engine BUICK CENTURY 1994 User Guide

Automatic Transaxle
I
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
0 P (Park)
This locks your front wheels. It's the best position to
use when you start your engine because your vehicle
can't move easily.
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R (Reverse)
Use this gear to back up.
I
I NOTICE:
Shifting to “R” (Reverse) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to
“R” only after your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see “If
You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow” in the Index.
N (Neutral)
In this position, your engine doesn’t connect with the
wheels. To restart when you’re already moving, use
“N” (Neutral) only. Also, use “N” when your vehicle
is being towed.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of
“P” (Park) or “N” (Neutral) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
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@ Automatic Overdrive
If your automatic transaxle has automatic overdrive,
this position is for normal driving.
If you need more
power for passing, and you’re:
- Going less than 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all
the way down.
- Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
D (Third Gear)
If your automatic transaxle does not have Overdrive,
this position is for normal driving, at all speeds,
in
most street and highway situations.
If your automatic transaxle has Overdrive,
“D” is
like
@, but you never go into Overdrive.
Here are some times
you might choose “D” instead
of
03:
- When driving on hilly, winding roads
- When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
- When going down a steep hill
between gears
2 (Second
Gear)
This position gives you more power but lower fuel
economy.
You can use “2” on hills. It can help
control your speed as you go down steep mountain
roads, but then
you would also want to use your
brakes off and
on.
I NOTICE:
Don’t drive in “2” (Second Gear) for more than 5
miles (8 km), or at speeds over 55 mph (88 km/h),
or you can damage your transaxle. Use “D”
(‘@’’
or “D” if your vehicle has Overdrive) as much as
possible.
Don’t shift into
“2” unless you are going slower
than
65 mph (1 05 km/h), or you can damage your
engine.
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0 Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Move the ignition key to “Lock.”
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
walk away from your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in
“P’, (Park).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle
is in “P’, (Park) and your
‘parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into the
“P,’ (Park)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if
you can move the shift lever away
from “P” (Park)
without first pulling it toward you. If you can, it means
that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into “P” (Park).
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Engine Exhaust Running Your Engine While You’re
Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
I A CAUTION:
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I
Anti-Lock Brake SJ
ANTI-
LOCK
‘S tern Warning’Light
With anti-lock, this
light will come on
when you start your
engine and it will stay
on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the
light doesn’t come on,
have it fixed
so it will
be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Buick needs service.
If the
light is on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
If
the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with your regular
brakes. Pull off the road and stop carefully. You may
notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop. Have
the vehicle towed
for service. (See “Towing Your
Buick” in the Index.)
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Anti-Lock Brake System Active Light
LOW
TRACTION
When your anti-lock
system is adjusting
brake pressure to help
avoid a braking
skid, the
“LOW
TRACTION’ light
will come on.
Slippery road conditions will exist if this light comes on,
so adjust your driving accordingly. The light will stay on
for
a few seconds after the system stops adjusting brake
pressure. The
“LOW TRACTION” light also comes on
briefly, as a
bulb check, when the engine is started.
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning
Light
k F- 4ccN
TEMP
This light tells you that
your engine coolant has
overheated or your radiator
cooling fan is not working.
If you have been operating
your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you
should pull off the road,
stop your vehicle and turn
the engine
off as soon as
possible.
The chapter “Problems on the Road,” in this manual
explains what to do. See “Engine Overheating” in the
Index.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the
red area, your engine is too
100 -E- 260 i
T lm,
hot!

TEMPERATURE
That reading means the same thing as the warning light.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and
turn off the engine as soon as possible.
The chapter “Problems on the Road,”
in this manual
explains what
to do. See “Engine Overheating” in the
Index.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
A computer monitors
operation of your fuel,
ignition and emission
control systems. This light
should come on when the
ignition is on, but the
engine is not running, as
a
check to show you it is
working.
If it does not come on at all, have it fixed right away. If
it stays on, or it comes on while you are driving, the
computer is indicating that
you have a problem. You
should take your vehicle
in for service soon.
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I NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light on,
after a while the emission controls won’t work as
well, your fuel economy won’t be as good and your engine may not run as smoothly. This could
lead to costly repairs not covered by your
warranty.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
OIL
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine, or come
on when
you are driving. Stop your
car and shut off
the engine
if this light stays on. This
indicates that oil is not
going through your engine
quickly enough to keep
it
lubricated. The engine
could be low
on oil, or could have some
other oil problem. Have.your vehicle serviced
immediately.
The oil light could also come on in three other
situations:
0
0
0
When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as a
test to show you it is
working, but
the light will go out when you turn the
ignition to “Start.” If
it doesn’t come on with the
ignition on,
you may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have
it fixed right away.
Sometimes when the engine is idling at a stop, the
light may blink on and
off. This is normal.
If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for
a
moment. This is normal.
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NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Battery Light
Then it should go out. If it stays on, or corn-es 6n %bile
you are driving, you may have a problem with the
electrical charging system. It could indicate that
you
have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical
problem. Have
it checked right away. Driving while this
light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain
to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
The battery warning light
will come on briefly when
you turn on the ignition, but
the engine
is not running,
as a check to
show you it is
working.
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