mirror BUICK CENTURY 1996 Owners Manual

Mirrors
Inside Daymight Rearview M ror
When you are sitting in a comfortable driving position,
adjust the mirror
so you can see clearly behind your
vehicle. The dayhight adjustment allows you to reduce
glare from lights behind you.
To reduce glare pull the
lever toward
you to the night position.
Manual Remote Control Mirror
Both the driver and passenger side outside mirrors
should
be adjusted so that you just see the side of your
vehicle and the area behind your vehicle when you are
sitting
in a comfortable driving position.
Use the remote control knob on the driver's door to
adjust the driver's outside mirror. Adjust the passenger's
outside mirror by hand.
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Power Remote Control Mirror (Option)
Both the driver’s and optional passenger’s side outside
mirrors can be adjusted with the control lever on the
driver’s door.
Turn the knob left or right
to select the driver’s or
passenger’s mirror. Rotate the knob to adjust the mirror.
Adjust each mirror
so that you can just see the side of
your vehicle and the area behind your vehicle when
you
are sitting in a comfortable driving position.
Convex Outside Mirror
Your passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface
is curved so you can see more from the
driver’s seat.
1 A CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder before changing lanes.
Storage Compartments
Glove Box
Use the door key to lock and unlock the glove box. To
open, pinch the latch release.
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1 NOTICE:
Don’t put papers and other things that burn into
ashtrays. If you do, cigarettes
or other smoking
materials could set them on fire, causing damage.
To use the lighter, push it in all the way and let go.
When it’s ready, it will pop back by itself.
NOTICE:
Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand
while it is heating.
If you do, it won’t be able to
back
away from the heating element when it’s
ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the
lighter and the heating element.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swmg down the visors. You
can also move them from side
to side.
Lighted Visor Vanity Mirror (Option)
If your vehicle has the optional lighted vanity mirror, the
lamps come
on when you open the cover. Close the
cover to turn out the lamps.
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0 Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass
while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one thing,
following too closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you’re following a larger vehicle.
Also, you won’t have adequate space
if the vehicle
ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have
a “running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
0 Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane
to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
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Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger.
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your Buick’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling.
In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal. If
your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving
on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a “mirrored surface”
-- and
slow down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely
to be
impaired -- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue. Here are
some tips on night
driving.
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Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between
you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off
the road in a safe place
and rest.
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reeway Driving
-
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules. The
most important advice
on freeway driving is: Keep
up
with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks
a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on
a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance, there
is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway.
If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin
to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap
at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder
as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed
to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
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Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack
of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on
the road,
the drone of
the engine, and the rush of the wind against
the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let
it happen
to you ! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less
than a second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here
are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides, Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
0 If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take
a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway
as
an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving
in flat or rolling terrain.
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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 as
responsive as your vehicle
is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, 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 lamps 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.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re
a good deal
longer, you’ll need
to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
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Fuse Circuitry
STOP HA2 Stoplamps, Hazard Flashers
CTSY Interior, Underhood, Courtesy,
UP, Trunk Lamps, Door Locks,
Horn Relay, Passive Restraint
System, Deck Lid Release,
Power Antenna Remote Keyless
Entry, Vanity Mirror
WDO* Power Windows
INST LPS Illumination for:
I/P, Radio, Pod
Lamps, Ashtray, Console Lamp,
Heater and A/C Control, Defog
Switch, Headlamp Switch,
Power Antenna
Fuse Circuitry
RADIO Radio
PWR ACC* Seats, Door Locks, Rear Defog,
Power Seat Recliner, Rear
Window Wiper, Trunk Release
WPR
CIG LTR Windshield
Wiperwasher
Cigarette Lighter
*Circuit Breaker
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