brakes BUICK CENTURY 1993 User Guide

In a braking skid (where the wheels are no longer
rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes to get the
wheels rolling again.
This restores steering control. Push
the brake
pedal down steadily when you have to stop
suddenly.
As long as the wheels are rolling, you will have
steering control. Steer the way you want to go.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired-by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively. Remember, this is the most
dangerous time.
Don’t drink and drive. (See “Drunken Driving” in the
Index for more on this problem.)
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare
from headlights behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and other
vehicles. It’s hard to tell how fast the vehicle ahead is
going just by looking at its taillights.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlights can light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
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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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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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Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have’good traction.
However, if there is
snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a
very slippery situation. You’ll
have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be very
careful.
r
-
I
.. .
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice? Very cold snow
or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But
wet ice can
be even more trouble because it may offer the least traction
of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try
to avoid driving on
wet ice until salt and sand crews can
get there.
Whatever the condition-smooth ice, packed, blowing or
loose snow-drive with caution. Accelerate gently. Try
not to break the fragile traction. If you acceierate too hst, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more. You’ll want to brake very
gently, too. Begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. If you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up
on the brakes a little. fish the brake pedal down steadily
to get the most traction you can.
Remember, if you brake
so hard that your wheels stop
rolling, you’ll just slide. Brake
so your wheels always
keep rolling and you can still steer.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until
you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise
clear road, ice patches may appear
in shaded areas
where the sun can’t reach: around clumps of trees,
behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the
surfixe of a curve or an overpass may remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch
of
ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to
brake while you’re actually
on the ice, and avoid
sudden steering maneuvers.
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Towing a Trailer
A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a traller. For example, If the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well--or wen
at all. Mu and your passengets could be
seriously Injured. Pull a trailer only if you have
followed all the steps in this section.
hicle and result
Your Buick can tow a trailer. To identify what the vehicle
trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should read
the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears
later
in this section. But trailering is different than just
driving your vehicle
by itself. Trailering means changes
in handling, durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering
takes correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly. That’s the reason for this section.
In it are many time-
tested, important trailering tips and safety rules. Many
of
these are important for your safety and that of your
passengers.
So please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies, and tires are forced to work harder against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably
to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
All of that means changes in:
Handling
Durability
Fuel economy
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hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) from your .exhaust can get into your vehicle
(see
“Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt and water can,
too.
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other bumper-
type hitches to them. Use only a frame-mounted hitch
that
does not attach to the bumper.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions about
safety chains may
be provided by the hikh manufacturer
or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s
recommendation for attaching safety chains. Always leave
just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And,
never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Mer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes
so you’ll
be able to install, adjust and maintain them properly.
Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system if the trailer\
’s
brake system will use more than
0.02 cubic inch
(0.3 cc) of fluid from your vehicle’s master cylinder. If
it does, both braking systems won’t work well. You
could even lose your brakes.
Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000 psi (20 650 kPa)
of pressure? If not, the trailer brake system must not be
used with your vehicle.
If everything checks out this far, then make the brake
fluid tap at the upper rear master cylinder port.
But
don’t use copper tubing for this. If you do, it will bend
and finally break off. Use
steel brake tubing.
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Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get t\
o
know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the
feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you
are driving
is now a good deal longer and not nearly
so responsive as
your vehicle is by itself.
Before you
start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety
chains, electrical connector, lights, tires and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric brakes,
start your vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply the trailer brake controller \
by hand to be sure the brakes
are working. This lets you
check your electrical connection at the same time. During
your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as fit, behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re
towing
a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal longer,
you’ll
need to go much farther beyond the passed vehicle
before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making nrns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Mler
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re \
about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
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Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down,
you might have to use your brakes
so much that they
would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed
to around
45 mph (70 Mh) to reduce the possibility of
engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than 1,OOO
pounds (450 kg) and you have an automatic transaxle
with Overdrive, you may prefer
to drive in “D” instead
of Overdrive.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill.
If something goes wrong, your rig
could
start to move. People can be injured, and both your
vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s how
to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into “P”
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels. (Park) yet.
3. When the wheel chocks
are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then, apply your parking
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You are Ready to Leave After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
brake, and then shift to
“P” (Park).
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
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.
n
Part 6 Service and Appearance Care
. .
Here you will find information about the care of your Buick . This part begins with service and fuel information.
and then
it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels . There is also technical information about
your vehicle. and a section devoted to
its appearance care .
Part 6 includes:
Service ........................................................................\
..... 222
Fuel ........................................................................\
...... 223
HoodRelease ....................................................................... \
226
Engine Oil ........................................................................\
. 227
Aircleaner ........................................................................\
2.3
TransaxleFluid ..................................................................... 236
Enginecoolant ..................................................................... 239
Power Steering Fluid ................................................................. 241
Windshield Washer Fluid .............................................................. 242
Brakes ........................................................................\
.... 243
Battery ........................................................................\
.... 244
BulbReplacement ................................................................... 245
Tires ........................................................................\
...... 251
Loadingyourvehicle ................................................................. 249
Appearancecare .................................................................... 258
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), Add-on Electrical Equipment ............................ 265
Capacities and Specifications .......................................................... -270
Fuses&CircuitBreakers .............................................................. 266
ReplacementBulbs .................................................................... 269
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