BUICK CENTURY 1997 Owners Manual

Delayed Exit Lighting
This feature illuminates your vehicle’s interior for a
period
of time after the ignition key is removed from
the ignition.
The vehicle’s ignition must be
off for Delayed Exit
Lighting to work. When the ignition key is removed,
interior illumination will activate and remain on until:
0 The ignition is turned to the RUN position.
0 The power door locks are activated.
0 An illumination period of 25 seconds has elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened, the
timed illumination period will be canceled and the
interior lamps will remain on since a door is open.
Rearview Mirror Reading Lamps
(If Equipped)
Use the switch next to each lamp to turn them on
and
off.
Dome Lamp
The dome lamp will come on when you open the doors.
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Battery Rundown Protection
Your vehicle has a feature to help prevent you from
draining the battery in case you accidentally leave the
interior courtesy lamps, reading/map lamps, visor vanity
lamps, trunk lamp, underhood lamp or glove box lamps
on. If you leave any of these lamps on, they will
automatically turn off after
20 minutes, if the ignition is
in
the OFF position. The lamps won’t come back on
again until you:
0 Turn the ignition on,
0 Turn the lamp switch off, then on; or
Open a door.
Note that if your vehicle has less than
15 miles (25 km)
on the odometer, the battery saver will turn off the lamps
after only three minutes.
Retained Accessory Power (If Equipped)
With retained accessory power, your power windows,
audio system and sunroof will continue to work
up to
10 minutes after the ignition key is turned to the OFF
position and none of the doors is opened.
Mirrors
Adjust all the mirrors so you can see clearly when you
are sitting in a comfortable driving position.
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from lamps behind you, pull the lever
toward you (to the night position).
To return the mirror
back to the day position, push the lever away from you.
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Electrochromic Daymight Rearview Mirror The mirror's two outer buttons operate the lights on the
(If Equipped) bottom sides of the mirror.
One photocell
on the front of the mirror senses when it
is becoming dark outside. Another photocell, facing
rearward, senses headlamps behind you.
To turn the
--
electrochromic feature off, press the button in the center
of the mirror again.
To keep the photocells operating well, occasionally
clean them
with a cotton swab and glass cleaner.
Manual Remote Control Outside Mirrors
Your Buick may have an electrochromic dayhight
rearview mirror. Push the button
in the center of the
mirror to turn this feature on. The mirror will darken
gradually to reduce glare from headlamps behind you.
This may take
a few moments. Adjust
the driver's side outside
mirror with the control
lever located on the driver's side door armrest.
Adjust
the passenger's side outside mirror with the
control lever located on the passenger's side
door armrest.
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Power Outside Mirrors (Option)
The power mirror control
switches are located near the
driver’s side window,
on the
annrest. To choose either the
left or right outside mirror,
move the top switch from
left through neutral
to right.
Press any
of the four buttons
located below the top switch
to move the mirrors in the
I desired direction.
Adjust each mirror
so you can see the side of your
vehicle and the area behind your vehcle.
Heated Foldaway Outside Mirrors
(If Equipped)
The left and right outside mirrors are heated when you
activate the rear window defogger.
These mirrors can also be folded rearward manually.
This feature is particularly useful in automatic car
washes and when maneuvering your vehicle in
narrow spaces.
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.
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.
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Storage Compartments
Glove Box
Use the door key to lock and unlock the glove box. To
open, lift the latch.
Storage Armrest (If Equipped)
To use the storage area, fold down the armrest located in
the center front seat. Press the latch on the front edge
and pull
up. Dual oversized cupholders will fold out
from within the storage armrest.
You may also have an armrest located within the center
back seat of your vehicle. It may have a storage area and
cupholders.
To open, pull up on the lever at the end of
the armrest and
lift. Two cupholders will then be
accessible and you will have access to
the storage
compartment area.
Convenience Net (If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have a convenience net. You’ll see it
on the back wall of the trunk.
Put small loads, like grocery bags, behind
the net. It can
help keep them from falling over during sharp turns or
quick starts and stops.
The
net isn’t for larger, heavier loads. Store those in the
trunk
as far forward as you can.
You can unhook the net so that it will lie flat when
you’re not using it.
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Ashtrays and Lighter
The center front ashtray is located on the instrument
panel, just below the comfort controls. To remove the
ashtray, open the lid and lift it out.
The rear ashtray is located within
a small door at the
back of your vehicle’s front
seat armrest. Push on the
right side of the door. The ashtray will then rotate to the
right for usage.
You can only access the ashtray by
pushing
on the door’s right side. To remove the ashtray,
push down on the snuffer located
in the middle of the
ashtray and lift
it out.
NOTICE:
Don’t put papers and other things that burn into
your ashtrays.
If you do, cigarettes or other
smoking materials could set them on fire,
causing damage.
To use the lighter, just push it in all the way and let go.
When it’s ready, it will pop back by itself. 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 swing down the visors. You
can
also move them from side to side. The visors also
have extenders that
you can pull out for added coverage.
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Visor Vanity Mirrors
Open the cover to expose the vanity mirror.
If your vehicle has the optional lighted vanity mirrors,
the lamps come
on when you open the cover.
Auxiliary Power Connection
Your vehicle is
equipped with an
auxiliary power
connection. This
feature can be used to
add aftermarket
electrical equipment
to
your vehicle.
It
is located on the passenger’s side of the vehicle,
below the fuse panel. For information
on accessing the
connection and electrical hookup, please refer to your
service manual.
1 NOTICE:
Adding some electrical equipment to your vehicle
can damage it or keep other things from working
as they should. This wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Check with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment and never use anything that
exceeds the fuse rating.
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Sunroof (If Equipped)
Your Buick may be ;?quipped with an express-open
sunroof. It includes a sliding glass panel and a one-piece
sunshade. The control switch works
only when the
ignition or
RAP is on. See “Retained Accessory Power”
in the Index. The control switch is located overhead on
the headliner.
To open the sunroof, push the rear of the switch once
and the sunroof will open
to the vent position only. You
will need to open the sunshade by hand. Push the rear
of the switch
a second time and the
sunroof will open the remainder
of the way by itself.
This
is the express-open feature.
To close the sunroof, push and hold the front of the
switch until the sunroof motor stops. The sunshade can
only be closed by hand.
Cellular Phone Provisions (If Equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a wiring harness that
will work with a dealer-installed
GM Hughes@ portable
phone. The phone has integrated features with the radio
and car audio speakers. See your Buick dealer for
more details.
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Instrument Panel -- Your Information System
A. Lamp Controls
B. Instrument Cluster
C. Vents
D. Glove Box
E. Audio System
E Climate Control
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Instrument Panel Cluster
Standard Cluster: United States Version Shown, Canadian Similar
Your instrument cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll know how fast
you’re going, about
how much fuel is in your tank and many other things you need to drive safely and economically.
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