Buick 1997 Skylark User manual

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The 1997 Buick Skylark Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tellsyou how to useyour seats and safety belts properly.It also explains the “SRS” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains howto start and operate your Buick.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you howto adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and howto operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and howto drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to doif you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you howto 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 tellsyou how tocontact Buick for assistance and howto get service and owner publications.
It also givesyou information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page
8-8.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listingof almost every subjectin this manuaI. You can useit to quickly find
something you wantto read.
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GENERAL MOTORS, GMthe GM Emblem, BUICK,
the BUCKEmblem andthe name SKYLARK are
-registered trademarks
of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information atthe time it
was printed.We reserve the right to make changes in the
product after that time without further notice.
For
vehicles firstsold in Canada, substitutethe name
"General Motors ofCanada Limited"
for Buick Motor
Division wheneverit appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual
in your Buick, so it will be there
if you ever need it when you're on the road. If you sell
the vehicle, pleaseleavethis manualin it
so thenew
Litho in
U.S.A.
Part No. 25645981 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 propriktaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en franGais chez
votre concessionaireou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario
L5T IC7
@Copyright General Motors Corporation 1996
All Rights Reserved

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I'

Durant also created a racing team that won 500 racing
trophies
in 1909 and 19 10, including successes at
Indianapolis
two years before the 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 only car to
complete a 1,000-mile Chicago-to-NewYork race in
1906. And a Buick was thefirst car to travel across
South America, drivenfrom Buenos Aires, Argentina,
over the Andes to Santiago, Chile
in 1914.
1911 Model 21 TouringCar onBuick’s TestHill
Buick drew plenty of attention because it could climb
hills and
run through mud likeno other car. Buick’s
endurance and reliability were world famous.
During WorldWar I, Buick built Liberty aircraft engines
as well as Red Cross ambulances
so successfully that
oneBuick ambulance was awarded the
Croix de Guerre
by the French government.
As a builderof premier automobiles, Buick was hard
hit
by the Great Depression. However, new General
Manager Harlow H. Curtice created popular new models
including the Special andthe Roadmaster. Buick
sales
soon flourished.
First Buick Factory
V

In World War 11, Buick built aircraft engines, tanks and
other military hardware. This post-war period brought
great styling and engineering changes which resultedin
increased sales. The torque converter automatic
transmission, Dynaflow, was introduced in the
1948
Roadmaster. Buick’s famous “portholes” came along
in 1949.
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.
1953 Skylark
Motor Trend magazine named the 1962 Buick Special
1949 Roadmaster “Car of the Year.” Thefirstproduction V-6 enginewas
used in the Special.
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1962 Buick Special
Built inside the walls of the-oldbuildings in Buick’s
formerFlint complex, which formedthe cornerstone
of
General Motors, Buick City is a state-of-the-art
assembly facilitywith more than
200 robots and other
high-tech equipment.It was completed
in the fall
of
1985.
Buicks are, and will continue to be, premium American
motorcars with
smooth power, high performance, rich
detail and comfortable accommodation.
Ed Mertz, GeneralManager,Buick MotorDivision
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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others couldbe hart. ~
You will also find a circle
witb a slash through it in
this book. This safety
~ymb01 mean”‘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
I NOTICE:
These mean thereis 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. Butthe notice willtell you what to do to help
avoid the damage.
When
you read other manuals, you mightsee
CAUTION and NOTICE warningsin different
colors or in differentwords.
You’ll alsoseewarning labels
on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or
NOTICE.
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r
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
L
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
Q
CAUSTIC
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARKOR
,111,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE
BAllERY
X
These symbols
are important
for
you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have to
do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e
TURN
WARNING
A
HAZARD
FLASHER
FOG LAMPS
$0
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicatorlights:
COOLANT
TEMP
-
CHARGING Fi
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT
a
ENGINEOIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
m
HORN )cr
SPEAKER
I@
FUEL B

Section 1 SeatsandRestraintSystems
Hereyou’ll find information aboutthe seats in your Buick 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.
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Seats andSeatControls
Safety Belts:They’refor Everyone
Here
Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Howto Wear Safety Belts Properly
Driver Position
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Right Front Passenger Position
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Rear SeatPassengers
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Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guidesfor Children
and
Small Adults
Center Passenger Position
Children
Child Restraints
Larger Children
Safety Belt Extender
CheckingYour Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash

2-Way Manual Seat Manual Lumbar Support (If Equipped)
Passenger’s Side
Move the control lever under thefront of the seat to
unlock it. Slidethe seat to whereyou wantit. Then
release the lever and
try to move the seat with your
body, to make sure the seat
is locked in place.
Turn the knob onthe right front
of the driver’s seat
cushion clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the
support for the lower back.
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Power Seat Controls (If Equipped)
The power seat controls are locatedon the side of the
driver’s seat.
Front Control(F): Raise thefront of the seatby
holding the switch up. Hold the switch down to lower
the front
of the seat.
Center Control (C): Move the seat forward or
backward by holding thecontrd to thefrontor back.
Raise or lower the seat by holdingthe control
up
or down.
Rear Control (R): Raise the rearof the seat by holding
the switch up. Hold the switch downto lower the rear of
the seat.

Reclining Front Seatb'acks

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But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Evenif you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t dotheirjobwhen
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do itsjob becauseit
won’t be against your body.Instead, it will
be in
front of you. In
a crashyou could gointo it,
receiving neckor other injuries.
Thelap belt can’t do itsjobeither. 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 seriousinternalinjuries.
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.

HeadRestraints
Slidethe head restraint up or down so that the top of &e
restraint
is closest to the topof your ears. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injuryin a crash.
Seatback Latches (2-Door Models)
Thefront seatback folds forward toletpeople get into
the back seat.
To fold afront seat forward,lift the seatback latch.
When you return the seatbackto.itsoriginal position,the
seatback will lock.
Easy Entry Seat (2-Door Models)
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If an easy entry right front seat isn’t locked, it
can move.
In a sudden stop or crash, the person
sitting there could be injured. After you’ve used
it, be suretopush rearward on an easy entry seat
to be sure itis locked.
Theright front seat of your vehicle makesit easy to get
in and out of the rear seat.
Tilt the rightfront seatback completely forward and
the whole seat will slide forward.
Move theright front seatback to its original position
after someone getsin the rear seat area. Then move
the seat rearward untilit locks.
Tilt the seatback completely forward to get out.
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Rear Seats
Folding the Rear Seat (If Equipped)
With therear folding
seatbacks, you can carry
long cargo by folding down
part or all
of the rear seat.
Pull this strap to fold down
the seatback.
When you fold the seatback up, push the topof the seat,
making sure the seat
is completely closed to ensure the
seat locks
in a sudden stop or crash.

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.
A CAUTION:
Don’t letanyoneridewherehe or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are m a crash and
you’re not wearing
a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse.
You can hit things inside the
vehicleor be ejected from it.
You can be seriously
injured orkilled.
In the same crash, you might
not be if you arebuckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt,and check that your passengers’ belts
arefastened properly too.
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle.In a collision,
people riding in theseareas aremore likely to be
seriouslyinjured orkilled.
Do not allow people to
ride in anyarea of your vehiclethat is not
equipped with seatsand safety belts. Besure
everyone in your vehicle is in
a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
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