brakes BUICK CENTURY 2003 Owner's Manual

Delayed Locking
Delayed locking allows the doors to be locked while the
passengers are exiting the vehicle. This feature also
allows a brief time period for you to re-enter the vehicle
after the doors have been closed. Delayed locking is
user programmable for enabling or disabling the feature.
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 Entry
System Operationº earlier 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 function
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 ®ve seconds. During this ®ve 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 previously, 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:
1. Close the doors.
2. Move the ignition key to the RUN position.
3. Apply your regular brakes.
4. 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).
2-7

Power Door Locks
Your vehicle is equipped
with front power door lock
switches. Press a power
door lock switch to lock or
unlock all doors.
The rear doors do not have power door lock switches.
Programmable Automatic Door
Locks
Programmable automatic power door locks are intended
to provide enhanced security and convenience by
automatically locking and unlocking doors. This feature
provides four operating modes.Mode 1:Doors do not lock or unlock automatically
when the transaxle is shifted out of or into PARK (P).
Mode 2:All doors automatically lock when the transaxle
is shifted out of PARK (P), but do not unlock
automatically when the transaxle is shifted into PARK
(P).
Mode 3:All doors automatically lock when the transaxle
is shifted out of PARK (P) and automatically unlock
when the transaxle is shifted into PARK (P).
Mode 4:All doors automatically lock when the transaxle
is shifted out of PARK (P) but only the driver's door
automatically unlocks when the transaxle is shifted into
PARK (P).
The vehicle was originally programmed to Mode 3. The
mode may have been changed since then. To
determine the current mode, or to change the mode, do
the following:
1. Turn the ignition key to RUN.
2. Close all of the doors.
3. Apply your brakes.
4. Press and hold the power door lock switch in the
lock position.
2-11

Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transaxle shift lock 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), increase pressure on the shift lever by
pushing is all the way in to PARK (P) while keeping the
brake pedal pushed down. Then move the shift lever
out of PARK (P). See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on
page 2-29
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.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see If
You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-31.
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 into a drive gear while your engine is
ªracingº (running at high speed) is dangerous.
Unless your foot is ®rmly on the brake pedal,
your vehicle could move very rapidly. You
could lose control and hit people or objects.
Don't shift into a drive gear while your engine
is racing.
Notice:Damage to your transaxle caused by
shifting into a drive gear with the engine racing isn't
covered by your warranty.
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
(
X)for higher speeds.
2-24

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (X): 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.
THIRD (3):: This position is also used for normal
driving, but it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X):
·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.)
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
THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X)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.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power than
THIRD (3) but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). 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.
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 ®rst gear
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:If your front wheels won't turn, 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 to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
2-25

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
Towing a Trailer on page 4-35. That section shows what
to do ®rst to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake ®rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure your vehicle won't
move, even when you're on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you're pulling a
trailer, see ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index.
2-26

Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shiftlock control
system which locks the shift lever in PARK (P) when
the ignition is in the OFF position. In addition, you have
to fully apply the regular brakes before you can shift
from PARK (P) when the ignition is in RUN. See
Automatic Transaxle Operation on page 2-23.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up into
PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can't shift
out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the ignition key to ACCESSORY. There is no
shift interlock in this key position.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift the transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the system ®xed as soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don't park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things
that can burn.
2-29

Windshield Washer
J
(Windshield Washer):At the top of the
multifunction lever, there is a paddle with the word
PUSH on it. To spray washer ¯uid on the windshield,
push on the paddle. The wipers will run for several
sweeps and then either stop or return to your preset
speed. See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-38.
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, don't use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer ¯uid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
The LOW WASH light on
your instrument panel
cluster will come on when
the ¯uid level is low.
Cruise Control
If your vehicle has 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.
{CAUTION:
·Cruise control can be dangerous where
you can't drive safely at a steady speed.
So, don't use your cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.
·Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
needless wheel spinning, and you could
lose control. Don't use cruise control on
slippery roads.
3-8

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, this warning light
will come on for a few seconds when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If the anti-lock brake system
warning light stays on longer than normal after you've
started your engine, turn the ignition off. Or, if the
light comes on and stays on when you're driving, stop
as soon as possible and turn the ignition off. Then
start the engine again to reset the system. If the light
still stays on, or comes on again while you're driving, the
anti-lock brake system needs service. If the light is on
and the regular brake system warning light isn't on, you
still have brakes, but you don't have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come
on brie¯y when you turn the ignition key to RUN. This is
normal. If the light doesn't come on then, have it
®xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Enhanced Traction System Warning
Light
If your vehicle has the
Enhanced Traction
System, the warning light
may come on for the
following reasons:
·If you turn the system off by shifting to SECOND (2)
or FIRST (1), the warning light will come on and
stay on. To turn the system back on, shift to
THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X). See
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-10.
·If the Enhanced Traction System warning light
comes on and stays on for an extended period
of time when the system is turned on, your vehicle
needs service. Adjust your driving accordingly.
·The warning light will come on when you set your
parking brake with the engine running, and it will
stay on if your parking brake doesn't release fully. United States
Canada
3-28

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you're driving on snow or ice, it's
easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. Also see
Enhanced Traction
System (ETS) on page 4-10.
Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeandreaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That'sperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That'sreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second. But that's
only an average. It might be less with one driver and as
long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age,
physical condition, alertness, coordination and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But
even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph
(100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of
distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space
between your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it's pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
4-6

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts Ð heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking Ð rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes. ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, this warning light on
the instrument panel will come on brie¯y when you
start your vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself.
You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.United States
Canada
4-7