check engine BUICK REGAL 2003 Owner's Guide

If it isn’t, you may have a leak at the pressure cap or in
the radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else in the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an enginere, and you could be
burned. Get any leakxed before you drive the
vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check
to see if the electric engine cooling fans are running.
If the engine is overheating, both fans should be
running. If they aren’t, your vehicle needs service.Notice:Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
See“Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode”in the Index for information on driving to a
safe place in an emergency.
Notice:When adding coolant, it is important that
you use only DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL®is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner—at 30,000 miles
(50 000 km) or 24 months, whichever occursrst.
Damage caused by the use of coolant other
than DEX-COOL
®is not covered by your new vehicle
warranty.
5-29
2003 - Regal OM

12. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins toflow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure
the arrow on the pressure cap lines up like this.
13. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level in
the coolant recovery tank should be at the HOT
mark when the engine is hot or at the COLD mark
when the engine is cold.
Power Steering Fluid
The power steeringfluid reservoir is located on the
passenger’s side of the vehicle at the back of the engine
compartment, and can be identified by the above
graphic on the cap.
5-36
2003 - Regal OM

When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steeringfluid
unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. Afluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired. SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 5-10for reservoir location.
How to Check Power Steering Fluid
Turn the key off, let the engine compartment cool down,
wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean, then
unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
Replace the cap and completely tighten it. Then
remove the cap again and look at thefluid level on the
dipstick.If thefluid is at the ADD mark, you should addfluid.
When the engine compartment is hot, the level should
be at the HOT mark.
What to Use
To determine what kind offluid to use, seePart D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-16.
Always use the properfluid. Failure to use the proper
fluid can cause leaks and damage hoses and seals.
5-37
2003 - Regal OM

{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You
don’t need to add water to the ACDelco
®
battery installed in your new vehicle. But if a
battery hasller caps, be sure the right
amount ofuid is there. If it is low, add water
to take care of thatrst. If you don’t, explosive
gas could be present.
Batteryuid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin,ush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
{CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Negative (−) will go to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Don’t connect positive (+) to negative (−)oryou’ll
get a short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts too. And don’t connect the
negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks.
5-45
2003 - Regal OM

Maintenance Schedule......................................6-2
Introduction...................................................6-2
Your Vehicle and the Environment....................6-2
Maintenance Requirements..............................6-2
How This Section is Organized.........................6-3
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services...........6-4
Using Your Maintenance Schedule....................6-4
Scheduled Maintenance...................................6-4
Part B: Owner Checks and Services................6-10
At Each Fuel Fill..........................................6-10
At Least Once a Month.................................6-10
At Least Twice a Year...................................6-11At Least Once a Year...................................6-11
Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections.........6-14
Steering, Suspension and Front Drive Axle
Boot and Seal Inspection............................6-14
Exhaust System Inspection............................6-14
Fuel System Inspection..................................6-15
Engine Cooling System Inspection...................6-15
Throttle System Inspection.............................6-15
Brake System Inspection................................6-15
Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants. . . .6-16
Part E: Maintenance Record...........................6-17
Section 6 Maintenance Schedule
6-1
2003 - Regal OM

Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
Important: Keep engine oil at the proper level and
change as recommended.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet or your dealer
for details.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. Improper vehicle maintenance can
even affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper
fluid levels or the wrong tire inflation can increase
the level of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect
our environment, and to keep your vehicle in good
condition, be sure to maintain your vehicle properly.
Maintenance Requirements
Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections and
recommended fluids and lubricants as prescribed in this
manual are necessary to keep your vehicle in good
working condition. Any damage caused by failure
to follow scheduled maintenance may not be covered by
warranty.
6-2
2003 - Regal OM

Part A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
This part contains engine oil scheduled maintenance
which explains the engine oil life system and how
it indicates when to change the engine oil andfilter.
Also, listed are scheduled maintenance services which
are to be performed at the mileage intervals specified.
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to keep your vehicle in good
working condition. But we don’t know exactly how
you’ll drive it. You may drive short distances only a few
times a week. Or you may drive long distances all
the time in very hot, dusty weather. You may use your
vehicle in making deliveries. Or you may drive it to
work, to do errands or in many other ways.
Because of the different ways people use their vehicles,
maintenance needs may vary. You may need more
frequent checks and replacements. So please read the
following and note how you drive. If you have
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your dealer.
This part tells you the maintenance services you should
have done and when to schedule them.
When you go to your dealer for your service needs,
you’ll know that GM-trained and supported service
people will perform the work using genuine GM parts.The properfluids and lubricants to use are listed in
Part D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses
these. All parts should be replaced and all necessary
repairs done before you or anyone else drives the
vehicle.
This schedule is for vehicles that:
•carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You willfind these on your vehicle’s
Tire-Loading Information label. SeeLoading Your
Vehicle on page 4-33.
•are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
•use the recommended fuel. SeeGasoline Octane
on page 5-4.
Scheduled Maintenance
The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) should be repeated after 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) at the same intervals for the life of
this vehicle. The services shown at 150,000 miles
(240 000 km) should be repeated at the same interval
after 150,000 miles (240 000 km) for the life of this
vehicle.
SeePart B: Owner Checks and Services on page 6-10
andPart C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections on
page 6-14.
6-4
2003 - Regal OM

Footnotes
†The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify
the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to
the completion of the vehicle ’s useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the
maintenance be recorded.
@Whenever the tires are rotated, the Tire Ination
Monitor System must be reset.
+A good time to check your brakes is during tire
rotation. See Brake System Inspection on page 6-15.
Engine Oil Scheduled Maintenance
Change engine oil and filter as indicated by the
GM Oil Life System (or every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). Reset the system.
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine oil andfilter. This is
based on engine revolutions and engine temperature,
and not on mileage. Based on driving conditions,
the mileage at which an oil change will be indicated can
vary considerably. For the oil life system to work
properly, you must reset the system every time the oil is
changed.When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE OIL SOON light will come on.
Change your oil as soon as possible within the next two
times you stop for fuel. It is possible that, if you are
driving under the best conditions, the oil life system may
not indicate that an oil change is necessary for over a
year. However, your engine oil andfilter must be
changed at least once a year and at this time the system
must be reset. Your dealer has GM-trained service
people who will perform this work using genuine GM
parts and reset the system.
It is also important to check your oil regularly and keep
it at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must
change your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your
last oil change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed. SeeEngine Oil on
page 5-13for information on resetting the system.
An Emission Control Service.
See the mileage intervals following for additional
services that may be performed with an engine oil
change. After the services are performed, record the
date, odometer reading and who performed the service
on the maintenance record pages in Part E of this
schedule.
6-5
2003 - Regal OM

7,500 Miles (12 500 km)
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-59for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote @.) (See footnote +.)
15,000 Miles (25 000 km)
❑Inspect engine air cleanerfilter. If necessary, replace
thefilter. If vehicle is driven in dusty/dirty conditions,
inspectfilter at every engine oil change. See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18for more
information.An Emission Control Service. (See
footnote†.)
❑Replace passenger compartment airfilter. If you
drive regularly under dusty conditions, thefilter
may require replacement more often.
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-59for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote @.) (See footnote +.)
22,500 Miles (37 500 km)
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-59for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote @.) (See footnote +.)
30,000 Miles (50 000 km)
❑Replace passenger compartment airfilter. If you
drive regularly under dusty conditions, thefilter
may require replacement more often.
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-59for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote @.) (See footnote +.)
❑Replace engine air cleanerfilter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18for more information.
An Emission Control Service.
❑For supercharged engines only: Check the
supercharger oil level and add the proper
supercharger oil as needed (or every 36 months,
whichever occursfirst). SeePart D: Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-16.An Emission
Control Service. (See footnote†.)
37,500 Miles (62 500 km)
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-59for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote @.) (See footnote +.)
6-6
2003 - Regal OM

45,000 Miles (75 000 km)
❑Inspect engine air cleanerfilter. If necessary, replace
thefilter. If vehicle is driven in dusty/dirty conditions,
inspectfilter at every engine oil change. See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18for more
information.An Emission Control Service. (See
footnote†.)
❑Replace passenger compartment airfilter. If you
drive regularly under dusty conditions, thefilter
may require replacement more often.
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-59for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote @.) (See footnote +.)
50,000 Miles (83 000 km)
❑Change automatic transaxlefluid andfilter if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of
these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or
higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change theuid andlter at 100,000 miles
(166 000 km).
52,500 Miles (87 500 km)
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-59for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote @.) (See footnote +.)
60,000 Miles (100 000 km)
❑Replace passenger compartment air lter. If you
drive regularly under dusty conditions, the lter
may require replacement more often.
❑For supercharged engines only: Check the
supercharger oil level and add the proper
supercharger oil as needed (or every 36 months,
whichever occurs rst). SeePart D: Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-16.An Emission
Control Service. (See footnote†.)
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-59for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote @.) (See footnote +.)
❑Replace engine air cleaner lter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18for more information.
An Emission Control Service.
67,500 Miles (112 500 km)
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-59for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote @.) (See footnote +.)
6-7
2003 - Regal OM