brake light BUICK RIVIERA 1993 Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you will find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD pq
FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
FASTEN SEAT 4
BELTS
These symbols
have to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS TURN
HIGH BEAM
OR = =o
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD ’ ’ ’ 4- #-
WASHER
f0 -**
WINDSHIELD Q
WASHER I
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
L.
HEADLAMP - ,~*-,
WASHER iQ
WIPER -
L
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT F-
TEMP --
ENGINE
CHARGING
I-1
BATTERY SYSTEM
RADIATOR
a
COOLANT
FUEL
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
Wb
TEMP OIL &
ANTILOCK (@)
BRAKE
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
RADIO
‘‘ill
SELECTOR
RADIO
k
VOLUME
CONDITIONING
AIR 33
HATCHBACK /y
TRUNK
RELEASE
t LIGHTER 1-
HORN
SPEAKER
cr
~ 12 , .

1 (First Gear) Parking Brake
This position gives you even more power (but lower
fuel economy) than
“2.” You can use it on very steep
hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the selector lever is
put in
“1,” the transaxle won’t shift into first gear
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
The parking brakes uses the brakes on the rear wheels.
To set the parking brake:
Hold the regular brake pedal down with your right foot.
Push down the parking brake pedal with your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on.

Brake System Warning Light
1 Your Buick’s hydraulic
I two parts. If one part isn’t
~ working, the other part can
~ still work and stop you. For ’ good braking, though, you
brake system is divided
into
1 well.
need both parts working
If the
warning light goes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on as you start the vehicle. If it
doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to
warn you if there’s a problem. This light will
also come
on when you set your parking
brake, and will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t
release fully. If it stays on after your parking brake
is
fully released, it means you have a brake problem. If the
light comes on while driving, pull
off the road and stop
carefully. You may notice that the pedal is harder to
push. Or, the pedal may
go closer to the floor. It may
take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
I A CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake warning light is on. Driving with the
brake warning light on can lead
to an accident.
If the light is still on after you’ve pulled off the
road and stopped carefully, have the vehicle
towed for service.
I
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i

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
1
I’
i
If the light stays on or comes on when you’re driving,
stop as soon as possible and turn the key off. Then start
With anti-lock, this light the engine to reset the system.
If the light still stays on,
will go on when you start or comes on again while you’re driving, your Buick
your engine and may stay needs service. Unless the regular brake system’ warning
on for several seconds or light is also on, you will still have brakes, but not
so. anti-lock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light
is also on, see “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier in this part.
The anti-lock brake system warning light may also come on when you are driving with
a compact spare tire. If
this happens, the light means you won’t have anti-lock
until you replace the compact spare, with a full-size tire.
If the warning light stays on after you replace the
compact spare with
a full-si.ze tire, or if it comes on
again when you’re driving, your Buick needs service.
That’s normal.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it fixed
~ so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
112

Hazard Warning Flasher Service A/C
- This light
on your
instrument panel lets you
know when you have the
hazard warning flashers
on.
When the hazard flashers are on, your turn signals will
not work.
If you apply the brakes, the flashing will stop
until’you release the brake pedal. See “Hazard Warning
Flashers” in the Index for more information.
If this light stays on 60
seconds or more, your air
conditioning system needs service. It comes
on as a
bulb cheek, whenever you
turn the ignition to “Run”.

Your Own Signals
Drivers signal to others, too. It’s not only more polite,
it’s safer to let other drivers know what you are doing.
And in some places the law requires driver signals.
urn and lane change signals. Always signal when you
plan to turn or change lanes.
If necessary, you can use hand signals out the window:
Left arm straight out for a left turn, down for slow or
about-to-stop, and up for a right turn.
Slowing down. If time allows, tap the brake pedal once
or twice in advance of slowing or stopping. This warns
the driver behind you.
Disabled. Your four-way flashers signal that your
vehicle is disabled or is a hazard. See “Hazard Warning
Flasher” in the Index.
Traffic Officer
The traffic police officer is also a source of important
information. The officer’s signals govern, no matter
what the traffic lights or other signs say.
The next section discusses some of the road conditions
you may encounter.
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive
defensively.
Please start with
a very important safety device in your
Buick: Buckle up. (See “Safety Belts” in the Index.)
Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.”
On city streets, rural roads, or freeways, it means
“always expect the unexpected.”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might
do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Expect children to dash out from behind parked cars, often- followed by other children. Expect occupants in
parked cars to open doors into traffic. Watch for
movement in parked cars
-- someone may be about to
open a door.
Expect other drivers to run stop signs when
you are on a
through street. Be ready to brake if necessary as you go
through intersections. You may not have to use the
brake, but
if you do, you will be ready.
If you’re driving through a shopping center parking lot
where there are well-marked lanes, directional arrows,
and designated parking areas, expect some drivers to
147

spurts -- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace ‘with traffic. This
is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster
if you do a lot of heavy braking.
Don’t “ride” the brakes by letting your left foot rest
lightly on the brake pedal while driving.
I
A CAUTION:
“Riding” your brakes can cause them to
overheat to the point that they won’t work well.
You might not be able to stop your vehicle in
time to avoid an accident. If you “ride” your
brakes, they will get
so hot they will require a lot
of pedal force to slow you down. Avoid “riding”
the brakes.
I
I
153

I A CAUTION:
Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need to
get your foot up
to the brake pedal. If you get
too close to the vehicle in front of you, you
won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that
vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though
you have anti-lock brakes.
. 5 ’,.
To Use Anti-Lock:
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and let anti-lock work for you. You may hear the
anti-lock pump or motor operate, and feel the brake
pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
.
Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your Buick 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 firmly).
I ‘
A CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well.
That could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
:~
vehicle serviced. &tz
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.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
156

either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once
you have
avoided the object. You must then be prepared to steer
back to your original lane and then brake to a controlled
stop.
Depending on your speed, this can be rather violent for
an unprepared driver. This is one
of the reasons driving
experts recommend that you use your safety belts and
keep both hands on the steering wheel.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can turn the steering wheel
up to 1/4 turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn
your steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
159

0
0
0 0
0
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lights are not flashing, it may
be slowing down
or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the thee control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area
of less
danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your Buick’s
three control systems. In the braking skid your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too