service BUICK REGAL 1994 Owner's Manual

Towing Your Car
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Buick. The usual towing equipment is
a sling-type
(A) or a wheel-lift (B) or car carrier (C) tow
truck.
A
3 W
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct,
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
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When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service. Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock,for this. The transaxle should be in
Neutral and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, don’t go more than
55 mph (88 k/h) or
farther than
500 miles (800 km) or your transaxle will
be damaged. If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
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If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. Try to keep your engine under load (in a drive gear
where the engine runs slower).
If
you no longer have the overheat warning, you can drive.
Just to be safe, drive slower for about
ten minutes. If the
warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if the
warning stops. But then, if you still have the warning,
TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND GET EVERYONE
OUT OF THE VEHICLE until it cools down.
You may decide not
to lift the hood but to get service
help right away. When you
decide it’s safe to lift
the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
0 Coolant recovery tank
0 Radiator pressure cap
0 Electric engine fan
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If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down. The coolant level should be
at or above the
“COLD’
mark. If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator
hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere
else in the cooling system.
I NOTICE:
I
Engine damage from running your engine
without
coolant isn’t covered by your warranty. I
If there seems to be no leak, check to see if the electric
engine fan is running.
If the engine is overheating, the
fan should be running.
If it isn’t, your vehicle needs
service.
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Part 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Buick . This part begins with service and fuel information. and
then
it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels . There is also technical information about your
vehicle. and a section devoted to its appearance care
.
Part 6 includes:
Service ........................................................................\
.. 208
Fuel
........................................................................\
..... 209
HoodRelease
..................................................................... 212
Engineoil
....................................................................... \
214
Aircleaner
....................................................................... \
219
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
................................................... : ....... 220
Enginecoolant
.................................................................... 223
PowerSteeringFluid
............................................................... 226
Windshield Washer Fluid
............................................................ 227
Brakes
........................................................................\
... 228
Battery
........................................................................\
.. 231
LoadingYourVehicle
............................................................... 235
Tires
........................................................................\
.... 236
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
.................................................. 253
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
....................... ’. ................................... 254
Capacities and Specifications
......................................................... 260
BulbReplacement
................................................................. 232
Appearancecare
.................................................................. 244
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Service
Your Buick dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your
dealer far all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM
parts and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine
GM parts have one of these marks:
n-
: -3
n
U
Delco
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want
to get the proper Buick Service Manual. It tells you
much more about how to service your Buick than this
manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service Publications” in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Buick” in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenahce Record” in the Index.
2.
NOTICE:
If you try to do your own service work without
knowing enough about it, your vehicle could be
damaged.
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Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. It should meet specifications ASTM
D48 14 in
the U.S. and CGSB 3.5-92 in Canada. These fuels
should have the proper additives,
so you should not have
to add anything to the fuel.
In the
U.S. and Canada, it’s easy to be sure you get the
right kind of gasoline (unleaded).
You’ll see
“UNLEADED” right on the pump. And only unleaded
nozzles
will fit into your vehicle’s filler neck.
Be sure the posted octane
is at least 87. If the octane is
less than 87,
you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have
to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
What about gasoline
with blending materials that
contain oxygen (oxygenates), such as MTBE or alcohol?
MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.” Fuel that is no
more than
15% MTBE is fine for your vehicle. Ethanol
is ethyl or grain alcohol. Properly-blended fuel
that is no more than
10% ethanol is fine for your
vehicle.
Methanol is methyl or wood alcohol.
I NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol is bad for
your vehicle. Don’t use it. It can corrode metal
parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty. And even at
5%
or less, there must be “cosolvents” and
corrosion preventers in this fuel to help avoid
these problems.
Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control additives will
help prevent deposits from forming in your engine and
fuel system. That helps keep your engine
in tune and
your emission control system working properly. It’s
good for your vehicle, and you’ll be doing your part for
cleaner air.
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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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Engine Coolant Heater (Engine Block
Heater)
An engine coolant heater can be a big help if you have
to park outside in very cold weather, 0°F (- 18 “C) or
colder. If your vehicle has this option, see “Engine
Coolant Heater”
in the Index.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails
with soap and
water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine
oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of
oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own
oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing
oil from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of
oil by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
Air Cleaner
The air cleaner is in the right front area of the engine
compartment.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
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I NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage
it. Always
have the air cleaner
in place when you’re driving.
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level
is when the engine oil is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine when to change
your fluid. See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in
the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at a Buick dealership Service
Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading on the
dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system, starting a fire. Be sure to get
an accurate reading
if you check your transaxle
fluid.
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