Buick 1997 Regal User manual

99
7R E
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GA

Supplement to the 1997 Buick Regal and Century Owner’s Manuals
This is acorrection to informationfound on page 6-40 (Regal only) and page 6-38 (Century only).
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label,which is on the inside of the trunk lid shows the correct inflation
pressures forpurtires when they’re cold. “Cold”means your vehicle has been sitting for at leastthree
hours or driven nomore than
1 mile (1.6 km).
This is acorrection to informationfound
on page 6-63 (Regal only).
Engine Crankcase
Oil and Filter Change . .. . .. .. . ... 4.5 quarts (4.2 L)
97REGWENOOl
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The 1997 Buick Regal Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use yourseats and safety belts properly. Italso explains the “air bag” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your Buick.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how tooperateyour audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful informationand tips about the road and how todrive under different conditions.
Problems onthe Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheatedengine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Buickrunning properly and lookinggood.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and whatfluids and lubricantsto use.
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’’ onpage
8-8.
Index
Here’s an alphabeticallisting of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
somethingyou want
to read.
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GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,BUICK,
the BUZCK Emblem and the name REGAL 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
J We support voluntary
technician certification.
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION
THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
“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
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
if youeverneed it when you’re on the road. If you sell
the vehicle, please leave thismanual in it
so the new
owner can use
it.
, / ‘.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part
No. 10292FFgtEdition
Aux propriktaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ceguide en frangais chez
A votre concessionaire ou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1C7
@Copyright GeneralMotors Corporation 1996
All Rights Reserved

iii

WalterMarr and Thomas Buick
Buick’s chief engineer, Walter
L. Marr (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 gasoline engines by 1899,
and Marr, his engineer, apparently built the first auto to
be called aBuick
in 1900.However, Buick traditionally
dates its beginnings 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
“valve-in-head” engine, a light, powerfuland reliable
engine which would eventually influence the entire
automotive industry.
William
C. Durant was instrumentalin promoting
Buicks across the country using his Durant-Dort
Carriage
Co. outlets and salespeople asthe nucleus of a
giant distribution system. He knew the Buick as a
“self-seller.”
If automobiles could be this good, he
thought, maybe it was time to switch from the horse and
buggy business to automobiles.
William
C. (Billy)Durant
At the 1905New York
Auto Show, Durant
took
orders for1,000Buicks
before the company had
built
40. On Buick’s
success, Durant created
a
holding company,
September
16, 1908.He
called it General Motors.
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Durant also created aracing team that won 500 racing
trophies in 1909and 19
10, including successesat
Indianapolis two years beforethe Indy
500 began.
The success
of Buick engines was visible not only on
the race track, but in endurance tests across the country
and around theworld. Buick was the only car to
complete a 1,000-mile Chicago-to-NewYork race in
1906.And a Buickwas the first car
to travel across
South America, driven from Buenos Aires,Argentina,
over the Andes to Santiago, Chilein 1914.
I911 Model 21 Touring Car on Buick S Test Hill
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 successfully 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.
First Buick Factory
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In World War 11, Buick built aircraft engines, tanks and
other military hardware. This post-war period brought
great styling and engineering changeswhich resulted in
increased sales. Thetorque converter automatic
transmission, Dynaflow, was introduced in the 1948
Roadmaster. Buick’s famous “portholes” came along
in 1949.
1949 Roadmaster
A high-compression V-8 engine was introduced in 1953.
And Buick’s famous vertical pillar
“toothy” grille
(introduced
in 1942)became more massive in the
post-war era.
I953 Skylark
Motor Trend magazine named the 1962 Buick Special
“Car
of the Year.” The firstproduction V-6 engine was
used in the Special.
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