brake BUICK REGAL 2004 Service Manual

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply the regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start the engine.
Shift into a gear.
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle will need service more often when it pulls a
trailer. See.Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4for
more information. Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic transaxle uid; which
should not be overlled; engine oil, drive belt(s),
and cooling and brake systems. Each of these is
covered in this manual, and the Index will help you nd
them quickly. If trailering, it is a good idea to review
this information before starting on a trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-29.
4-45

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-16
Supercharger Oil..........................................5-21
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-22
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-24
Engine Coolant.............................................5-26
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-29
Engine Overheating.......................................5-29Cooling System............................................5-32
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-40
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-42
Brakes........................................................5-43
Battery........................................................5-46
Jump Starting...............................................5-47
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-53
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-55
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-55
Headlamps..................................................5-55
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps..............5-56
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-57
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps............5-58
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-59
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-60
Tires..............................................................5-61
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-68
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-69
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-70
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-72
Buying New Tires.........................................5-72
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake uid, windshield washer and
other uids, and plastic or rubber. You or
others could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill things that will burn onto a hot engine.
5-10

A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-42.
B. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-46.
C. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. SeeBattery
on page 5-46.
D. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-98.
E. Radiator Pressure Cap. SeeCooling System on
page 5-32.
F. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling System
on page 5-32.G. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Below Generator).
SeePower Steering Fluid on page 5-40.
H. Electric Cooling Fan. SeeCooling System on
page 5-32.
I. Engine Oil Dipstick. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-16.
J. Engine Oil Fill Cap. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-16.
K. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick. SeeAutomatic
Transaxle Fluid on page 5-24.
L. Brake Fluid Reservoir. SeeBrakes on page 5-43.
M. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22.
5-13

A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-42.
B. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-46.
C. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. SeeBattery
on page 5-46.
D. Underhood Electrical Center. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-98.
E. Radiator Pressure Cap. SeeCooling System on
page 5-32.
F. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling System
on page 5-32.G. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Below Generator).
SeePower Steering Fluid on page 5-40.
H. Electric Cooling Fan. SeeCooling System on
page 5-32.
I. Engine Oil Dipstick. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-16.
J. Engine Oil Fill Cap. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-16.
K. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick. SeeAutomatic
Transaxle Fluid on page 5-24.
L. Brake Fluid Reservoir. SeeAutomatic Transaxle
Fluid on page 5-24.
M. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22.
5-15

Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare the vehicle as follows:
Park the vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear, pausing for about three
seconds in each gear. Then, position the shift lever
in PARK (P).
Let the engine run at idle for three to ve minutes.
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The automatic transaxle
uid dipstick handle is the
black loop located
toward the rear of the
engine. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for more
information on location.1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or
paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds, and
pull it back out again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The uid level must be in the crosshatched
area.
4. If the uid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
5-25

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is lled with DOT-3
brake uid. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for the location of the reservoir.There are only two reasons why the brake uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The rst is that the
brake uid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the uid level goes back up. The other reason is
that uid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system xed, since a leak
means that sooner or later your brakes will not work
well, or will not work at all.
So, it is not a good idea to “top off” your brake uid.
Adding brake uid will not correct a leak. If you add uid
when your linings are worn, then you will have too
much uid when you get new brake linings. You should
add (or remove) brake uid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake uid, it can spill on
the engine. The uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
5-43

When your brake uid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-31.
What to Add
When you do need brake uid, use only DOT-3 brake
uid. Use new brake uid from a sealed container
only. SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 6-12.
Always clean the brake uid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help
keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of uid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake uid.
Notice:
Using the wrong uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system parts so
badly that they will have to be replaced. Do not
let someone put in the wrong kind of uid.
If you spill brake uid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paint nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake uid on your vehicle. If
you do, wash it off immediately. SeeAppearance
Care on page 5-89. United States
Canada
5-44

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 rmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are rst 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 tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque specications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
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.
5-45

Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system — for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in — be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you do
not, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change — for the worse. The braking
performance you have come to expect can change
in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelco®battery. When it is time for a new battery, get
one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery’s label. We recommend an ACDelco
®
battery. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for battery location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.If your battery has a very low charge or is dead, you
may not be able to remove the ignition key from
the ignition switch or shift out of PARK (P). Refer to
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-27.
Vehicle Storage
If you are not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, remove the black, negative (−) cable from the
battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
are not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-47for tips on working around a battery
without getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your
vehicle for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, seeTheft-Deterrent
Feature on page 3-61.
5-46