key BUICK CENTURY 1998 Owner's Manual

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1-4 Memory Seat and Mirrors Personal Choice
Feature (Option)
The remote keyless entry transmitters can also be
programmed to move the driver's seat and outside
mirrors to a set memory position when the transmitter's
UNLOCK button is pressed.
To program the system:
1. Adjust the driver's seat cushion to a comfortable
position. Adjust both outside mirrors to suit you. See
ªPower Remote Control Mirrorº in the Index.
2. Press the SET button on the driver's door armrest.
You will hear one beep.
3. Within five seconds, press one of the two memory
buttons on the armrest. You will hear two beeps to
confirm that the mirror and the seat positions are
entered into memory.
4. Press the UNLOCK button on the appropriate
transmitter within five seconds. You will hear
two beeps.The second transmitter can be programmed to record
a different seat and mirror position by following the
same steps.
If you prefer to program the exit seat position, which
moves the seat completely down and back, follow
these steps:
1. Press the SET button on the driver's door armrest.
You will hear one beep.
2. Press the EXIT button on the armrest. You will hear
one beep, but the seat will not move at this time.
3. Press the UNLOCK button on the appropriate
transmitter within five seconds. You will hear
two beeps.
This personal choice feature will work only when the
vehicle is in PARK (P). A beep will sound inside the
vehicle when the UNLOCK button on the transmitter is
pressed to move the seat and mirrors.
To turn this feature off, press SET and then UNLOCK
within five seconds.

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1-21
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it's more
likely that the fetus won't be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger's safety belt
properly, see ªDriver Positionº earlier in this section.
The right front passenger's safety belt works the same way
as the driver's safety belt
-- except for one thing. If you ever
pull the lap portion of the belt out all the way, you will
engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, just
let the belt go back all the way and start again.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) or air bag system.
Your vehicle has ªNext Generationº frontal air
bags
-- one air bag for the driver and another air
bag for the right front passenger.
Next Generation frontal air bags are designed to help reduce
the risk of injury from the force of an inflating air bag. But
even these air bags must inflate very quickly if they are to do
their job and comply with federal regulations.Here are the most important things to know about the air
bag system:
CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if
you aren't wearing your safety belt
-- even if you
have air bags. Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Air bags
are ªsupplemental restraintsº to the safety belts.
All air bags
-- even Next Generation air bags -- are
designed to work with safety belts, but don't
replace them. Air bags are designed to work only
in moderate to severe crashes where the front of
your vehicle hits something. They aren't designed
to inflate at all in rollover, rear, side or low
-speed
frontal crashes. And, for unrestrained occupants,
Next Generation air bags may provide less
protection in frontal crashes than more forceful
air bags have provided in the past. Everyone
in your vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly
-- whether or not there's an air bag
for that person.

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If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water -- such as
water up to the carpeting or higher
-- or if water enters
your vehicle and soaks the carpet, the air bag controller
can be soaked and ruined. If this ever happens, and then
you start your vehicle, the damage could make the air
bags inflate, even if there's no crash. You would have to
replace the air bags as well as the sensors and related
parts. If your vehicle is ever in a flood, or if it's exposed
to water that soaks the carpet, you can avoid needless
repair costs by turning off the vehicle immediately and
disconnecting the battery cables. Don't let anyone start
the vehicle under any circumstances. See your dealer
for service.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don't want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the Riviera Service Manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system. To
purchase a service manual, see ªService and Owner
Publicationsº in the Index.
CAUTION:
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors. They are
probably part of the air bag system. Be sure to
follow proper service procedures, and make sure
the person performing work for you is qualified
to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.

2-
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2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Keys
2
-4 Door Locks
2
-8 Remote Keyless Entry System
2
-13 Trunk
2
-14 Theft
2
-15 Universal Theft-Deterrent (Option)
2
-17 PASS-Key
II
2
-18 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-19 Ignition Positions
2
-21 Starting Your Engine
2
-23 Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
2
-24 Automatic Transaxle Operation
2
-27 Parking Brake
2
-28 Shifting Into PARK (P)
2
-30 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
2
-31 Parking Over Things That Burn2
-32 Engine Exhaust
2
-32 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
2
-33 Windows
2
-34 Tilt Wheel
2
-35 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-40 Exterior Lamps
2
-43 Interior Lamps
2
-46 Mirrors
2
-52 Storage Compartments
2
-58 Accessory Power Outlet
2
-58 OnStar
System (Option)
2
-60 Universal Transmitter (Option)
2
-64 The Instrument Panel - Your
Information System
2
-68 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators

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Keys
CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. A child or
others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate power windows or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. Don't
leave the keys in a vehicle with children.

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2-3
The ignition key is for the
ignition only.
The door key is for the
doors and all other locks.When a new vehicle is delivered, the dealer removes the
bar
-coded key tags from the keys, and gives them to the
first owner.
Each tag has a code on it that tells your dealer or a
qualified locksmith how to make extra keys. Keep the
tags in a safe place. If you lose your keys, you'll be able
to have new ones made easily using the tag. If you
misplace your tag, go to your dealer for the correct key
code if you need a new ignition key.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle has a number of features that can
help prevent theft. But you can have a lot of
trouble getting into your vehicle if you ever lock
your keys inside. You may even have to damage
your vehicle to get in. So be sure you have
extra keys.

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2-4
Door Locks
CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers -- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When a door is
locked, the inside handle won't open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be so obvious: You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors aren't locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use your door key.
If your vehicle has a theft
-deterrent system and it is
activated, unlock the doors only with the key or remote
keyless entry system. This will avoid setting off
the alarm.
To lock the door from the inside, move the lock control
on the door forward.
To unlock the door, move the lock control toward the
rear of the vehicle. There is a red mark on the lock
control which shows when the door is unlocked.
Central Door Unlocking System (Option)
If the driver's door key is held in the unlock position for
more than one second, both doors will unlock.

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Customizing Your Memory Door Locks Feature
You can program the memory door locks feature to
change to the following modes:
Mode Operation
0 No automatic door lock or unlock.
1 Both doors automatically lock when shifted
out of PARK (P). No automatic door unlock.
2 Both doors automatically lock when shifted
out of PARK (P). Only the driver's door
automatically unlocks when shifted into
PARK (P).
3 Both doors automatically lock when shifted
out of PARK (P). Both doors automatically
unlock when shifted into PARK (P).Vehicles are delivered programmed in Mode 3.
To change the modes:
1. Close both doors and turn the ignition on. Keep both
doors closed throughout this procedure.
2. Press and hold LOCK on the driver's power door
lock switch through Step 4.
3. Press the LOCK button on the remote keyless entry
transmitter. The memory door locks will remain in
the current mode.
4. Press the LOCK button on the transmitter again.
Each time the transmitter's LOCK button is pressed,
the mode will advance by one, going from Mode 3
to 0 to 1, etc.
NOTE: The door locks will cycle according to the
mode entered while customizing memory door locks.
(Mode ª0º has no feedback.)
5. Release the power door lock switch. The memory
door locks will remain in the most recent
mode selected.
This procedure changes the mode for only the
transmitter used to change this setting. The procedure
will need to be repeated for the second transmitter.

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2-7 Delayed Locking
This Personal Choice feature lets the driver delay the
actual locking of the vehicle. When the power door lock
switch is pressed with the key removed from the ignition
and the driver's door open, a chime will sound three
times to signal that the lock delay mode is active. When
both doors have been closed, the doors will lock
automatically after five seconds. If either door is opened
before this, the five
-second timer will reset itself once
both doors have been closed again.
Pressing the door lock switch twice within two seconds
will override this feature.
Personal Choice Programming
The delayed locking feature can be turned on or off for
each driver's remote keyless entry transmitter.
To turn the feature on:
1. Press and hold LOCK on the driver's power door
lock switch throughout this procedure. Both doors
will lock.
2. Press the UNLOCK button on the transmitter to
enter the programming mode. The lock delay is still
off and both doors will remain locked.3. Press the UNLOCK button on the transmitter again.
Lock delay is now active and both doors will unlock.
4. Release the power door lock switch.
To turn this feature off, repeat this procedure.
This procedure changes the mode for only the
transmitter used to change this setting. The procedure
will need to be repeated for the second transmitter.Lockout Protection
The power door locks will not work if the key is left in
the ignition with the driver's door open. You can
override this feature by holding the power door lock
switch for more than three seconds, unless the engine
is running.
Leaving Your Vehicle
If you are leaving the vehicle, take your keys, open your
door and set the locks from the inside. Then get out and
close the door.
If your vehicle has a theft
-deterrent system, see
ªUniversal Theft
-Deterrentº in the Index.

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Remote Keyless Entry System
You can lock and unlock
your doors or unlock your
trunk from about 3 feet
(1 m) up to 30 feet (9 m)
away using the remote
keyless entry transmitter
supplied with your vehicle.
Your remote keyless entry system operates on a radio
frequency subject to Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause
undesired operation.This device complies with RSS
-210 of Industry Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation of
the device.
Changes or modifications to this system by other than an
authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.