BUICK CENTURY 2004 Owner's Manual

Center Console Storage Area
If the vehicle has bucket seats it may have a center
console. The console has cupholders, and storage areas
for cassette tapes and compact discs.
To open the console’s rear storage area, press the latch
located toward the front of the console and pull up.
Convenience Net
The vehicle may have a convenience net located on the
back wall of the trunk.
Put small loads, like grocery bags, behind the net. It can
help keep them from falling over.
The net is not for larger, heavier loads. Store those in
the trunk as far forward as possible.
Unhook the net so that it will lie at when not in use.
2-35

Sunroof
The vehicle may have a sunroof. It includes a sliding
glass panel and a sunshade.
The switch to open the sunroof is located overhead on
the headliner.The switch works only when the ignition is on or when
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) is active. See
“Retained Accessory Power (RAP)” inIgnition Positions
on page 2-19.
VENT:To raise the sunroof to the vent position, push
and hold the front of the switch until the sunroof
glass stops. The sunshade must be opened by hand.
To close the sunroof from the vent position, push
and hold the rear of the switch until the sunroof
glass closes.
Open/Express Open:To open the sunroof, push the
rear of the switch once. The sunroof and sunshade
will open by themselves. To close the sunroof, push and
hold the front of the switch until the sunroof motor
stops. The sunshade must be closed by hand.
2-36

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-2
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-4
Other Warning Devices...................................3-4
Horn.............................................................3-5
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-5
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-5
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-12
Interior Lamps..............................................3-15
Accessory Power Outlets...............................3-17
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter........................3-17
Climate Controls............................................3-18
Dual Climate Control System..........................3-18
Dual Automatic Climate Control System...........3-21
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-25
Passenger Compartment Air Filter...................3-26
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators.............3-27
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-28
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-29
Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-30
Air Bag Readiness Light................................3-30
Charging System Light..................................3-31
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-32
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-33
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light.........3-34
Low Traction Light........................................3-34Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light......3-35
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-35
Tire Pressure Light.......................................3-36
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-36
Oil Pressure Light.........................................3-40
Change Engine Oil Light................................3-41
Security Light...............................................3-41
Cruise Control Light......................................3-42
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light.....................3-42
Door/Trunk Ajar Warning Light........................3-42
Service Vehicle Soon Light............................3-42
Fuel Gage...................................................3-43
Low Fuel Warning Light.................................3-44
Audio System(s).............................................3-44
Setting the Time...........................................3-45
Radio with CD..............................................3-45
Radio with Cassette and CD..........................3-53
Theft-Deterrent Feature..................................3-62
Audio Steering Wheel Controls.......................3-62
Understanding Radio Reception......................3-63
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player.................3-63
Care of Your CDs.........................................3-64
Care of Your CD Player................................3-64
Fixed Mast Antenna......................................3-64
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1

Instrument Panel Overview
3-2

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A. Exterior Lamps Control. SeeExterior Lamps on
page 3-12.
B. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. SeeTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-5.
C. Instrument Panel Cluster. SeeInstrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-28.
D. Hazard Warning Flasher Button. SeeHazard
Warning Flashers on page 3-4.
E. Audio Steering Wheel Controls. SeeAudio Steering
Wheel Controls on page 3-62.
F. Gear Shift Lever. SeeAutomatic Transaxle
Operation on page 2-22.
G. Air Outlets. SeeOutlet Adjustment on page 3-25.H. Side Window Defogger Outlet.
I. Hood Release. SeeHood Release on page 5-10.
J. Tilt Wheel Lever. SeeTilt Wheel on page 3-5.
K. Horn. SeeHorn on page 3-5.
L. Audio System. SeeAudio System(s) on page 3-44.
M. Ashtray. SeeAshtrays and Cigarette Lighter on
page 3-17.
N. Climate Control. SeeDual Climate Control System
on page 3-18.
O. Glove Box. SeeGlove Box on page 2-34.
P. Instrument Panel Fuse Block. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-97.
3-3

Hazard Warning Flashers
The hazard warning ashers let you warn others to use
caution when approaching your vehicle. They also
let police know you have a problem.The hazard warning
asher button is located on
the top of the steering
column.
Press the button to activate the front and rear turn
signals to ash on and off.
The hazard warning ashers work no matter what
position the key is in, and even if it is not in the ignition.
When the hazard warning ashers are on, the
individual turn signals will not operate.
Other Warning Devices
If you store reective, safety triangles in the vehicle, put
one at the side of the road, about 300 feet (100 m)
behind the vehicle to warn oncoming traffic of an
emergency situation.
3-4

Horn
Press the horn symbols on the steering wheel pad to
sound the horn.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt wheel enables the position of the steering wheel to
be adjusted.
The lever that lets the steering wheel tilt is located on
the outboard side of the steering column.
To tilt the steering wheel,
hold it and pull the lever.
Move the steering wheel to
a comfortable driving
position and release the
lever to lock it into place.
Tilt the steering wheel to the highest position to give
more room when exiting and entering the vehicle.
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever located on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
Flash-to-Pass
Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
Cruise Control
3-5

Turn and Lane-Change Signals
To signal a turn, move the lever up or down. The lever
returns to its original position when the turn is
completed.
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will ash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the lever until
the arrow starts to ash. Hold it there until the lane
change is completed. The lever will return to its original
position when released.
Arrows that ash rapidly when signaling for a turn or
lane change, or that fail to work, may indicate a
burned-out signal bulb or fuse. Other drivers will not see
the signal. SeeFront Turn Signal and Parking Lamps
on page 5-52andTaillamps, Turn Signal, and
Stoplamps on page 5-54for turn signal bulb replacement
procedures. Also seeFuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 5-97for location of fuses.
A chime will sound if the turn signal is left on for more
than 3/4 mile (1.2 km).
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beams to high
beams, or high to low, pull the multifunction lever until a
click is heard, then release it.
This indicator light on
the instrument panel
cluster will come on
while the high-beam
lamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal the driver in front of you that you want to pass.
It works even if the headlamps are off. Pull the turn
signal lever toward you a little, but not so much that you
hear a click.
If the headlamps are off or on low-beam, the high-beam
headlamps will turn on. They will stay on as long as
you hold the lever toward you. The high-beam indicator
on the instrument panel cluster will come on.
3-6

Windshield Wipers
To operate the windshield wipers turn the band located
on the multifunction lever upward or downward.
WIPER:Turn this band to control the windshield wipers.
OFF:Turn the band to OFF to turn off the
windshield wipers.
LO (Low Speed):Turn the band away from you to
LO and past the delay settings for steady wiping at
low speed.
HI (High Speed):Turn the band away from you, to HI,
and past the delay settings for steady wiping at a
high speed.
(Delayed Wiping):Turn the band away from you, just
past OFF, to one of the ve delayed settings, to
choose the length of intervals between each wipingcycle. The further the band is turned upward, toward
LO, the shorter the delay will be. Select one of
these settings for light rain or snow.
MIST:Turn the band to MIST for a single wiping cycle.
Hold it until the windshield wipers start. Then let it
go. The windshield wipers will stop after one wipe. If
more wipes are needed, hold the band on MIST longer.
Be sure to clear ice and snow from the windshield
wiper blades before using them. If they are frozen to the
windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them. If the
blades do become worn or damaged, get new blades or
blade inserts. SeeWindshield Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 5-56.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the wipers. A circuit
breaker will stop them until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or ice to prevent an overload.
3-7

Windshield Washer
J
(Windshield Washer):At the top of the
multifunction lever, there is a paddle with the word
PUSH on it. To spray washer uid on the windshield,
push on the paddle. The wipers will run for several
sweeps and then either stop or return to the preset
speed. SeeWindshield Washer Fluid on page 5-36.
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer uid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
The LOW WASH light on
the instrument panel
cluster will come on when
the uid level is low.
Cruise Control
If the vehicle has cruise control, a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more can be maintained without
keeping your foot on the accelerator. This can really help
on long trips. Cruise control does not work at speeds
below about 25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control
shuts off.
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where
you can not drive safely at a steady speed.
So, do not use your cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
needless wheel spinning, and you could
lose control. Do not use cruise control on
slippery roads.
3-8