1993 BUICK CENTURY check engine

ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have it fixed right away.
Sometimes when the engine is idling at a stop, the light
may blink on and
off. This is normal.
If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a
moment.
This is normal.
1 A CAUTIONS
Don't keep driving if the oil pmssure is low. If
you do, your engine can become QO hot that It
catches flm. "ybu or others could be burned.
Check wur oil as soon as possible end have
your t rlcle senrlced.
I
Battery Light
The battery warning light
will come on briefly when
you
turn on the ignition,
but the engine is not
running, as a check to
show
you it is wcrking. Then it
should go out. If it stays on,
or comes on while you are
driving, you may have a
problem with the electrical
charging system. It could
indicate that you have a
or another electrical
. ., . loose generator drive belt
problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to
turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
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X"' 1 r-l
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
A computer monitors
I operation of your fuel,
ignition and. emission
control systems. This light should come on when the
ignition is on, but the
engine is not running, as a
check to show
you it is
working.
If it does not
come on at all, have it fixed
right away.
If it stays on, or
it comes on while you are
driving, the computer is
I
indicating that you have a problem. You should take your
vehicle in
for service soon.
Liftgate Ajar Warning Light (Wagon)
.-
- The "TAILGATE AJAR"
~ light on your instrument
panel
will come on if your
I
TAI! GAY E
ALAR
liftgate is not completely
1 closed.
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Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out.
Of course, you’ll
find experienced and able service experts in Buick
dealerships
all across North America. They’ll be ready
and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before
a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
hel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all
Lights: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free
trip.
Is the tread good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to the recommended
pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along
your route? Should you delay your trip a short time to
avoid a major storm system?
levels?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
On the Road
Unless you
are the only driver, it is good to share the
driving task with others. Limit
turns behind the wheel to
about
100 miles (160 km) or two hours at a sitting. Then,
either change drivers or stop for some refreshment like
coffee, tea or
sol3 drinks and some limbering up. But do
stop and move around. Eat lightly along the way. Heavier
meals tend
to make some people sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided multilane highways
that do not have controlled access, you’ll want to watch for some situations not usually found on freeways.
Examples are: stop signs and signals, shopping centers
with direct access to the highway, no passing zones and school zones, vehicles turning left and right
off the road,
pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles, and even animals.
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the .wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum
of the tires on the
road, the drone
of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it \
happen to you!
If it does, your vehicle can leave the road
in
less than a second, and you could crash and be
injured.
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If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
J 1
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you
know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some things
to do to summon help and keep yourself and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers. Tie a red cloth to your
vehicle to alert police that you’ve been stopped by the
snow.
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.
I-
I A 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.
I CAUTION (Continued)
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Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation
are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling. system, and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
‘will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a
good idea to review these sections before you
start your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
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‘
A CAUTION:
Mu could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set
the parking brake firmly
on each vehicle. Put
an automatic transaxle
in “P” (Park) or a
manual transaxle
in “N” (Neutral). I
3. ”urn off the igni;,,n on both vehicles. lwLLL all .,hts
that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid sparla
and help save both batteries. And it could save your radio!
If you leave your radio OI,, it could be badl,
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
I 1
A CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine
is not running and can Injure you. Keep
hands, clothing and tools
away from any
underhood electric fan.
I
Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
-
/1 CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause
battery gas to explode. People have been hurt
doing this, and some have been blinded.
Use a
flashlight If you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. Mu
don’t need to add water to the Delco
Freedom@ battery installed
in every new GM
vehicle. But if a battery has filler caps, be sure
the
right amount of fluid is there. If it is low,
add water to take care of that first. It you don’t,
explosive gas could be present.
Battery
fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you. Ifyou accidentally get it in
your
eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
-
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or missing insulation.
If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
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I
The coolant level should be at or above the “FULL
HOT” mark.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
1 [ CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very
hot. Don’t touch them. If
you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there
is a leak. If you run
the engine,
it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, check to see if the electric
engine
f8n is running. If the engine is overheating, the f8n
should be running. If it isn’t, your vehicle needs service. \
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Recovery lhnk
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at or above
“ADD:’ add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and a proper antifreeze at the
coolant recovery
tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the
Index for more information about the proper coolant
mix.)
i
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The coolant should be at or slightly above the “FULL
HOT” mark. If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the
radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water pump or
somewhere else in the cooling system.
A CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very
hot. Don’t touch them. If
you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t
run the engine if there __ a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an engine fire, and you could be
burned. Get any leak fixed before you drive the
vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, check to see if the electric
engine
fan is running. If the engine is overheating, the fhn
should
be running. If it isn’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Recovery Tl[)ank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t above
“ADD:’ add a 50/50 mixture of clean water
(preferably distilled) and the proper antifreeze at the
coolant recovery
tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index
for more information about the proper coolant mix.)
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