Buick RIVIERA 1999 User Manual

The 1999 Buick Riviera Owner’s Manual

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1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems

This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “SRS” system.

2-1 Features and Controls

This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.

3-1 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems

This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.

4-1 Your Driving and the Road

Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.

5-1 Problems on the Road

This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.

6-1 Service and Appearance Care

Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.

7-1 Maintenance Schedule

This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.

8-1 Customer Assistance Information

This section tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8

9-1 Index

Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read.

-9.

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK, the BUICK Emblem and the name RIVIERA 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 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 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.

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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:

DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1577 Meyerside Dr. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1B9

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.

Index

A good place to look for what you need is the Index in back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.

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.

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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.”

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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

These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

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For example, these symbols are used on an original battery:

CAUTION

POSSIBLE

INJURY

PROTECT

EYES BY

SHIELDING

CAUSTIC BATTERY

ACID COULD

CAUSE

BURNS

AVOID

SPARKS OR

FLAMES

SPARK OR

FLAME

COULD

EXPLODE

BATTERY

These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven:

DOOR LOCK

UNLOCK

FASTEN

SEAT

BELTS

POWER

WINDOW

AIR BAG

These symbols have to do with your lamps:

MASTER

LIGHTING

SWITCH

TURN

SIGNALS

PARKING

LAMPS

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER

DAYTIME

RUNNING

LAMPS

FOG LAMPS

These symbols are on some of your controls:

WINDSHIELD

WIPER

WINDSHIELD

WASHER

WINDSHIELD

DEFROSTER

REAR

WINDOW

DEFOGGER

VENTILATING

FAN

These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights:

ENGINE

COOLANT

TEMP

BATTERY

CHARGING

SYSTEM

BRAKE

COOLANT

ENGINE OIL

PRESSURE

ANTI-LOCK

BRAKES

Here are some other symbols you may see:

FUSE

LIGHTER

HORN

SPEAKER

FUEL

✍

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NOTES

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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.

-2 Seats and Seat Controls

-8 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone

-12 Here are Questions Many People Ask About

Safety Belts

-13 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

1 1

-13 Driver Position

-20 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

-21 Right Front Passenger Position

1 1

-21 Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)

-28 Center Passenger Position

-- and the Answers

-29 Rear Seat Passengers

1 1

-33 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children

and Small Adults

1-36 Children

-39 Child Restraints

1 1

-52 Larger Children

-55 Safety Belt Extender

-55 Checking Your Restraint Systems

1 1

-56 Replacing Restraint System Parts

After a Crash

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Seats and Seat Controls

This section 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 side of the driver’s and passenger’s seats.

Raise or lower the front of the seat cushion by holding the front part of the horizontal control up or down.

Raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion by holding the rear part of the horizontal control up or down.

Raise or lower the entire seat cushion by holding the whole horizontal control up or down.

Move the seat forward or back by holding the horizontal control to the front or back.

Power Lumbar Control (Option)

If you have this option, the driver’s and passenger’s seatback lumbar support can be adjusted by moving the single switch located on the side of the seat. To increase or decrease support, hold the switch forward or rearward.

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Memory Seat and Mirrors (Option)

The memory function controls the driver’s seat cushion and outside mirror positions. It does not store the lumbar or recline positions.

T o set your memory seat and mirrors:

1. Adjust the driver’s seat cushion to your desired position. Adjust both outside mirrors to suit you. See “Mirrors” in the Index.

2. Press the SET button and then press the 1 or 2 side of the MEMORY switch within five seconds. You will hear one beep when you press the SET button and two beeps when you press the MEMORY button to confirm that the mirror and seat positions are entered into memory.

When your vehicle is in PARK (P) with the ignition on or off, press the same side of the MEMOR Y switch to recall the seat and mirror setting.

T o do the same thing for a second driver, follow the preceding steps, but press the other side of the MEMOR Y switch.

The EXIT button allows you to get out of the car easily. When the gear shift selector is in PARK (P) with the ignition on or off, push EXIT and the seat will go all the way down and back.

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Memory Seat and Mirrors Personal Choice Feature (Option)

The remote keyless entry transmitters can also be programmed to move the driver’s seat and outside mirrors to a set memory position when the transmitter’s UNLOCK button is pressed.

T o program the system:

1. Adjust the driver’s seat cushion to a comfortable position. Adjust both outside mirrors to suit you. See “Power Remote Control Mirror” in the Index.

2. Press the SET button on the driver’s door armrest. You will hear one beep.

3. Within five seconds, press one of the two memory buttons on the armrest. You will hear two beeps to confirm that the mirror and the seat positions are entered into memory.

4. Press the UNLOCK button on the appropriate transmitter within five seconds. You will hear two beeps.

The second transmitter can be programmed to record a different seat and mirror position by following the same steps.

If you prefer to program the exit seat position, which moves the seat completely down and back, follow these steps:

1. Press the SET button on the driver’s door armrest. You will hear one beep.

2. Press the EXIT button on the armrest. You will hear one beep, but the seat will not move at this time.

3. Press the UNLOCK button on the appropriate transmitter within five seconds. You will hear two beeps.

This personal choice feature will work only when the vehicle is in PARK (P). A beep will sound inside the vehicle when the UNLOCK button on the transmitter is pressed to move the seat and mirrors.

T o turn this feature off, press SET and then UNLOCK within five seconds.

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Heated Front Seat (Option)

If your vehicle has this option, the switch is on the armrest. With the ignition in ACCESSOR Y or RUN, press the button once and the seat will warm up. The HI light on the button will come on.

Press the button a second time and the LO light will come on. The seat will warm to a lower temperature.

Press the button a third time to turn off the heated seat. The heater will also turn off automatically when the ignition is turned off.

Reclining Front Seatbacks

The front seatbacks can be adjusted by pressing the vertical control located on the side of the seat. Push it forward to bring the seat to a more upright position. Push it rearward to recline the seatback.

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But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.

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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.

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Head Restraints

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.

Seatback Latches

CAUTION:

If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

The front seatback folds forward to let people get into the back seat. Your seatback will move back and forth freely, unless you come to a sudden stop. Then it will lock in place.

There’s one time the seatback may not fold without some help from you. That’s if your vehicle is parked going down a fairly steep hill.

T o fold a seatback forward if it does lock in place, push the seatback toward the rear as you lift this latch. Then the seatback will fold forward. The latch must be down for the seat to work properly.

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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 Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), or 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.

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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.

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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.

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Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider

doesn’t stop.

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The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...

or the instrument panel ...

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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.

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Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts

Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an

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.

Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to

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

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Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from

home, why should I wear safety belts?

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

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. The shoulder portion of the belt has an energy management loop. It is designed to open and help protect you in certain crashes. If it opens, you will see a label on the safety belt that says to replace the belt. Be sure to do so. If you don’t, the safety belt won’t work properly and won’t protect you in another crash. For more information on replacing safety belts after a crash, see “Replacing Safety Belts” in the Index.

Here’s how to wear the lap

1. Close and lock the door.

2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index) so you can sit up straight.

-shoulder belt properly.

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3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don’t let it get twisted.

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.

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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.

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Shoulder Belt Tightness Adjustment

Your car has a shoulder belt tightness adjustment feature. If the shoulder belt seems too tight, adjust it before you begin to drive.

1. Sit well back in the seat.

2. Start pulling the shoulder belt out.

3. Just before it reaches the end, give it a quick pull.

4. Let the belt go back all the way. You should hear a slight clicking sound. If you don’t, the adjustment feature won’t set, and you’ll have to start again.

5. Now you can add a small amount of slack. Lean forward slightly, then sit back. If you’ve added more than 1 inch (25 mm) of slack, pull the shoulder belt out as you did before and start again.

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If you move around in the vehicle enough, pull out the shoulder belt, or open your door, the belt will become tight again. If this happens, you can reset it.

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CAUTION:

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly

as much protection this way.

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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. Don’t allow more than 1 inch (25 mm) of slack.

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is twisted across the body.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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” earlier in this section.

The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’ s safety belt 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.

-- except for one thing. If you ever

Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)

This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) or air bag system.

Your vehicle has “Next Generation” frontal air

-- one air bag for the driver and another air

bags bag for the right front passenger.

Next Generation frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of injury from the force of an inflating air bag. But even these air bags must inflate very quickly if they are to do their job and comply with federal regulations.

Here are the most important things to know about the air bag system:

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 “supplemental restraints” to the safety belts. All air bags designed to work with safety belts, but don’t replace them. Air bags 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, side or low frontal crashes. And, for unrestrained occupants, Next Generation air bags may provide less protection in frontal crashes than more forceful air bags have provided in the past. Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt properly for that person.

-- even Next Generation air bags -- are

-- whether or not there’s an air bag

-- even if you

-speed

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CAUTION:

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. This is true even with Next Generation frontal air bags. Safety belts help keep you in position before and during a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with Next Generation air bags. The driver should sit as far back as possible while still maintaining control of the vehicle.

CAUTION:

Children who are up against, or very close to, any air bag when it inflates can be seriously injured or killed. This is true even though your vehicle has Next Generation frontal air bags. Air bags plus lap

-shoulder belts offer 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” and see the caution labels on the sunvisors and the right front passenger’s safety belt.

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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 System Works

Where are the air bags?

The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel.

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The right front passenger’s air bag is in the instrument panel on the passenger’s side.

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CAUTION:

If something is between an occupant and an air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it might force the object into that person. The path of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put anything between an occupant and an air bag, and don’t attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other air bag covering.

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+ 338 hidden pages

Buick RIVIERA 1999 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual