seats BUICK CENTURY 2004 Owner's Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-5
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-6
Child Restraints
.......................................1-28
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-49
Restraint System Check
............................1-58
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
......................................2-10
Windows
.................................................2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-18
Mirrors
....................................................2-31
OnStar
®System
......................................2-33
Storage Areas
.........................................2-34
Sunroof
..................................................2-36
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-2
Climate Controls
......................................3-18
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-27
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-44Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-31
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-49
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-56
Tires
......................................................5-57
Appearance Care
.....................................5-88
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-96
Electrical System
......................................5-97
Capacities and Specications
...................5-103
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index................................................................ 1
2004 Buick Century Owner ManualM

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will nd these notices:
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice will tell you about something that can damage
your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be
covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the
damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different
colors or in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle.
They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle,
are shown along with the text describing the operation
or information relating to a specic component, control,
message, gage or indicator.
If you need help guring out a specic name of a
component, gage or indicator, reference the following
topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3
Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

Front Seats......................................................1-2
Manual Seats................................................1-2
Six-Way Power Seats.....................................1-3
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-3
Head Restraints.............................................1-5
Rear Seats.......................................................1-5
Split Folding Rear Seat...................................1-5
Safety Belts.....................................................1-6
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone.................1-6
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts......1-10
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-11
Driver Position..............................................1-12
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-19
Right Front Passenger Position.......................1-20
Center Passenger Position.............................1-20
Rear Seat Passengers..................................1-22
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults.......................................1-25
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-27
Child Restraints.............................................1-28
Older Children..............................................1-28
Infants and Young Children............................1-30
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-34
Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-37Top Strap....................................................1-38
Top Strap Anchor Location.............................1-39
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)...........................1-40
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System (Rear)...............................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside
Seat Position............................................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Rear
Seat Position............................................1-44
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position............................................1-47
Air Bag Systems............................................1-49
Where Are the Air Bags?...............................1-52
When Should an Air Bag Inate?....................1-54
What Makes an Air Bag Inate?.....................1-55
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?.....................1-55
What Will You See After an Air
Bag Inates?............................................1-56
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle.........1-58
Restraint System Check..................................1-58
Checking Your Restraint Systems...................1-58
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash...................................................1-59
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
Manual Seats
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
Lift the bar located under the front of the passenger’s
seat to unlock the seat. Slide the seat to the desired
position and release the bar. Try to move the seat to be
sure it is locked into place.
1-2

Six-Way Power Seats
If the vehicle has a driver’s
side power seat, the
control for it is located on
the outboard side of
the seat cushion.
To move the seat forward or rearward, push the
control forward or rearward.
To raise or lower the entire seat, push the control
up or down.
To raise or lower the front of the seat, push the
front of the control up or down.
To raise or lower the rear of the seat, push the rear
of the control up or down.
Reclining Seatbacks
Lift the lever located on the outboard side of the seat to
release the seatback, then move the seatback to the
desired position. Release the lever to lock the seatback
in place. Pull up on the lever without pushing on the
seatback and the seatback will move forward.
1-3

Head Restraints
Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of your head. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Rear Seats
Split Folding Rear Seat
If the vehicle has a split folding seat, you can gain
access to the interior of the vehicle through the trunk.
To do this, pull forward
on the seat tab, located
on the side of the rear
seat, to move the
rear seatback down.
To return the seatback to its original position, push it
back up, making sure the seat latch locks it in place.
1-5

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you’re not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passengers’ belts are
fastened properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up. See
Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-30.
1-6

Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear it
properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see
how, see “Seats” in the Index.3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt isn’t long enough, seeSafety Belt
Extender on page 1-27.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
1-12

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, seeDriver Position on page 1-12.
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 shoulder 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.
Center Passenger Position
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has front and rear bench seats, someone
can sit in the center positions.
When you sit in the center seating position, you have a
lap safety belt, which has no retractor. To make the
belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt.
1-20

Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides will provide added
safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for small adults. When installed on
a shoulder belt, the comfort guide better positions
the belt away from the neck and head.
There is one guide for each outside passenger position
in the rear seat. To provide added safety belt comfort
for children who have outgrown child restraints and
booster seats and for smaller adults, the comfort guides
may be installed on the shoulder belts. Here’s how to
install a comfort guide and use the safety belt:
1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of
the seatback and the interior body to remove the
guide from its storage clip.
1-25