warning BUICK REGAL 1993 User Guide

Brake System Warning Light
(a)(!)
BRAKE
Your Buick’s hydraulic
brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t
working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For
good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
If the warning light goes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on as you start the vehicle.
If it
doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to
warn you if there’s a problem. This
light will also come on when you set your parking
brake, and will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t
release fully. If it stays
on after your parking brake is
fully released, it means you have a brake problem. If the
light comes on while driving, pull off the road and stop
carefully. You may notice that the pedal is harder
to
push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor. It may
take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
A CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake warning light is on. Driving with the
brake warning light on can lead to an accident.
If
the light is still on after you’ve pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed fo
service.
aw,Tp 1 e- c -
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
(Option) anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, see “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier
in this part.
With anti-lock, this light will go on unless you start your
engine and it will stay
on for three seconds. If the light
doesn’t come on, have it fixed
so it will be ready to
warn you
if there is a problem.
If the light stays on or comes on when you’re driving,
stop
as soon as possible and turn the key off. Then start
the engine to reset the system. If the light still stays on,
or comes
on again while you’re driving, your Buick
needs service. Unless the regular brake system warning
light is also
on, you will still have brakes, but not If
the anti-lock brake system warning light ever flashes,
your anti-lock brake system is still working but needs
.service as soon as possible.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
TEMP
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the
red area, your engine is too
hot
!
It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
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HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY!
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
Low Coolant Warning Light
If this light comes on, your
system is low
on coolant
and the engine may
overheat.
See “Engine Coolant” in the Index and have your
vehicle serviced as soon
as you can.
Engine Oil Pressure Gage
OIL
I
You can read your engine
oil pressure directly from
the gage on your instrument
panel.
If the gage reads in the red band and stays there, it
means oil isn’t going through your engine properly.
You
could be low on oil, or you might have some other oil
problem. Have your vehicle serviced as soon as you can.
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Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If &I
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon
as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
problems can be cost
Low Oil Warning Light
LO
1L
When the “LOW OIL”
light comes on you
should check your
engine oil level and
add engine
oil. See
“Engine Oil” in
the
Index.
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I ,- A-
i?
u
RAILROAD ADVANCE
CROSSING NARROW
BRIDGE LOW
SHOULDER
Y
FLAGGER
AHEAD
/
WORKERS AHEAD
YELLOW indicates a general warning. Slow down and ORANGE indicates road construction or maintenance.
be careful when you see a yellow sign. It may signal a You’ll want to
slow down when you see an orange sign,
railroad crossing ahead,
a no passing zone, or some as part of the road may be closed off or torn up. And
other potentially dangerous situation. Likewise, a yellow there
may be workers and maintenance vehicles around,
solid line painted on
the road means “Don’t Cross.” too.
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Shape of Road Signs
The shape of the sign will tell you something, too.
ST0 P
An OCTAGONAL
(eight-sided) sign
means STOP. It
is
always red with
white letters.
I'
I
A DIAMOND-shaped
sign is a warning
of
something ahead - for
hill, soft shoulder, or a
. example, a curve, steep
b narrow bridge.
F
40
I PASSING
A TRIANGLE, pointed
downward, indicates
YIELD. It assigns the
right-of-way to traffic on certain approaches
to an intersection.
A TRIANGULAR
sign also is used on
two-lane roads to
indicate a
NO
PASSING ZONE.
This sign will be on
the
left side of the
roadway.
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time. A green arrow means you may drive in that lane.
Look for the signs posted to warn drivers what hours
and days these systems are in
effect.
Pavement Markings
NO
PASSING
ZONE
Pavement markings add to traffic signs and signals.
They give information to drivers without taking
attention from the roadway.
A solid yellow line on your
side of the road or lane means “don’t cross.”
Your Own Signals
Drivers signal to others, too. It’s not only more polite,
it’s safer
to let other drivers know what you are doing.
And in some places the law requires driver signals.
Turn and lane change signals. Always signal when
you
plan to turn or change lanes. If
necessary,
you can use hand signals out the window:
Left arm straight out for a left turn, down for slow or
about-to-stop, and up for
a right turn.
Slowing down. If time allows, tap the brake pedal once
or twice in advance of slowing or stopping. This warns
the driver behind you.
Disabled. Your four-way flashers signal that your
vehicle is disabled or
is a hazard. See “Hazard Warning
Flasher”
in the Index.
Traffic Officer
The traffic police officer is also a source of important
information. The officer’s signals govern,
no matter
what
the traffic lights or other signs say.
The next section discusses some of the road conditions
you may encounter.
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive
defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
Buick: Buckle up. (See “Safety Belts” in
the Index.)
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If there’s a problem with the anti-lock brake system, the
anti-lock brake system warning light will stay
on or
flash.
See “Anti-lock Brake System Warning Light”
in the
Index.
I
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps
out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. The
computer separately works the brakes at each front
wheel and at the rear wheels.
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The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most
of available tire and road
conditions.
... ..
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
/A CAUTION:
Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need to
get your foot
up to the brake pedal. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you, you won't
have time to apply your
brakes if that vehicle
cvddenly
slows or stops. Always leave enough
luom up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock:
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and
let anti-lock work for you. You also may hear a
clicking noise as
you accelerate after a hard stop.
Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your Buick has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when
the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed.
The sound may come
and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you are pushing on the brake pedal
firmly).
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A LAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well. Thal
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out ‘-ake pat-
could result in costly brake repair
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does
not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
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 make a moderate brake stop, your disc
brakes adjust for wear.
If you rarely make a moderate or heavier stop, then your
brakes might not adjust correctly.
If you drive in that
way, then
-- very carefully -- make a few moderate
brake stops about every
1000 miles (1600 km), so your
brakes will adjust properly.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if
you don’t have anti-lock, your
first reaction
-- to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it
down
-- may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels can
stop rolling. Once
they do, the vehicle can’t respond to
your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever
direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling.
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