I The 1.996 Buick Riviera Owner9$Manual i t We support voluntary technician certification. GENERAL MOTORS, GM and theGM Emblem, WE SUPPORT BUICK, the BUTCK Emblem and the name VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN RIVERA, are registered trademarksof General CERTIFICATIONTHROUGH National Institutefor Motors Corporation. AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE This manual includesthe latest information atthe.time EXCELLENCE it was printed.We reserve the right tomake changes in the product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute.thename .. “General Motorsof Canada Limited”for hick Motor For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a.. Division wheneverit appears in this manual. French Language.Manual: Please keep this manual in your Buick,so it will be there Aux propribtaires canadiens: Vous powez vous if -you ever needit when you’reon the road.If you sell procurer un exemplaire dece guide enfraqais chez the vehicle, pleaseleave this manual init so the new votre concessionaireou au: owner can use it. DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1500 Bonhill Rd. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1C7 ’ Litho & U.S.A. CorporationMotors @CopyrightGeneral 1995 Part No. 25639453Edition A First ReservedAll Rights tj ii i b iii Durant also created a racingteam that won 500 racing Buick drew plentyof attention becauseit could chb trophies in 1909 and 1910, including successes at hills and run throughmud like no othef car. Buick's Indianapolis two years beforethe Indy 500 began. endurance and reliability were world famous. The success of Buick engines was visible not only on During World WarI, Buick built Liberty aircraft engines the race track, butin ,endurance tests acrossthe country as well'as Red Cross ambulancesso successfully that and aroundthe world. Buick was the only car to one.Buick ambulance was awardedthe Croix de Guerre complete .a 1,000-mile Chicago-to-New York race in by the French government. 1906. And aBuick was the first car to travel across As a builderof premier automobiles,Buick was hardhit South America, drivenfrom Buenos Aires; Argentina, by the Great Depression. However, new General over the Andes to Santiago?Chile in 1914. Manager Harlow H. Curtice createdpopulax new models 1911 Model 21 Touring Car on Buick's Test Hill In World War 11, Buick built aircraft engines, tanks and other military hardware.This post-wax period brought great styling and engineering changes which resultedin increased sales.The torque converter automatic transmission, Dynaflow, was introducedin the 1948 Roadmaster. Buick’s famous “portholes” came along in 1949. I953 Skylark I Motor Trend niagazme namedthe 1962 Buick Special 1949 Roadmaster “Car of the Year.” The first production V-6 engine was used in the Special. ’ vi 1962 Buick Special Ed Mertz, General Manager,Buick Motor Division Built insidethe walls of the old buildingsin Buick’s Our mission is simple: former Flint complex, which formed the cornerstoneof “Buick willprovide Premium American Motorcars General Motors, Buick City is a state-of-the-art backed with services that exceed our customers’ assembly facility with more than200 robots and other expectations, throughout the purchase, ownership, high-tech equipment. It was completed in the fall service and repurchase experience.” of 1985. Buicks are SUE3STANTIAL. Buicks are, and will continue to be, premium American motorcars’ with smooth power, high performance, rich Buicks are DISTINCTIVE. detail and comfortable accommodation. Buicks are POWERFUL. Buicks- areMATURE. vii How to Us.e This Manual M.any people read their owner’s manualfrom beginning I- to end when they first receive their new vehicle.If you I do this,it will help you learn aboutthe features and These mean thereis something that could hurt controls for your vehicle.In this manual, you’ll find.that you or other people. pictures and words work together to explain things quickly. In the cautionarea, we tell you what the hazard.is.Then Index we tell you what to .doto help avoidcrreduce -the hazard. Please read these cautions.If you don’t, you or A good placeto look for what you needis the Indexin others could be hurt. the back of the manual: It’s an alphabetical listof all. that’s the manual, andthe page-number-whereyou’ll in You will also find a circle find it. , with .a slash throughit in Safety Warnings and Symbols this book. This safety symbol means “Don’t,” You will find a numberof safety cautions in this book. “Don’t do this,” ,or “Don’t We use a box and theword CAUTION to tell you about let this happen.’’ things that could hurtyou if you wereto ignore the warning. Vehicle Damage Warnings not be coveredby your warranty, and it could be costly. But the noticewill tell you what to do to help avoid Also, in tl: book you will find these notices: the damage. When you read other manuals, you might seeCAUTION NOTICE: and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. These mean there is something that could You’ll also See warning labels on your vehicle. They use I damage your vehicle. I the same wordsCAUTION or NOTICE. In the notice area,we tell you about something thatcan damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would * 1x Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. For example, These symbols These symbols These symbols These symbols Here are som-e these symbols are important have to do with are on some of are used on other symbols are used on an for you and your lights: your controls: warning and 'you may see: original battery: your passengers iridicator lights: whenever your vehicle is CAUTION driven: POSSIBLE WIPER Q ENGINE k FUSE -+ INJURY COOLANT -e- TEMP- - DOOR LOCK TURN PROTECT UNLOCK SIGNALS t EYES BY e LIGHTER II SHIELDING CAUSTIC WINDSHIELD HORN FASTEN DEFROSTER )a( SEAT ,BRAKE (0) &LTS BURNS SPEAKER AVOID b SPARKS OR FLAMES ENGINE OIL e, PRESSURE FUEL'e3 SPARK OR ,\I/, FLAME COULD FOG LAMPS ANTI-LOCK (@) EXPLODE & 0 BRAKES BATI'ERY X NOTES NOTES ectilon 1 eatsand Here you’llfind mfomation about the seatsin your 0 Raise or lower the frontof the seatby holding the Buick and how to use your safety belts properly.You front part of the horizontal control upor down. can learn some things You do with Raise or lowerthe rear of the seat by holdingthe rear air bags and safety belts. part of the horizontal control upor down. Seats and Seat Controls 0 Raise or lower the entire seatby holding the whole This section tellsyou about- the seats-- how to adjust control up or down. them, and also about memory seats, reclining seatbacks 0 Move the seat forwardor back by holding the control and head restraints. to the front orback. Power Seats Power Lumbar Control (Option) If you have this option, the driver’s seatbacklumbar support canbe adjusted by moving the single switch located on the sideof the seat.To increase or decrease support, hold the switch forwardor rearward. 1-1 Memory Seat and Mirrors (Option) When your Buickis in PARK (P) with the ignition ON or OW3press the same side of the MEMORY switch to recall the seat.ancl mirror setting. To do the same thing for a second driver, follow the preceding steps but pressthe other side of the MEMORY switch. The EXIT button allows you to get outof the car easily. When the gear shift selector is in PARK (P) with the ignition or OFF, push EXIT and the seat willgo all the way down-andback. Remote Keyless Entry Persod Choice Feature Each Remote Keyless Entrytransmitter can be programmed to move the driver’s seatand outside mirrors to a set memory position when the transmitter’sWOCK button. is pressed. For programming instructions, see To set your memory seax and mirrors: “Personal Choice Features”in the Index. 1. Adjust the driver’s seatto your desired position. Adjust both outside mirrors tosuit you. See “Mirrors” in the Index. 2. Press the SET button and then press the1 or 2 side of the MEMORY switch withinfive seconds. You will hear one beep when you pressthe SET button and two beeps when you pressthe MEMORY button to confirm that the mirror and .seat positions are entered into memory. - 1-2. H-eatedFront Seat (Option) If your vehicle has this The power recline vertical option, the switchis on the control is located on the- driver's arrnrest. Press the side of the seat.Push it button once and theseat forw.ardto bring the seatto will warm up. The HI light a more upright position. Push it rearward to recline lhe seatback. Press the buttona second time and the LO light will come on.The seat will warm 'to a lower temperature. Press the buttona third timeto turn OW the heated seat. The heater will also turn off automatically when the ignition is turned off. 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 jobwhen ' you're. reclined like this. The shoulderbelt can't do its job.In a crash you could go into it,receiving neck or otherinjuries. The lapbelt can't do its jobeither. 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 properprotection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Thensit But don't havea seatback reclinedif your vehicle is moving. well back in the seat and wear yoursafety belt properly. 1-4 I Head Restraints There’s one timethe seatback.maynot. fold without some help from you. That’s if .your vehicleis-parked Slide the head restraint up or downso that thetop of the going dopvn a fairly steephill, restraint is closest to the top of your ears.