parking brake BUICK CENTURY 1994 Owners Manual

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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c
0 1 (First Gear)
This position gives you even more power (but lower
fuel economy) than
“2.” You can use it on very steep
hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the selector lever is
put in
“1,” the transaxle won’t shift into first gear
until the vehicle
is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck
in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes to hold your vehicle
in position on a hill.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake:
Hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right
foot. Push down the
parking brake pedal with
your left foot.
If the
ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will
come on.
To release the parking
brake:
Hold the regular
brake pedal down. Pull the
brake release lever.
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I NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause your
rear brakes
to overheat. You may have to replace
them, and you could also damage other parts
of
your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any
hill:
See “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section
shows what to
do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into ‘‘P” (Park)
A CAUTION:
Steering Column Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into “P” (Park) position like
this:
0 Pull the lever toward you.
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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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Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into
“P’ (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out
of “P’ (Park). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into “P” (Park) properly before
you leave the driver’s
seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into ‘P’ (Park)” in
the Index.
When you are ready
to drive, move the shift lever out of
“P’ (Park) BEFORE you release the parking brake.
If “torque lock” does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some
of
the pressure from the transaxle, so you can pull the shift
lever out of “P” (Park).
Parking Over Things That Burn
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To Get Out of Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn
off the Cruise Control:
-
1. Step lightly on the brake
pedal,
OR
2. Move the Cruise switch
to
“OFF.”
To Erase Speed Memory
When you turn off the Cruise Control or the ignition,
your Cruise Control set speed memory is erased.
Lights
I These switches control the
following light systems:
Headlights
Parking Lights
Side Marker Lights
Taillights
License Plate Lights
Instrument Panel Lights
To turn on the headlights, press the switch with the light
symbol.
Press the switch marked
“P’ to turn on the parking
lights.
Press
“OFF” to turn off all lights.
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Interior/Instrument Panel Lights
You can brighten or dim the
instrument panel lights by
rotating the control up or
down. To turn on the
interior courtesy lights,
rotate the control all the
way up to
“HI.”
Headlight ccOn99 Warning
If you open the door while leaving the lights on, you
will hear
a warning chime.
Daytime Running Lights (Canada Only)
The Canadian Federal Government has decided that
“Daytime Running Lights” (DRL) are a useful feature,
in that DRL can make your vehicle more visible to
pedestrians and other drivers during daylight hours.
DRL are required on new vehicles sold in Canada.
Your DRL work with a light sensor on top of the
instrument panel. Don’t cover it up.
The low beam headlights will come on at reduced
brightness in daylight when:
0 the ignition is on,
0 the headlight switch is off, and
0 the parking brake is released.
At dusk, the exterior lights will come on automatically
and the low beams will change to full brightness. At
dawn, the exterior lights will go out and the low beams
will change to the reduced brightness
of DRL (if the
headlight switch is off).
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Of course, you may still turn on the headlights any time
you need to.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking
brake while the ignition
is in the “Off’ or “Lock”
position. Then start the vehicle. The
DRL will stay off
until you release the parking brake.
Press the switch to turn the
map light on and off.
Front Seat Reading Lights (Option)
.. . , ..
L
Press the switch to turn the front seat reading lights on
or off.
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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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Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on
a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could
start to move. People can be injured, and both
your,vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if
you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
“P”
(Park) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then, apply your
parking brake, and then shift to
“P” (Park).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
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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