headlamp BUICK CENTURY 2001 User Guide

2-48
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.
Electrochromic Day/Night Rearview
Mirror with OnStar
and Map Lamps
(If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have an automatic electrochromic
day/night rearview mirror with the OnStar System.
The automatic dimming feature is turned on or off by
pressing the far left button, located on the lower part of
the mirror face, for up to three seconds. When turned on,
this mirror functions exactly like the electrochromic mirror
described previously. See ªMirrors, Electrochromic
Day/Night Rearviewº in the Index for more information.There are two map lamps located on the bottom of the
mirror. Each lamp is turned on and off by pressing the
button next to the lamp.There are also three OnStar buttons located at the
bottom of the mirror face. See your dealer for more
information on the system and how to subscribe to
OnStar. See ªOnStar

Systemº in the Index for
more information about the services OnStar provides.

2-50 Automatic Dimming/Heated Outside
Rearview Mirror (If Equipped)
With this feature, the driver's side outside mirror
will adjust for the glare of headlamps behind you.
This feature is controlled by the on and off settings
on the electrochromic automatic dimming rearview
mirror. (See ªElectrochromic Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirrorº earlier in this section.)
The left and right outside mirrors are also heated when
you activate the rear window defogger. (See ªRear
Window Defoggerº in the Index.)
Both outside mirrors can be folded forward or rearward.
This feature is particularly useful in automatic car washes.
Storage Compartments
Glove Box
Use the door key to lock and unlock the glove box.
To open, lift the latch.
Front Storage Armrest
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 to access the storage area.

4-16
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.

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.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50
-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20
-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you're
driving, don't wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.

4-17
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn't lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed
headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring directly
into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it's easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren't even aware of it.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can't stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire
-to-road traction isn't as good as on dry roads.
And, if your tires don't have much tread left, you'll get
even less traction. It's always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving.
The surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes
are tuned for driving on dry pavement.

4-29

Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well
-charged battery
to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.

6-32 Headlamps
1. Open the hood.
2. Pull up on the headlamp retainers to release the
assembly locator tabs.3. Slide the headlamp assembly out of the slots.
4. Remove the bulb socket from the headlamp assembly.
5. Remove the rubber access cover (from behind the
bulb you are replacing).

6-33
6. Turn the bulb socket one-quarter turn and
remove it from the lamp.
7. Lift the plastic locking tab on the electrical
connector and pull the connector from the
headlamp bulb socket.
8. Connect the new headlamp bulb to the wiring
harness, making sure the connector tab snaps
into place.
9. Insert the bulb socket into the headlamp assembly.
10. Reverse all steps to reassemble the headlamp
assembly, then check the lamps.
11. Close the hood.Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has a headlamp system equipped with
horizontal and vertical aim indicators. The aim has been
pre
-set at the factory and should need no further
adjustment. This is true even though your vertical and
horizontal aim indicators may not fall exactly on the ª0º
(zero) marks on their scales.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment may be necessary
if it is difficult to see lane markers (for horizontal aim),
or if oncoming drivers flash their high beams at you
(for vertical aim). If you believe your headlamps need
to be re
-aimed, we recommend that you take it to
your dealer for service; however, it is possible for
you to re
-aim your headlamps as described in the
following procedure.
NOTICE:
To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before
beginning. Failure to follow these instructions
could cause damage to headlamp parts.

6-34
To check the aim, the vehicle should be properly
prepared as follows:

The headlamps must be off for one hour prior to
aiming and must remain off during this procedure.

The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface.

If necessary, pads may be used on an uneven surface.

The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.

The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.

There should not be any cargo or loading of the
vehicle, except it should have a full tank of fuel and
one person or 160 lbs. (75 kg) on the driver's seat.

Close all doors.

Tires should be properly inflated.

Rock the vehicle to stabilize the suspension.
Driver's Side Headlamp Shown
A. Vertical Aim Adjustment Screw
B. Horizontal Aim Adjustment Screw
Open the hood and locate the vertical and horizontal
aim indicators. The aiming screw for the vertical aim
indicator (A) is at the center of the headlamp cover
and the aiming screw for the horizontal aim indicator
is on the outboard side of the headlamp cover (B).

6-35
Passenger's Side Headlamp Shown
A. Horizontal Aim Adjustment Screw
B. Horizontal Block Index Plate
C. Vertical Aiming Level
Start with the horizontal aim. The adjustment screws
can be turned with an E8 Torx

socket.Once the horizontal aim is adjusted, then adjust the
vertical aim.
1. Turn the horizontal aiming screw until the indicator
is lined up with zero.
2. Turn the vertical aiming screw until the level bubble
is lined up with zero.
Front Parking and Turn Signal Lamps
1. Remove the headlamp assembly. Refer to the
removal procedure earlier in this section.
2. Remove the rubber bulb access cover.
3. Twist the sidemarker lamp socket counterclockwise
from the headlamp assembly.
4. Holding the base of the bulb, pull the old bulb from
the socket.
5. Push the new bulb into the socket.
6. Reverse Steps 1 through 3 to reinstall the
lamp assembly.

6-49
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See ªChanging a Flat Tireº in the Index for
more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can't know how it's been used or
how far it's been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause an accident. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
NOTICE:
Use tire chains only where legal and only when
you must. Use only SAE Class ªSº type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install
them on the front tires and tighten them as
tightly as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer's instructions. If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them. If the contact continues, slow down until
it stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels
with chains on will damage your vehicle.