BUICK CENTURY 1993 Owners Manual

Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them.
A CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They-won’t
work well in
a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. Ybu could lose control
of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water
or I car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly
until your
brakes work normally.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re
going fast enough. When your vehicle
is hydroplaning, it
has
little or no contact with the road.
You might not be aware of hydroplaning. You could drive
along for some time without realizing your tires aren’t in
constant contact with the road. You could
find out the
hard way: when you have’to slow, turn, move out to
pass-or if you get hit
by a gust of wind. You could
suddenly find yourself out
of control.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen at higher
speeds. But it can
if your tires haven’t much tread or
if the pressure in one
or
more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing
on the road.
If you can see reflections from trees,
telephone poles, or other vehicles, and raindrops
“dimple” the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and
fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when it is raining, and be careful.
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Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your headlights-not just your parking
lights-to help make you more visible to others.
-
Look for hard-to-see vehicles coming from behind. You
may want to use your headlights even in daytime if it’s
raining hard.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be
especially careful when you pass
another vehicle.
Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by
road
spray. If the road spray is so heavy you are actually
blinded, drop back. Don’t pass until conditions improve. Going more slowly is better than having an accident.
Use your defogger if it helps.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires”
in the Index.)
Driving in Fog, Mist and Haze
,. .,,
Fog can occur with high humidity or heavy frost. It can
be
so mild that you can see through it for severa1,hundred
feet (meters). Or it might be so thick that you can see
only a few
feet (meters) ahead. It may come suddenly to
an otherwise clear road. And it can be a major hazard.
When you drive into a fog patch, your visibility will be
reduced quickly. The biggest dangers
are striking the
vehicle ahead or being struck by the one behind’.
Try to
“read” the fog density down the road. If the vehicle
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ahead starts to become less clear or, at night, if the
taillights are harder to see, the fog is probably thickening.
Slow down to give traffic behind you a chance to slow
down. Everybody then has a better chance to avoid hitting the vehicle ahead.
A patch of dense fog may extend only for a few feet
(meters) or for miles (kilometers); you can’t really tell
while you’re in it. You can only treat the situation with
extreme care.
One‘common fog condition-sometimes called mist or
ground fog-can happen in weather that seems perfect,
especially at night or
in the early morning in valley and
low, marshy areas. You can be suddenly enveloped in
thick, wet haze that may even coat your windshield. You
can often spot these fog patches or mist layers with your
headlights. But sometimes they can be waiting for you as
you come over a hill or dip into a shallow valley.
Start
your windshield wipers and washer, to help clear
accumulated
road dirt. Slow down carefully.
Tips on Driving in Fog
If you get caught in fog, turn your headlights on low
beam, even in daytime. You’ll see-and be seen-better.
Don’t use your high beams. The light will bounce
off the
water droplets that make up fog and reflect back at you.
Use your defogger. In high humidity, even a light buildup
of moisture on the inside of the glass will cut down on
your already limited visibility. Run your windshield
wipers and washer occasionally. Moisture can build up
on the outside glass, and what seems to be fog .may
actually be moisture on the outside
of your windshield.
Treat dense fog as an emergency.
Try to find a place to
pull off the road. Of course you want to respect another’s
property, but you might need to put something between
you and moving vehicles-space, trees, telephone poles,
a private driveway, anything that removes you from other
traffic.
If visibility is near zero and you must stop but
are unsure
whether you are away from the road, turn your lights on,
start your hazard warning flashers, and sound your horn
at intervals or when you hear approaching traffic.
Pass other vehicles in fog only if you can see far enough
ahead to pass safely. Even then, be prepared
to delay
your pass if you suspect the fog is worse up ahead.
If
other vehicles try to pass you, make it easy for them.
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Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the next
section, “Freeway Driving?)
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light is
there because the corner is busy enough to need it.
When a light
turns green, and just before you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may
be running the red
light.
Obey all posted speed limits. But remember that they are for ideal road, weather and visibility conditions.
You may need
to drive below the posted limit in bad
weather
or when visibility is especially poor.
Pull to the right (with care) and stop clear of
intersections when you see or hear emergency vehicles.
One of
the biggest problems with city streets is the amount
of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for what the
other drivers
are doing and pay attention to traffic signals.
Here
are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are going. Try
not to drive around trying to pick out a familiar street
or landmark. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a cross-
country trip.
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Freeway Driving
.. . . :
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most
of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
Entering the Freeway
At the entrance there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to check
traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend with
the flow. If traffic is light, you may have no problem. But
if it is heavy, find a gap as you move along the entering
lane and time your approach. Try to merge into the gap
at close to the prevailing speed. Switch on your
turn
signal, check your rearvidw mirrors as you move along,
and glance over your shoulder as often as necessary. Try
to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Driving on the Freeway
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay in
the right lane unless you want to pass.
If you are on a
two-lane freeway, treat the right lane as the slow lane
and
the left lane as the passing lane.
If you are on a three-lane freeway, treat the right lane as
the slower-speed through lane, the middle lane as the
higher-speed through lane, and the left lane as the
passing lane.
Before changing lanes, check your rearview mirrors.
Then use your turn signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to
make sure there
isn’t another vehicle in your “blind” spot.
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If you are moving from an outside to a center lane on a
freeway, having more than two lanes, make sure another
vehicle isn’t about
to move into the same spot. Look at
the vehicles two lanes over and watch for telltale signs:
turn signals flashing, an increase in speed, or moving
toward the edge of the lane. Be prepared to delay your
move.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
Leaving the Freeway
When you want to-leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. Dashing across lanes at the last
minute is dangerous.
If you miss your exit do not, under
any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the
next exit.
At each exit point is a deceleration lane. Ideally it should
be long enough for you to enter it at freeway speed (after
signaling, of course) and then do your braking before
moving onto the exit ramp. Unfortunately, not all
deceleration lanes are long enough-some are too short
for
all the braking. Decide when to start braking. If you
must bkke on the through lane, and if there is traffic
close behind you, you can allow a little extra time and
flash your brake lights (in addition to your
turn signal) as
extra warning that you are about to slow down and exit. The ,exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit
speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed
according to your speedometer, not to your sense of
motion. After driving for any distance at higher speeds,
you may tend to
think you are going slower than you
actually
are. For example, 40 mph (65 km/h) might. seem
like only
20 mph (30 ludh). Obviously, this could lead
to serious trouble on a ramp designed for
20 mph
(30 ludh)!
Driving a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are made on freeways,
there are still many made on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and regular highways
is
the same in some ways. The trip has to be planned and
the vehicle prepared, you drive at higher-than-city
speeds, and there are longer turns behind the wheel.
You’ll enjoy your trip more if you and your vehicle are in
good shape. Here are some tips for a successful long trip.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh-such as after a day’s
work-don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
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Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out.
Of course, you’ll
find experienced and able service experts in Buick
dealerships
all across North America. They’ll be ready
and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before
a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
hel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all
Lights: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free
trip.
Is the tread good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to the recommended
pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along
your route? Should you delay your trip a short time to
avoid a major storm system?
levels?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
On the Road
Unless you
are the only driver, it is good to share the
driving task with others. Limit
turns behind the wheel to
about
100 miles (160 km) or two hours at a sitting. Then,
either change drivers or stop for some refreshment like
coffee, tea or
sol3 drinks and some limbering up. But do
stop and move around. Eat lightly along the way. Heavier
meals tend
to make some people sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided multilane highways
that do not have controlled access, you’ll want to watch for some situations not usually found on freeways.
Examples are: stop signs and signals, shopping centers
with direct access to the highway, no passing zones and school zones, vehicles turning left and right
off the road,
pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles, and even animals.
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the .wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum
of the tires on the
road, the drone
of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it \
happen to you!
If it does, your vehicle can leave the road
in
less than a second, and you could crash and be
injured.
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What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be Hill and Mountain Roads
As in any driving situation, keep pace with traffic and
allow adequate following distances. Driving on steep hills
or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain. If you drive regularly in
steep country, or if you’re planning
to visit there, here are
some tips that can make your trips safer and more
enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels
and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transaxle.
These parts can work hard on mountain roads.
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Know how to go down hills. The most important thing
to know is this: let your engine do some of the slowing
down. Don’t make your brakes do
it all. Shift to a
lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill.
That way, you will slow down without excessive use
of
your brakes.
I A CAUTION:
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down
a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhil lope.
Coasting downhill in
“N” (Neutral) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do
all the work of slowing down. They could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you go
downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to
a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the
hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads
in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut across
the center
of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay
in your own lane. That way, you won’t be surprised by
a vehicle coming toward you in the same lane.
going uphill. You’ll want to leave extra
room to pass. If
a vehicle is passing you and doesn’t have enough room,
slow down to
make it easier for the other vehicle to get by.
be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
It takes longer to pass another vehicle when you’re
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a Ming rocks area, or winding
roads. Be alert to these and
take appropriate action.
Winter driving can present special problems. See
“Winter Driving” in the Index.
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Parking on Hills
-
Parking Downhill
Hills and mountains mean spectacular scenery. But
please be careful where you stop if you decide
to look at
the view or take pictures. Look for pull-offs or parking
areas provided for scenic viewing.
Another part of
this manual tells how to use your parking
brake (see “Parking Brake” in the Index). But on a
mountain or steep hill, you can do one more thing. You
can turn your front wheels to keep your vehicle from
rolling downhill or out into traffic.
Here’s how
:
Turn your wheels to the right.
You don’t have to jam your tires against the curb,
if there
is a curb.
A gentle contact is all you need.
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