1993 BUICK CENTURY service

Automatic ‘mansaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid level
is when the engine oil is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine when to change your
fluid. See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the
Index.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have
this done at a Buick dealership Service
Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick. Wait at least
30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level
if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic-especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is
180°F to 200” F (82” C to
93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it’s colder than 50” F (lO°C), you may have to
drive longer.
To check the fluid level:
Park your vehicle on a level place.
0 Place the shift lever in “P” (Park) with the parking
brake applied.
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the. shift lever
through each gear range, pausing for about three
seconds in each range. Then, position the shift lever in
“P” (Park).
Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have them inspected and
rotated at the mileages recommended
in the Maintenance
Schedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the
Index.
Use this rotation pattern.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and rear
inflation pressure as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that -all wheel
nuts are
properly tightend. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” in the
Index.
1
I A CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which
It Is fastened, can make the’wheel nuts
become loose after a Qlme. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches to the
vehlcle.
In an emergency, you can use a cloth
or a paper towel to do this; but be sure to us8
a scraper or wire brush later, if you need to, to
get
all the rust or dirt off. (See “Changing a
Flat Tlre” in the Index.)
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When It's Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it's
time for new
tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if
You can see the indicators at
three places around the tire.
You can see cord or
fabric showing through
the tire's rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that can't
be repaired well because of the size or location
of the
damage. enough to show cord
or fabric.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new .had a
Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire's sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC
Spec number. That way,
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed'
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread design,
the TPC number will be followed by a
"MS" (for mud
and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same
size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted
or radial) as your original tires.
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*
I A CAUTION:
Mlxing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving.
If you mlx tires of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted tires) the
vehlcle may not handle
properly, and you
could have
a crash. Be sure to use the same
size and type
tires on all four wheels. It’s all
right to drive wlth your compact spare,
though.
It was developed far use on your
vehicle.
I
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system developed
by the United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration which grades tires by treadwear, traction
and temperature performance. (This applies only to
vehicles
sold in the United States.)
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a half
(1%) times as well on the government course
as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in
driving habits, service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction-A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B,
and C. They represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Foreign Material
Calcium chloride and other salts, ice melting agents, road
oil and tar, tree sap, bird droppings, chemicals from
industrial chimneys, and other foreign matter can damage
your vehicle’s finish if they remain on painted surfaces. Use cleaners that are marked safe for painted surfaces for
these stains.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches
can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected in
your dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these
are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame,
floor pan, and
exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody
with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed
in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody vehicle washing system can
do this for you.
Chemical paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fdlout. Airborne pollutants can
f$ll upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage can
take
two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped discolorations,
and small irregular dark
spots etched into the paint
surhce.
Although no defect in the paint job causes
this, Buick
will repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces
of new
vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within 12
months or 12,OOO miles (20 OOO km) of purchase,
whichever comes first.
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Vehicle Identification Number 0
1
0
SAMPLE4UXPM072675 (cml
This is the legal identifier. for your Buick. It appears on a
plate in the front comer
of the instrument panel, on the
driver’s side.
You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside, your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service
Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in your VIN is the engme code for
your
GM engine. This code will help you identify your
engine, specifications, and replacement parts
in this
section.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label on your spare tire cover in the coupe
or sedan.
In the wagon, you’ll find the label on the wheel
well (remove the spare tire cover to expose the wheel
well). It’s very helpful
if you ever need to order parts.. On
this label is:
Your VIN.
Its model designation.
Paint information.
A list of all production options and special equipment.
Be sure that
this label is not. removed from. the vehicle.
Add-on Electrical Equipment
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I
I
Part 7 Maintenance Schedule
IMPORTANT
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
'LEVEL AND CHANGE
AS
RECOMMENDED
This part covers the maintenance
required for your Buick. Your vehicle
needs these services to retain
its safety,
dependability and emission control
performance.
Have you purchased the
GM Protection Plan?
The Plan supplements your
new vehicle warranties.
See your Buick dealer
for details.
part 7 includes:
Introduction
A Word About Maintenance ...................... .276
Your Vehicle and the Environment ................. ,276
How This Part is Organized ...................... .276
A.. Scheduled Maintenance Services
Using Your Maintenance Schedules ................ .278
Selecting the Right Schedule ...................... ,279
Schedule1 ..................................... 280
Schedule I1 ................................... .282
Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services .... -284
At Each Fuel Fill .............................. .287
B. Owner Checks and Services
At Least Once a Month ......................... .287
At Least Once a Year ........................... .288
C. Periodic Maintenance Inspections ................ .290
D. Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ............ .292
E. Maintenance Record. .......................... .295
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Introduction
A Word,About Maintenance
We at General Motors want to help you keep your vehicle
in good working condition. But we don’t know exactly
how you’ll drive it. You may drive very short distances
only a few times a week. Or you may drive long
distances all the time in very hot, dusty weather. You
may use. your vehicle
in making deliveries. Or you may
drive it to work, to do errands or in many other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their GM
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may even need
more frequent checks and replacements than you will
find
in the schedules in this part. So please read this part
and note how you drive.
If you have any questions on
how to keep your vehicle in good condition, see your
Buick dealer, the place many GM owners choose to have
their maintenance work done. Your dealer can be relied
upon to use proper parts and practices.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but
also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance or the
removal
of important components can significantly affect
the quality
of the air we breathe. Improper fluid levels or
even the wrong tire inflation can increase the level of
emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to help keep your vehicle in
good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
How This Part is Organized
The remainder of this part is divided into five sections:
“Section
A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows
what to have done and how often. Some
of these services
can
be complex, so unless you are technically qualified
and have the necessary equipment, you should let your
dealer’s service department or another qualified service
center do these
jobs.
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