Buick 2002 Rendezvous User manual

vi
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK,
and the BUICK Emblem are registered trademarks and
the name RENDEZVOUS is a trademark 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.
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:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207

vii
About Driving Your Vehicle
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate
this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or
an accident. See “Your Driving, the Road and Your
Vehicle” in the Index.
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.
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.

viii
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.”
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
Your vehicle may be equipped with 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 in the Index:
D “Engine Compartment Overview”
D “Instrument Panel”
D “Comfort Controls”
D “Audio Systems”
Also see “Warning Lights and Gages” in the Index.
Here are some examples of symbols you may find on
your vehicle:

ix

1- 1-1
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.
1-2 Seats and Seat Controls
1-8 Rear Seats
1-21 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
1-25 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts -- and the Answers
1-26 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
1-26 Driver Position
1-35 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
1-36 Right Front Passenger Position
1-37 Air Bag Systems
1-45 Center Passenger Position
1-48 Rear Seat Passengers
1-52 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
1-56 Children
1-59 Restraint Systems for Children
1-77 Older Children
1-79 Safety Belt Extender
1-80 Checking Your Restraint Systems
1-80 Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash

1-2
Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you about the seats -- how to
adjust them, take them out, put them back in, fold
and unfold them.
Driver’s Four-Way Manual Seat
To move the seat forward
or rearward, pull up on the
lever, located on the front
left of the seat, to unlock it.
Slide the seat to where you want it and release the lever.
To make sure that the seat is locked into place, try to
move the seat with your body.
To raise the seat, pull up
on the lever located on the
front right side of the seat.
To lower the seat, push the
lever down. Adjust the seat
and release the lever.
CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.

1-3
Manual Front Passenger Seats
To move the seat forward
or rearward, pull up on the
lever, located on the front of
the seat, to unlock it.
Slide the seat to where you want it and release the lever.
To make sure that the seat is locked into place, try to
move the seat with your body.
Six-Way Power Seat (Option)
The six-way power seat
controls are located on the
outboard side of the driver’s
seat or on the outboard sides
of both the driver’s and
front passenger’s seats.
D Move the front of the control in the direction of the
arrows to adjust the front portion of the cushion up
or down.
D Move the rear of the control in the direction of the
arrows to adjust the rear portion of the cushion up
or down.
D Lift up or push down on both outer arrows at the
same time to move the entire seat up or down.
D To move the whole seat forward or rearward, slide
the control in the direction of the center arrows.

1-4
Manual Lumbar
The knob that controls
this feature is located
on the outboard sides
of the driver’s and front
passenger’s seats.
Turn the knob toward the front of the vehicle to increase
lumbar support. Turn the knob toward the rear of the
vehicle to decrease lumbar support.
Memory Seat (Option)
If your vehicle has this
feature, the controls are
located on the driver’s
door panel and are used
to program and recall
the driver’s seat position
and outside rearview
mirror position.
Adjust the driver’s seat and the outside rearview mirrors
to the position you would like for driving. Then press
and hold memory button 1 for more than three seconds.
A double beep will sound when the memory seat and
mirrors are set.
To set the seat and outside rearview mirrors for a
second driver, follow the previous steps, but press
button 2 instead.
To recall your memory positions, your vehicle must
be in PARK (P). Push and release the memory button
(1 or 2) corresponding to the desired driving position.
The seat and the outside rearview mirrors will move to
the position previously stored for the identified driver.
You will hear one beep.

1-5
You can also store an exit position for each driver.
The exit position is programmed by moving the seat
to the desired exit position and then holding the exit
symbol button for more than three seconds. The exit
position set will be for the most recently selected driving
position (1 or 2). A double beep will sound when the
memory is set.
To use exit, your vehicle must be in PARK (P). Push
and release the exit symbol button and the seat will
move to the exit position stored for the most recently
selected driver. You will hear one beep.
To stop recall movement of the seat at any time,
press one of the three memory buttons or one of the
power seat controls located on the outboard side of
the driver’s seat.
If your vehicle is equipped with a Driver Information
Center (DIC), you can use it to program certain
functions of the memory seats. See “Driver Information
Center (DIC) Vehicle Customization” in the Index.
Heated Front Seats (Option)
The heated seat switches
are located in the center
console switchbank.
This feature will quickly heat the lower cushions and
lower back of the driver’s and front passenger’s seat for
added comfort. The left switch is for the driver’s seat
and the right switch is for the front passenger’s seat.
Press the top of the switch to turn the heater on.
Press the bottom of the switch to turn the heater off.
The heated seat switch will turn off when the ignition
is turned to OFF and will resume operation when the
ignition is turned to ON, unless the switch is manually
turned off.

1-6
Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback, pull up on the recliner lever
located on the outboard sides of both the driver’s and
passenger’s seat. It is easier to recline the seat if you
lean forward, taking your weight off the seatback.
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.

1-7
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 because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front of you. 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.
Head Restraints
Slide the 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 head restraints tilt forward and
rearward also.
The rear seat head restraints in your vehicle may be
adjustable. They work the same as the front seat head
restraints, except they do not tilt forward or rearward.

1-8
Rear Seats
The rear seats in your vehicle have seat operating
features to adjust, fold, remove and reinstall the seats.
By using the seat operating features, in the correct order,
you can easily remove the seats from your vehicle.
When you put the seats back in the vehicle, be sure to
follow the label on the back of the seat for proper location.
Split Bench Seats (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has the split bench seat, the seatbacks
can be folded forward or reclined individually and the
sections can be flipped forward or removed individually.
Folding or Reclining the Seatbacks
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 seatbacks on each section of the split bench seat can
be reclined or folded forward.