Buick 2004 Rainier User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-5
Safety Belts .............................................. 1-7
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-26
Air Bag Systems ...................................... 1-45
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-55
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-8
Windows ................................................. 2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-19
Mirrors .................................................... 2-31
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-35
HomeLink
®
Transmitter ............................. 2-36
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-40
Sunroof .................................................. 2-45
Vehicle Personalization ............................. 2-45
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-20
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-27
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-43
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-56
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-45
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-12
All-Wheel Drive ........................................ 5-51
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-51
Front Axle ............................................... 5-53
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-54
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-56
Tires ...................................................... 5-59
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-92
Vehicle Identification ............................... 5-101
Electrical System .................................... 5-102
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-113
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-11
Index .................................................................1
2004 Buick Rainier Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK,
the BUICK Emblem are registered trademarks and
the name Rainier 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 are on the road.
If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it
so the new owner can use it.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. B2438 A FIRST EDITION ©Copyright General Motors Corporation 07/14/03 All Rights Reserved
Canadian Owners
You can obtain a French language copy of this manual
from your dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
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 will find that pictures
and words work together to explain things.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is in
the manual, and the page number where you will find it.
ii

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.
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.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice will 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 has 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:
•Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
•Features and Controls in Section 2
•Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
•Climate Controls in Section 3
•Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3
•Audio System(s) in Section 3
•Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

These are some examples of symbols you may find on your vehicle:
v

✍NOTES
vi

Front Seats ......................................................1-2
Power Seats ..................................................1-2
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-2
Heated Seats .................................................1-3
Power Reclining Seatbacks ..............................1-4
Head Restraints .............................................1-5
Rear Seats .......................................................1-5
Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-5
Safety Belts .....................................................1-7
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone .................1-7
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-12
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-13
Driver Position ..............................................1-13
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-19
Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-20
Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-20
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
for Children and Small Adults ......................1-23
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-25
Child Restraints .............................................1-26
Older Children ..............................................1-26
Infants and Young Children ............................1-28
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-32
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-35
Top Strap ....................................................1-36
Top Strap Anchor Location .............................1-37
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) ...........................1-38
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System ....................................1-40
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position ................................1-40
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Seat Position ............................................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position ....................................1-43
Air Bag Systems ............................................1-45
Where Are the Air Bags? ...............................1-49
When Should an Air Bag Inflate? ....................1-51
What Makes an Air Bag Inflate? .....................1-52
How Does an Air Bag Restrain? .....................1-52
What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inflates? ...................................................1-53
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle .........1-55
Restraint System Check ..................................1-55
Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................1-55
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................1-56
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
Power Seats
The power seat
controls are located on
the outboard side of
the front seat cushions.
The horizontal control
adjusts the seat cushion
and the vertical control
adjusts the seatback.
•Move the front of the horizontal seat control up or
down to adjust the front portion of the cushion.
•Move the rear of the seat control up or down to
adjust the rear portion of the cushion.
•Lift up or push down on the center of the seat
control to move the entire seat up or down.
•To move the seat forward or rearward, slide the
seat control forward or rearward.
•To recline the seatback, press the vertical control
rearward. To raise the seatback, press the vertical
control forward.
Power Lumbar
The seatback lumbar support can be adjusted by
moving a control located on the outboard side of the
seat cushions.
To increase or decrease support, hold the control
forward or rearward. Keep in mind that as your
seating position changes, as it may during long trips,
so should the position of your lumbar support. Adjust
the seat as needed.
1-2

Heated Seats
Your vehicle may have
heated front seats. The
buttons used to control
this feature are located
on the front door armrests.
The engine must be
running for the heated
seat feature to work.
To heat the entire seat, press the horizontal button with
the heated seat symbol. Press the button repeatedly
to cycle through the temperature settings of high,
medium, low and off. The indicator lights will glow to
designate the level of heat selected: three for high,
two for medium and one for low. The low setting warms
the seatback and cushion until the seat temperature
is near body temperature. The medium and high settings
heat the seatback and seat cushion to a slightly
higher temperature. You will be able to feel heat in
about two minutes.
To heat only the seatback, press the button with the
words BACK ONLY. An indicator light on the switch will
glow to designate that only the seatback is being
heated. Additional presses will cycle through the heat
levels for the seatback only. Press the horizontal button
again to heat the whole seat.
The feature will shut off automatically when the ignition
is turned off.
1-3

Power Reclining Seatbacks
Your vehicle may have this feature. The vertical power
seat control described earlier allows the seatback to
recline. See Power Seats on page 1-2 for more
information.
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
{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.
1-4

Head Restraints
Adjust your head restraint 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.
The head restraints lock into place when raised.
To release the head restraint and lower it, press the tab
located on the top of the seatback.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
Your vehicle has a 60/40 folding rear seat which lets
you fold the seatbacks down for more cargo space.
Pull up on the loop located where the seat cushion
meets the seatback to fold the seat cushion up and out
of the way. This will allow the seatback to fold flat
and increase the cargo area.
1-5

The rear seatback
levers are located on
the outboard side of
the rear seatbacks.
Pull the seatback toward you as you lift up on the lever.
The head restraint will automatically fold out of the
way when the seatback is folded down.
To raise the seatbacks, lift up the seatbacks and push
on them until they lock into the upright position.
Push and pull on the seatbacks to make sure that they
are latched securely. Then fold the bottom seat
cushion back into place.
To return the head restraint to the upright position,
reach behind the seat and pull the restraint up until it
locks into place. Push and pull on the head restraint to
make sure that it is latched securely.
1-6

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are 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.
{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.
{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.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up.
See Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-30.
In most states and in all 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.
1-7

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.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat on
wheels.
1-8

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop.
1-9

The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel...
1-10

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.
1-11

Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
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 — not instead of them. Every air bag
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.
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 — even one that isn’t your fault — you and
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.
1-12

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
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 Older Children on page 1-26
or Infants and Young Children on page 1-28. 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. Here’s how to wear
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight.
To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.
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 on page 1-25.
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.
1-13

5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the
shoulder belt. 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,
or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
1-14