uwe1 The 1998 Buick LeSabre Owner’s Manual 1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “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 as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc. 6- 1 Service and AppearanceCare Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and loolung good. 7-1 Maintenance Schedule This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. 8- 1 Customer Assistance Information This section tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8-8. 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. r We support voluntary am- technician certification. p?JCERTIFIED GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,BUICK, WE SUPPORT the BUICK Emblemand the name LESABRE are VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. CERTIFICATION THROUGH National Institute for This manual includes the latest information at the time it AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE was printed. We reserve theright to make changes in the EXCELLENCE product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitutethe name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Buick Motor Division whenever it appears inthis manual. For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a Please keep thismanual 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 propribtaires canadiens:Vous pouvez vous sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new procurer un exemplaire de ceguide en franGais 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. 0Copyright General Motors Corporation 1998 Part No. 25655109 C First Edition All Rights Reserved ii How to Use this Manual A I Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning h!~CAUTION: to end whenthey first receivetheir new vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features These mean thereis something that could hurt and controls for yourvehicle. In this manual, you’ll you or other people. find thatpictures 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 do tohelp avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions.If you don’t, you or A good place to look for 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 cautions inthis book. symbol means “Don’t,” We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you “Don’t do this” or “Don’t about thingsthat could hurt you if you were to ignore let this happen.’’ the warning. iii 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 these notices: 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 there is something that could 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 aresome 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 WINDSHIELD vehicle is WIPER CAUTION driven: POSSIBLE A FUSE INJURY COOLANT - TEMP - DOOR LOCK TURN PROTECT UNLOCK SIGNALS e t EYES BY BAllERY LIGHTER u SHIELDING CHARGING I-1 SYSTEM CAUSTIC WINDSHIELD BATTERY FASTEN DEFROSTER ACID COULD SEAT BRAKE (0) CAUSE BELTS BURNS h SPEAKER WINDOW DEFOGGER cz POWER DAYTIME * WINDOW m RUNNING * ' 0 ENGINE OIL LAMPS '** PRESSURE e,FUEL SPARK OR ,111, B FLAME VENTILATING COULD FOG LAMPS FAN ANTI-LOCK (@) EXPLODE $0 BRAKES BATTERY V fi NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and 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 somethings you should not do with air bags and safety belts. 1-2 Seats and Seat Controls 1-26 Rear Seat Passengers 1-5 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone 1-29 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children 1-9 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About and Small Adults Safety Belts and the Answers 1-32 Children 1-10 How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly 1-35 Child Restraints 1- 10 Driver Position 1-47 Larger Children 1-17 Safety BeltUse During Pregnancy 1-50 Safety Belt Extender 1-18 Right FrontPassenger Position 1-50 Checking Your Restraint Systems 1-18 Supplemental Restraint System(SRS) 1-50 Replacing Restraint System Parts 1-25 Center PassengerPosition After a Crash 1-1 Seats and SeatControls This section tellsyou about the seats -- how to adjust them -- and also about recliningseatbacks and head restraints. Manual Front Seat You can lose control of the vehicleyou if 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 Pull up on the control bar under the frontof the seat to don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it, then the vehicle is not moving. release the bar and try to move the seat with your body to make sure the seat is locked into place. 1-2 Power Seat(If Equipped) Rear Control: Raise the rearof the seat by pushing the switch on the left. Lower the ofrear the seat by pushing the switchon the right. RecliningFront Seatbacks . The power seat controls are on the armrest. Front Control: Raise the frontof the seat by pushing the left sideof the switch. Push the right sideof the switch to lower the frontof the seat. To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outerof side Center Control: Move the seat forward or backward by the seat and move the seatback to where you want it. pushing the control on the frontor back. Raise the seat Release the lever to lock the seatback. Pull up on the by pushing the control on the left. Lower the seat by lever and the seat will go to an upright position. pushing the control onthe,right. 1-3 Sitting in a recmea 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 shoulder belt can’t do itsjob because it won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash you could go into it, receiving neckor other injuries. The lap belt can’t doits 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. But don’t havea seatback reclined if your vehicle For proper protection when the vehicle is in is moving. motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. Head Restraints Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your ears. Thisposition reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. 1-4 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone This part of the manual tells youhow to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do I with safety belts. It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, (SRS), or air bag system. people riding in these areas aremore likely to be seriously injured orkilled. Do not allow peopleto ride in anyarea of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle isin a seat andusing a Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’twear safety belt properly. a safety belt properly. If you are ina crash and you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse.