maintenance BUICK CENTURY 1993 Owners Manual

Table of Contents
Introduction How to Use this Manual ....................................................... .10
This part tells you how to use your manual and includes safety and vehicle damage warnings\
and symbols.
Part 1 Seats and Safety Belts .......................................................... I3
This part tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly.
Part 2 Features & Controls .......................................................... .63
Part 3 Comfort Controls & Audio Systems. ............................................. W!
Part 4 Your Driving and the Road. .......................... : ........................ .I33
Part 5 Problems on the Road. ....................................................... .l83
Part 6 Service & Appearance Care .................................................... .221
Part7MaintenanceSchedule ...........................................................
Part 8 Customer .Assistance Information .............................................. .299
This part explains how to start and operate your Buick.
This part tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how
to operate your sound system.
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and \
how to drive under different conditions.
This part tells you what to
do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or engine overheating.
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Buick running properly and looking good.
This part tells you when
to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
This part tells
you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service publications. It also gives you information
on “Reporting Safety Defects on page 302.”
hrt9Index ......................................................~...............30\
7
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want
to read.
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How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. This will
help you learn about the htures and controls for your
vehicle.
In this manual, you’ll find that pictures and
words work together
to explain things quickly.
Index: A good place to look fbr what you need is the
Index
in back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of all
that’s
in the manual, and the page number where you’ll
find it;
14: Each part of this manual begins with a brief list
of its contents, so you can often find at a glance if a part
contains the information you want.
part 7: This part of the manual covers the maintenance
required for your vehicle.
Part 8 Customer Assistance: This part includes
important information about “Reporting Safety Defects.”
You
will also find customer satisfaction phone numbers
(including customer satisfaction numbers for the hearing
and speech impaired). ‘We’ve also included ordering
information for service publications in
this part.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use yellow and the word CAUTION to tell you about
things that could hurt you
if you were to ignore the
warning.
I A CAUTION:
I
In the yellow caution area, we tell you what the hazard
is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce
the hazard. Please read these cautions.
If you don’t, you
or others could be
hurt.
10
I
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A CAUTION:
Don’t attach anything to the steering wheel
pad.
It might injure the driver if the air bag
inflates.
The air bag
is designed to inflate only once.
After
it inflates, you’ll need some new parts for
your air bag system. If you
don’t get them, the
air bag system won’t be there
to help protect
you
in another crash. A new system will
include the air bag module and possibly other
parts. The service manual has information
about the need
to replace other parts.
Let only qualified technicians work
on your air
bag system. Improper service can mean that
your air bag system won’t work properly. See
your dealer for service.
Servicing Your Buick with the Air Bag
System
Please tell or remind anyone who works on your Buick
that it has
the air bag system. There are parts of the air
bag system in several places around your vehicle.
You
don’t want the system to inflate while someone is
working on your vehicle. The air bag system does not need regular maintenance. Your Buick
dealer and the
1993 Century Service Manual have information about the
air bag system, including repair
or disposal.
A CAUTION:
For up to 2 minutes after the ignition key is
turned
off and the battery disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service.
Yonn
can be injured if you are close to an air bag whc..
it inflates. Be sure to follow the proper service
procedures.
I
When electrical work is done under the hood or inside
your vehicle, the ignition should be
in “Lock” if possible.
Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape, or yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the air bag system.
But if the ignition has to be on for electrical work, or if
the steering column is
to be disassembled, the air bag
system must be disconnected.
To do this:
Turn off the ignition.
Remove the SIR (air bag) fuse (see “Fuses & Circuit
Disconnect the yellow connector at the base of the
Breakers” in the Index).
steering column.
3V
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A
LOW
SHOULDER
WORKERS
AHEAD
FLAGGER
AHEAD
ORANGE indicates road construction or maintenance.
You'll want
to slow down when you see an orange sign,
as part of the road may be closed off or torn up. And
there may be workers and maintenance vehicles around,
too.
GREEN is used to guide the driver. Green signs may
indicate upcoming freeway exits or
show the direction
you should
turn to reach a particular place.
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Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation
are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling. system, and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
‘will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a
good idea to review these sections before you
start your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
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I Service
j Your Buick dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you
to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go
to your dealer for
all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM parts and
GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks.
GM -
Doing Your Own Service Work
L-A
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want
to get the proper Buick Service Manual. It tells you
much more about
how to service your Buick than this
manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service Publications” in the Index.
You should keep
a record with all parts receipts and iist
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform.
See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
A CAUTION:
Mu can be injured Of you try to do servlce wonk
on
a vehlcle without knowing enough about It.
0 Be sure you have sufflcient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
’parts and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance
task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts, and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or
fall off. Mu could be hurt. . .
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Air Cleaner
.-
If you have the 3300 V6 engine, your air cleaner is on the
driver’s side
of the engine compartment. To check or
replace the filter, release the latches and pull the air
cleaner open. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine when to replace the air filter. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index.
I
Remove and replace the filter, then close the cover and
latches.
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If you have the 2.2L L4 engine, your air cleaner is on the
driver's side
of the engine compartment. To check or
replace the filter, use a screwdriver to loosen the hose
clamp, then lift the rubber duct. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to replace the air filter. Remove the wing nut and pull
off the cover.
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Automatic ‘mansaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid level
is when the engine oil is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine when to change your
fluid. See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the
Index.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have
this done at a Buick dealership Service
Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick. Wait at least
30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level
if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic-especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is
180°F to 200” F (82” C to
93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it’s colder than 50” F (lO°C), you may have to
drive longer.
To check the fluid level:
Park your vehicle on a level place.
0 Place the shift lever in “P” (Park) with the parking
brake applied.
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the. shift lever
through each gear range, pausing for about three
seconds in each range. Then, position the shift lever in
“P” (Park).
Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
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A
A
A
. .. 1
A
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level must be
in the cross-hatched
area.
4. If the fluid level is where it should be, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
How To Add Fluid:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid
to use. See “Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on the
dipstick. It doesn’t
take much fluid, generally less than a
pint. Don’t overfill.
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXROP-IIE, because fluids with that label are made
especially for your automatic transaxle. Damage caused
by fluid other than DEXRON@-IIE is not covered by your
new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid
level as described
under “How to Check.”
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
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