The 1998 Buick Regal Owner’s Manual 1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explainsthe “SRS” system. 2-1 Features and Controls This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle. 3-1 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system. 4- 1 Your Driving and the Road Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions. 5-1 Problems on the Road This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such asa flat tire or overheated engine, etc. 6- 1 Service and Appearance Care Here the manual tells youhow to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good. 7-1 Maintenance Schedule This section tellsyou when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. 8- 1 Customer Assistance Information This section tellsyou how to contact Buick for assistance andhow to get service and owner publications. It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page8-8. 9- 1 Index Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual.You can use it to quickly find something you want to read. i We support voluntary technician certification. I BUICK L GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK, WE SUPPORT the BUICK Emblem and the name REGAL are VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. CERTIFICATION THROUGH National Institute for This manual includes the latestinformation at the time it AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the EXCELLENCE product 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 inthis manual. For Canadian OwnersWho Prefer a Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be French Language Manual: there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you Aux propriktaires canadiens:Vous pouvez vous sell the vehicle, please leave thismanual in it so the new procurer un exemplaire de ce guideen franqais chez owner can use it. votre concessionaire ou au: DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1577 Meyerside Dr. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1B9 Litho in U.S.A. @CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1997 Part No. 10415721 B Second Edition All Rights Reserved ii How to Use this Manual Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning A CAC AON: to end when they first receive theirnew vehicle. If r you do this, it will help you learn about the features These mean thereis something that could hurt and controls foryour vehicle. In this manual, you’ll you or other people. find that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly. In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then Index we tell you what to doto help avoid or reducethe hazard. Please read these cautions.If you don’t, you or A good place to lookfor what you need is the Index in others could be hurt. back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it. You will also find a circle Safety Warnings and Symbols with a slash through it in this book. This safety You will find a number of safety cautionsin this book. symbol means “Don’t,” We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you “Don’t do this’’ or “Don’t about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore let this happen.’’ the warning. Vehicle Damage Warnings In the notice area, we tell you about something that can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would Also, in this book you will find thesenotices: not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help NOTICE: avoid the damage. When you read other manuals,you might see These mean thereis something thatcould CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. damage your vehicle. You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. iv 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 some 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 lamps: your controls: warning and you may see: original battery: your passengers indicator lights: whenever your vehicle is WINDSHIELD CAUTION driven: WIPER POSSIBLE A FUSE * INJURY COOLANT - TEMP - DOOR LOCK TURN PROTECT UNLOCK SIGNALS t EYES BY e BATTERY LIGHTER SHIELDING CHARGING I-1 SYSTEM CAUSTIC WINDSHIELD BATTERY FASTEN HORN DEFROSTER k3 ACID COULD SEAT BRAKE (0) CAUSE BELTS HAZARD BURNS WARNING FLASHER A COOLANT SPEAKER AVOID WINDOW b SPARKS OR DEFOGGER a FLAMES DAYTIME - RUNNING . 0 ENGINE OIL LAMPS * PRESSURE e,FUEL SPARK OR ,\I/, p3 FLAME VENTILATING COULD FAN EXPLODE FOG LAMPS ANTI-LOCK (@) $0 BRAKES BAllERY V @% NOTES vi @ Section 1 Seatsand Restraint Systems Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Buick 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 1-29 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children 1-6 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone and Small Adults 1-10 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About 1-32 Center Passenger Position Safety Belts -- and the Answers 1-33 Children 1-1 1 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly 1-36 Built-in Child Restraint (Option) 1-11 Driver Position 1-5 1 Child Restraints 1-18 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy 1-63 Larger Children 1-19 Right Front Passenger Position 1-65 Safety Belt Extender 1- 19 Air Bag System 1-66 Checking Your Restraint Systems 1-26 Rear Seat Passengers 1-66 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash 1-1 Seats and Seat Controls 2-Way Manual Seat This section tells you how to adjust the seats and explains the reclining seatbacks and head restraints. Manual Front Seat C. UTION: A -- 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 vehicleis not moving. Lift the bar under the front of the seat using an upward motion. This will unlock the seat, Slidethe seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked into place. 6-Way Power Seat (If Equipped) This switch is designed to imitate themovements of your seat cushion. Thedriver’s switch is located on the left side of the driver’s seatcushion. The passenger’s switch is located on the rightside of the passenger’s seat cushion. To move the seatforward or rearward,push the switch forward or rearward. To raise or lower the entire seat, push the switch up or down. To raise or lower the front portion of your seat, push the frontof the switch up or down. To raise or lower the rearportion of your seat, push the rearof the switch up or down. You may have a six-way power driver’s seatand a six-way power passenger’s seat (if equipped). 1-3 Reclining Front Seatbacks If your vehicle is equipped with heated seats, the Lift the lever torelease the seatback, then move the driver’s side and passenger’s side three-position seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to switches are located on the center console, just behind lock the seatback in place. Pull up on the lever your automatic transaxle shift lever. Press LO to warm without pushing on the seatback and the seatback will the seat at a lower temperature. Press HI to warm the move forward. seat at a higher temperature. To turn this featureoff, return the switch to its center position. The button directly in the middle of the heated seat switches is used for traction control (see “Traction Control System” or “Enhanced Traction System” in the Index). 1-4 Sitting ina reclined position when your vehicleis in motion can be dangerous. Evenif 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, itwill be in front of you. In a crashyou could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the belt couldgo up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, notat yourpelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. But don’t have a seatback reclinedif your vehicle For proper protectionwhen the vehicle is in is moving. motion, have theseatback upright. Then sitwell back in the seat and wear your safetybelt properly. Head Restraints Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest tothe top of your ears. Thisposition reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone b This partof the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly.