maintenance BUICK RANDEZVOUS 2007 Owner's Manual

Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
..................................... 404
Tires
..................................................... 406
Appearance Care
.................................. 451
Vehicle Identication
............................. 461
Electrical System
.................................. 462
Capacities and Specications
................ 469Maintenance Schedule
.............................. 471
Maintenance Schedule
.......................... 472
Customer Assistance Information
............. 491
Customer Assistance and Information
... 492
Reporting Safety Defects
...................... 508
Index
.......................................................... 513
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Aftermarket equipment, such as seat covers, can
affect how well the passenger sensing system
operates. You may want to consider not using seat
covers or other aftermarket equipment if your
vehicle has the passenger sensing system. See
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 103for more information about
modications that can affect how the system
operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat
cushion and seatback may interfere with
the proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be
serviced. There are parts of the airbag system in
several places around your vehicle.You do not want the system to inate while
someone is working on your vehicle. Your dealer
and the service manual have information about
servicing your vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, seeService
Publications Ordering Information on page 510.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key
is turned off and the battery is
disconnected, an airbag can still inate
during improper service. You can be
injured if you are close to an airbag when
it inates. Avoid yellow connectors. They
are probably part of the airbag system. Be
sure to follow proper service procedures,
and make sure the person performing
work for you is qualied to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular
maintenance.
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Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder
light and all your belts, buckles, latch plates,
retractors and anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other loose or damaged safety
belt system parts. If you see anything that might
keep a safety belt system from doing its job, have
it repaired. SeeCare of Safety Belts on page 455.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a
belt is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken airbag covers,
and have them repaired or replaced. The airbag
system does not need regular maintenance.Notice:If you damage the covering for the
driver’s or the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag, or an airbag covering (if equipped) on a
seatback, the airbag may not work properly.
You may have to replace the airbag module in
the steering wheel, both the airbag module
and the instrument panel for the right
front passenger’s frontal airbag, or both the
airbag module and the seatback for seating
positions with a side impact airbag
(if equipped.) Do not open or break the airbag
coverings.
104

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Service Engine Soon Light in the
United States or Check Engine Light in
Canada
Your vehicle has a computer which monitors
operation of the fuel, ignition, and emission control
systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to assure that emissions are at acceptable
levels for the life of the vehicle, helping to produce
a cleaner environment. The SERVICE ENGINE
SOON or check engine light comes on to indicate
that there is a problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before any problem is apparent. This mayprevent more serious damage to your vehicle.
This system is also designed to assist your service
technician in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle
with this light on, after awhile, your emission
controls may not work as well, your fuel
economy may not be as good, and your engine
may not run as smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that may not be covered by your
warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transaxle, exhaust, intake, or fuel system
of your vehicle or the replacement of the
original tires with other than those of the same
Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) can affect
your vehicle’s emission controls and may
cause this light to come on. Modications to
these systems could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty. This may also
result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 354.
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Did you just drive through a deep puddle of
water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The
condition will usually be corrected when the
electrical system dries out. A few driving trips
should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 356. Poor fuel
quality will cause your engine not to run as
efficiently as designed. You may notice this as
stalling after start-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation on
acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is
warmed up.) This will be detected by the system
and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at
least one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the
light off.If none of the above steps have made the light
turn off, your dealer can check the vehicle.
Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to x any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have
or may begin programs to inspect the emission
control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass
this inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order
to help your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
SERVICE ENGINE SOON or check engine light is
on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that
critical emission control systems have not been
completely diagnosed by the system. The vehicle
would be considered not ready for inspection.
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This can happen if you have recently replaced your
battery or if your battery has run down. The
diagnostic system is designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during normal driving.
This may take several days of routine driving. If you
have done this and your vehicle still does not pass
the inspection for lack of OBD system readiness,
your dealer can prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Fuel Gage
When the indicator nears empty, you still have a
little fuel left, but you should get more soon.If your fuel is low, the warning message in the
message center will come on. SeeLow Fuel
Warning Message on page 232.
Your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you
have left when the ignition is on.
Here are four things that some owners ask about.
All these things are normal and do not indicate
that anything is wrong with the fuel gage.
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.
It takes a little more (or less) fuel to ll up
than the gage reads. For example, the
gage reads half full, but it took more (or less)
than half of the tank’s capacity to ll it.
The gage pointer may move while cornering,
braking or speeding up.
The gage may not indicate empty when the
ignition is turned off.
Message Center
The message center is located at the top of the
instrument panel cluster in between the tachometer
and speedometer. It gives you important safety
and maintenance facts.
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Low Oil Pressure Message
Your vehicle may have a low oil pressure warning
message.
Your oil pressure message lets you know when
you may have a problem with your engine oil
pressure.
When the engine is running and this message
appears, the engine oil level may be too low.
There may also be another problem causing low
oil pressure.
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is
low. If you do, your engine can become so
hot that it catches re. You or others
could be burned. Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance
may damage the engine. The repairs would
not be covered by your warranty. Always follow
the maintenance schedule in this manual for
changing engine oil.
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229

Change Engine Oil Message
When this message comes on and stays on after
you have started the engine, it means that
service is required for your vehicle. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 475andEngine Oil on
page 365for more information.
Door Ajar Warning Message
This message will come on when the ignition is
turned to ON or START and the driver’s or
passenger’s door is open.
Rear Hatch Ajar Warning Message
This message will come on when the ignition is
turned to ON or START and the liftgate is open.
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INST ECONOMY (Instant Economy):Instant fuel
economy reects the fuel economy that the
vehicle has right now. Instant fuel economy varies
with your driving conditions, such as acceleration,
braking and the grade of the road being
traveled. Unlike average fuel economy, instant fuel
economy cannot be reset.
FUEL RANGE:The fuel range is an estimated
distance that your vehicle can travel on the
remaining fuel. The fuel economy used to calculate
the range is based on your driving history since
the last reset of the average speed.
FUEL USED:The fuel used display will show you
how much fuel has been used since the last
time it was reset. To reset the fuel used to zero,
press and hold the SET button while the fuel used
is displayed on the DIC and until the display
goes to zero.AVG SPEED (Average Speed):The average
speed display will show your average speed from
when you rst started your vehicle. To reset
the average speed, press and hold the SET button
while the average speed is displayed on the
DIC and until the speed resets to your current
speed.
OIL LIFE LEFT HOLD SET TO RESET:This
message displays the current percentage of the oil
life by the engine oil life system. Be careful not
to reset this display other than when the oil
has been changed. See “How to Reset the Engine
Oil Life System” underEngine Oil Life System
on page 368for more information.
In addition to the engine oil life system monitoring
the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 475andEngine Oil on page 365.
237

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal
down while you:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear.
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the
chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when
you are pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance
Schedule for more on this. Things that are
especially important in trailer operation are
automatic transaxle uid, engine oil, belts, cooling
system and brake system. Each of these is
covered in this manual, and the Index will help
you nd them quickly. If you are trailering, it is a
good idea to review these sections before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and
bolts are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
Your vehicle may have a trailer wiring harness
located at the rear of your vehicle. To use
the trailer wiring harness, you need a converter
kit. Contact your dealer for more information.
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