instrument panel BUICK CENTURY 1996 User Guide

Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several lamps go on. These
lamps are under the instrument panel. They make it
easy for you to enter and leave the vehicle. You also
can turn these lamps on by rotating the interior lamps
switch
to HI.
Interir -- amps Delay
Front Seat Reading Lamps
When you purl on the driver's outside door handle, the
dome and courtesy lamps 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
lamps will go on and stay on for about five seconds,
to
allow you to unlock your door(s).
Press the switch
to turn the front seat reading lamps on
or
off.
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A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
E
Lamp Controls
Instrument Panel Brightness
Vents Control
Instrument Panel Cluster and Indicator Lamps
Audio System
Map Reading Lamps
G. Rear Window Defogger Switch
H. Glove Box
I. Wipermasher Rear Window (Wagon Only)
J. Climate Controls
K. Parking Brake Release
L. Hood Release
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Instrument Panel Cluster
LOW
TRACTION
AIR
BAG
TAILGATE
AJAR
YY
e 20
UNLEADED FUEL ONLY 1 0
P R N[DI32 1
MPH
:i
BRAKE
TEMPERATURE
APPLY BRAKE
TO SHIFT FROM PARK
ANTI -
LOCK
LOW
OIL
Domestic
Your instrument panel is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You'll know how fast
you're going,
how much fuel you're using, and many other things you'll need to drive safely and economically.
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Safety Belt Warning Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START a chime will
come
on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about 20 seconds, then
it
will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither
the chime nor the
light will come on.
/r CAUTION:
-
1 urour safety belt light ever comes on or stays on
after the front doors are closed and the driver’s
belt is buckled, have your vehicle fixed.
If you don’t, the belt might not work as it should,
and
you might not have the protection you’d
need in a crash.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag module,
the wiring and the diagnostic module.
For more
information
on the air bag system, see “Air Bag” in
the Index.
AIR
BAG
You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition
to RUN
or START. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you
start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on when you
are driving, your air bag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
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The oil light could also come on in three other situations:
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, you may have
a problem with the fuse or a
bulb. Have
it fixed right away.
Sometimes when the engine is idling at a stop, the
If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a
light
may blink on and off. This
is normal.
moment. This
is normal.
A CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire.
You or others could be burned.
Check your oil
as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and
is not covered by
your warranty.
Liftgate Ajar Warning Light (Wagon)
The TAILGATE AJAR
reminder light on your instrument panel will come
on if your liftgate is not
TAILGATE
AJAR
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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).
The
upper lever has three air conditioner settings. On
very hot days, open the windows long enough to let hot,
inside air escape. This reduces the amount
of work your
air conditioner's compressor will have
to do, which
should help fuel economy.
MAX: Provides maximum cooling with the least
amount
of work. This setting recirculates much of the
air inside your vehicle
so it maximizes your air
conditioner's performance and fuel economy.
NORM: Use for normal cooling on hot days. This
setting cools outside air and directs it through the
instrument panel outlets.
BI-LEV: Use this on cool, but sunny days. This setting
brings
in the outside air, and directs it in two ways. The
cool air is directed to the upper portion of your body
through the instrument panel outlets, and warmed air is
directed through the heater ducts and defroster vents. At
times, this temperature difference may be more apparent
than others.
The air conditioner compressor operates in all air
conditioning positions, and in
DEF (defrdst) when the
outside temperature is above about
40°F (4.5"C).
r gii
The DEF setting directs most of the air through the
defroster vents and some through the heater dl
s.
To quickly defog the windshield, set the upper le ~ r to
DEF and move the fan switch to HI. Slide the lower
lever to HOT.
In damp, cool weather (temperatures about 45"to
65"F,
7 " to 18 " 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 airflow to the side vents, close
the center vents.
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Rear Window Defogger
REAR
!
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.
Press the
ON portion of the switch. The indicator light
will glow. The rear window defogger
will turn off
automatically after about 10 minutes of use. You can
also
turn it off by turning off the ignition or pressing the
OFF portion of the switch.
I NOTICE:
Don’t use a razor blade or something else sharp
on the inside
of the rear window. If you do, you
could cut or damage the warming grid, and the
repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
Ventilation System
Your Buick’s flow-through ventilation system supplies
outside air into the vehicle when
it is moving. Outside
air
will also enter the vehicle when the heater or the air
conditioning fan is running.
For mild outside temperatures, when
little heating or
cooling is needed, slide the upper lever to VENT.
Airflow is through the instrument panel outlets. Rotate
the control next to the outlets to turn on, adjust or turn
off the airflow. Adjust the lower lever
on the control
panel
to the temperature desired.
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Making Turns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider
turns than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t
strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal
well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Buick dealer. The arrows on your instrument
panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also
flash, telling other drivers you’re about
to turn, change
lanes or stop. When towing
a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned
out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have
to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than
1,000 lbs. (450 kg) and you have an automatic transaxle
with overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@I). An
overdrive transmission is required if towing a trailer more
than
1,000 lbs. (450 kg).
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage or the
warning light about a hot engine on
your Buick’s
instrument panel.
If St1 .-m Is 1 - - ng Fro Your Engine
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn
it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until
it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before
opening the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
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If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up label), it
is designed
to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels are not available
in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail
a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Buick dealer for diagnosis to determine the
cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of the condition is the type
of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane enhancing
additive called MMT.
If such fuels are used, your
emission control system performance may be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may also turn on. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Buick dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines are now required to
contain additives that will help prevent deposits from
forming
in your engine and fuel system, allowing your
emission control system to function properly. Therefore,
you should not have to add anything to the fuel. In
addition, gasolines containing oxygenates, such
as ethers
and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available
in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that you use these gasolines
if they
comply with the specifications described earlier.
I NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
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