length BUICK CENTURY 1999 Owner's Manual

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4-3
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It's the number one contributor to
the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive
a vehicle:

Judgment

Muscular Coordination

Vision

Attentiveness.
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle
-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, over 17,000 annual motor
vehicle
-related deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured.
Many adults
-- by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population
-- choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under 21, it's
against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws.The obvious way to solve the leading highway safety
problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then
drive. But what if people do? How much is ªtoo muchº
if the driver plans to drive? It's a lot less than many
might think. Although it depends on each person and
situation, here is some general information on
the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:

The amount of alcohol consumed

The drinker's body weight

The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking

The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
According to the American Medical Association, a
180
-lb. (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4
-ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1
-1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.

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6-39
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See ªWiper Blade
Checkº in Section 7 of this manual under Part B ªOwner
Checks and Servicesº for more information.
1. Turn on the wipers to the low
-wipe setting.
2. Turn off the ignition while the wipers are at the
outer positions of the wiper pattern. The blades are
more accessible for removal/replacement while in
this position.
3. Pull the windshield wiper arm 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to
10 cm) away from the windshield.
4. While holding the wiper arm away from the glass,
push the release clip from under the windshield
wiper arm connecting point and slide the blade
assembly down toward the glass to remove it from
the wiper arm.
5. Slide the new wiper blade securely on the wiper arm
until you hear the release clip ªclickº into place.
For wiper blade replacement length and type, see
ªNormal Maintenance Replacement Partsº in the Index.

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6-65 Engine Specifications
Type V6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Displacement 191 CID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Firing Order 1
-2-3-4-5-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thermostat Temperature 195
F (91
C) . . . . . . . . . . .
Horsepower 160 @ 5200. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Not all air conditioning refrigerants are the same. If the
air conditioning system in your vehicle needs
refrigerant, be sure the proper refrigerant is used. If
you're not sure, ask your dealer.
Normal Maintenance
Replacement Parts
Engine/Air Cleaner Filter AC Type A1208C . . . . .
Passenger Compartment Air Filter 10406026 . . . .
Battery AC Type 600 CCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine Oil Filter AC Type PF47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCV Valve AC Type CV892C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Radiator Cap AC Type RC27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RKE Batteries Type CR2032 (2) or equivalent . . . .
Spark Plugs
3100 (Code M) V6 AC Type 41
-940 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gap: 0.060 inches (1.52 mm) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wiper Blade
Type Hook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Length 22 inches (56 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vehicle Dimensions
Wheelbase 109.0 inches (276.9 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tread (Front) 62.0 inches (157.6 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tread (Rear) 61.1 inches (155.3 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overall Length 194.6 inches (494.2 cm). . . . . . . . . . .
Overall Width 72.7 inches (184.5 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overall Height 56.6 inches (143.8 cm). . . . . . . . . . . .