jump start BUICK REGAL 2012 Owner's Manual

Black plate (2,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
2012 Buick Regal Owner ManualM
Driving and Operating. . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-15
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-28
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-37
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-44
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-52 Vehicle Care
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-95
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application
Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Additional Maintenance
and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-13
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-16 Technical Data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-17
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (34,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
3-34 Seats and Restraints
When this occurs, the high voltage
battery is disconnected and the
vehicle is not charging the 12‐volt
battery or the electrical system. The
vehicle may start but it shuts down
once the 12‐volt battery is depleted.
When the 12‐volt battery is
depleted, the vehicle will not start
and the on‐board jump start feature
is disabled. The airbag readiness
light and/or the 12‐volt battery
warning light are displayed. Before
the vehicle can be operated again, it
must be serviced at your dealer.Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown
booster seats should wear the
vehicle safety belts.The manufacturer's instructions that
come with the booster seat state the
weight and height limitations for that
booster. Use a booster seat with a
lap-shoulder belt until the child
passes the fit test below:
.Sit all the way back on the seat.
Do the knees bend at the seat
edge? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
.Buckle the lap-shoulder belt.
Does the shoulder belt rest on
the shoulder? If yes, continue.
If no, try using the rear safety
belt comfort guide. See
“Rear
Safety Belt Comfort Guides”
under Lap-Shoulder Belt on
page 3‑13 for more information.
If the shoulder belt still does not
rest on the shoulder, then return
to the booster seat.
.Does the lap belt fit low and
snug on the hips, touching the
thighs? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.

Black plate (28,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
5-28 Instruments and Controls
Battery Level
This display, available on some
vehicles, shows the current battery
voltage. If the voltage is in the
normal range, the value will display.
For example, the display may read
Battery Voltage 15.0 Volts. The
vehicle's charging system regulates
voltage based on the state of the
battery. The battery voltage can
fluctuate while viewing this
information on the DIC. This is
normal.
Power Flow (eAssist Only)
This display shows the operating
mode of the eAssist system and the
high voltage battery charge level.
The animation indicates the
direction of energy flow.Vehicle Information Menu
Items
Press MENU on the turn signal
lever until Vehicle Information Menu
is displayed. Use
w/xto scroll
through the following menu items:
.Unit
.Tire Pressure
.Remaining Oil Life
.Jump Start (eAssist Only)
Unit
Move
w/xto switch between
metric or US when the Unit display
is active. Press SET/CLR to confirm
the setting. This will change the
displays on the cluster and DIC to
either metric or English (US)
measurements.
Tire Pressure
The display will show a vehicle with
the approximate pressures of all
four tires. Tire pressure is displayed
in either kilopascal (kPa) or pounds
per square inch (psi). See TirePressure Monitor System on
page 10‑55
andTire Pressure
Monitor Operation on page 10‑55 for
more information.
Remaining Oil Life
This display shows an estimate of
the oil's remaining useful life.
If REMAINING OIL LIFE 99% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑31. The oil should be
changed as soon as possible. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑11. In
addition to the Engine Oil Life
System monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3 for more information.
Remember, the Remaining Oil Life
display must be reset after each oil
change. It will not reset itself. Also,

Black plate (29,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-29
be careful not to reset the
Remaining Oil Life display
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change. To reset the
Engine Oil Life System, press SET/
CLR while the Remaining Oil Life
display is active. SeeEngine Oil
Life System on page 10‑13.
Jump Start (eAssist Only)
This display allows for on-board
jump starting of the vehicle. See
“Jump Starting (On-board with
eAssist Only)” for more information.
Compass
The vehicle has a compass display
in the DIC. See Compass on
page 5‑5 for more information.
Vehicle Messages
Messages displayed on the DIC
indicate the status of the vehicle or
some action that may be needed to
correct a condition. Multiple
messages may display one after the
other.
The messages that do not require
immediate action can be
acknowledged and cleared by
pressing SET/CLR. The messages
that require immediate action cannot
be cleared until that action is
performed. All messages should be
taken seriously and clearing the
messages does not correct the
problem.
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable point. The battery saver
system starts reducing certain
features of the vehicle that you may
be able to notice. At the point that
features are disabled, this message
is displayed. It means that the
vehicle is trying to save the charge
in the battery. Turn off unnecessary
accessories to allow the battery to
recharge.
LOW BATTERY
This message is displayed when the
battery voltage is low. See Battery
on page 10‑29 for more information.

Black plate (34,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
5-34 Instruments and Controls
Starting the Vehicle
Messages
JUMP START ACTIVE WAIT TO
START
This message displays while
performing an on-board jump start
of the vehicle. See“Jump Starting
(On-board with eAssist Only)” for
more information.
JUMP START COMPLETE
ATTEMPT START
This message displays while
performing an on-board jump start
of the vehicle. See “Jump Starting
(On-board with eAssist Only)” for
more information.
JUMP START DISABLED SEE
OWNERS MANUAL
This message displays if there is a
problem with the on-board jump
start system. Take the vehicle to
your dealer for service.
Tire Messages
TIRE PRESSURE LOW ADD
AIR TO TIRE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays when the
pressure in one or more of the
vehicle's tires is low.
The low tire pressure warning light
will also come on. See Tire
Pressure Light on page 5‑22.
If a tire pressure message appears
on the DIC, stop as soon as you
can. Inflate the tires by adding air
until the tire pressure is equal to the
values shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See Tires
on page 10‑44, Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑10, and Tire Pressure on
page 10‑52.
You can receive more than one tire
pressure message at a time. To
read the other messages that may
have been sent at the same time,
press the SET/CLR button. The DIC also shows the tire pressure values.
See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑25.SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
SYSTEM
This message displays if there is a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS). See Tire
Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 10‑55 for more information.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
This message displays when the
system is learning new tires. See
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 10‑55for more information.
Transmission Messages
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays if there is a
problem with the transmission. See
your dealer.

Black plate (17,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-17
Key Lock Release
Vehicles with an automatic
transmission are equipped with an
electronic key lock release system.
This system is to prevent ignition
key removal unless the shift lever is
in P (Park).The key lock release will not work
if the battery is charged less than
9‐volts, or uncharged. Try charging
or jump starting the battery. See
Jump Starting (On-board with
eAssist Only) on page 10‑89
or
Jump Starting (with or without
eAssist) on page 10‑91
If charging or jump starting the
battery does not work, there is a
manual key lock release. Locate the
hole below the ignition lock. Insert a
tool or key into the opening. Locate
the lever, and press it toward the
driver while removing the key from
the ignition.
Ignition Positions
(Keyless Access)
The vehicle has an electronic
keyless ignition with pushbutton
start.
Pressing the button cycles it through
three modes, ACC/ACCESSORY,
ON/RUN/START, and Stopping the
Engine/OFF.
The transmitter must be in the
vehicle for the system to operate.

Black plate (26,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
9-26 Driving and Operating
Shifting out of Park
(Automatic Transmission)
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is
designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released.
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park) unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN and the
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9‐volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting
(On-board with eAssist Only) on
page 10‑89 orJump Starting (with
or without eAssist) on page 10‑91. To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If still unable to shift out of P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and press the shift lever button
again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), consult your
dealer or a professional towing
service.
Parking
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, before getting out of
the vehicle, move the shift lever into
R (Reverse) if parking on a downhill
slope. On a level surface or an
uphill slope, use 1 (First) gear.
Firmly apply the parking brake. Turn
the wheels toward the curb for a
downhill slope, or away from the
curb for an uphill slope. Once the
shift lever has been placed into gear
with the clutch pedal pressed in,
turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF,
remove the key, and release the
clutch.

Black plate (2,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
10-2 Vehicle Care
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-64
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit (With Pressure Relief
Button) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67 Tire Sealant and Compressor
Kit (With Pressure Deflation
Button) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-89
Jump Starting
Jump Starting (On-board with eAssist Only) . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Jump Starting (with or without eAssist) . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-95
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-95
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-101
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-103
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:

Black plate (30,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
10-30 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Storage
{WARNING
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-board with eAssist Only) on
page 10‑89 orJump Starting (with
or without eAssist) on page 10‑91
for tips on working around a
battery without getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
12‐volt battery black, negative (−)
cable from the battery to keep the
battery from running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
12‐volt battery black, negative (−)
cable from the battery or use a
battery trickle charger.
Remember to reconnect the battery
when ready to drive the vehicle.
Starter Switch Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
See Parking Brake on
page 9‑34.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts. 3. For automatic transmission
vehicles, try to start the engine
in each gear. The vehicle
should start only in P (Park) or
N (Neutral). If the vehicle starts
in any other position, contact
your dealer for service.
For manual transmission
vehicles, put the shift lever in
Neutral, push the clutch pedal
down halfway, and try to start
the engine. The vehicle should
start only when the clutch pedal
is pushed down all the way to
the floor. If the vehicle starts
when the clutch pedal is not
pushed all the way down,
contact your dealer for service.

Black plate (89,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-89
Compact Spare Tire
{WARNING
Driving with more than one
compact spare tire at a time could
result in loss of braking and
handling. This could lead to a
crash and you or others could be
injured. Use only one compact
spare tire at a time.
If this vehicle has a compact spare
tire, it was fully inflated when the
vehicle was new; however, it can
lose air after a time. Check the
inflation pressure regularly. It should
be 420 kPa (60 psi).
Stop as soon as possible and check
that the spare tire is correctly
inflated after installing the spare on
the vehicle. The compact spare is
designed to perform well at speeds
up to 105 km/h (65 mph) for
distances up to 5 000 km (3,000 mi), so a trip can be completed and the
full-size tire repaired or replaced
when possible. However, the
compact spare tire will last longer
and be in good shape if it is
replaced as soon as possible.
Notice:
When the compact spare
is installed, do not take the
vehicle through an automatic car
wash with guide rails. The
compact spare can get caught on
the rails which can damage the
tire, wheel, and other parts of the
vehicle.
Do not use the compact spare on
other vehicles.
Do not mix the compact spare tire or
wheel with other wheels or tires.
They will not fit. Keep the spare tire
and its wheel together.
Notice: Tire chains will not fit the
compact spare. Using them can
damage the vehicle and can
damage the chains too. Do not
use tire chains on the compact
spare.
Jump Starting
Jump Starting (On-board
with eAssist Only)
If the vehicle fails to crank, it may
be jump started by using the eAssist
battery to charge the 12-volt battery.
Use the following procedure to
activate the on‐board jump start
using the DIC controls.
DIC Buttons
A. SET/CLR
B.
w/x(Thumbwheel)
C. MENU
The vehicle may be equipped with
an ignition key or an electronic
keyless ignition with pushbutton
start.