BUICK PARK AVENUE 2005 Owner's Manual

{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
vehicle serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque specications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
SeeBrake System Inspection on page 6-24.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system — for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in — be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you do
not, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change — for the worse. The braking
performance you have come to expect can change
in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
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Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance free battery. When it is
time for a new battery, get one that has the replacement
number shown on the original battery’s label. We
recommend an ACDelco
®replacement battery. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
battery location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands
after handling.
Vehicle Storage
If you are 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
are not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-41for 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, seeTheft-Deterrent
Feature on page 3-70.
5-40

Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps to do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode
or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other vehicle’s system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You would not be able
to start your vehicle, and the bad grounding
could damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transaxle in PARK (P) or a manual transaxle in
NEUTRAL (N) before setting the parking brake.
5-41

Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or the accessory power outlet(s). Turn off
the radio and all lamps that are not needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save the radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (–) terminal locations on
each vehicle. SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for more information on location.
{CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you. Keep
hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do
not need to add water to the ACDelco
®battery
installed in your new vehicle. But if a battery
has ller caps, be sure the right amount of
uid is there. If it is low, add water to take care
of that rst. If you do not, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery uid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it
in your eyes or on your skin, ush the place
with water and get medical help immediately.
5-42

{CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Negative (−) will go to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (–) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to negative (−)oryou
will get a short that would damage the battery
and maybe other parts too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks.
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal on the vehicle with the dead battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.7. Do not let the other end
touch metal. Connect it
to the positive (+)
terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote
positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black negative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch anything until the
next step. The other end of the negative (−) cable
does notgo to the dead battery. It goes to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal on the vehicle with the
dead battery.
5-43

9. Connect the other end of the negative (−) 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 there, and the chance
of sparks getting back to the battery is much less.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery.
If it will not start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
Notice:If the jumper cables are removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting may occur and
damage the vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Remove the jumper
cables in the correct order, making sure that the
cables do not touch each other or other metal.
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part or Remote
Negative (−) Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) or Remote
Negative (−) Terminals
C. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) TerminalJumper Cable Removal
5-44

To disconnect the jumper cables from both vehicles, do
the following:
1. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle that had the dead battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
other vehicle.
Headlamp Aiming
The headlamp aiming device is under the hood, directly
behind the headlamps.Your vehicle has a headlamp system equipped with
horizontal and vertical aim indicators. The aim has been
pre-set at the factory and should need no further
adjustment. This is true even though your vertical and
horizontal aim indicators may not fall exactly on the
“0” (zero) marks on their scales.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment may be necessary
if it is difficult to see lane markers (for horizontal
aim), or if oncoming drivers ash their high beams at
you (for vertical aim). If you believe your headlamps
need to be re-aimed, we recommend that you take it to
your dealer for service; however, it is possible for
you to re-aim your headlamps as described in the
following procedure.
Notice:To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before beginning.
Failure to follow these instructions could cause
damage to headlamp parts.
5-45

To check the aim, the vehicle should be properly
prepared as follows:
The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface.
If necessary, pads may be used on an
uneven surface.
The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.
There should not be any cargo or loading of the
vehicle, except it should have a full tank of fuel and
one person or 160 lbs (75 kg) on the driver’s seat.
Close all doors.
Tires should be properly inated.
Rock the vehicle to stabilize the suspension.
Start with the horizontal aim. The adjustment
screws can be turned with an E8 Torx
®socket or
T15 Torx®screwdriver.
Once the horizontal aim is adjusted, then adjust the
vertical aim.1. Turn the horizontal
aiming screw (A) until
the indicator (B) is
lined up with zero.
2. Turn the vertical aiming screw (C) until the level
bubble (D) is lined up with zero.
5-46

Bulb Replacement
For the proper type of replacement bulb, see
Replacement Bulbs on page 5-56.
For any bulb changing procedure not listed in this
section, contact your dealer.
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.
Headlamps
Each headlamp is attached by thumb screws.
5-47

1. Remove the thumb screws by turning
them counterclockwise.2. Pull the headlamp assembly away from the vehicle.
5-48