Buick PARKAVENUE 1996 User manual

The 1996 Buick Park Avenue Owner’s Manual
SeatsandRestraintSystems ............................................................. 1-1
FeaturesandControls .................................................................. 2-1
ComfortControlsandAudioSystems ..................................................... 3-1
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. Italso explains “SRS” system.
This section explains how to start and operate your Buick.
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your
audio system.
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and howto drive under different conditions.
YourDrivingandtheRoad .............................................................. 4-1
ProblemsontheRoad .................................................................. 5-1
This section tells you what to do if you have a problem whiledriving, such as a flat tire or
overheated engine, etc.
Here the manual tells you howto keep your Buick’ running properly
and looking good.
This sectiontells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
ServiceandAppearanceCare ............................................................ 6-1
Maintenanceschedule .................................................................. 7-1
CustomerAssistanceInformation ........................................................ 8-1
This section tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service publications.It also
gives you information
on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8-7.
Index ................................................................................ 9-1
Here’s an alphabeticallisting of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want
to read.
i

GENERAL MOTORS, GM and theGM Emblem,
BUICK, theBUCKEmblem and the name
PARK
AVENUE are registered trademarks of General Motors
Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time
it
was printed.We reserve the right tomake changes in the
product after that time withoutfurther notice. For
vehicles first sold inCanada, substitute the name
“General Motors
of Canada Limited” for Buick Motor
Division whenever it appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in yourBuick,
so it will be there
if you ever need it when you’reon the road. If you sell
the vehicle, please leave this manual init
so the new
owner can use
it.
We support voluntary
technician certification.
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux proprietaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ceguide en franqaischez
votre concessionaire
ou au:
DGN MarketingServicesLtd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario
L5T 1C7
Lithoin
U.S.A. @CopyrightGeneral MotorsCorporation 1995
Part No. 2563945 1 B First Edition AllRightsReserved
ii

WalterMaur 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 successfulFlint-Detroit
round trip in July1904.
David Buick was buildinggasoline engines by 1899,
and Marr,his engineer, apparently built the first auto to
be called a Buick in 1900. However, Buick traditionally
dates its beginnings to 1903.That was the year the
company was reorganized, refinanced and movedfrom
Detroit to Flint. Buickhas always beena product
innovator. Buick engineers developed the
“valve-in-head” engine, a light, powerful and reliable
engine which would eventuallyinfluence the entire
automotive industry.
William C. Durant was instrumental in promoting
Buicks across the country using his Durant-Dort
Carriage
Co. outlets and salespeople as the nucleus or a
giant distribution system. He knew the Buick asa
“self-seller.”
If automobiles could be this good,he
thought, maybe
it was time to switch from the horse and
buggy business to automobiles.
1.
At the 1905 New York
Auto Show, Durant took
orders for 1,000Buicks
before the company had
built
40. On Buick’s
success, Durant created
a
holding company,
September 16, 1908.He
called it General Motors.
William C. (Billy) Duvant

Durant also created a racing team that won 500 racing
trophies in 1909and 19
10, including successes at
Indianapolis two years before the Indy
500 began.
The success of Buick engines was visible not onlyon
the race track, but in endurance tests across the country
and around the world. Buick was theonly car to
complete a 1,000-mile Chicago-to-New York race in
1906.And
a Buick was thefirst car to travel across
SouthAmerica, driven from Buenos Aires, Argentina,
over the Andes to Santiago, Chile in 1914.
I9II Model 21 Touring Car on Buick’s Test Hill
Buick drew plentyof attention because it could climb
hills and run through mud like
no other car. Buick’s
endurance and reliability were worldfamous.
During World War I, Buick builtLiberty aircraft engines
as well as Red Cross ambulances so successfully that
one Buick ambulance was awarded the Croixde Guerre
by the Frenchgovernment.
As a builder of premier automobiles, Buick was hard hit
by the Great Depression. However, newGeneral
Manager Harlow
H. Curtice created popular new models
including the Special and the Roadmaster.Buick sales
soon flourished.
I :
First Buick Factory
V

In World War 11, Buick built aircraftengines, tanks and
other military hardware.This post-war period brought
great styling andengineering changes which resulted in
increased sales.The torque converter automatic
transmission, Dynaflow, was introduced in the1948
Roadmaster. Buick’sfamous “portholes” came along
in1949.
1949 Roadmaster
vi
A high-compression V-8 engine was introduced in 1953.
And Buick’sfamous vertical pillar “toothy” grille,
(introduced in
1942)’ became more massive in the
post-war
era.
I953 Skylark
Motor Trend magazine named the1962Buick Special
“Car
of the Year.” The first production V-6 engine was
used
in the Special.

1962 Buick Special
Built inside the walls of theold buildings in Buick’s
former Flint complex, which formed the cornerstone of
General Motors, Buick City is a state-of-the-art
assembly facility withmore than
200 robots and other
high-tech equipment.
It was completed in thefall
of
1985.
Buicks are, and willcontinue to be, premium American
motorcars with smooth power,high performance, rich
detail and comfortable accommodation.
Ed Mertz,‘GeneralManager-,Buick Motor Division
Our mission is simple:
“Buick willprovide Premium American Motorcars
backed with services that exceed our customers’
expectations, throughout the purchase, ownership,
service andrepurchase experience.”
Buicks are SUBSTANTIAL.
Buicks are DISTINCTIVE.
Buicks are
POWERFUL.
Buicks are MATURE.

How to Use This Manual
Many people read their owner’s manualfrom beginning
to end when theyfirst receive their new vehicle. If you
do this, it will help youlearn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good placeto look forwhat you need is the Index in
the back of themanual. It’s an alphabetical list of all
that’s in the manual, and thepage number where you’ll
find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will finda number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box andthe word
CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you wereto
ignore the warning.
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazardis. Then
we tell
you what to do to help avoidor reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If
you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
I You will also find a circle
~~~
with a slash through it in
this book.This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t dothis,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”
~~ ~