1994 BUICK CENTURY Owners Manual

.
@) Part 6 Service and Appearance Care
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Here you will find information about the care of your Buick . This part begins with service and fuel information.
and then
it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels . There is also technical information about your
vehicle. and a section devoted to its appearance care
.
Part 6 includes:
Service ........................................................................\
..
Fuel ........................................................................\
.....
HoodRelease .....................................................................
EngineOil ....................................................................... \
Aircleaner ....................................................................... \
TransaxleFluid ....................................................................
Enginecoolant ....................................................................
Powersteering ....................................................................
Windshield Washer Fluid ............................................................
Brakes ........................................................................\
...
Battery ........................................................................\
..
BulbReplacement .................................................................
LoadingYourVehicle ...............................................................
Tires ........................................................................\
....
Appearancecare ..................................................................
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) ..................................................
Fuses and Circuit Breakers ...........................................................
ReplacementBulbs .................................................................
Capacities and Specifications .........................................................
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213 218
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227
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236 238
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254 258
259
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Service
Your Buick dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you’ll
go to your
dealer for all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM
parts and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want
to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one
of these marks:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper Buick Service Manual. It tells you
much more about
how to service your Buick than this
manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service Publications” in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Buick”
in the Index. You
should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
NOTICE:
If you try to do your own service work without
knowing enough about it, your vehicle could be
damaged.
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Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. It should meet specifications ASTM
D4814 in
the U.S. and CGSB
3.5-92 in Canada. These fuels
should have the proper additives,
so you should not have
to add anything
to the fuel.
In the
U.S. and Canada, it’s easy to be sure you get the
right kind
of gasoline (unleaded). You’ll see
“UNLEADED’ right on the pump. And only unleaded
nozzles will fit into your vehicle’s filler neck.
Be sure
the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at
87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry if
you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
What about gasoline with blending materials that
contain oxygen (oxygenates), such as MTBE or alcohol? MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl
ether.’’ Fuel that
is no
more than 15% MTBE is fine for your vehicle.
Ethanol is ethyl or grain alcohol. Properly-blended fuel
that is
no more than 10% ethanol is fine for your
vehicle.
Methanol is methyl or wood alcohol.
NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol is bad for
your vehicle. Don’t use it. It can corrode metal
parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty. And even at
5%
or less, there must be “cosolvents” and
corrosion preventers in this fuel to help avoid
these problems.
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Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control additives will
help prevent deposits from forming in your engine and
fuel system. That helps keep your engine in tune and
your emission control system working properly. It’s
good for your vehicle, and you’ll be doing your part for
cleaner air.
Many gasolines are now blended with oxygenates.
General Motors recommends that you use gasolines with
these blending materials, such as MTBE and ethanol. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high carbon monoxide
levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated gasoline. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station operators if their
gasolines contain deposit control additives and
oxygenates, and if
they have been reformulated to
reduce vehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
U.S. or Canada, unleaded fuel may be hard to find. Do
not use leaded gasoline. If you use even one tankful,
your emission controls won’t work well or at all. With
continuous use, spark plugs can get fouled, the exhaust
system can corrode, and your engine oil can deteriorate
quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor will be damaged.
All of that means
costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write
us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation,
North American Export Sales (NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
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I
Filling Your Tank The cap is behind a hinged door on the left side of your
vehicle.
To take off the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise).
Be careful not
to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside of Your Buick” in the Index.
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When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right until
you hear at least three clicks.
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get
the wrong type, it may not fit or have proper
venting, and your fuel tank and emissions system might be damaged.
Checking Things Under the Hood
Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the vehicle.
It is located on the
lower left side of the
instrument panel.
Then go
to the front of the
vehicle and release the
secondary hood release.
Lift the hood.
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Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on
level ground.
Before closing the hood, be sure
all the filler caps are on
properly. Then just pull the
hood down and close it
firmly. The 3100 V6 engine oil dipstick is located near the front
and center
of the engine compartment.
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The 2.2L L4 engine oil dipstick is located in the fill cap
near the front and center of the engine compartment.
Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t,
the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
To Check Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push
it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip lower, and check the level.
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