reset BUICK CENTURY 1999 User Guide

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3-19
AUTO SET: Press this button and the system will seek
and set the 12 strongest FM or the 6 strongest AM
stations on your preset buttons (depending on which
band (AM or FM) you are listening to). AUTO SET will
flash while seeking and will remain on until this
function is complete. To return to the stations you
manually set, press AUTO SET again.
Setting the Tone
BASS: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob to increase or decrease bass.
TREB: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob to increase or decrease treble. If a station is weak
or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble.
Push these knobs back into their stored positions when
you're not using them.
TONE: This feature allows you to choose preset bass
and treble equalization settings designed for classical,
pop, rock, jazz, talk and country/western stations.
CLASS will appear on the display when you first press
TONE. Each time you press it, another setting will
appear on the display. Press it again after C & W
appears and MANUAL will appear. Tone control will
return to the BASS and TREB knobs. Also, if you use
the BASS and TREB knobs, control will return to them
and MANUAL will appear.Adjusting the Speakers
BAL: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob to move the sound to the left or right speakers.
The middle position balances the sound between
the speakers.
FADE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn
the knob to move the sound to the front or rear
speakers. The middle position balances the sound
between the speakers.
Push these knobs back into their stored positions when
you're not using them.
Playing a Cassette Tape
The longer side with the tape visible should face to the
right. If the ignition and the radio are on, the tape can be
inserted and will begin playing. If you hear nothing or
hear a garbled sound, the tape may not be in squarely.
Press EJECT to remove the tape and start over.
While the tape is playing, use the VOLUME, FADE,
BAL, BASS and TREB controls just as you do for the
radio. Other controls may have different functions when
a tape is inserted. The display will show an arrow to
show which side of the tape is playing.

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3-21

(6): Press this button to reduce background noise.
The double
-D symbol will appear on the display.
Dolby Noise Reduction is manufactured under a license
from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Dolby
and the double
-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby
Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
AM
-FM: Press this button to play the radio when a tape
is in the player.
SOURCE: Press this button to change to the tape
function when the radio is on. TAPE PLAY with an
arrow will appear on the display when the tape is active.
EJECT: Press this button to remove the tape. The radio
will play.
CLN: If this message appears on the display, the
cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play
tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to
prevent damage to the tapes and player. See ªCare of
Your Cassette Tape Playerº in the Index. After you clean
the player, press and hold EJECT for five seconds to
reset the CLN indicator. The radio will display
--- to
show the indicator was reset.
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and
Compact Disc Player with Automatic Tone
Control (If Equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Concert Sound III
sound system, which includes 8 speakers and a powerful
8 channel, 200 watt amplifier.
Playing the Radio
VOLUME: Press this knob to turn the system on and
off. To increase volume, turn the knob clockwise. Turn
it counterclockwise to decrease volume.

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3-22
RECALL: Press this button briefly to recall the station
being played or to display the clock. To change what is
normally shown on the display (station or time), press
the RECALL button until you see the display you want,
then hold the RECALL button until the display flashes.
If you press the button when the ignition is off, the clock
will show for a few seconds.
Finding a Station
AM
-FM: Press this button to switch between AM, FM1
and FM2. The display shows your selection.
TUNE: Press the up or down arrow to choose
radio stations.
SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next
higher or lower station and stay there. The sound will
mute while seeking.
SCAN: Press one of the SEEK arrows for two seconds
and SCAN will appear on the display. Use SCAN to
listen to stations for a few seconds. The radio will go to
a station, stop for a few seconds, then go on to the next
station. Press one of the SEEK arrows again to stop
scanning. The sound will mute while scanning.PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let
you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to
18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2). Just:
1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press AM
-FM to select the band.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press TONE to select the setting you prefer.
5. Press and hold one of the six numbered buttons. The
sound will mute. When it returns, release the button.
Whenever you press that numbered button, the
station you set will return and the tone you selected
will be automatically selected for that button.
6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
P SCAN: Press this button to listen to each of your
preset stations for a few seconds. The radio will go to
the first preset station, stop for a few seconds, then go
on to the next preset station. Press P SCAN again to stop
scanning. If a preset station has weak reception, the
radio will not stop at the preset station.

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3-23
AUTO SET: Press this button and the system will seek
and set the 12 strongest FM or the 6 strongest AM
stations on your preset buttons. AUTO SET will flash
while seeking and will remain on until this function is
complete. To return to the stations you manually set,
press AUTO SET again.
Setting the Tone
BASS: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob to increase or decrease bass.
TREB: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob to increase or decrease treble. If a station is weak
or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble.
Push these knobs back into their stored positions when
you're not using them.
TONE: This feature allows you to choose preset bass
and treble equalization settings designed for classical,
pop, rock, jazz, talk and country/western stations.
CLASS will appear on the display when you first press
TONE. Each time you press it, another setting will
appear on the display. Press it again after C & W
appears and MANUAL will appear. Tone control will
return to the BASS and TREB knobs. Also, if you use
the BASS and TREB knobs, control will return to them
and MANUAL will appear.Adjusting the Speakers
BAL: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob to move the sound to the left or right speakers.
The middle position balances the sound between
the speakers.
FADE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn
the knob to move the sound to the front or rear
speakers. The middle position balances the sound
between the speakers.
Push these knobs back into their stored positions when
you're not using them.
Playing a Cassette Tape
The longer side with the tape visible should face to the
right. If the ignition and the radio are on, the tape can be
inserted and will begin playing. If you hear nothing or
hear a garbled sound, the tape may not be in squarely.
Press EJECT to remove the tape and start over.
While the tape is playing, use the VOLUME, FADE,
BAL, BASS and TREB controls just as you do for the
radio. Other controls may have different functions when
a tape is inserted. The display will show an arrow to
show which side of the tape is playing.
If you want to insert a tape when the ignition or radio is
off, first press EJECT or RECALL.

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3-25
EJECT: The system has two EJECT buttons. Press the
button near the CD slot to remove a disc. Press the
button near the tape slot to remove a tape and the radio
will play.
CLN: If this message appears on the display, the
cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play
tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to
prevent damage to the tapes and player. See ªCare of
Your Cassette Tape Playerº in the Index. After you clean
the player, press and hold EJECT for five seconds to
reset the CLN indicator. The radio will display
--- to
show the indicator was reset.
Your cassette tape player automatically reduces
background noise from tapes encoded with Dolby NR.
You may turn Dolby NR off by pressing the number
six preset.
Playing a Compact Disc
Insert a disc partway into the slot, label side up. The
player will pull it in. The disc should begin playing.
If you want to insert a CD while the ignition or the radio
is off, first press EJECT or RECALL.If you're driving on a very rough road or if it's very hot,
the disc may not play and an error code may appear on
the display. When things get back to normal, the disc
should play. If the disc comes out, it could be that:

E20: The disc is upside down.

E20: It is dirty, scratched or wet.

E20: There's too much moisture in the air.
(Wait about an hour and try again.)
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can't be
corrected, please contact your dealer. If your radio
displays an error number, write it down and provide it to
your dealer when reporting the problem.
PREV (1): Press this button to go to the start of the
current track, if more than eight seconds have played.
If you hold the button or press it more than once, the
player will continue moving back through the disc. The
sound will mute while seeking.
NEXT (2): Press this button to go to the next track.
If you hold the button or press it more than once, the
player will continue moving forward through the disc.
The sound will mute while seeking.
The SEEK down and up arrows will also find the
previous and next selections on the disc.

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3-29 Audio Steering Wheel Controls
(If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain
radio functions using the buttons on your steering wheel.
SEEK: Press the up
or down arrow to tune to
the next or previous
radio station.
If a cassette tape or compact disc is playing, the player
will advance to the next or previous selection.
SCAN: Press the SCAN button and SCAN will appear
on the display. SCAN works as the PSCAN button on
your radio. It will scan through each of the preset radio
stations. If a preset radio station has weak reception, the
radio will not stop at the preset station. Press SCAN
again to stop scanning.AM
-FM: Press this button to choose AM, FM1 or FM2.
If a cassette tape or compact disc is playing, press this
button to stop it and the radio will play.
SRCE: Press this button to
change to the cassette tape,
compact disc function or
return to playing the radio.
MUTE: Press this button to silence the audio system.
Press it again to turn on the sound.
VOL: Press the up or down arrow to increase or
decrease volume.

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3-31 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat. If they aren't, they may not operate
properly or may cause failure of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to indicate
that you have used your tape player for 50 hours without
resetting the tape clean timer. If this message appears on
the display, your cassette tape player needs to be
cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as
soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and
player. If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a
known good cassette to see if it is the tape or the tape
player at fault. If this other cassette has no improvement
in sound quality, clean the tape player.
The recommended cleaning method for your cassette
tape player is the use of a scrubbing action,
non
-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn.
The recommended cleaning cassette is available through
your dealership (GM Part No. 12344789).When using a scrubbing action, non
-abrasive cleaning
cassette, it is normal for the cassette to eject because
your unit is equipped with a cut tape detection feature
and a cleaning cassette may appear as a broken tape.
If the cleaning cassette ejects, insert the cassette at least
three times to ensure thorough cleaning.
You may also choose a non
-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean
the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not
eject on its own. A non
-scrubbing action cleaner may
not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner.
The use of a non
-scrubbing action, dry-type cleaning
cassette is not recommended.
After you clean the player, press and hold EJECT for
five seconds to reset the CLN indicator. The radio will
display
--- to show the indicator was reset.
Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality
may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette
tape is in good condition before you have your tape
player serviced.

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6-15 Engine Oil Additives
Don't add anything to your oil. Your dealer is ready to
advise if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has a computer that lets you know when to
change your engine oil. This is not based on mileage,
but on engine revolutions and engine operating
temperature. When the computer has calculated that the
oil needs changing, the Oil Life Monitor will indicate
that a change is necessary. The mileage between oil
changes will vary depending on how you drive your
vehicle
-- usually between 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and
7,500 miles (12 500 km) since your last oil change.
Under severe conditions, the indicator may come on
before 3,000 miles (5 000 km). Never drive your vehicle
more than 7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months
(whichever occurs first) without an oil change.
The system won't detect dust in the oil. So, if you
drive in a dusty area, be sure to change your oil every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or sooner. Remember to
reset the CHANGE OIL SOON light whenever the oil
is changed.How to Reset the Oil Life Monitor
After changing the engine oil, the system must be reset.
With the ignition key in RUN but the engine off, fully
push and release the accelerator pedal slowly three times
within five seconds. If the CHANGE OIL SOON light
flashes, the system is resetting. Turn the key to OFF,
then start the vehicle. If the CHANGE OIL SOON
light comes back on, the system has not reset. Repeat
the procedure.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don't let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer's warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free
-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don't ever dispose of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.

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6-21
Radiator Pressure Cap
NOTICE:
Your radiator cap is a 15 psi (105 kPa)
pressure
-type cap and must be tightly installed to
prevent coolant loss and possible engine damage
from overheating. Be sure the arrows on the cap
line up with the overflow tube on the radiator
filler neck.
When you replace your radiator pressure cap, an
ACDelco
cap is recommended.
Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat
in the engine coolant system. The thermostat stops the
flow of coolant through the radiator until the coolant
reaches a preset temperature.
When you replace your thermostat, an ACDelco


thermostat is recommended.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
DEX
-COOL
engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX
-COOL
extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating or if you need to add coolant to your
radiator, see ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX
-COOL
coolant will:

Give freezing protection down to
-34F (-37C).

Give boiling protection up to 265F (129C).

Protect against rust and corrosion.

Help keep the proper engine temperature.

Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.

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6-42 Low Tire Inflation Monitor System
(If Equipped)
The low tire inflation monitor system can alert you to a
large change in the pressure of one tire. The system
ªlearnsº the pressure at each tire throughout the
operating speed range of your vehicle. The system
normally takes between 45 and 90 minutes of driving to
learn the tire pressures. This time may be longer
depending on your individual driving habits. Learning
need not be accumulated during a single trip. Once
learned, the system will remember the tire pressures
until the system is recalibrated.
After the system has learned tire pressures with properly
inflated tires, the LOW TIRE light will come on if the
pressure in one tire becomes 12 psi (83 kPa) lower than
the other three tires. The low tire inflation monitor
system won't alert you if the pressure in more than one
tire is low, if the system is not properly calibrated, or if
the vehicle is moving faster than 60 mph (95 km/h).
The low tire inflation monitor system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in
tire pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire
-- but it doesn't replace normal tire maintenance.
See ªTiresº in the Index.When the LOW TIRE light comes on, you should stop
as soon as you can and check all your tires for damage.
(If a tire is flat, see ªIf a Tire Goes Flatº in the Index.)
Also check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as
you can. See ªInflation
- Tire Pressureº in the Index.
The light will come on and stay on until you turn off the
ignition or press the RESET button.
Don't reset the low tire inflation monitor system without
first correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires. If you reset
the system when the tire pressures are incorrect, the
system will not work properly and may not alert you
when a tire is low.
Any time you adjust a tire's pressure, rotate your tires,
or have one or more tires repaired or replaced, you'll
need to reset (calibrate) the low tire inflation monitor
system. You'll also need to reset the system whenever
you buy new tires and whenever the vehicle's battery
has been disconnected.
To reset (calibrate) the system: turn the ignition switch
to RUN. Then press and hold the RESET button for
about five seconds.