ESP BUICK REGAL 1994 User Guide

Driving at Night Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlights behind you.
1 Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between
you and other
vehicles.
0 Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlights can light
up only so much road ahead.
0 In remote areas, watch for animals.
0 If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and
rest.
Night Vision
i No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
~ we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
’ driver may require at least twice as much light to see the A same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
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.
0 Don’t drink and drive. What
you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting
to night. But if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down
on glare from headlights, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
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“dimple” the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice
is to slow down when it is raining.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlights -- not just your
parking lights
-- to help make you more visible to
others.
City Driving
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See
“Tires”
in the Index.)
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.
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monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide”
in the Index). Dirt
and water can,
too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the
bumper.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to
the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be provided by the
hitch manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow safety
chains to drag
on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg)
loaded, then
it needs its own brakes -- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly. Because you have anti-lock
brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake
system. If you do, both brake systems won’t work well,
or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight
of the
trailer. And always keep
in mind that the vehicle you are
driving
is now a good deal longer and not nearly so
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform,
,
safety chains, electrical connector, lights, tires and
mirror adjustment. If
the trailer has electric brakes, start
your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lights and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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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:
0 Shift into a gear; and
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels,
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and
then shift to “P” (Park).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
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.
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
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10. Then replace the pressure cap. At
any time during this
procedure
if coolant
begins to flow out
of the filler neck,
reinstall the
pressure cap. Be
sure the arrows on
pressure cap line up
like this.
11. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level
in
the coolant recovery tank should be at the “HOT”
mark when the engine is hot or at the “COLD” mark
when the engine is cold.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require
the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go.
It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop, well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use
your jacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely.
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Many gasolines are now blended with oxygenates.
General Motors recommends that
you use gasolines with
these blending materials, such as MTBE and ethanol. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high carbon monoxide.
levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated gasoline. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station operators if their
gasolines contain deposit control additives and
oxygenates, and if they have been reformulated to
reduce vehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
U.S. or Canada, unleaded fuel may be hard to find. Do
not use leaded gasoline. If you use even one tankful, your emission controls won’t work well or at all. With
continuous use, spark plugs can get fouled, the exhaust
system can corrode, and your engine oil can deteriorate
quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor will be damaged.
All
of that means costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write
us at the following address for
advice. Just tell
us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation,
North American Export Sales (NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
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Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is
180°F to 200°F (82°C
to 93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C).
If it’s colder than 50°F (lO”C), you may have
to drive longer.
To check the fluid level
Park your vehicle on a level place.
0 With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
0 With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
in “P” (Park).
lever through each gear range, pausing for about three seconds
in each range. Then, position the shift
lever
in “P” (Park).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
Then, without shutting off the engine. follow these
steps:
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or
paper towel.
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2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull
it back out again.
A
L
A
A
L
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level must be in the cross-hatched
area.
4. If
the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back
in all the way.
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants’’
in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area
on the
dipstick.
I. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring
it to the proper 1evel.It doesn’t
take much fluid, generally less than
a pint (OSL).
Don’t overfill. We recommend you use only fluid
labeled DEXRON@-111 or DEXRON@-IIE, because
fluids
with that label are made especially for your
automatic transaxle. Damage caused by fluid other
than DEXRON@-I11 or DEXRON@-IIE is
not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
0 After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under
“How to Check.’’
0 When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back
in all the way.
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A
B
1. Remove the electrical 4. Install the electrical connector with slotted grooves
connector
(A) from the toward to de front of vehicle.
bulb
by raising the lock
tab (B) and pulling the
connector down and
away from the bulb’s
plastic base
(C).
i
Taillamp Bulb Replacement
Remove the plastic nuts that secure the trunk trim over
the taillights area.
2.
3.
Press and turn the plastic base (C) a 1/4 turn
counterclockwise and remove from the metal
retaining ring
(E) by gently pulling back and away
from the headlight.
Install the new bulb by inserting the smallest tab
(D)
lqcated on top of the plastic base into the
corresponding notch in the metal retaining ring
(E).
Turn 1/4 turn clockwise until it stops. The small
plastic tab should be at the top
of the metal ring.
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Inflation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label which is on the deck lid
shows the correct inflation pressures for your tires, when
they’re cold. “Cold” means your vehicle has been sitting for
at least three hours or driven no more than a mile.
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It’s not. If your tires don’t
have enough air (underinflation) you can get:
0 Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
0 Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get:
Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60
psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. Simply looking at the tires will not tell
you the
pressure, especially
if you have radial tires -- which
may look properly inflated even
if they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to put them back
on. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
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