service BUICK CENTURY 1994 Owner's Guide

I NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire.
And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage
it. Always
have the air cleaner
in place when you’re driving.
Automatic Transaxle 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.
I NOTICE:
loo much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come
out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system, starting a fire. Be sure to get
an accurate reading
if you check your transaxle
fluid.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have them in
rotated at the mileages recommended in the spected and
Maintenance Schedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance
Services” in the Index.
FRONT
Use this rotation pattern.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressure as ’shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque’’ in the
Index.
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When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have
only 2/32 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining.
You need a new tire if
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
0 The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way,
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number
will be followed by a “MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
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Treadwear
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only
to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B,
and C. They represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions
on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based
on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas
of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur
on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and
exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud and other debris can collect.
Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody vehicle washing system
can do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, Buick
will repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20
000 km) of purchase,
whichever comes first.
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Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
I 1111 11111 11 11 I I 111 I 11 111n1 111 I 11111 111 I 11111111 11 1111 111 11 I 111111 II I
I
ENGINE A4 f ASSEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR PLANT
mII I1 111111111 I111 111 1111l111111111111111111111111111111111111l111 II=
SAMPLE4UXRM072675 I
This is the legal identifier for your Buick. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver’s side.
You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in your VIN is the engine code.
This code will help you identify your engine,
specifications, and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label on your spare tire cover in the
coupe
or sedan. In the wagon, you’ll find the label on
the wheel well (remove the spare tire cover to expose
the wheel well). It’s very helpful if
you ever need to
order parts. On this label is:
0 your VIN,
0 the model designation,
paint information, and
0 a list of all production options and special.
equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
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(@ Part 7 Maintenance Schedule
.
-1 I I
~~
This part covers the maintenance required for your Buick . Your vehicle needs these services to retain its safety.
dependability and emission control performance
.
Part 7 includes:
Introduction ......................................................................
A Word About Maintenance .....................................................
Your Vehicle and the Environment ................................................
How This Part is Organized .....................................................
Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services .............................................
Using Your Maintenance Schedules ...............................................
Selecting the Right Schedule ....................................................
Schedule1 ...................................................................
Schedule11 ..................................................................
Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services .....................................
Section B: Owner Checks and Services .................................................
AtEachFuelFill ..............................................................
AtLeastOnceaMonth .........................................................
AtLeastOnceaYear ..........................................................
Section C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections ............................................
Section D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants .........................................
262
262
263
263
264 264
265
266
268
270
272 272
273
273
275
277
Section
E: Maintenance Record ....................................................... 279
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Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance
or the
removal of important components can significantly
affect the quality of the air
we breathe. Improper fluid
levels or even the wrong tire inflation can increase the
level of emissions from your vehicle.
To help protect
our environment, and to help keep your vehicle in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
How This Part is Organized
The remainder of this part is divided into five sections:
“Section
A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows
what to have done and how often. Some of these
services can be complex,
so unless you are technically
qualified and have the necessary equipment,
you should
let your dealer’s service department or another qualified
service center do these jobs. If you
are skilled enough to do some work on your
vehicle, you will probably want to get the service
information
GM publishes. You will find a list of
publications and how
to get them in this manual. See
“Service Publications’’
in the Index.
“Section
B: Owner Checks and Services” tells you what
should be checked whenever
you stop for fuel. It also
explains what you can easily do to help keep
your
vehicle in good condition.
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“Section C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections” explains
important inspections that your Buick dealer’s service
department or another qualified service center should
perform.
“Section
D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists
some products
GM recommends to help keep your
vehicle properly maintained. These products, or their
equivalents, should be used whether you do the work
yourself or have
it done.
“Section
E: Maintenance Record” provides a place for
you to record the maintenance performed
on your
vehicle. Whenever any maintenance is performed, be
sure to write it down in this section. This will help you
determine when your next maintenance should be done.
In addition, it is a good idea to keep your maintenance
receipts. They may be needed to qualify your vehicle for
warranty repairs.
Section A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
Using Your Maintenance Schedules
This section tells you the maintenance services you
should have done and when you should schedule them.
Your Buick dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. If you go to your dealer for your
service needs, you’ll know that GM-trained and
supported service people will perform the work using
genuine GM parts.
These schedules are for vehicles that:
0 carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will find these limits on your vehicle’s
Tire-Loading Information label. See “Loading Your
Vehicle” in the Index.
0 are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
0 use the recommended unleaded fuel. See “Fuel” in
the Index.
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Scheduled Maintenance Services Schedule I
~
Follow Schedule I if your car is MAINLY driven under one or more of the following conditions:
0 When most trips are less than 4 miles (6 kilometers).
0 When most trips are less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) and outside temperatures remain below fr\
eezing.
0 When most trips include extended idling and/or frequent low-spee\
d operation as in stop-and-go traffic.
0 Towing a trailer.*?
0 When operating in dusty areas.
Schedule I should also be followed if the car is used for delivery service, police, taxi or other commercial applications. \
TO BE SERVICED
(See Explanation of
Scheduled Maintenance Miles (kilometers) or
Services Following Months, Whichever
Schedules I and 11) Occurs First KILOMETERS (000)
WHEN TO PERFORM MILES (000)
3
Item No.
Every30oOmi.(50@)km)or months 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1. Engine oil & Filter Change
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
3. Tire & Wheel Rotation &
Every other oil change 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2. Chassis Lubrication
every 15 ooo mi. (25 ooo km)
At 6 OOO mi. (10 000 km) and
or as necessary
4. Engine Accessory Drive
5. Cooling System Service"
Inspection
0 0 0
Belt(s)
Inspection* Every 30 OOO mi.
(50 000 km) or 24 months. 0
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