light BUICK REGAL 1998 Manual PDF

If you get gasoline on yourself and then
something ignites it, you could be badly burned.
Gasoline can spray out on you if you open the
fuel filler cap too quickly. This spray can happen
if your tank is nearly full, and is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise to stop. Then unscrew
the cap
all the way.
Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces
as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside
of Your Vehicle” in the Index. When you
put the cap back on, turn
it to the right
(clockwise)
until you hear a clicking sound. Make sure
you
fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine
if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp”
in
the Index.
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
~ type. Your dealer can get one for you. If you get
the wrong type, it may not fit properly. This may
’ cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light
and
your fuel tank and emissions system may be
damaged. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in
the Index.
6-7
ProCarManuals.com

Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps
are on properly. Then just pull the hood down and close
it firmly.
3800 Supercharged (Code 1) Engine
(If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have a 3800 Supercharged engine.
The supercharger is a device which is designed to pump
more air into the engine than it would normally use.
This
air is mixed with fuel, which creates increased
engine power. Since the supercharger is a pump and is
driven from an engine accessory drive belt, increased
pressure
is available at all driving conditions.
The Powertrain Control Module (PCM), works with a
vacuum control to regulate the increased pressure
required during specific driving conditions. When this
increased pressure or boost is not desired, such as during
idling and light throttle cruising, the excess air that the
supercharger is pumping is routed through a bypass. All
of these controls working together provide high
performance character and fuel efficiency in the
3800
Supercharged L67 engine.
Engine Oil
LOW
OIL
If the LOW OIL light on the
instrument panel comes on,
it means you need to check
your engine oil level right
away. For more
information,
see “Low Oil
Level Light” in the Index.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this
is
an added reminder.
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
6-12
ProCarManuals.com

As shown in the chart, SAE 1OW-30 is best for your
vehicle. However, you can
use SAE 5W-30 if it’s going
to be colder than
60°F (1 6 O C) before your next oil
change. When it’s very cold,
you should use SAE
5W-30. These numbers on an oil container show its
viscosity, or thickness.
Do not use other viscosity oils,
such
as SAE 20W-50.
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
“Starburst” symbol. Failure to use the
recommended oil can result in engine damage not
covered by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area where the temperature falls below
-20°F
(-29”C), consider using either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE OW-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your dealer is ready to
advise if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has an Oil Life Monitor. This feature
will let you know when to change your oil and
filter
-- usually between 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and
7,500 miles (12 500 km) since your last oil change.
Under severe conditions, the indicator may come on
before
3,000 miles (5 000 km). Never drive your vehicle
more than
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months
(whichever occurs first) without an oil change.
The system won’t detect dust
in the oil. So, if you
drive in a dusty area, be sure to change your oil every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or sooner. Remember to reset
the CHANGE OIL
SOON light when the oil has been
changed. For more information, see “Change Oil Soon
Light” in the Index.
How to Reset the CHANGE OIL SOON Light
After changing the engine oil, the system must be reset.
With the ignition key in RUN but the engine off, fully
push and release the accelerator pedal slowly three times
within five seconds. If
the CHANGE OIL SOON light
flashes, the system is resetting.
Turn the key to OFF,
6-16
ProCarManuals.com

then start the vehicle. If the CHANGE OIL SOON light
comes back on, the system has not reset. Repeat the
procedure.
(If you have a driver information center, the
system may be reset by depressing the DIC
RESET
button for five seconds while viewing the oil life display
on the DIC. See “Driver Information Center” 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
To check or replace the air
filter, loosen the wing nut
on the air duct and lift
up on
the two clips located on the
top of the filter cover.
Disconnect the duct and
reposition
it while removing
the side cover.
Pull out the filter. Be sure
to install the air filter and
install the cover tightly when you are finished.
Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services’’ in the Index.
6-17
ProCarManuals.com

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.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at
the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than one
pint
(0.5 L). Don’t overfill.
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON-I11
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.” 4.
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240
000 km) whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL6 extended life coolant.
J
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If
you have a problem with
engine overheating or if you need
to add coolant to your
radiator, see “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@
coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265 “F (1 29°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as they should.
6-23
ProCarManuals.com

If this light comes on, it
means you’re low
on
engine coolant.
LOW COOLANTI
-
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture ut the coolant recovery tank, but be
careful not to spill it.
If the coolant recovery tank is completely empty, add
coolant
to the radiator. (See “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.)
nrning the radiator pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and
scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly.
With the coolant recovery tank, you will almost
never have to add coolant at the radiator.
Never turn the radiator pressure cap
-- even a
little
-- when the engine and radiator are hot.
b, CAUTIOI.. I
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it will burn
if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
6-26
ProCarManuals.com

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
There are only two reasons
why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might
go down. The first is that the brake fluid
goes down to an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake
system fixed, since
a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at
all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak.
If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings.
You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work
is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
’ A CAUTION:
F-
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is
hot enough.
You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light
will come on. See “Brake System Warning
Light”
in the Index.
6-30
ProCarManuals.com

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are worn
and new pads are needed. The sound may come and
go or
be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you are pushing
on the brake pedal firmy).
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary
to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to
GM specifications.
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When
you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have
your vehicle serviced.
I Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in Section
7 of this
manual under Part
C “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections.”
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Brake Pedal navel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
6-32
ProCarManuals.com

Tire Pressure Monitor System (If Equipped)
The tire pressure monitor system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure
of one tire. The system “learns”
the pressure at each tire throughout the operating speed
range of your vehicle. The system normally takes
between
45 and 90 minutes of driving to learn the tire
pressures. This time may be longer depending on your
individual driving habits. Learning need not be
accumulated during
a single trip. Once learned, the
system will remember the tire pressures until the system
is recalibrated.
After the system has learned tire pressures with properly
inflated tires, the LOW TIRE light will come on if the
pressure in
one tire becomes 12 psi (83 kPa) lower than
the other three tires. The tire pressure monitor system
won’t alert you if the pressure
in more than one tire is
low, if the system is not properly calibrated, or if the
vehicle
is moving faster than 70 mph (1 10 kdh).
The tire pressure monitor system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes
in
tire pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire
-- but it doesn’t replace normal tire maintenance.
See “Tires” in the Index. When the LOW
TIRE light comes
on, you should stop
as soon as you can and check all your tires for damage.
(If a tire is flat, see “If
a Tire Goes Flat” in the Index.)
Also check
the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as
you can. See “Inflation
- Tire Pressure” in the Index.
The light will come on and stay on
until you turn off the
ignition or press the
RESET button.
Don’t reset the tire pressure monitor system without first
correcting the cause of the problem and checking and
adjusting the pressure in all four tires. If you reset the
system when the tire pressures are incorrect, the tire
pressure monitor system will not work properly and may
not alert you when
a tire is low.
Any time
you adjust a tire’s pressure, rotate your tires,
or have one or more tires repaired or replaced, you’ll
need to reset (calibrate) the tire pressure monitor system.
You’ll also need to reset the system whenever you buy
new tires and whenever the vehicle’s battery has been
disconnected.
To reset (calibrate) the system,
turn the ignition switch
to
RUN. Then press and hold the RESET button for
about five seconds.
6-44
ProCarManuals.com

The red RESET button is
located inside your
instrument panel fuse block.
(It’s the first button in the
top row of the fuse block.)
The LOW TIRE light will come
on and flash three
times. Then it will go off. If the light doesn’t go off, see
your dealer for service.
The system completes the calibration process during driving.
The system normally takes
15 to 20 minutes of driving in
each of three speed ranges to “learn” tire pressures. The
speed ranges are 15 to 40 mph (25 to 65 km/h), 40 to
65 mph (65 to 105 km/h) and above 65 mph (105 km/h).
When learning is complete, the system will alert you after
2-8 minutes if a tire is 12 psi (83 kPa) different from the
other
three tires. Detection thresholds may be higher and
detection times may be longer on rough roads, curves and
at high speeds. The system
is not capable of detection at
speeds greater
than 70 mph (1 10 km/h).
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires
as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See “When It’s Time for New Tires”
and
“Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information.
The purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for
all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
6-45
ProCarManuals.com