engine BUICK REGAL 1993 Owner's Guide

the accelerator pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle start
to slide. Quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to
go. If you start steering quickly enough, your vehicle
will straighten
out. As it does, straighten the front
wheels.
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
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. Steer the way you want
to go.
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.
149
ProCarManuals.com

On two-lane highways or undivided multilane highways
that do not have controlled access, you’ll want to watch
for some situations not usually found on freeways.
Examples are: stop signs and signals, shopping centers
with direct access to the highway, no passing zones and
school zones, vehicles turning left and right
off the road,
pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles, and even animals.
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway
hypnosis”? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel?
Call it highway hypnosis, lack
of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of
the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush
of the wind
against the vehicle that can make
you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to
you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in less than a second, and you could crash and be
inj ured.
What can you
do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen. Then
here are some tips:
0
0
0
0
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors frequently
and your instruments from time
to time. This can
help you avoid a fixed stare.
Wear good sunglasses in bright light. Glare can
cause drowsiness. But don’t wear sunglasses at
night. They will drastically reduce your overall
vision at
the very time you need all the seeing power
you have.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service,
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on
the highway as
an emergency.
As in any driving situation, keep pace with traffic and
allow adequate following distances.
ProCarManuals.com

IL
CAUTION
If you don’t shift down, Jour brakes ,auld get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then I
have poor braking or even none going down a
hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your
engirp
assist your brakes on a steep downhill
I A
CAUTION
Coasting downhill in “N” (Neutral) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do
all the work of slowing down. They could I
get so hot that they wouldn’t work well.
could crash. Always have your engine runn
g
and your vel - le i gear en ya-- go downhill.
I
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
. to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your
engine and transaxle, and
you can climb the hill
better.
I
0 Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center
of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane. That way, you won’t be
surprised by a vehicle coming toward
you in the
same lane.
It takes longer to pass another vehicle when you’re
going uphill.
You’ll want to leave extra room to pass.
If a vehicle is passing you and doesn’t have enough
room, slow down to make it easier for the other
vehicle
to get by.
0 As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
be something in your lane, like
a stalled car or an
accident.
0 You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area, or
winding roads. Be alert
to these and take appropriate
action.
0 Winter driving can present special problems. See
“Winter Driving’’ in the Index.
162
ProCarManuals.com

Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Buick in good shape for winter. Be sure
your engine coolant mix is correct.
0 Snow tires can help in loose snow, but they may give
you less traction on ice than regular tires. If you do
not expect to be driving in deep snow, but may have
to travel over ice, you may not want to switch to
snow tires at all.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom,
a supply
of windshield washer fluid,
a rag, some winter outer
clothing,
a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth, and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include
a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple
of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items
in your vehicle.
166
ProCarManuals.com

stopped by the snow. 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, floor 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.
naust ases under your veh'ick
Snow can
trap 1
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide)
gas to get inside.
CO could overcome you and
II you. You can't see it or smell it, so you mighl
not know
it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow
from around the base of your vehicle
, especial11
any that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And
r':.:%--l check around again from time to time to be surel ..,;I
. . ,;-< 4
Snow doesn't collect there. k, ..;:-- :,: -;-'-- , " ~ ' -. :< . . . ..',.;.L ,:--; .: ., ; ,&': - .. 1 .' . . . ,'--I -..
, , CA,UTION: (Continued)
I
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 headlights. Let the heater run for awhile.
169
ProCarManuals.com

Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little
as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get
out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour
or so until help comes.
If You’re Stuck in Deep Snow
This manual explains how to get the vehicle out of deep
snow without damaging it. See “Rocking Your Vehicle”
in the Index.
Towing a Trailer
(n CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can
lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example,
if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps
in this section.
I NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result
in costly repairs not covered
by your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follov
the advice in this section. ‘I
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight
of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability, and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has
to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In
it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many
of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before
you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies, and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
170
- -
ProCarManuals.com

trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
All of that means changes in:
Handling
Durability
0 Fuel economy
If
You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
There are many different laws having to do with
trailering. Make sure your rig will be legal, not only
where you live but also where you’ll be driving. A
good source for this information can be state or
provincial police.
0 Consider using a sway control.
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your engine and other
i)a’rts of your
vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
1,000 pounds (450 kg).
But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull
a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or
you can write us at Buick Motor Division,
Customer Assistance Center,
902 E. Hamilton Avenue,
Flint,
MI 48550.
In Canada, write to General Motors of Canada Limited,
Customer Assistance Center,
1908 Colonel Sam Drive,
Oshawa, Ontario L1H
8P7.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight
to measure because it affects the total capacity
weight of your vehicle. The capacity weight includes the
ProCarManuals.com

Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
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
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.
firn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your
instrument panel will flash 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.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If
you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than
1,000
pounds ( 450 kg), and you have an automatic transaxle
with Overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
“D” instead
of Overdrive
(or, as you need to, a lower gear).
174
ProCarManuals.com

Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if
you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into “P’
(Park) yet.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to “P” (Park).
Release the regular brakes.
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; and
0 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’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system, and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before
you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
175
ProCarManuals.com

Part 5 Problems On The Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road .
Part 5 includes:
Hazard Warning Flashers
........................................................
QtherWarningDevices .........................................................
“Jump”Starting ...............................................................
TowingYourBuick ............................................................
Engineoverheating ............................................................
IfaTireGoesFlat .............................................................
ChangingaFlatTire ............................................................
CompactSpareTire ............................................................
If You’re Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ..........................................
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
178
179
180
185
192
201
201
210
211
ProCarManuals.com