the way up, raising
the image as far as possible.
3. Now slide the image height adjuster control down so
the image is as low as possible but still in full view.
4. Slide the dimmer control downward until the HUD
image is no brighter than necessary.
To turn the HUD display off, slide the dimmer control
all the way down.
If the sun comes out, the sky becomes cloudy, or if you
turn your headlamps on, you may need to adjust the
HUD brightness using the dimmer control. Polarized
sunglasses could make the HUD image harder to see.
To change the display from English to metric units,
push the ENG/MET button located to the left of the
steering column.

2-84 Care of the HUD
Clean the inside of the windshield as necessary to
remove any dirt or film that reduces the sharpness or
clarity of the HUD image.
To clean the HUD lens, spray household glass cleaner
on a soft, clean cloth. Gently wipe and dry the HUD
lens. Do not spray cleaner directly on the lens to avoid
cleaner leaking inside the unit.
If You Can't See The HUD Image When the
Ignition is On
If the ignition is on and you can't see the HUD image,
check to see if:

The headlamps are on.

Something is covering the HUD unit.

The HUD dimmer control is adjusted properly.

The HUD image is adjusted to the proper height.

A fuse is blown. See ªFuses and Circuit Breakersº in
the Index.
Keep in mind that your windshield is part of the HUD
system. If you ever have to have your windshield
replaced, be sure to get one that is designed for HUD or
your HUD image may look blurred or out of focus.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(If Equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Driver
Information Center (DIC). The DIC will display
information about how your vehicle is functioning,
as well as warning messages if a system problem
is detected.
The following buttons are
on the DIC control panel
which is located to the left
of the steering column:

4-17
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.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50
-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20
-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you're
driving, don't wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.

4-18
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn't lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it's easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your
eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness
-- the inability to see in dim
light
-- and aren't even aware of it.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can't stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire
-to-road traction isn't as good as on dry roads.
And, if your tires don't have much tread left, you'll get
even less traction. It's always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.

4-30

Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you've been stopped by the snow.

Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
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 a while.

6-34
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelco
battery. When it's time for a new battery, get one
that has the replacement number shown on the original
battery's label. We recommend an ACDelco battery.
Vehicle Storage
If you're not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, remove the black, negative (
-) cable from the battery.
This will help keep your battery from running down.
CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren't careful. See ªJump Startingº in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see ªTheft
-Deterrent
Featureº in the Index.
Bulb Replacement
The following procedure tells you how to replace your
headlamp bulbs. For the type of bulb to use, see
ªReplacement Bulbsº in the Index. For any bulbs not
listed in this section, contact your service department.
Halogen Bulbs
CAUTION:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.