low beam BUICK CENTURY 1996 Owners Manual

Wrn SignaVMultifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer and
Passing Signal
Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
0 Cruise Control (Option)
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow
you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or
down. When the turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
An arrow
on the instrument
panel will flash in the
direction
of the turn or
lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
2-27
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As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don’t
flash but just stay on,
a signal bulb may be burned out
and other drivers won’t
see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and check the
fuse
(see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers’’ in the Index).
Turn Signal Reminder
If your turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 of a mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound. To turn off the chime,
move the turn signal lever
to the OFF position.
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer Windshield Wipers
a _:::a::_
To change
the headlamps
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 light
on the
instrument panel also
will be on. You
control the windshield wipers by turning the band
marked WIPER.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to MIST.
GoTd
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.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful in light rain or
snow. Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to
LO, the shorter the delay.
2-2s
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Headlamps on Warning
If you open the door while leaving the lamps on, you
will hear a warning chime.
Daytime Running Lamps (Option)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
A light sensor in the instrument panel cluster makes the
DRL work, so be sure it isn’t covered.
The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness when:
the ignition is on,
the headlamp switch is off, and
the parking brake is released.
When the
DRL are on, only your low-beam headlamps
will be
on. The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps
won’t be on. Your instrument panel won’t be lit up either.
When it’s dark enough outside, your headlamps will
come on to full brightness. The other lamps that come
on with your headlamps will also come on. When
it’s bright enough outside, the regular lamps will
go off, and your low-beam headlamps will come
on at a
reduced brightness.
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.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when
you need it.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
., . I. .
1.r
LOW
You can brighten or dim the
instrument panel lights by
rotating the control up or
down.
To turn on the
interior courtesy lamps,
rotate the control all the way
up to HI.
2-34
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Uight ;ion
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to
see the
same thing
at night as a 20-year-old.
What
you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day
in bright
sunshine
you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching headlamps. Keep your windshield and all the glass
on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt
on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils
of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less
of a
roadway when
you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier
to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should
be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren’t even aware of it.
4-15
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Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice
is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
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. Never drive through water that
is slightly
lower than the underbody
of your vehicle. If you
can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very
slowly.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlamps -- not just
your parking lamps
-- to help make you more
visible to others.
0 Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See
“Tires” in the Index.)
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2. Position a 4”x 4” wood beam across sling chains
with spacer blocks contacting the forward extensions
of the engine cradle.
5-10
3. Position the lower sling crossbar halfway between
the timber and the lower edge
of the fascia.
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Fabric Cleaning ............................... 6-47
FillingYourTank
................................ 6-4
Filter, Air
..................................... 6-14
Filter, Engine Oil
............................... 6- 14
Finish Care
.................................... 6-5 1
Finish Damage ................................. 6-52
First Gear, Automatic Transaxle
................... 2- 19
Flashers, Hazard Warning
......................... 5-1
Flat Tire, Changing ............................. 5-24
Fluids and Lubricants
............................ 7-42
Foreign Countries, Fuel
........................... 6-4
French Language Manual
11
Front Sidemarker Bulb Replacement ................ 6-34
FrontTowing
................................... 5-9
Front Turn and Parking Lamp Bulb Replacement
...... 6-34
Fuel
.......................................... 6-2
Filling Your Tank
.............................. 6-4
Gage
....................................... 2-59
In Foreign Countries
........................... 6-4
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
....................... 6-57
.. ...........................
Gages
Engine Coolant Temperature
.................... 2-54
Fuel
....................................... 2-59
GAWR
....................................... 4-28
Gear Positions. Automatic Transaxle
................ 2- 16
GloveBox .................................... 2-38
Gross Axle Weight Rating
........................ 4-28
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
...................... 4-28
Guide en Franpis
11 .. .................................
GVWR ....................................... 4-28 Halogen
Bulbs
................................ 6-33
Hazard Warning Flashers
.......................... 5-1
Head Restraints ................................. 1-4
Headlamps .................................... 2-33
Bulb Replacement
............................ 6-33
High/Low Beam Changer
...................... 2-28
Onwarning
................................. 2-34
Wiring
..................................... 6-56
Hearing Impaired, Customer Assistance
.............. 8-3
Heating
........................................ 3-2
High-Beam Headlamps
.......................... 2-28
Highway Hypnosis
.............................. 4-22
Hill and Mountain Roads
......................... 4-22
Hitches, Trailer
................................. 4-33
Hood
Checking Things Under
......................... 6-6
Prop
........................................ 6-7
Release
...................................... 6-6
Horn
......................................... 2-26
Hydroplaning
.................................. 4-17
Ignition Positions
.............................. 2. 1 0
Inflation. Tire .................................. 6-39
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
................. 2-37
Inspections
.................................... 7-41
Exhaust Systems
............................. 7-41
Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Boot
.................. 7-41
Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Seal
................... 7-41
Radiator and Heater
Hose ...................... 7-41
Steering
.................................... 7-41
Suspension
.................................. 7-41
Throttle Linkage
.............................. 7-41
Brakesystem
................................ 7-41
9-4
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