light BUICK CENTURY 2004 Owner's Guide

Exterior Lamps
The exterior lamps control
is located on the left side
of the instrument panel.The exterior lamps control has three positions:
Off:Push the control all the way in to turn off all lamps.
Parking Lamps:Pull the control out, to the rst
position, to turn on the parking lamps together with the
following:
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
Headlamps:Pull the headlamp control to the second
position, to turn on the headlamps together with
the previously listed lamps and lights.
A warning chime will sound if the driver’s door is
opened when the ignition is turned to OFF, LOCK or
ACCESSORY and the headlamps are on.
3-12

Daytime Running Lamps/Automatic
Headlamp System
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Daytime running
lamps are required to function at all times on all
vehicles rst sold in Canada.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work, so be sure it is not covered.
The DRL system will make the front turn signal lamps
come on when the following conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is off.
The parking brake is released.
While the DRL are on, the front turn signal lamps also
will be on. The headlamps, taillamps, sidemarker
and other lamps will not be on. The instrument panel
will not be lit up either.When it is dark enough outside, the front turn signal
lamps will turn off and the vehicle’s headlamps
and parking lamps will turn on. The other lamps that
come on with the headlamps will also come on.
When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps will go
off and the front turn signal lamps will come on.
To idle the vehicle with the DRL and automatic
headlamp control off, set the parking brake while the
ignition is in OFF or LOCK. Then start the vehicle. The
DRL, headlamps and parking lamps will stay off until
the parking brake is released.
To turn off the automatic headlamp feature when it is
dark outside, move the exterior lamps control to
the parking lamp position. The parking lamps will remain
illuminated and the headlamps will turn off.
As with any vehicle, the regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
3-13

Delayed Headlamps
Delayed headlamp illumination provides a period of
exterior lighting as you leave the vehicle’s area.
The feature is activated when the vehicle’s ignition is
turned off and the headlamps are on due to the
automatic headlamp control feature described previously
in this section. The headlamps will remain on until the
exterior lamps control is moved from OFF to the parking
lamp position or until a 90 second lighting period has
ended.
If the ignition is turned off while the exterior lamps
control is in the parking lamp or headlamp position, the
delayed headlamp illumination cycle will not occur.
This feature can be turned on or off by doing the
following:
1. Turn the ignition key to RUN.
2. Close all the doors.
3. Press and hold the LOCK position on the power
door lock switch. While holding the LOCK position
on the door lock switch, cycle the exterior lamps
control on and off two times.4. Release the power door LOCK switch. These steps
must be carried out in a time period of less than
10 seconds, followed by a delay period of no more
than 10 seconds.
5. Then, press and hold the unlock position on the
power door switch. While holding the unlock
position, turn the exterior lamps control on and off
two times. Release the unlock position on the power
door switch. These operations must be carried
out in a time period of less than 10 seconds.
After releasing the unlock position on the power door
switch, a single chime will be heard if the delayed
headlamp illumination function has been turned off.
Two chimes will be heard if the feature has been turned
on. Disconnecting the vehicle’s battery for up to a
year will not change the programmed operation for this
feature.
3-14

Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness
The instrument panel lights can be brightened or
dimmed by turning the exterior lamps knob.
Turning the control all the way clockwise turns on the
courtesy lamps.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several courtesy lamps come
on to make it easier to enter and exit the vehicle.
These lamps can also be turned on by turning the
exterior lamps control all the way clockwise to MAX.
Entry Lighting
The courtesy lamps will come on and stay on for a set
time whenever you press UNLOCK on the remote
keyless entry transmitter.
The lamps will stay on while a door is opened and then
turn off automatically about 25 seconds after it is
closed. If the UNLOCK button is pressed and a door is
not open, the lamps will turn off after about 40 seconds.Entry lighting includes a feature called theater dimming.
With theater dimming, the lamps do not turn off at
the end of the delay time. Instead, they slowly dim after
the delay time and then turn off.
The courtesy lamps are canceled if the ignition key is
turned to RUN or START and will not come on unless a
door is opened.
Delayed Entry Lighting
Delayed entry lighting lights the vehicle’s interior for a
period of time after all the doors have been closed.
The ignition must be off for delayed entry lighting
to work. After all the doors have been closed, the
delayed entry lighting feature will continue to work until
one of the following occurs:
The ignition is in RUN.
The doors are locked.
An illumination period of 25 seconds has elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened,
the timed illumination period will be canceled and the
interior lamps will remain on.
3-15

Delayed Exit Lighting
This feature illuminates the interior for a period of time
after the ignition key is removed from the ignition.
The ignition must be off for delayed exit lighting to work.
When the ignition key is removed, interior illumination
will activate and remain on until one of the following
occurs:
The ignition is in RUN.
The power door locks are activated.
An illumination period of 25 seconds has elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened,
the timed illumination period will be canceled and the
interior lamps will remain on.
Reading Lamps
The reading lamps are located on the underside of the
rearview mirror. Press the button next to each lamp
to turn it on and off.
Dome Lamp
The dome lamp will come on when you open a door.
Battery Rundown Protection
This helps the vehicle’s battery from draining the battery
in case the interior courtesy lamps, reading lamps,
visor vanity lamps, trunk lamp, underhood lamp or glove
box lamps are left on. If any of these lamps are left
on while the ignition is off, they will automatically turn off
after 20 minutes. The lamps will not come back on
again until you do one of the following:
Turn the ignition on.
Turn the exterior lamps control off, then on.
Open a door.
If the vehicle has less than 15 miles (25 km) on the
odometer, the battery saver will turn off the lamps after
only three minutes.
3-16

Accessory Power Outlets
The accessory power outlets enable power electrical
equipment such as a cellular telephone or a CB radio
to be used inside the vehicle.
The vehicle is equipped with a 12-volt outlet. It is
located on the console, near the oor on the
passenger’s side. Open the cover to use the outlet. Be
sure to close the cover when the outlet is not in use.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to
your vehicle may damage it or keep other
components from working as they should. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Check with your dealer before adding electrical
equipment.
Certain power accessory plugs may not be compatible
to the power accessory outlet and could result in
blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a
problem, see your dealer.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by your warranty. Do not
hang any type of accessory or accessory bracket
from the plug because the power outlets are
designed for accessory power plugs only.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain the battery.Always turn off electrical equipment when not in
use and do not plug in equipment that exceeds the
maximum amperage rating.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow the
proper installation instructions included with the
equipment.
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
The center front ashtray is located below the instrument
panel comfort controls.
To remove the ashtray, open the storage door. Then
open the ashtray lid, lift up and pull it out.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it is
heating will not allow the lighter to back away from
the heating element when it is hot. Damage from
overheating may occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be blown. Do not hold a
cigarette lighter in while it is heating.
Push the lighter to use it. When the heating element is
hot, the lighter will pop back out by itself.
Notice:If you put papers or other ammable items
in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other smoking
materials could ignite them and possibly damage
your vehicle. Never put ammable items in the
ashtray.
3-17

BLEND:This mode directs half of the air to go to the
oor outlets and half to the defroster and side window
outlets. The air-conditioning compressor will run
automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below 40°F (4°C).
The right knob can also be used for the defrost mode.
Information on defrosting and defogging can be
found later in this section.
9FAN:The left knob controls the fan speed.
OFF:Turn the knob all the way counterclockwise to
turn off the fan.
LO (Low Fan Speed):This setting creates the lowest
fan speed.
HI (High Fan Speed):This setting creates the highest
fan speed.
DRIVER (Driver’s Side Temperature):The lever on
the left adjusts the air temperature for the driver’s
side outlets. Slide the lever up to raise the temperature
and down to lower the temperature.
PASSENGER (Passenger’s Side Temperature):The
lever on the right adjusts the air temperature for the
passenger’s side outlets. Slide the lever up to raise the
temperature and down to lower the temperature.
"(Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn the
air-conditioning on and off. An indicator light above the
button will come on when the air conditioning is on.
During daylight hours the interior lighting control might
need adjustment to the highest setting in order for
the indicator light to be seen. The system will cool and
dehumidify the air inside the vehicle when the A/C
indicator light is on.
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to let
hot, inside air escape. This reduces the time for the
vehicle to cool down.
For a quick cool-down on a very hot day, use MAX with
the temperature levers all the way in the blue area. If
this setting is used for long periods of time, the air in the
vehicle may become too dry.
For normal cooling on hot days, use VENT with the
temperature levers in the blue area. The system
will bring in outside air and cool it.
On cool, but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough.
Select BI-LEV and set the temperature levers to a
comfortable setting. The system will bring in outside air
and direct it to your upper body, while sending slightly
warmed air to your lower body. Push the A/C button for
cooling.
3-19

In cold weather, the system will start at reduced fan
speeds to avoid blowing cold air into the vehicle
until warmer air is available. The system will
start out blowing air at the oor but may change
modes automatically as the vehicle warms up
to maintain the chosen temperature setting. The
length of time needed for warm up will depend on
the outside temperature and the length of time
that has elapsed since the vehicle was last driven.
3. Wait for the system to regulate. This may take from
10 to 30 minutes. Then, adjust the temperature, if
necessary.
Do not cover the solar sensor located in the center
of the instrument panel, near the windshield. For
more information on the solar sensor, see
“Solar Sensor” later in this section.
Manual Operation
During daylight hours, the instrument panel brightness
control might need to be adjusted to the highest setting,
in order to see the indicator lights for the various
climate control settings.
OFF:Pressing the OFF button cancels automatic
operation and places the system in manual mode.
Press the AUTO button to return to automatic operation.TEMP (Temperature):To manually adjust the
temperature inside the vehicle, press the up arrow on
the TEMP control to raise the temperature and press the
down arrow to lower the temperature. The display will
show the selection for a few seconds, and then the
outside temperature will be displayed.
When the DUAL light indicator is on, this means the
TEMP control has set the temperature for the driver.
When the DUAL light indicator light is not on, this means
the TEMP control has set the temperature for the
entire cabin.
9FAN:Press the up arrow on the FAN control to
increase fan speed and the down arrow to decrease fan
speed. Pressing the arrows cancels the automatic
operation and places the system in manual mode. Press
the AUTO button to return to automatic operation. If
the airow seems low when the fan is at the highest
setting, the passenger compartment air lter, if
equipped, may need to be replaced. For more
information seePassenger Compartment Air Filter on
page 3-26andScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
AIR FLOW:This control has several settings to
control the direction of airow when the system is
not in AUTO.
To access the various modes available, continue to
press the AIR FLOW up or down arrows until the desired
mode, listed below, appears in the display.
3-22

WINDSHIELD/FLOOR:This setting directs some of the
air to the oor outlets and some to the defroster and
side window outlets. The air-conditioning compressor will
run automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below 40°F (4°C).
MID/FLOOR:This mode directs airow through both
the oor and the instrument panel outlets. A small
amount of air is directed to the windshield and the side
window outlets.
MID (Instrument Panel):This mode directs air through
the instrument panel outlets.
FLOOR:This setting sends most of the air through the
outlets near the oor. The rest comes out of the
defroster and side window outlets.
VENT:Press this button to turn the air-conditioning
compressor on or off. The indicator light on the VENT
mode is lit when the compressor is turned off. The
interior brightness control might have to be adjusted to
the highest setting during the day in order to see
the indicator lamp.
VENT does not operate in the FRONT defrost mode.
RECIRC (Recirculation):Press this button to turn this
mode on or off. RECIRC limits the amount of outside
air coming into the vehicle and recirculates most of the
air inside your vehicle. It can be use to preventoutside air and odors from entering the vehicle or to
quickly heat or cool the air inside the vehicle. When this
button is pressed an indicator light will come on. The
interior brightness control might have to be adjusted to
the highest setting during the day in order to see the
indicator lamp.
This setting is not permitted in FRONT defrost mode
and is only permitted in WINDSHIELD/FLOOR mode if
the compressor is turned on.
On hot days, open the windows to let hot air inside
escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for the vehicle to cool down. It also helps the
system to operate more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot days, press the AUTO
button. The system will automatically enter the
recirculation mode where the temperature will be at the
full cold position for maximum cooling.
The air-conditioning system removes moisture from the
air, so a small amount of water dripping underneath
the vehicle while it is idling or after the engine is turned
off is normal.
Operating the climate control system in the RECIRC
mode may cause fogging of the vehicle’s windows when
the weather is cold and damp. To clear the fog, select
either WINDSHIELD/FLOOR or defrost mode and
increase the speed.
3-23

Sensors
The solar sensor on the vehicle monitors the solar heat
and the air inside of the vehicle. This information is
used to maintain the selected temperature by regulating
adjustments to the temperature, the fan speed, and
the air delivery system. The system may also supply
cooler air to the side of the vehicle facing the sun. The
recirculation mode will also be activated, as necessary.
Do not cover the solar sensor located in the center
of the instrument panel, near the windshield, or
the system will not work properly.
Passenger Control
The arrow buttons to control the temperature on the
passenger side of the vehicle are located to the right of
the PASSENGER CONTROL window. Press the
DUAL button so that the indicator light is on. Press the
right arrow to raise the temperature and press the
left arrow to lower the temperature on the passenger
side of the vehicle.
If the indicator light below the arrows is amber this
indicates that the passenger side temperature is
set the same as the driver’s side.
If the indicator light below the arrows is red, this
indicates that the passenger side temperature is
set warmer than that of the driver’s side.
If the indicator light below the arrows is blue this
indicates that the passenger side temperature is
set cooler than that of the driver’s side.
Defogging and Defrosting
Fog on the outside of the windows is a result of high
humidity causing moisture to form and condense on the
cool window glass. This can be minimized if the
climate control system is used properly. There are two
modes to clear fog or frost from the windshield and
side windows. Use the WINDSHIELD/FLOOR mode to
clear the windows of fog or moisture and warm the
passengers. Use the defrost mode to remove fog or frost
from the windshield more quickly. For best results,
clear all snow and ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
1FRONT (Defrost):This setting brings in outside air
and directs most of the air through the defrost outlet.
Some of the air also goes to the oor vents and the side
window outlets. The indicator light on the button will
come on and WINDSHIELD will be seen on the display.
To defrost the windows quickly, press the FRONT
button, set the temperature to 90°F (32°C), select a high
fan speed, and turn the DUAL button off.
3-24