steering BUICK RANDEZVOUS 2003 Owner's Guide

Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the“driver lost control”accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you can
control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control
systems—steering and braking—have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Unless you have
four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can
demand too much of those places. You can lose
control.
The same thing can happen if you’re steering through
a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those
two control systems—steering and acceleration—canoverwhelm those places where the tires meet the road
and make you lose control. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-10.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way
you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can“drive”through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill andnd
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking—if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room.
That’s the time for evasive action—steering around the
problem.
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Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
SeeBraking on page 4-7. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you
can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
You maynd that your right wheels have dropped off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you’re
driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way,
steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of
the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to
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one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents—the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.”Look down the road, to the sides
and to crossroads for situations that might affect
your passing patterns. If you have any doubt
whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait
for a better time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and
lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might
indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass.
A broken center line usually indicates it’s all
right to pass (providing the road ahead is clear).Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or
a double solid line, even if the road seems empty
of approaching traffic.
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“running start”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 vehicles 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
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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 notashing, 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.
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
“overdriving”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
this system, 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
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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“mirrored surface”—and slow
down when you have any doubt.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It
helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the
brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores
steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily
when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels
are rolling, you will have steering control.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.
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If you have traction control, keep the system on. It will
improve your ability to accelerate when driving on a
slippery road. But you can turn the traction system off if
your vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or
snow. SeeIf You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
on page 4-30. Even though your vehicle has a traction
system, you’ll want to slow down and adjust your driving
to the road conditions. SeeTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 4-10.
If you don’t have a traction system, accelerate gently.
Try not to break the gentle traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
Unless you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to brake very gently, too. (If you do have anti-lock,
seeBraking on page 4-7. This system improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road.) Whether you have the anti-lock braking
system or not, you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. Without anti-lock brakes,
if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the
brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily to
get the most traction you can.Remember, unless you have anti-lock, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you’ll just slide. Brake
so your wheels always keep rolling and you can still
steer.
Whatever your braking system, allow greater
following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might bene
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On
an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass
may remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
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If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you don’t want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as“rocking”can
help you get out when you’re stuck, but you must
use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transaxle or other parts of the
vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartmentfire or other damage.
When you’re stuck, spin the wheels as little as
possible. Don’t spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle back
and forth, you can destroy your transaxle. See
“Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out.”For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-56.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn your traction
control system off. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 4-10. Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transaxle is in gear. By slowly spinning your
wheels in the forward and reverse directions, you
will cause a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may
need to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out,
see“Towing Your Vehicle”following.
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Dolly Towing
If you have a two-wheel-drive vehicle, it can be towed
with two of its wheels on the ground. To dolly tow
your vehicle, do the following:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, it cannot be
towed with any of its wheels on the ground. It can be
towed with car carrier equipment.
Notice:Towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground, or even with only two of
its wheels on the ground, will damage drivetrain
components. Don’t tow an all-wheel-drive vehicle if
any of its wheels will be on the ground.
Loading Your Vehicle
The Certication/Tire Label is found on the rear edge of
the driver’s door.
The label shows the size of your original tires and the
ination pressures needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
The Certication/Tire Label also tells you the maximum
weights for the front and rear axles, called the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). Tond out the actual loads
on your front and rear axles, you need to go to a
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Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this so your trailer won’t strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring.
The arrows on your instrument panel willash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will alsoash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel willash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
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Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Specifications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-8
Checking Things Under
the Hood......................................................5-9
Hood Release................................................5-9
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-10
Engine Oil...................................................5-11
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-15
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-17
Engine Coolant.............................................5-19
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-21
Engine Overheating.......................................5-22
Cooling System............................................5-24
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-31Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-32
Brakes........................................................5-33
Battery........................................................5-36
Jump Starting...............................................5-36
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-41
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-42
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-43
Headlamps..................................................5-43
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps..........................................5-44
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps............5-45
Taillamps and Back-Up Lamps.......................5-45
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-46
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-47
Tires..............................................................5-48
Inflation -- Tire Pressure................................5-49
Check Tire Pressure System..........................5-49
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-51
When It Is Time for New Tires
.......................5-52
Buying New Tires
.........................................5-53
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
..........................5-54
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
..................5-55
Wheel Replacement
......................................5-55
Section 5Service and Appearance Care
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