wheel BUICK REGAL 1994 User Guide

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake:
Hold the regular brake
pedal
down with your right
foot. Push down
the
paiking brake pedal with yourleft foot.
If the
ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will
come on.
The parking brake uses the brakes on the rear wheels.
To release the parking brake:
This vehicle has a push to release park brake pedal.
Hold
the regular brake pedal down and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. This will unlock the
pedal. When you lift your left foot, the park brake pedal
will follow it to the released position.
I NOTICE: 1
Driving with the parking brake on can cause your
rear brakes to overheat. You may have to replace
them, and you could also damage other parts of
your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any
hill:
See “ Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section
shows what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
87
ProCarManuals.com

Your driver’s window has an express-down feature.
Quickly press and release the DN side of the switch, the
driver’s window will open a small amount. If the DN
side
of the switch is pressed for more than a few
seconds, the window will go all the way down. To stop
the window while it is lowering, press the UP side of the
switch. To raise the window, press and hold the UP side
of
the switch.
You may also have a lock out switch. Press
it to disable
the power window switches. This will prevent
passengers from opening and closing
the windows. The
driver can still control all the windows with the switch
in the locked position. Press it again to enable the
passenger window switches.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the horn symbol on either side
of the steering wheel.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive.
You can also raise
it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when you exit and enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel to a comfortable level,
then release the lever
to lock the wheel in place.
ProCarManuals.com

Steering Wheel Controls Power
Press PWR to turn the radio on or off.
Band
Press this to choose AM or FM.
I
Seek
Press v to go to a lower frequency station. Press A to go
to a higher frequency station.
Program
Press PROG A or to hear the stations preset on your
radio pushbuttons. Press five times
to hear them all.
If your car has this feature, you can also control certain
functions at the steering wheel.
Volume
To increase or decrease the volume, press VOL A or v.
134
ProCarManuals.com

Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your Buick has an advanced electronic braking system
that will help prevent skidding.
ANTI-LOCK
This light on the
instrument panel will
go on when you start
your vehicle.
When you start your vehicle, or when you begin to drive
away, you may hear a momentary motor or clicking
noise. And
you may even notice that your brake pedal
moves a little while this is going on. This is the
ABS
system testing itself. 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. 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. If one
of the wheels
is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the
rear wheels.
145
ProCarManuals.com

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. Remember: 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 suddenly slows or
stops. Always leave enough room 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 may feel the system
working, or you may notice some noise, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to.
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help
you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
146
ProCarManuals.com

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 accelerate. Both control systems
--
steering and acceleration -- have to do their work where
the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration
can demand too much of those places. You can lose
control. What should
you do
if this ever happens? Ease up on the
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 and
find 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.
147
ProCarManuals.com

Your Buick can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. 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.
148
ProCarManuals.com

Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime 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 1/4 turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn
your steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
I I / ,.e-
l
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:
0 “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.
0 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.
149
ProCarManuals.com

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 Buick’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 and an acceleration skid are 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
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.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
151
ProCarManuals.com

Here are some things you can check before a trip:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they
in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all
levels?
Lights: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important
to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s
the weather outlook along
your route? Should you delay
your trip a short time
to avoid a major storm system?
Maps:
Do you have ur>-to-date maps?
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
than a second, and
you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that
it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
0
0
a
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 and your
instruments frequently.
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.
158
ProCarManuals.com