key BUICK REGAL 1997 Owner's Manual

LOCK (B): Before you put the key into the ignition
switch, the switch is in LOCK. It’s also the only position
from which you can remove your key. This position
locks your ignition, steering wheel and transaxle. It’s a
theft-deterrent feature.
OFF (C): 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 (D): 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 (E): 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
you are using the correct key; if
so, is it 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.
In case you cannot remove your key from the ignition,
find the access
slot which is located underneath the
steering column below the lock cylinder.
To use this slot, remove the trim cap. Insert a key or
screwdriver
into the access slot and rotate the lock
cylinder. You will now be able to remove your key
from
the ignition. Be sure to replace the trim cap after use.
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Starting Your 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.
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.
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:
I
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
briefly 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.
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Performance Shifting (If Equipped)
Press the performance shift button to allow the
transaxle
to shift at higher
engine speeds, increasing
acceleration performance.
PERF
SHIFT
The PERF SHIFT light
on your instrument panel
cluster will glow when
performance shifting is
being used.
Downshifts will occur at a lower percentage of accelerator
use while you’re
in the performance shift mode. Press the button again to return to normal shifting. The
transaxle will then shift at lower engine speeds,
increasing
fuel economy.
Shift Lock Release
P
1
If your vehicle’s battery should
vehicle electrical power, there is an access slot that will allow you
to override PARK (P) lock if
your shifter is stuck in PARK
(P).
I( go dead or there is a lack of
The access slot
is located beneath a small cap on the
right side of the console shift panel.
To remove the
cap, use a screwdriver or key. Then insert the key or screwdriver into the slot. Make sure you have your
foot on the brake pedal while you are performing this
procedure. Press down and hold.
You will now be able
to shift your vehicle out
of PARK (P).
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Shifting Into PARK (P) 2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position
like this:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see
“Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake with your left foot. Hold in the button on the
lever, and
push the lever
all the way toward the
front
of your vehicle.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in
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 Operation” 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. Then move the shift lever out of
PARK
(P).
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out of PARK
(P), try this:
1. 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 engine and shift to the drive gear you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
I
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that
can burn.
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Twilight Sentinel
Twilight Sentinel provides a period of exterior
illumination as you leave the vicinity
of your vehicle.
The feature is activated when your vehicle’s headlamps
are on due to the automatic headlamp control feature
described previously in this section, and when your
vehicle’s ignition is turned
off. Your headlamps will
then remain on until the headlamp switch is moved from
OFF to the parklamp position or until a 90 second
illumination period has elapsed.
If you turn off the ignition with the headlamp switch in
the parklamp or headlamp position, the Twilight
Sentinel cycle will
not occur.
You can customize the vehicle to activate the Twilight
Sentinel when your vehicle’s ignition is turned off under
the conditions described above, or you may choose
not
to activate this feature under any conditions. The
enabledldisabled state of this feature will be toggled
when you perform the following sequence with the
doors closed and the ignition key in the
RUN position: Press
and hold the power door lock switch. While
holding the door lock switch, cycle the headlamp switch
on and then
off two times. Release the power door lock
switch. These operations must be carried out
in a time
period
of less than 10 seconds, followed by a delay
period
of no more than 10 seconds. Then, press and hold
the power door unlock switch. While holding the door
unlock switch, cycle the headlamp switch on and then
off two times. Release the courtesy door unlock switch.
These operations must be carried out in a time period of
less than 10 seconds.
After releasing the door unlock switch, a single chime
will be heard if the Twilight Sentinel function has been
disabled; two chimes will be heard if the feature has
been enabled. This feature will be enabled when your
vehicle is shipped from the factory. Disconnecting the
vehicle’s battery for up to a year will not change the
programmed operation of this feature.
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Fog Lamps
To turn the fog lamps on,
press the fog lamps switch
located below the headlamp
switch
on the left side of the
steering column.
A light
will glow on the switch to
let you know that
they are
on. (Your parklamps must
be on or your fog lamps
won’t come on). Press the
switch again
to turn the fog
lamps off.
The fog lamps will go off whenever you change to
high-beam headlamps. When you return to low beams,
the fog lamps will come on again.
Cornering Lamps
The cornering lamps are designed to come on when you
signal a turn. This will provide more light for cornering
at night.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
You can brighten or dim the instrument panel lights by
moving the LIGHTS dial. If you turn the dial past
MAX, your courtesy or interior lamps will come on.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several lamps come on. These
lamps are courtesy lamps. They make it easy for you to
enter and leave your vehicle. You can also turn these
lamps on by moving the interior lamps dial all the way
to the right.
Illuminated Entry
Your courtesy lamps will come on and stay on for a set
time whenever you press
UNLOCK on the remote
keyless entry transmitter.
If
you open a door, the lamps will stay on while it’s open
and then turn off automatically about
25 seconds after
you close it. If you press
UNLOCK and don’t open a
door, the lamps will turn off after about
40 seconds.
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Illuminated Entry includes a feature called theater
dimming. With theater dimming, the lamps don’t just
turn
off at the end of the delay time. Instead, they slowly
dim after the delay time until they go out. The delay
time is canceled
if you turn the- ignition key to RUN or
START, so the lamps will dim right away.
When the ignition is on, Illuminated Entry is inactive,
which means the courtesy lamps won’t come on unless
a door is opened.
Delayed Entry Lighting
Delayed Entry Lighting illuminates your vehicle’s interior for a period of time after
all the doors have been closed.
The ignition must be
off for Delayed Entry Lighting
to work. Just after
all the doors have been closed,
the Delayed Entry Lighting feature will continue to
work until:
The ignition is turned to the RUN position.
0 The doors are locked.
0 An illumination period of 25 seconds has elapsed. If
during the illumination period a door is opened, the
timed illumination period will be canceled and the
interior lamps will remain on since a door is open.
Delayed Exit Lighting
This feature illuminates your vehicle’s interior for a
period
of time after the ignition key is removed from
the ignition.
The vehicle’s ignition must be
off for Delayed Exit
Lighting to work. When the ignition key is removed,
interior illumination will activate and remain on until:
The ignition is turned to the RUN position.
The power door locks are activated.
0 An illumination period of 25 seconds has elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened, the
timed illumination period will be canceled and the interior lamps will remain on since a door is open.
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Rearview Mirror Reading Lamps
(If Equipped)
Use the switch next to each lamp to turn them on
and off.
Dome Lamp
The dome lamp will come on when you open the doors.
Battery Rundown Protection
Your vehicle has a feature to help prevent you from
draining the battery in case you accidentally leave
the interior courtesy lamps, reading/map lamps, visor
vanity lamps, trunk lamp, underhood lamp or glove box
lamps on. If you leave any
of these lamps on, they will
automatically turn off after
20 minutes, if the ignition is
in the OFF position. The lamps won’t come back on
again until you:
Turn the ignition on,
0 Turn the lamp switch off, then on; or
Open a door.
Note that if your vehicle has less than
15 miles (25 km)
on the odometer, the battery saver will turn off the lamps
after only three minutes.
Retained Accessory Power
With retained accessory power, your power windows,
audio system and sunroof will continue
to work up to
10 minutes after the ignition key is turned to the OFF
position and none of the doors is opened.
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To access the cupholders, press on the top of the
cupholder door, located just behind the console shift
lever.
Two cupholders will pop into an upright position.
Storage Compartments
Glove Box
Use the door key to lock and unlock the glove box. To
open, lift the latch.
Center Console
The console has cupholders, a cassette tape storage area
and a coinholder.
To open the console’s storage area,
press the latch located toward
the front of the console lid
on the driver’s side
of the vehicle and pull up.
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