'Id? I ,\!la I1I .. The 1993 Buick Park Avenue Owner's Manual Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 25603705 B First Edition @CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1992 All Rights Reserved 1 We support voluntary technician certification. GENERAL MOTORS, GM and the GM Emblem, BUICK, and the BUICK Emblem are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. WE SUPPORT VOLUNTARY TECHNKIAN CERTIFICAT'WNTHROUGH Nabonal lnstttute for AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name "General Motors of Canada Limited" for Buick Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual. Please keep this manual in your Buick, so it will be there if you ever need it when you're on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new owner can use it. For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual: Aux propri6taires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en fraqais chez votre concessionaire ou B DGN Marketing Services Ltd., 1500 Bonhill Rd., Mississauga, Ontario L5T lC7. A 3 Walter Marr and Thomas Buick Buick's chief engineer, Walter L. Man- (left), and Thomas D. Buick, son of founder David Dunbar Buick, drove the first Flint Buick in a successful Flint-Detroit round trip in July 1904. David Buick was building gasolineengines by 1899, and Marr, his .engineer, apparently built the first auto to be called a Buick in 1900. However, Buick traditionally dates itsbeginnings to 1903. That was the year the company was reorganized, refinanced and moved from Detroit to Flint. Buick has always been a product innovator. Buick engineers developed the 4 Durant also created a racing team that won 500 racing trophies in 1909 and1910, including successes at Indianapolis two years before the Indy 500 began. The success of Buick engines was visible not only on the racetrack, but in endurance tests across the country and around the world. Buick was the only car to complete a 1,000-mileChicago-to-New York race in 1906. And a Buick was the f i s t car to travel across South America, driven from Buenos Aires, Argentina, over the Andes to Santiago, Chile in 1914. Buick drew plenty of attention because it could climb hills and run through mud like no other car. Buick's endurance and reliability were world famous. During World War I, Buick built Liberty aircraft engines as well as Red Cross ambulances so successful that one Buick ambulance was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government. As a builder of premier automobiles, Buick was hard hit by the Great Depression. However, new General Manager Harlow H. Curtice created.popular new models including the Special and the Roadmaster. Buick sales soon flourished. 1911 Model 21 Touring Car First Buick Factory 3 In World War 11, Buick built aircraft engines, tanks and other military hardware. This post-war period brought great styling and engineering changes which resulted in increased sales. The torque converter automatic transmission, Dynaflow, was introduced in the 1948 Roadmaster. Buick's famous "portholes" came along in 1949. A high=cornpressionV-X engine was introduced in 1953. And Buick's famous vertical pillar "toothy" grille (introduced in 1942)' became more massive in the post-war era. r -- I I 1953 Skylark I949 Roadmaster 6 Motor Trend magazine named the 1962 Buick Special "Car of the Year". The first production V-6 engine was used in the Special. Ed Mertz, General Manager, Buick Motor Division Our mission is simple: I962 Buick Special Built inside the walls of the old buildings in Buick's former Flint complex, which formed the cornerstoneof General Motors, Buick City is a state-of-the-art assembly facility with more than 200 robots and other high-tech equipment. It was completed in the fall of 1985. Buicks are, and will continue to be, premium American motorcars with smooth power, high performance, rich detail and comfortable accommodation. "Buick will provide Premium American Motorcars backed with services that exceed our customers' expectations, throughout the purchase, ownership, service and repurchase experience." Buicks are SUBSTANTIAL. Buicks are DISTINCTIVE. Buicks are POWERFUL. Buicks are MATURE. 7 @ Table of Contents HowtoUsethisManual SeatsandSafetyBelts FeaturesandControls This part tells you how to use your manual and includes safety and vehicle damage warnings & symbols.13 This part tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. This part explains how to start and operate your Buick. ................................................................ 10 13 1 .................................................................. ..................................................................59 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems YourDrivingandtheRoad .............................................................. ProblemsontheRoad .................................................................. This part tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or engine overheating. Service and Appearance Care.. .......................................................... Here the manual tells you how to keep your Buick running properly and looking good. Maintenanceschedule .................................................................. This part tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. Customer AssistanceInformation ........................................................ Here you'll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions. This part tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service publications. It also gives you information on "Reporting Safety Defects" on page 315. Here's an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read. This part tells you how to adjust the ventilation & comfort controls and how to operate your sound system. ..................................................... 129 159 209 241 293 313 321 Index ................................................................................ How to Use This Manual Many people read their owner's manual from beginning to end when they first receivetheir new vehicle. This will help you learn about thefeatures and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you'll find that pictures and words work together to explainthings quickly. You will also find a red circle with a slash through it in :his book. This safety symbol means "Don't," "Don't do this," or "Don't let this happen." Safety Warnings and Symbols You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use yellow and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. I In the yellow caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions.If you don't, you or otherscould be hurt. Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, in this book you will find these bluenotices: In the blue notice area, we tell you about something that can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals,you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. In this manual, we've used the familiar words and colors that Buick has used for years. You'll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same colors, and the words CAUTION or NOTICE. WTICE: 11 Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you will find on your vehicle. For example, these symbols are used on an original battery: CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: ENGINE COOLANT TEMP Here are some other symbols you may see: FUSE A These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven: DOOR LOCK UNLOCK These symbols have to do with your lights: These symbols are on some of your controls: WINDSHIELD WASHER ''' -F- PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING FASTEN CAUSTIC BATTERY ACID COULD CAUSE BURNS BELTS 4 SEAT WINDSHIELD WASHER 6$ l0 8 'r' -1 RADIO VOLUME > e )tr LIGHTS PC = WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER RADIATOR COOLANT FUEL a TRUNK HATCHBACK RELEASE POWER WINDOW WINDOW DEFOGGER HIGH SPARK OR FLAME COULD EXPLODE BATTERY OR BEAM =o 3f VENTILATING FAN HEADLAMP WASHER WIPER ENGINE OIL PRESSURE wb LIGHTER1-1 ,\I/, FOG LAMPS $0 iQ - TEMP 4& OL I ANTILOCK BRAKE (a) b SPEAKER HORN Seats and Seat Controls This sectiontells you about the seats -- how to adjust them, and also aboutmemory seats, reclining seatbacks and head restraints. Power Seat Manual Seat c n 3 rn Move the lever under the front seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it. Then release the lever and try to move the seat with your body, to make sure the seat is locked into place. Front Control (F): Raise the front of the seat by pushing on the left side of the switch. Push on the right side of the switch to lower the frontof the seat. Center Control (C): Move the seat forward or back by holding the control to the front orback. Raise the seat by holding the control to the left. Hold the control to the right to lower the seat. Rear Control (R):Raise the rear of the seat by holding the switch to the left. Holding the switch to theright lowers the rear of the seat. Memory Seat and Mirrors (Option) If your Buick has this option,the control looks like this: 2. Press the SET button, and then one of the two memory buttons within 5 seconds. You will hear one beep when you press the setbutton, and two beeps when you press the memory button to confirm that the mirror and seat positions are entered in memory. Now it's set. When your Buick is in PARK with the ignition ON, push the memory button you just setand the seatand mirrors will go to where you've just set them. With the ignition OFF, the system will work in any shift lever position. To do the same thing for asecond driver, follow the steps above but use the othermemory button. I You can use this when you want to save aseat and mirror adjustment. Here's how to make it work: 1. Adjust the driver's seat to your desired position. Adjust both outside mirrors to suit you. See "Outside Mirrors" in the Index. If you hit the wrong memory setting, orif there is a third driver, the seat adjuster will still work, so you can adjust the seat to where you want it. The EXIT button allows you to get out of the car more easily. Push it while you're in PARK with the ignition ON, or anytime with the ignition OFF, to make the seat go all the way down and back. Also, you will hear a beep when the EXIT button is pushed. 15 Reclining Front Seatback(s) To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outer side of the seat. Release the lever tolock the seatback where you want it. Pull up on the lever and the seat will go to its upright position. If you have the power option, it works with the switch on the sideof the seat. Push it back to recline the seat,push it forward to return the seatback to the up position. But don't have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. I A CAUTION: Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion canbe dangerous. Evenif you buckle up, your safety belts can't do their when job you're reclinedlike this. CAUTION: (Continued) The shoulderbelt can't do its job because it won't be against you*dy. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash you could go into it, receiving neckor other Injuries. The lap belt can'tdo Its job either. In a crash the belt could up over your abdomen. Thebelt go forces waul'd there, not at your pelvic bones. be This could cause serious internal injuries. Far proper protectiun when vehicle is in the motion, have the seatback upright. Thensit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. I CAUTION: (Continued) Head Restraints I CAUTION: I Don't let anyone ride where they can't wear a A I Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you're not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash,you might not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,and check that your passengers' belts are fastenedproperly too. ...