Buick Park Avenue 2002 User Manual
2002 Buick Park Avenue
Owner’s Manual
Litho in U.S.A.
Part Number 25728656 A First Edition All Rights Reserved
E
Copyright General Motors Corporation 06/14/01
i
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK,
the BUICK Emblem and the name PARK AVENUE are
registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time
it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
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 vehicle, 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.
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual:
Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez
votre concessionaire ou au:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
ii
How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the 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 others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this” or “Don’t
let this happen.”
iii
Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could damage
your vehicle.
In the 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.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle.
They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle may be equipped with components and
labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols,
used on your vehicle, are shown along with the text
describing the operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gage or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage or indicator reference the following
topics in the Index:
D
“Engine Compartment Overview”
D
“Instrument Panel”
D
“Comfort Controls”
D
“Audio Systems”
Also see “Warning Lights and Gages” in the Index.
iv
These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:
v
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.
1
-2 Seats and Seat Controls
1
-8 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
-12 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
1
Safety Belts
-14 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
1
1
-14 Driver Position
1
-20 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
-21 Right Front Passenger Position
1
1
-21 Air Bag Systems
-30 Center Passenger Position
1
-- and the Answers
-32 Rear Seat Passengers
1
1
-35 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults
1-37 Children
-41 Restraint Systems for Children
1
1
-54 Older Children
1
-57 Safety Belt Extender
-57 Checking Your Restraint Systems
1
1
-57 Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
1-
1-1
Seats and Seat Controls
This part tells you about the seats -- how to adjust them,
and also about memory seats, reclining seatbacks and
head restraints.
Power Seats
The power seat controls are located on the outboard
sides of both the driver’s and front passenger’s seats.
T o adjust the power seats, do the following:
D
Raise or lower the front of the seat cushion by
holding the front part of the horizontal control up
or down.
D
Raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion by
holding the rear part of the horizontal control up
or down.
D
Raise or lower the entire seat cushion by holding the
whole horizontal control up or down.
D
Move the seat forward or backward by pushing the
horizontal control to the front or back.
D
Push the vertical control forward to bring the seat to
a more upright position. Push it rearward to recline
the seatback.
D
Raise or lower the shoulder belt by pushing the
vertical control up or down.
1-2
Four-Way Power Lumbar Control (Option)
Memory Seat and Mirrors (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this
option, the driver’s and
passenger’s seatback lumbar
support can be adjusted four
ways by moving the single
control located on the
outboard side of the seat.
T o increase or decrease support, hold the control
forward or rearward. T o move the lumbar up or down,
hold the control upward or downward.
If you have the independent front cushion moved down
as far as it will go, you may feel the lumbar support
higher in your back. Readjust the position of the cushion
until you are comfortable. You may also want to adjust
the seatback for maximum comfort.
If your vehicle has this
feature, the controls are
located on the driver’s
door panel, and are used to
program and recall memory
settings for the driver’s
seating, outside mirror
positions and comfort
controls. See “Comfort
Controls” in the Index for
more information.
1-3
T o save your seat and mirror positions into memory, use
the following procedure:
1. First identify the DRIVER # on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) by pressing the
MEMORY button (1 or 2) or by pressing the
button with the unlock symbol on the remote
keyless entry transmitter. See “Driver Information
Center (DIC)” in the Index.
2. Adjust the driver’s seat and lumbar position to a safe
and comfortable driving position. Adjust both
outside mirrors to suit you. See “Outside Mirrors”
in the Index.
3. Press and hold the MEMORY button (1 or 2)
corresponding with your DRIVER # displayed on the
DIC for longer than three seconds. You will hear
two beeps confirming that the seat and mirror
positions have been entered into memory.
T o set the seat and mirror positions for a second driver,
follow the previous steps, but use the MEMORY button
(1 or 2) which corresponds to the DRIVER # identified
by the second transmitter.
T o store the exit position for an easy exit, use the
following procedure:
1. First identify the DRIVER # by pressing the
MEMORY button (1 or 2) or by pressing the
button with the unlock symbol on the transmitter.
2. Adjust the driver’s seat to the desired exit position.
3. Press and hold the EXIT button for longer than
three seconds. You will hear two beeps confirming
that the seat exit position has been entered
into memory.
T o set the exit position for a second driver, follow the
previous steps, but use the MEMORY button (1 or 2)
which corresponds to the DRIVER # identified by the
other transmitter.
T o recall your memory positions, your vehicle must be
in PARK (P). Push and release the MEMORY button
(1 or 2) corresponding to the desired driving position.
The seat and mirrors will move to the position
previously stored for the currently identified driver.
You will hear one beep.
1-4
T o recall the exit position, your vehicle must be in
PARK (P). Push and release the EXIT button and the
seat will move to the exit position previously stored for
the currently identified driver. You will hear one beep.
If an exit position has not been stored for the currently
identified driver, the seat will move all the way back.
T o stop recall movement of the seat at any time, press
the driver’s power seat control located on the outboard
side of the front seat.
Mirrors, lumbar and shoulder belt height adjuster
positions will not be stored or recalled for the
exit position.
If you would like your stored driving or exit position
to be recalled when unlocking your vehicle with the
transmitter, see “Personal Choice Features, Memory
Seat Recall” in the Index.
Heated Seats (Option)
If your vehicle has this option, press this button to turn
on the heating element in the seat.
The heated seat controls
are located next to the
climate controls on the
instrument panel.
When the heated seat control is first pressed, the
HI setting is activated. Press the button again for
the LO setting. The third press of the button turns
the feature off.
The LO setting warms the seatback and cushion until the
seat nears body temperature. The HI setting heats the
seat to a slightly higher temperature.
A light on the control reminds you that the heating
system is in use. When the ignition is turned off, the
heating element is also turned off.
1-5
Reclining Front Seatbacks
The vertical control described previously in this section
reclines the front seatbacks.
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job. In a crash you
could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
1-6
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the top of your head. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
On some models, the head restraints tilt forward and
rearward also.
Adjust the head restraint by grasping the top of the
restraint and moving it forward or rearward until it is in
the desired position.
Some rear seats have adjustable head restraints. Slide an
adjustable head restraint up or down so that the top of
the restraint is closest to the top of your head. This
position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
On some models, the head restraints tilt forward and
rearward also.
There are three different positions for the rear seat head
restraints. Adjust a rear head restraint by grasping the
top of the restraint and moving it forward the way you
want it to go until you hear a click. It will then be locked
into position until you need to move it again. Pulling it
forward past the last position will allow the head
restraint to return to its full rear position.
1-7
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the air bag system.
CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a 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 fastened properly too.
CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
1-8
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away . Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
T ake the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat
on wheels.
1-9
Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop.
1-10
The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
or the instrument panel ...
1-11
or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.
Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts
Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
Q:
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
-- and the Answers
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you’re upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater
if you are belted.
1-12
Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will
be in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
-- not instead of them. Every air bag
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident
your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver
doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less
than 40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
1-13
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know
about safety belts and children. And there are
different rules for smaller children and babies. If a
child will be riding in your vehicle, see the part of
this manual called “Children.” Follow those rules
for everyone’s protection.
First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. T o see
how , see “Seats” in the Index.
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
The lap
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
1-14
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt isn’t long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender” at the end of this section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on
the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies
force to the strong pelvic bones. And you’d be less
likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the
belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could
cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt
should go over the shoulder and across the chest.
These parts of the body are best able to take belt
restraining forces.
The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or crash,
or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt height
adjuster to the height that is right for you.
Using the power seat control, raise or lower the shoulder
belt height adjuster by pushing the vertical control up
or down.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the
belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be
away from your face and neck, but not falling off
your shoulder.
1-15
Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is
too loose. In a crash, you would move forward
too much, which could increase injury. The
shoulder belt should fit against your body.
1-16
Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if your belt is
buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash,
the belt would go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal injuries.
Always buckle your belt into the buckle
nearest you.
1-17
Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at all times.
CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if you wear the
shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your
body would move too far forward, which would
increase the chance of head and neck injury.
Also, the belt would apply too much force to the
ribs, which aren’t as strong as shoulder bones.
You could also severely injure internal organs
like your liver or spleen.
1-18
Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In
a crash, you wouldn’t have the full width of the
belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted,
make it straight so it can work properly, or ask
your dealer to fix it.
1-19
T o unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
The belt should go back out of the way.
Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the
way . If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the
belt and your vehicle.
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant
women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be
seriously injured if they don’t wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and
the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below
the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.
1-20
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more
likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
T o learn how to wear the right front passenger’s
safety belt properly, see “Driver Position” earlier
in this section.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt
If you ever pull the lap portion of the belt out all the
way , you will engage the child restraint locking feature.
If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and
start again.
If your vehicle has a center passenger position, be sure
to use the correct buckle when buckling your
lap
-shoulder belt. If you find that the latch plate will not
go fully into the buckle, see if you are using the buckle
for the center passenger position.
-- except for one thing.
Air Bag Systems
This part explains the frontal and side impact air
bag systems.
Your vehicle has four air bags
driver, another frontal air bag for the right front
passenger, a side impact air bag for the driver, and
another side impact air bag for the right front passenger.
Frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of
injury from the force of an inflating frontal air bag. But
these air bags must inflate very quickly to do their job
and comply with federal regulations.
-- a frontal air bag for the
1-21
Here are the most important things to know about the air
bag systems:
CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if
you aren’t wearing your safety belt
have air bags. Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Air
bags are designed to work with safety belts but
don’t replace them.
CAUTION: (Continued)
-- even if you
CAUTION: (Continued)
Frontal air bags for the driver and right front
passenger are designed to work only in moderate
to severe crashes where the front of your vehicle
hits something. They aren’t designed to inflate at
all in rollover, rear or low
or in many side crashes. And, for some
unrestrained occupants, frontal air bags may
provide less protection in frontal crashes than
more forceful air bags have provided in the past.
The side impact air bags for the driver and right
front passenger are designed to inflate only in
moderate to severe crashes where something hits
the side of your vehicle. They aren’t designed to
inflate in frontal, in rollover or in rear crashes.
Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety
belt properly
for that person.
-- whether or not there’s an air bag
-speed frontal crashes,
1-22
CAUTION:
CAUTION:
Both frontal and side impact air bags inflate with
great force, faster than the blink of an eye. If
you’re too close to an inflating air bag, as you
would be if you were leaning forward, it could
seriously injure you. Safety belts help keep you in
position for air bag inflation before and during a
crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with
frontal air bags. The driver should sit as far back
as possible while still maintaining control of the
vehicle. Front occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door.
Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any
air bag when it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Air bags plus lap
the best protection for adults, but not for young
children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety
belt system nor its air bag system is designed for
them. Young children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint system can
provide. Always secure children properly in your
vehicle. To read how, see the part of this manual
called “Children.”
-shoulder belts offer
1-23
There is an air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows AIR BAG.
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See “Air Bag Readiness Light” in the Index
for more information.
How the Air Bag Systems Work
Where are the air bags?
The driver’s frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
1-24
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