lock BUICK PARK AVENUE 2003 Repair Manual

·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,
¯oor 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.
4-27

Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires
Be sure your vehicle's tires are in¯ated to the upper limit
for cold tires. You'll ®nd these numbers on the
Tire-Loading Information label at the rear edge of the
driver's door, or see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-30.
Then be sure you don't go over the GVW limit for
your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It's important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are
a few reasons why you'll need the right hitch. Here
are some rules to follow:
·The rear bumper on your vehicle is not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the
bumper.
·Will you have to make any holes in the body of
your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If
you do, then be sure to seal the holes later when
you remove the hitch. If you don't seal them, deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get
into your vehicle. See
Engine Exhaust on
page 2-31. Dirt and water can also enter the
vehicle.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road if
it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by the hitch manufacturer
or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer's
recommendation for attaching safety chains and do not
attach them to the bumper. Always leave just enough
slack so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so you'll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap
into your vehicle's brake system. If you do, both brake
systems won't work well, or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you'll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
4-35

While refueling, hang the tethered fuel cap from the
hook on the fuel door.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The fuel cap has a spring in it; if
you let the cap go too soon, it will spring back to
the right.
{CAUTION:
If you get fuel on yourself and then something
ignites it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can
spray out on you if you open the fuel cap too
quickly. This spray can happen if your tank is
nearly full, and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait for any
ªhissº noise to stop. Then unscrew the cap all
the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle on page 5-82.
When you put the fuel cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear a clicking sound. Make
sure you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 3-37.
5-8

A. Battery
B. Underhood Fuse Block
C. Radiator Pressure Cap
D. Engine Oil Dipstick
E. Engine Oil Fill CapF. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
G. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir
H. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
I. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank
J. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
5-13

Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
¯uid level if you have been driving:
·When outside temperatures are above 90ÉF (32ÉC).
·At high speed for quite a while.
·In heavy traffic ± especially in hot weather.
·While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the ¯uid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180ÉF to 200ÉF
(82ÉC to 93ÉC).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50ÉF
(10ÉC). If it's colder than 50ÉF (10ÉC), you may have to
drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
·Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
·With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK P).
·With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).
·Let the engine run at idle for three to ®ve minutes.Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The transaxle ¯uid dipstick
top is a round, red loop
and is located next to the
brake master cylinder
reservoir behind the engine
block. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
for more
information on location.
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or
paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.
5-23

{CAUTION:
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the radiator
pressure cap Ð even a little Ð they can come
out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system and
radiator pressure cap to cool if you ever have
to turn the pressure cap.
How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when
the cooling system, including the radiator pressure
cap and upper radiator hose, is no longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until
it ®rst stops. (Don't press down while turning the
pressure cap.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss
means there is still some pressure left.
5-34

2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push
down as you turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
3. Remove the 3800 Series II V6 engine cover shield
to access the bleed valve.3.1. Clean the area around the engine oil ®ll tube
and cap before removing. Twist the oil ®ll
tube, with cap attached, counterclockwise
and remove it.
3.2. If you have the supercharged engine,
remove the nut in the center of the cover
shield.
3.3. Lift the engine cover shield at the front, slide
the catch tab out of the engine bracket and
remove the cover shield.
3.4. Put the oil ®ll tube, with cap attached, in the
valve cover oil ®ll hole until you're ready to
replace the cover shield.
5-35

4. After the engine cools,
open the coolant air
bleed valve. There
is one bleed valve. It is
located on the
thermostat housing.5. Fill the radiator with the proper DEX-COOLž
coolant mixture, up to the base of the ®ller
neck. SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-24for more
information about the proper coolant mixture.
If you see a stream of coolant coming from an air
bleed valve, close the valve. Otherwise, close
the valve after the radiator is ®lled.
6. Rinse or wipe any spilled coolant from the engine
and the compartment.
7. Replace the 3800 Series II V6 engine cover shield.
7.1. Remove the oil ®ll tube, with cap attached,
from the valve cover.
7.2. Insert the catch tab on the cover shield
under the bracket on the engine.
7.3. Place the hole in the cover shield over the
hole in the valve cover. Install oil ®ll tube and
cap by twisting clockwise.
7.4. If you have the supercharged engine, install
the nut in the center of the cover shield.
8. Then ®ll the coolant recovery tank to the FULL
COLD mark.
9. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap off.
5-36

Headlamps
Each headlamp is attached by thumb screws.1. Remove the thumb screws by turning them
counterclockwise.
5-50

2. Pull the headlamp assembly away from the vehicle.
3. Remove the bulb
socket by turning it
one-quarter turn
counterclockwise, while
pressing it ®rmly.
Then pull it out. You
can use a tool to
remove the bulb socket
if you are unable to
do it by hand.4. Remove the wire connector from the bulb by lifting
the lock tab and pulling it away from the plastic base.
5. Replace the old bulb with a new bulb. Make sure
not to touch the new bulb element with your ®ngers,
as the oils on your hands will reduce bulb life.
6. Reverse Steps 1 through 4 to reassemble the
headlamp assembly.
When reassembling, make sure to align the pin at the
outboard edge of the headlamp assembly to the
plastic retainer at the outboard edge of the vehicle.
5-51