Buick Park Avenue 2004 User Manual
2004 Buick Park Avenue Owner Manual M
Seats and Restraint Systems
Front Seats
Safety Belts
Child Restraints
Air Bag Systems
............................................... 1-2
.............................................. 1-6
....................................... 1-27
...................................... 1-49
Restraint System Check
Features and Controls
Keys
Doors and Locks
Windows
........................................................ 2-3
...................................... 2-10
................................................. 2-17
Theft-Deterrent Systems
........................... 1-1
............................ 1-58
..................................... 2-1
............................ 2-19
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
Mirrors
OnStar
HomeLink
Storage Areas
Sunroof
Vehicle Personalization
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview
Climate Controls
.................................................... 2-36
®
System
®
Transmitter
...................................... 2-41
............................. 2-43
......................................... 2-47
.................................................. 2-50
............................. 2-51
............................................. 3-1
.......................... 3-2
...................................... 3-24
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Audio System(s)
....................................... 3-57
........... 2-23
......... 3-32
.................. 3-47
Driving Your Vehicle
....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
Towing
Service and Appearance Care
Service
Fuel
Checking Things Under the Hood
Headlamp Aiming
Bulb Replacement
................................................... 4-31
.......................... 5-1
..................................................... 5-3
......................................................... 5-4
............... 5-10
..................................... 5-49
.................................... 5-51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Vehicle Identification
Electrical System
Capacities and Specifications
...................................................... 5-62
..................................... 5-90
................................. 5-98
...................................... 5-98
................... 5-108
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Maintenance Schedule
Maintenance Schedule
Customer Assistance Information
Customer Assistance Information
Reporting Safety Defects
.................................................................1
Index
..................................... 6-1
................................ 6-2
.................... 7-1
.................. 7-2
........................... 7-10
..... 4-2
......... 5-61
...... 5-109
Canadian Owners
You can obtain a French copy of this manual from your
dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
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.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 25755777 A First Edition
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 will
find that pictures and words work together to explain
things.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what
is in the manual, and the page number where you
will find it.
©
Copyright General Motors Corporation 06/02/03
All Rights Reserved
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
Vehicle Symbols
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice will 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.
iv
Your vehicle has 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:
• Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
• Features and Controls in Section 2
• Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
• Climate Controls in Section 3
• Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3
• Audio System(s) in Section 3
• Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:
v
✍ NOTES
vi
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Front Seats ......................................................1-2
Power Seats ..................................................1-2
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-3
Heated Seats .................................................1-3
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-4
Head Restraints .............................................1-5
Safety Belts .....................................................1-6
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone .................1-6
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts .........1-10
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-12
Driver Position ..............................................1-12
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-18
Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-19
Center Passenger Position .............................1-19
Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-21
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults ..........................1-24
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-26
Child Restraints .............................................1-27
Older Children ..............................................1-27
Infants and Young Children ............................1-30
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-33
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-36
Top Strap ....................................................1-38
Top Strap Anchor Location .............................1-39
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) ...........................1-40
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System ....................................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Outside Seat Position .........................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center
Rear Seat Position ....................................1-44
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position ....................................1-46
Air Bag Systems ............................................1-49
Where Are the Air Bags? ...............................1-51
When Should an Air Bag Inflate? ....................1-54
What Makes an Air Bag Inflate? .....................1-55
How Does an Air Bag Restrain? .....................1-55
What Will You See After an
Air Bag Inflates? .......................................1-56
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle .........1-58
Restraint System Check ..................................1-58
Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................1-58
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................1-59
1-1
Front Seats
Power Seats
The power seat controls are located on the outboard
sides of both the driver’s and front passenger’s seats.
To adjust the power seats, do the following:
Horizontal Control: Raise or lower the front of the seat
cushion by pressing the forward edge of the control
up or down.
Raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion by pressing
the rear edge of the control up or down.
Move the seat forward or rearward by pressing the
control toward the front or rear of the vehicle.
Move the seat higher or lower by holding the whole
control up or down.
Vertical Control: Adjust the angle of the seatback by
pressing the top of the control forward or rearward.
Move the seatback forward by pressing the top of the
control forward.
1-2
Power Lumbar
Heated Seats
If your vehicle has this
feature, the power lumbar
control is located on
the outboard side of each
front seat. Use the
power seat control first to
get the proper position.
Then continue with
the lumbar adjustment.
To reshape the lower seatback, press the lumbar
control forward to increase support and rearward to
decrease support. Press the control up or down to raise
or lower the support mechanism.
Keep in mind that as your seating position changes,
as it may during long trips, so should the position of your
lumbar support. Adjust the seat as needed.
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 location of the cushion
until you are comfortable. You may also want to
adjust the seatback for maximum comfort.
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.
1-3
Reclining 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.
1-4
Head Restraints
Adjust your head restraint 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 rear seat 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.
1-5
Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are 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.
{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.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up.
See Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-36.
1-6
In most states and in all 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.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat on
wheels.
1-7
Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
1-8
doesn’t stop.
The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...
or the instrument panel...
1-9
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.
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
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.
1-10
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 – not instead of them. Every air
bag 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.
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident – even one that isn’t your fault – you and
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.
1-11
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
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 Older Children on page 1-27
or Infants and Young Children on page 1-30. 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. To 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-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
1-12
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 on page 1-26.
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 safety belt very quickly out of the
retractor.
1-13
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.
1-14
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.
1-15
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.
1-16
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.
1-17
To 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.
1-18
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
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety
belt properly, see Driver Position on page 1-12.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt – except for one thing.
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.
Center Passenger Position
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has a front split seat and a rear bench
seat, someone can sit in the center positions.
1-19
When you sit in the center seating position, you have a
lap safety belt, which has no retractor. To make the
belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt.
1-20
To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown
until the belt is snug.
Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap
part of a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt isn’t long
enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-26.
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.
Rear Seat Passengers
It’s very important for rear seat passengers to buckle
up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the
rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those
who are wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who aren’t safety belted can be
thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike
others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder
belts. Here’s how to wear one properly.
1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
1-21
If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the
latch plate and keep pulling until you can buckle it.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt
Extender on page 1-26.
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.
1-22
3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.
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 a crash,
or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
{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.
To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
1-23
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides provide added safety
belt comfort for older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for small adults. When installed on a
shoulder belt, the comfort guide better positions the
belt away from the neck and head.
There is one guide for each outside passenger position
in the rear seat. To provide added safety belt comfort
for children who have outgrown child restraints and
booster seats and for smaller adults, the comfort guides
may be installed on the shoulder belts. Here’s how to
install a comfort guide and use the safety belt:
1. Remove the guide from its storage pocket on the
side of the seatback.
1-24
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