Buick 1997 Riviera User manual

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The 1997 Buick Riviera Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “SRS” 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 to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Buick running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to 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” on page
8-8.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can useit to quickly find
something you want to read.
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I BUICK
GENERAL MOTORS, GM,the GM Emblem, BUICK,
the BUICK Emblem andthe name
RIVERA are
.: registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includesthe latest information at the timeit
was printed.We reserve the right to ‘make changes in the
=productafter 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.
.Pleasekeep
this manual in your Buick, so it will be there
:if you ever need it when you’reon the road. If you sell
the vehicle, please leave this manualin
it so the new
owner can useit.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 25645980 B First Edition
..
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION
THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
We support voluntary
technician certification..
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propribtaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire dece guide enfraqais chez
votre concessionaireou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario
L5T 1C7
@Copyright General Motors Corporation 1996
All Rights Reserved

Walter Marr and Thomas Buick
Buick’s chief engineer, Walter L. Marr (left), and
Thomas
D. Buick, son of founder David Dunbar Buick,
drove thefirstFlint Buick in a successful Flint-Detroit
round tripin July 1904.
David Buick was building gasoline engines by 1899,
and
Mar, his engineer, apparently built thefirst auto to
be called a Buickin 1900. However, Buick traditionally
dates its beginningsto1903,That
was theyear the William C. (Billy) Durant
company was reorganized, refinanced and moved from
Detroit
to Flint. Buick has always been a product
innovator. Buick engineers developed the
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Durant also created a racing team that won 500 racing
trophies in 1909 and 1910, including successes at
'Indianapolistwo years beforethe Indy
500 began.
The success of Buick engines was visible not only on
the race track, butin endurance tests across the country
and around the world. Buick was the onlycar to
complete a 1,000-mile Chicago-to-NewYork race
in
1906. And a Buick was thefirst car to travel across
South America, drivenfromBuenos Aires, Argentina,
over the Andes to Santiago, Chilein 1914.
1911 Model 21 Touring Car on Buick's TestHill
Buick drew plentyof 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 awardedthe Croix de Guerre
by the French government.
As a builderof premier automobiles, Buick was hardhit
by the Great Depression. However, new General
Manager Harlow H. Curtice created popular new models
including the Special andtheRoadmaster. Buick sales
soon flourished.
First BuickFactory
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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 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.
1949 Roadmaster
A high-compression V-8 engine was introduced in 1953.
And Buick’s famous vertical pillar “toothy” @e
(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.” Thefirst production
V-6 engine was
used
in the Special.
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1962 Buick Special
Built inside the wallsof the old buildings in Buick’s
formerFlint 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 completedin the
fall
of 1985.
Buicks are, and will continue tobe, premium American
motorcars with smooth power, high performance, rich
detail and comfortable accommodation.
Ed Mertz,General Manager,Buick Motor Division
Our mission is simple:
“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
PREMIUM.
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Safety Warnings and Symbols
% You will also find a circle
I
with a. slash^ through it in
this book. This safety
symbAol means “Don’t,’’
“Don’t do this,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
I 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, andit could be
costly. But the notice willtell you what todo
to help
avoid the damage.
When you read othermanuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings
in different
colors or in differentwords.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
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