Buick ROADMASTER 1994 User manual

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Litho inU.S.A.
Part No. 25609689 B First Edition
The 1994 Buick Roadmaster
Owner's Manual
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'Copyright General Motors Corporation 1993
All Rights Reserved.
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‘,Thismanualhcludes the latest information at the time IF?$
wasprinted.We reserve the right to make, changes in the ’.:
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.VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
WE SUPPQRT
~GERT1FlCATION THROUGH
Nallonal lnslttule for
AUTOMOTIVE
EXGELLENCE
SERVICE
]pko&ct afterthat.timewithout further’notice.For ..: . :: . 1
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3

Walter Marr and Thomas Buick
Buick’s chief engineer, WalterL. Man (left), and
Thomas D. Buick, son
of founder David Dunbar Buick,
drove the first Flint Buick in a successful Flint-Detroit
round trip in July 1904.
David Buick was building gasoline engines by 1899,
and
Marr, his engineer, apparently built the firstautoto
be called a Buick
in 1900. However, Buick traditionally
dates its beginnings to 1903. That was the year the
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 thatwon 500 racing
trophies in 1909and 19 10, including successes at
Indianapolis two years beforethe Indy
500 began.
The success of Buick engineswas visible not only on
the race track, but inendurancetests across the country
and aroundthe world. Buick was the only car
to
completea 1,000-mileChicago-to-New York race in
1906.And a hickwas the first carto travel across
South America, driven from Buenos Aires, Argentina,
over the Andes to Santiago, Chile in 19 14.
I9II Model 21 Touring Car on Buick’s Test Hill
Buick drew plentyof attention because it couldclimb
hills and run throughmud like no other car. Buick’s
enduranceand .reliability were world famous.
During World War
I, Buick built Liberty aircraftengines
as well as Red Cross ambulances so successful thatone
Buick ambulancewas awarded the Croixde Guewe by
the French government.
As a builderof premier automobiles, Buickwas hard hit
by the Great Depression. However, new General
M%nager, Harlow
H. Curtice created popular new
models including-theSpecial andthe Roadmaster. Buick
sales soon flourished.
I
First Buick Factory
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InWorldWar II, Buickbuilt aircraftengines,tanks and A high-compression V-8 enginewas introduced in 1953.
othermilitaryhardware.Thispost-warperiodbrought AndBuick’sfamousverticalpillar “toothy”grille,
great stylingandengineeringchangeswhichresulted in (introduced
in 1942),became moremassive in the
increasedsales.Thetorqueconverterautomaticpost-warera.
transmission,Dynaflow, was introduced in the 1948
Roadmaster. Buick’sfamous“portholes” came along in
1949.
1953 Skylark
Motor Trend magazine namedthe 1962 Buick $pecial,
I949 Roadmaster
“Car of the Year”. The first production V-6 enginewas
used in the Special.
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1962 Buick Special Ed Mertz, GeneralManager,Buick Motor Division
Built insidethe walls of the old buildingsin Buick’s Our mission is simple:
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formerFlint complex,which formed the cornerstone of
General Motors,Buick City, is a state-of-the-art
assemblyfacility with more than
200 robots and other
high-tech equipment.
It was completed in the fallof
1985.
“Buick will provide Premium American Motorcars
backed withservices,thatexceed our customers’
expectations, throughout the purchase,ownership,
service andrepurchaseexperience.”
Buicks are, and will continueto be, premium American
motorcars with smooth power,high performance,rich
detail andcomfortableaccommodation.
Buicks are SUBSTANTIAL.
Buicks are DISTINCTIVE.
Buicks are
POWERFUL.
Buicksare MATURE.
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1923 Sport Roadster
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Table of Contents
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How to Use this Manual ................................................................. 10
This part tellsyou how to use your manualand includes safety and vehicle damage warnings and symbols.
Seatsand RestraintSystems ............................................................. 13
This part tells you how to use your seats and safety beltsproperly. It also explains the “SRS” system.
FeaturesandControls .................................................................. 63
This part explains how to start and operateyour Buick.
Comfort Controlsand Audio Systems ..................................................... 127
This part tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controlsand how to operate your
sound system.
YourDrivingandtheRoad .............................................................. 153
Here you’llfind helpful information and tips about the road and how to driveunder different conditions.
ProblemsontheRoad .................................................................. 187
This part tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or engine
overheating, etc.
Here the manual tellsyou how to keep your Buick running properlyand looking good.
This part tellsyou when
to perform vehicle maintenanceand what fluids and lubricants touse.
This part tells you how to contactBuick for assistance andhow to get service publications.It also
gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects”on page
305.
Here’s an alphabetical listingof almost every subject in this manual.You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
ServiceandAppearanceCare ............................................................ 223
Maintenanceschedule
.................................................................. 281
CustomerAssistanceInformation
........................................................ 303
Index
................................................................................ 311
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How to Use This Manual
.Manypeople read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end’ when theyfirstreceive theirnew vehicle. This
will help you learn aboutthe 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 with gray background and the word
CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt youif
you were to ignore the warning.
’ ’ In the gray cautionarea, 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. ‘Ifyou don’t, you or
I otherscould be hurt.
You
w~ill alsofind a circle witha slash through itin this
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book.
k
This safety symbol means
“D.on’t,” “Don’t
do this,”or
,“Don’tlet this happen.”

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
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 todo to help avoid the
damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in dif€erent colors or
in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. Theyuse
yellow for cautions, blue for notices and the words
CAUTION or NOTICE.
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Vehicle Symbols
Theseare some of the symbolsyou may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used
on an
originalbattery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD
BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNUICK
FASTEN SEAT
4
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS
TURN
WARNING
A
HAZARD
FLASHER
HIGH BEAM
OR = =o
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WIPER. Q7
WINDSHIELDw DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicatorlights:
COOLANT Fe
TEMP --
ENGINE
CHARGING
I-1
BATTERY-
'SYSTEM
RADIATOR
a
COOLANT
FUEL
ENGINEOIL e,
PRESSURE
TEMPOIL
&
ANTILOCK (@)
BRAKE
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE -%-
SELECTOR .)
RADIO "y "
RADIO >
VOLUME
CONDITIONING
AIR )#t
RUEASE /y
TRUNK
LIGHTER
n
SPEAKER
b
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Part 1 SeatsandRestraintSystems
Here you’ll findinformationabout the seats in your Buick and how to use your safety belts properly.You can also
learn about somethings youshould
do withsafety belts.
Part 1 includes:
SeatsandSeatControls .............................................................
HeadRestraints ...................................................................
Raising and Lowering Wagon Rear Seats ................................................
SafetyBelts ......................................................................
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ....................................................
Lap-ShoulderBelt ............................................................
SupplementalRestraint System (Airbag) ...............................................
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy .....................................................
Children .........................................................................
SmallerChildren and Babies ....................................................
ChildRestraints ............................................ : .................
LargerChildren ...............................................................
ReplacingSafety Belts Aftera Crash ...................................................
Checking Your Restraint System ......................................................
SafetyBeltExtender ................................................................
14
18
18
20
27
28
35
41
46
47
48
58
61
61
61
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Seats and Seat Controls
,Fb+~This section tells you aboutthe seats -- how to adjust,
.%them, and also aboutreclining front seatbacks, raising
1 !and loweringwagon rear seats,and head restraints.
Manual Seat
Move the lever underthe front sea.t
tc I unlock i
t. Slide
the seat to whereyou want it. Then release the lever and
try to move the seat with your body,to make sure the
seat is locked into place.
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Reclining Front 'Seatback(§)
To adjust the seatback,1ift.tlielever on the outer side of
the seat and move the seatback to where you want it.
Releastxihe leverto lock the
seatback. Pull.up on the
kver andtheseatwill go to an uprightposition., ' . ,
If you have the power
recliner option, the switch
eat.This alIiows
'you to
"adjust theseatback.
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