tow BUICK CENTURY 2005 User Guide

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
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on any hill, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-38. That section shows what
to do rst to keep the trailer from moving.
2-24

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 will
not move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 4-38.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake with your left foot.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by pulling the
shift lever toward you and moving it up as far as it
will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine running, be sure it is
in PARK (P) and the parking brake is rmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved the shift lever
into PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift lever out of
PARK (P). If you can, it means that the shift lever
was not fully locked into PARK (P).
2-25

Running Your Engine While You
Are Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under
Engine Exhaust on page 2-27.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the climate control fan is at the highest setting.
One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust — with CO — can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the
engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 4-26.
{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. Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always set
your parking brake and move the shift lever
to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park (P) on page 2-25.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a
trailer, also seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-38.
2-28

Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beams to high
beams, or high to low, pull the multifunction lever until
a click is heard, then release it.
This indicator light on the
instrument panel cluster
will come on while the
high-beam lamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal the driver in front of you that you want to pass.
It works even if the headlamps are off. Pull the turn
signal lever toward you a little, but not so much that you
hear a click.
If the headlamps are off or on low-beam, the high-beam
headlamps will turn on. They will stay on as long as
you hold the lever toward you. The high-beam indicator
on the instrument panel cluster will come on. Release
the lever to return it to the normal operation.
Windshield Wipers
To operate the windshield wipers turn the band located
on the multifunction lever upward or downward.
WIPER:Turn this band to control the windshield wipers.
OFF:Turn the band to OFF to turn off the
windshield wipers.
LO (Low Speed):Turn the band away from you
to LO and past the delay settings for steady wiping at
low speed.
HI (High Speed):Turn the band away from you, to HI,
and past the delay settings for steady wiping at a
high speed.
(Delayed Wiping):Turn the band away from you,
just past OFF, to one of the ve delayed settings,
to choose the length of intervals between each wiping
cycle. The further the band is turned upward, toward LO,
the shorter the delay will be. Select one of these
settings for light rain or snow.
3-8

VENT (Ventilation):This mode brings in outside air
and directs it through the instrument panel outlets.
BI-LEV (Bi-Level):This mode directs approximately
half of the air to the instrument panel outlets, and then
directs most of the remaining air to the oor outlets.
Some air may be directed toward the windshield.
HTR (Heater):This mode directs most of the air to the
oor outlets, with some air directed to the outboard
outlets, for the side windows, and some air directed to
the windshield.
BLEND:This mode directs half of the air to go to the
oor outlets and half to the defroster and side window
outlets. The air-conditioning compressor will run
automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below 40°F (4°C).
The right knob can also be used for the defrost mode.
Information on defrosting and defogging can be
found later in this section.
9FAN:The left knob controls the fan speed.
OFF:Turn the knob all the way counterclockwise to
turn off the fan.LO (Low Fan Speed):This setting creates the lowest
fan speed.
HI (High Fan Speed):This setting creates the highest
fan speed.
DRIVER (Driver’s Side Temperature):The lever on
the left adjusts the air temperature for the driver’s
side outlets. Slide the lever up to raise the temperature
and down to lower the temperature.
PASSENGER (Passenger’s Side Temperature):
The lever on the right adjusts the air temperature for the
passenger’s side outlets. Slide the lever up to raise
the temperature and down to lower the temperature.
A/C (Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn
the air-conditioning on and off. An indicator light above
the button will come on when the air conditioning is
on. During daylight hours the interior lighting control
might need adjustment to the highest setting in order
for the indicator light to be seen. The system will
cool and dehumidify the air inside the vehicle when the
A/C indicator light is on.
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to let
hot, inside air escape. This reduces the time for the
vehicle to cool down.
3-19

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when the parking brake is set.
The light will stay on if the parking brake does not
release fully. If it stays on after the parking brake is
fully released, it means there is a brake problem.
If the light comes on while the vehicle is being driven,
pull off the road and stop carefully. The pedal may
be harder to push, or it may go closer to the oor. It may
take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing Your Vehicle on
page 4-36.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning light
on can lead to an accident. If the light is still
on after you have pulled off the road and
stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
If the vehicle has anti-lock brakes, this warning light will
come on for a few seconds when the ignition key is
turned to RUN. If the anti-lock brake system warning light
stays on longer than normal after the engine has been
started, turn the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and
stays on while the vehicle is being driven, 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 driving, the anti-lock brake system
needs service. If the light is on and the regular brake
system warning light is not on, the vehicle still has brakes,
but it does not have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on
briey when the ignition key is turned to RUN. This is
normal. If the light does not come on then, have it xed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.United States
Canada
3-33

If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the
Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still ashing,
follow the previous steps, and see your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully
install the cap. SeeFilling Your Tank on page 5-8.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
3-38

Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble)
AUDIO:Push and release this knob until BASS, MID,
or TREBLE appears on the display. Then turn the
AUDIO knob to increase or to decrease. If a station is
weak or noisy, decrease the treble.
To adjust bass, midrange, or treble to the middle
position, select BASS, MID, or TREBLE. Then push and
hold the AUDIO knob for more than two seconds until
you hear a beep. BASS and a zero, MID and a zero, or
TREBLE and a zero will appear on the display.
To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls
to the middle position, rst end out of audio mode
by waiting ve seconds without making any changes.
Then push and hold the AUDIO knob for more than
two seconds until you hear a beep. ALL CENTERED will
appear on the display.
EQ (Equalizer):Press this button to select customized
equalization settings designed for country/western,
jazz, talk, pop, rock, and classical.
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)
AUDIO:To adjust the balance between the right
and the left speakers, push and release the AUDIO
knob until BAL appears on the display. Then turn the
AUDIO knob to move the sound toward the right or
the left speakers. A bar graph with indicators will show
how the sound is balanced.
To adjust the fade between the front and the rear
speakers, push and release the AUDIO knob until FADE
appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob to
move the sound toward the front or the rear speakers.
A bar graph with indicators will show how the sound
is balanced.
To adjust balance or fade to the middle position, select
BAL or FADE. Then push and hold the AUDIO knob
for more than two seconds until you hear a beep.
The indicator will be centered on the display.
To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls
to the middle position, rst end out of audio mode
by waiting ve seconds without making any changes.
Then push and hold the AUDIO knob for more than
two seconds until you hear a beep. ALL CENTERED will
appear on the display.
3-47

Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble)
AUDIO:Push and release AUDIO until BASS, MID,
or TREBLE appears on the display. Then turn the
AUDIO knob to increase or to decrease. If a station is
weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble.
To adjust bass, midrange, or treble to the middle
position, select BASS, MID, or TREBLE. Then push and
hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear
a beep. BASS and a zero, MID and a zero, or TREBLE
and a zero will appear on the display.
To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls
to the middle position, end out of audio mode by
waiting ve seconds without making any changes.
Then push and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds
until you hear a beep. ALL CENTERED will appear
on the display.
EQ (Equalizer):Press this button to select customized
equalization settings designed for country/western,
jazz, talk, pop, rock, and classical.
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)
AUDIO:To adjust the balance between the right
and the left speakers, push and release AUDIO until
BAL appears on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob
to move the sound toward the right or the left speakers.
A bar graph with indicators will show how the sound
is balanced.
To adjust the fade between the front and the rear
speakers, push and release AUDIO until FADE appears
on the display. Then turn the AUDIO knob to move the
sound toward the front or the rear speakers. A bar graph
with indicators will show how the sound is balanced.
To adjust balance or fade to the middle position, select
BAL or FADE. Then push and hold AUDIO for more than
two seconds until you hear a beep. The indicator will be
centered on the display.
To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls to
the middle position, end out of audio mode by waiting
ve seconds without making any changes. Then push
and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear
a beep. ALL CENTERED will appear on the display.
3-55

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-9
Enhanced Traction System (ETS).....................4-9
Steering......................................................4-11
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-13
Passing.......................................................4-13
Loss of Control.............................................4-15
Driving at Night............................................4-16
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-17City Driving..................................................4-20
Freeway Driving...........................................4-21
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-22
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-24
Winter Driving..............................................4-26
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-30
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-31
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-31
Towing..........................................................4-36
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-36
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-36
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-38
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1