tow BUICK CENTURY 1994 User Guide

Headlight High-Low Beam
BRIGHT
To change the headlights
from low beam to high
or
high to low, pull the turn
signal lever all the way
toward you. Then release it.
When the high beams are
on, this blue light on the
instrument panel also will
be on.
Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by turning the band
marked “WIPER.”
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to “MIST.”
Hold it there until the wipers start, then let go. The
wipers will stop after one cycle.
If you want more
cycles, hold the band on
“MIST” longer.
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Interior Lights Delay
When you pull on the driver’s outside door handle, the
dome and courtesy lights will go on and stay on for
about
40 seconds, or until you turn the ignition on.
If you pull on the driver’s inside door handle within 30
seconds of switching off the ignition, the interior lights
will go
on and stay on for about 5 seconds, to allow you
to unlock your door(s).
Courtesy Lights
When any door is opened, several lights go on. These
lights are under
the instrument panel. Optional lights are
on the rear doors. They make it easy for you to enter and
leave
the vehicle. You also can turn these lights on by
rotating the interior lights switch to
“HI.”
Mirrors
Inside Mirror
When you are sitting in a comfortable driving position,
adjust the mirror
so you can see clearly behind you car.
The day-night adjustment allows
you to reduce glare
from lights behind you, pull the lever toward
you to the
night position.
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Brake System Warning Light
BRAKE
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is
Your Buick’s hydraulic harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
brake system is divided into It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, or if the
two parts. If one part isn’t
anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing, have
working, the other part can the vehicle towed for service. (See “Anti-Lock Brake
still work and stop you. For
good braking, though, you
need both parts working
well.
If the warning light comes on, there cou Ild
be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away. System
Warning Light” and “Towing Your Buick” in the
Index.)
This light should come on as you start the vehicle. If it
doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to
warn you if there’s a problem.
The brake system warning light will also come on when
you set your parking brake, and it will stay on if your
parking brake doesn’t release fully. If it stays on after
your parking brake is fully released,
it means you have a
brake problem.
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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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Ventilation
For mild outside temperatures, when little heating or
cooling is needed, slide the upper lever
to VENT. Air
flow is through the instrument panel outlets. Rotate the
control next to the outlets to turn on, adjust or
turn off
the air flow. Adjust the lower lever
on the control panel
to the temperature desired.
Heating
When outside temperatures are cold, sliding the upper
lever
to HEATER and the lower lever to HOT will send
heated air through the heater ducts, and some through
the defroster vents. VENT and HEATER are labeled
ECONOMY positions because the air conditioner
compressor doesn't run in these two settings. This
reduces engine load, resulting in improved fuel
economy. If either setting fails to keep you comfortable,
or causes your windows
to fog up, slide the upper lever
to one of the Air Conditioning positions, or to DEF
(Defrost).
Defrosting
The DEF setting directs most of the air through the
defroster vents, and some through the heater ducts.
Defog
To quickly defog the windshield, set the upper lever to
DEF and move the fan switch to HI . Slide the lower
lever to
HOT.
In damp, cool weather (temperatures about 45 "-65"F,
7"- 1 8"C), you can use BI-LEV to defog the side
windows. Set the upper lever to BI-LEV and the fan
switch to
HI. Aim the side vents toward the side
windows. For increased air flow to the side vents, close
the center vents.
Rear Window Defogger (Option)
The rear window defogger
uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the rear
window. In winter, it can
also keep ice from forming
on the rear window.
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Part 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions . We’ve
also included many other useful tips on driving
.
Part 4 includes:
DefensiveDriving .................................................................
DrunkenDriving ..................................................................
Control of a Vehicle ................................................................
Braking .....................................................................
Steering .....................................................................
Passing .....................................................................
LossofControl ....................................................................
DrivingatNight ...................................................................
DrivingintheRain .................................................................
CityDriving ......................................................................
HillandMountainRoads ............................................................
WinterDriving ....................................................................
TowingaTrailer ...................................................................
FreewayDriving ...................................................................
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140
144
144
147 150
151
152
154
156 157
160
161
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Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as
you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Towing a Trailer
1 NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this section, and see your Buick
dealer
for important information about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.
Your car can tow a trailer if it is equipped with either the
2.2L L4 engine or the 3 100 SF1 V6 engine and proper
trailer towing equipment.
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.
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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.
If
You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
There are many different laws having to do with
trailering. Make sure your rig will be legal, not on!y
where you live but also where you’ll be driving. A
good source for
this information can be state or
provincial police.
Consider using a sway control,
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
0 Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow
a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 Km/h) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
Three important considerations have to do
with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
Your vehicle can tow normally up to 1,000 pounds
(450kg). If your vehicle has a
3100 V6 engine with a
four-speed automatic transaxle and is equipped with the
optional heavy-duty engine cooling system,
it can tow
up to 2,000 pounds (900 kg).
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And,
it can also depend on any
special equipment that
you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or
you can write us at Buick Motor Division,
Customer Assistance Center,
902 E. Hamilton Ave.,
Flint,
MI 48550.
In Canada, write to General Motors
of Canada Limited,
Customer Assistance Center,
1908 Colonel Sam Drive,
Oshawa, Ontario L1H
8P7.
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Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the total capacity
weight of your vehicle. The capacity weight includes the
curb weight of
the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in
it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle”
in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
B I
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 10% of the total loaded trailer weight
(B). If you have a “weight-distributing” hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh
12% of the total loaded trailer
weight (B).
After
you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately,
to see if the weights are
proper. If
they aren’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in
the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the limit for
cold tires, You’ll find these numbers
on the Certification
label at
the rear edge of the driver’s door or see
“Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index. Then be sure
you
don’t go over the GVW limit for your vehicle.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
0 Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when
you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal
the holes later when you remove
the 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.
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The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
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.
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
hitch 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.
Trailer 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. Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try
to tap into your vehicle’s brake system. If you do, both
brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
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
to 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 far 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.
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