key BUICK CENTURY 1994 User Guide

Glove Box
Use the door key to
lock and unlock the
- glove box. To open,
pinch the latch release.
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Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities. Although your Buick has a number of theft deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make
it
impossible to steal. However, there are ways you can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you walk away from your vehicle with the keys
inside, it’s an easy target for joy riders or professional
thieves
-- so don’t do it.
When you park your Buick and open the driver’s door,
you’ll hear a chime reminding you to remove your key
from the ignition and take it
with you. Always do this.
Your steering wheel
will be locked, and so will your
ignition and transaxle. And remember to lock the doors.
Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out
of sight.
Put them
in a storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle, it’s best to lock
it up and take your keys. But what
if
you have to leave your ignition key? What if
you have to leave something valuable in your vehicle?
0 Put your valuables in a storage area, like your trunk
or glove box, or rear storage area in the wagon.
0 Lock the glove box.
0 Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
0 Then take the door key with you.
New Vehicle “Break-In”
I NOTICE:
Your modern Buick doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But
it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or slow
-- for the first 500 miles (804 km). Don’t
make full-throttle starts.
0 Avoid making hard stops for the first 200
miles (322 km) or so. During this time your
new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard
stops with new linings can mean premature
wear and earlier replacement. Follow this
“breaking-in” guideline every time you get
new brake linings.
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Ignition Key Positions
C
9.5 B
A i E
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions:
(A) Accessory: An “on” position in which you can
operate your electrical power accessories. Press
in the
ignition switch as you turn the top
of it toward you.
(B) Lock: The only position in which you can remove
the key. This locks
your steering wheel, ignition and
transaxle.
(C) Off: Unlocks the steering wheel, ignition, and
transaxle, but does not send electrical power
to any
accessories. Use this position
if your vehicle must be
pushed or towed, but never
try to push-start your
vehicle.
A warning chime will sound if you open the
driver’s door when the ignition is off and the
key is in
the ignition.
(D) Run: An ‘‘on’’ position to which the switch returns
after you start your engine and release
the switch. The
switch stays
in the “Run” position when the engine is
running. But even when the engine is
not running, you
can use
“Run” to operate your electrical power
accessories, and to display some instrument panel
warning lights.
(E) Start: Starts the engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch will return
to “Run”
for normal driving.
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NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in “Lock” and you can’t
. turn it, be sure it is all the way in. If it is, then turn
the steering wheel left and right while you turn
the key hard. But turn the key only with your
hand. Using a tool to force it could break the key
or the ignition switch. If none of this works, then
your vehicle needs service.
Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to “P” (Park) or “N” (Neutral).
Your engine won’t start in any other position
-- that’s a
safety feature. To restart when you’re already moving,
use
“N’ (Neutral) only.
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to “P” (Park) if your Buick is
moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to
“P” (Park) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
To start your engine:
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to “Start.” When the engine starts,
let go
of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in “Start” for longer than 15
seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor.
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2. If your engine won’t start (or starts but then stops), it
could be flooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing your accelerator pedal
all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
“Start” for about three seconds. If the car starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep
the pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
I NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics
in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the fuel injection system operates. Before adding
electrical equipment, check with your dealer.
If
you don’t, your engine might not perform
properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Buick”
in the Index.
Driving Through Deep Standing
Water
I NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing water, water can come
in through your
engine’s air intake and badly damage your
engine.
If you can’t avoid deep puddles or
standing water, drive through them very slowly.
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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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The armrest can be raised so that a passenger can sit in
the center position.
Rear Locking Storage Compartment
(Wagon)
Use your door key to unlock the storage bin on the
driver’s side near the liftgate.
Ashtrays
Reach under the front edge of the ashtray compartment
to open
it. To remove the ashtray for cleaning, reach
under the ashtray and
push up from behind it.
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Trip Odometer
The trip odometer can tell
you how many miles you
have driven since you last
set
it to zero. To reset it,
push the button.
L
Warning Lights, Gages and
Indicators
This section describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something
is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an expensive
repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights go on when there may be or is a problem
with one of
your vehicle’s functions. As you will see in
the details on the next few pages, some warning lights
come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key just to
let you know they’re working. If you are familiar with
this section,
you should not be alarmed when this
happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be
or is a problem
with one
of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays
on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check
the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow the manual’s advice.
Waiting to
do repairs can be costly -- and even
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been drinking. In most cases, these deaths are the result
of someone who was drinking and driving. About
20,000 motor vehicle-related deaths occur each year
because
of alcohol, and thousands of people are injured.
Just how much alcohol
is too much if a person plans to
drive? Ideally, no one should drink alcohol and then
drive. But if one does, then what’s “too much”? It can be
a lot less than many might think. Although
it depends on
each person and situation, here
is some general
information on
the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of someone who is
drinking depends upon four things:
How much alcohol is in the drink.
0 The drinker’s body weight.
0 The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking.
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol. According
to the American Medical Association, a
180-pound (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about
0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC
by drinking three 4-ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces
(45 ml)
of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
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.-
Press the button in to make
your front and rear turn
signal lights flash on
and off.
Your hazard warning
flashers work no matter
what position your key is
in, and even if the key
isn't in.
To turn off the flashers, pull
out on the collar.
When
the hazard warning
flashers are on, your turn
signals won't work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind your
vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
Buick. But please follow the steps below
to do it safely.
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