index BUICK REGAL 1995 User Guide

New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your modern Buick doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (804 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this “breaking-in” guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Don’t tow a trailer during “break-in.” See
“Towing a Trailer’’ in the Index for more
information.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
Ignition Switch
U
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch
to five positions:
ACC (A): This position lets you use things like the
radio and windshield wipers when the engine is
off. To
use ACC, push in the key and turn it toward you. Your
steering wheel will stay locked.
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LOCK: Before you put the key into the ignition switch,
the switch is in
LOCK. It’s also the only position in
which you can remove your key. This position locks
your ignition, steering wheel and transaxle. It’s a
theft-deterrent feature.
OFF (B): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still turn the steering wheel. It doesn’t lock the steering
wheel
like LOCK. Use OFF if you must have your
vehicle pushed or towed.
RUN (C): This position is where the key returns after
you start your vehicle. With the engine off,
you can use
RUN to display some
of your warning and indicator
lights.
START (D): This position starts your engine.
A warning chime will sound if you open the driver’s
door when
the ignition is in OFF, LOCK or ACC and
the key is
in the ignition.
NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it is all the
way in. If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force it could break
the key or the ignition switch. If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
Starting Your Engine
Engines start differently. The 8th digit of your Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) shows the code letter
or
number for your engine. You will find the VIN at
the top
left of your instrument panel. (See “Vehicle
Identification Number” in
the Index.) Follow the proper
steps to start
the engine.
Move your shift lever
to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start
in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature. To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL
(N) only.
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NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your Buick is
moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
To start your 3.1 Liter engine:
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When
the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer man
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor.
2. If your engine won’t start (or starts but then stops),
it could be flooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the way
to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but t.hen stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for
five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine.
~
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in
your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts
or accessories, you could change the way
the fuel injection system operates. Before adding
electrical equipment, check with your dealer.
If
you don’t, your engine might not perform
properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
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To start your 3.8 Liter engine:
I. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition
key to START. When the engine starts, let
go
of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
I NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START for about three to five seconds at a time until
your engine starts. Wait about
15 seconds between
each try
to help avoid draining your battery.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal
all the way to the
floor and holding
it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
brietly but then stops again, do the
same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for
five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine. After
waiting about 15 seconds, repeat the normal starting
procedure.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the fuel injection system operates. Before adding
electrical equipment, check with
your dealer. If
you don’t, your engine might not perform
properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
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Make sure the shift lever is fully into PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your Buick has a
brake-transaxle shift interlock. You must fully apply
your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P)
when the ignition is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of
PARK
(P), ease pressure on the shift lever by pushing
it all the way into PARK (P) while keeping the brake
pedal pushed down. Release the shift lever button
if
you have a console shift. Then move the shift lever out
of PARK (P), being sure to press the shift lever button
if you have a console shift. See “Shifting Out of
PARK (P)” in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while ybm vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE
(R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice
or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N)
only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
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Parking Brake
The parking brake uses the brakes on the rear wheels.
To set the parking brake,
hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot.
Push down the parking
brake pedal with your left
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your
left foot. When you lift your left
foot, the parking brake pedal will follow
it to the
released position.
NOTICE:
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.
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Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is
in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave
it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into the PARK
(P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move the shift lever away from PARK (P)
without first pulling
it toward you (or, if you have the
console shift lever, without first pushing the button).
If
you can, it means that the shift lever wasn‘t fully locked
into PARK
(P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking 011 a hill and ~OLI don’t shift YOLII-
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle
may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out
of PARK (P). This is called “torclue lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the pmking brake and then shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) h If “torque lock” does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours
a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the transaxle, so you can pull the shift
lever out of
PARK (P).
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Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your Buick has a brake-transaxle shift interlock. You
must fully apply your regular brakes before you can
shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition is in RUN. See
“Automatic Transaxle” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever by pushing
it all the way into PARK (P)
while keeping the brake pedal pushed down. Release the
shift lever button
if you have a console shift. Then move
the shift lever
out of PARK (P), being sure to press the
shift lever button
if you have a console shift.
If
you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out
of PARK (P), try this:
I. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and shift to the drive gear you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
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Power Windows
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you’re pulling a
trailer, also see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. Switches on the driver’s door armrest control each
of the
windows when the ignition is on. In addition, each
passenger door has a switch for its own window.
The driver’s window switch has an auto-down feature.
This switch is labeled
AUTO. Tap the rear of the switch,
and the driver’s window will open a small amount. If the
rear of the switch is pressed all the way down, the
window will
go all the way down.
To stop the window while it is lowering, press the front
of the switch.
To raise the window, press and hold the
front of the switch.
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Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal
a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When
the turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
A green arrow on the
instrument panel will flash
in the direction of the turn
or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the green arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until
you complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don’t
flash but just stay on, a signal bulb may be burned out
and other drivers won’t see
your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace
it to help avoid an
accident. If the green arrows don’t go on at all
when you
signal a turn, check the fuse (see
“Fuses and Circuit
Breakers”
in the Index) and for burned-out bulbs.
A chime will sound if you leave your turn signal on for
more than 1/2 mile
(0.8 km).
Headlamp High/Low Beam
bmd
To change your headlamps
from low beam to high
beam, or high to low, pull
the multifunction lever all
the way toward you. Then
release
it. When the high
beams are on,
a blue light
on the instrument panel
also
will be on.
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