brakes BUICK CENTURY 2000 Owner's Manual

Fuel
Checking Fluids and Lubricants
GM Oil Life System™ (If Equipped)
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
Passenger Compartment Air Filter (If Equipped)
Brakes
Bulb ReplacementWindshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires and Wheels
Appearance Care
Electrical System/Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Capacities and Specifications
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Maintenance Schedule Service and Appearance Care
Section
7
Section
6
Scheduled Maintenance
Owner Checks and Services
Periodic Maintenance InspectionsRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
Maintenance Records
iv

ix
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
CAUTION
POSSIBLE
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
ACID COULD
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR
FLAME
COULD
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
AIR BAG
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
MASTER
LIGHTING
SWITCH
TURN
SIGNALS
PARKING
LAMPS
HAZARD
WARNING
FLASHER
DAYTIME
RUNNING
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
WASHER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
REAR
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
COOLANT
TEMP
BATTERY
CHARGING
SYSTEM
BRAKE
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
HORN
SPEAKER
FUEL
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

2-6
The operating mode of the programmable automatic
power door locks will be changed when the driver
performs the following:
1. Turn the ignition key to RUN.
2. Close all of the doors.
3. Apply your regular brakes.
4. Press and hold the power door lock switch. While
holding the door lock switch, move the shift lever
out of and back into PARK (P).
After an initial transaxle cycle, each additional cycle
will advance the operating mode by one, starting from
the current operating mode. During this procedure, the
automatic door lock and unlock functions will operate as
defined by each mode listed previously, providing the
driver with feedback of the current operating mode. If
cycled beyond Mode 4, the vehicle will enter operating
Mode 1. When the door lock switch is released, the
vehicle will remain in the most recent operating mode.
Disconnecting the vehicle's battery for up to a year will
not change the programmed mode of the programmable
automatic power door locks.Rear-Door Child Security Locks
Your vehicle is equipped
with rear
-door child
security locks that help
prevent passengers from
opening the rear doors of
your vehicle from the
inside. To use one of
these locks:
1. Open one of the rear doors.
2. On the inside of the rear door will be a lock. Insert
your key into this lock and turn it upward. This will
engage the safety lock. To disengage the feature, turn
the lock downward.
3. Close the door.
4. Do the same thing to the other rear door lock.
The rear doors of your vehicle cannot be opened from the
inside when this feature is in use. If you want to open the
rear door when the security lock is on, unlock the door
from the inside and then open the door from the outside.

2-11
Delayed locking is activated when a door lock switch is
pressed while the key is not in the vehicle's ignition, and
a door is open. The door lock switch may be either the
lock switch on the door or on the remote keyless entry
transmitter (see ªRemote Keyless Entryº later in this
section for more details). The doors do not lock when
the lock switch is pressed, but instead, three chimes are
heard. These chimes indicate that the delayed locking
feature has been activated.
You have three actions possible once delayed locking
is activated:

Cancel the delayed locking by pressing the unlock
switch or by fully inserting the key in the ignition.

Override the delayed locking feature and lock the
doors immediately by pressing the lock switch a
second time.

Let the delayed locking feature complete the locking
of the vehicle.
If you wish to let the delayed locking feature complete
the locking of the vehicle, no additional action is
required. The delayed locking feature will lock the doors
automatically after all the doors have been closed for a
period of five seconds. During this five second period,
any door may be reopened, at which time the three
possible actions shown above are again available.You may also customize your vehicle to activate the
delayed locking feature as described above, or you
may choose to completely disable the feature at all
times. If disabled, the power door locks will activate
immediately when a power door lock switch is pressed.
The enabled/disabled state of the delayed locking
feature will be toggled when you perform the following
sequence with the doors closed and the ignition key
in RUN:
1. Apply your regular brakes.
2. Press and hold the power door unlock switch. While
holding the door unlock switch, move the shift lever
out of and back into PARK (P).
After an initial transaxle cycle, each additional cycle will
toggle the enable/disable state of the delayed locking
feature. During this procedure, the chime will sound,
providing you with feedback. In Mode 1, a single chime
will be heard if the delayed locking feature is disabled.
In Mode 2, two chimes will be heard if the feature is
enabled. When the door unlock switch is released, the
vehicle will remain in the most recent operating mode.
Disconnecting the vehicle battery for up to a year will
not change the programmed mode of the delayed
locking feature.

2-23
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transaxle shiftlock control system. You must fully apply
your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of
PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever by pushing it
all the way into PARK (P) while keeping the brake pedal
pushed down. See ªShifting Out of PARK (P)º in
the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see ªIf
You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snowº in the Index.NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine
doesn't connect with the wheels. To restart when you're
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
CAUTION:
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is ªracingº (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people
or objects. Don't shift out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn't covered by your warranty.

2-24
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
): This position is
for normal driving. If you need more power for passing,
and you're:

Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.

Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down.
You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly,
or if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with a transaxle system
sensor. If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged. So, if this happens,
have your vehicle serviced right away. Until then,
you can use SECOND (2) when you are driving
less than 35 mph (55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (
) for higher speeds.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, but it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
):

When driving on hilly, winding roads.

When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.

When going down a steep hill.

When driving in no
-highway scenarios
(i.e. city streets, etc.)
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.

2-25
NOTICE:
Don't drive in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.
Use AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
) or
THIRD (3) as much as possible.
Don't shift into SECOND (2) unless you are
going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage your engine.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle won't shift
into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can't rotate, don't try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don't hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes or shift into PARK (P)
to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.

2-26
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake,
hold the regular brake
pedal down with your
right foot. Push down the
parking brake pedal with
your left foot.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. When you lift your left
foot, the parking brake pedal will follow it to the
released position.A warning chime will sound if the parking brake is set,
the ignition is on and the shift lever is not in PARK (P)
or NEUTRAL (N).
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on any hill, see
ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.

2-29 Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don't shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called ªtorque lock.º To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver's
seat. To find out how, see ªShifting Into PARK (P)º
in the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle, so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
CAUTION:
Before shifting out of PARK (P) you must fully
apply your regular brakes. Your vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could
be injured.
Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shiftlock control
system. You must fully apply your regular brakes before
you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is in
RUN. See ªAutomatic Transaxle Operationº in
the Index.

2-37 Windshield Washer
At the top of the multifunction lever, there's a paddle with
the word PUSH on it. To spray washer fluid on the
windshield, push the paddle. The wipers will run for
several sweeps and then either stop or return to your preset
speed. See ªWindshield Washer Fluidº in the Index.
CAUTION:
In freezing weather, don't use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
The LOW WASH light on
your instrument panel
cluster will glow when the
fluid level is low.
Cruise Control (If Equipped)
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control
shuts off.