1994 BUICK CENTURY Owners Manual

Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy or Oily Stains
Such as grease, oil, butter, margarine, shoe polish,
coffee with cream, chewing gum, cosmetic creams,
vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar and asphalt.
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain.
0 Follow the solvent-type instructions described
earlier.
0 Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and asphalt will stain if
left
on a vehicle seat fabric. They should be removed
as
soon as possible. Be careful, because the cleaner
will dissolve them and may cause them to spread.
Non-Greasy Stains
Such as catsup, coffee (black), egg, fruit, fruit juice,
milk, soft drinks, wine, vomit, urine and blood.
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain, then sponge the
0 If a stain remains, follow the foam-type instructions
soiled
area with cool water.
described earlier.
0 If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine, treat
the area with
a waterbaking soda solution:
1 teaspoon
(5 ml) of baking soda to 1 cup (250 ml)
of lukewarm water.
If needed, clean lightly with solvent-type cleaner.
Combination Stains
Such as candy, ice cream, mayonnaise, chili sauce and
unknown stains.
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain, then clean with
0 If a stain remains, clean it with solvent-type cleaner.
cool water and allow
to dry.
Cleaning Vinyl
Use
warm water and a clean cloth.
0 Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You
0 Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain if
may have
to
do it more than once.
you don’t get them off quickly. Use a clean cloth and
a solvent-type vinyl cleaner.
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Cleaning Leather
Use a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap or
saddle soap.
For stubborn stains, use a mild solution of 10%
isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and
90% water.
Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive
cleaners, furniture polish or shoe polish on leather.
Soiled leather should be cleaned immediately. If dirt
is allowed to work into finish, it can harm the
leather.
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces
of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones or
waxes may cause annoying reflections in
the windshield
and even make it difficult to see through the windshield
under certain conditions.
Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM
Part No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner
will remove normal tobacco smoke and
dust films.
Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may
cause scratches. Avoid placing decals on the inside rear
window, since they may have to be scraped
off later. If
abrasive cleaners are used on the inside of the rear
window, an electric defogger element may be damaged.
Any temporary license should not be attached across the
defogger grid.
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Cleaning the Outside of the
Windshield, Backglass and Wiper
Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or if the wiper blade chatters when running, wax
or other material may be on the blade or windshield.
Clean the outside
of the windshield with GM
Windshield Cleaner, Bon-Ami Powder@ (GM Part
No.
105001 1). The windshield is clean if beads do not form
when
you rinse it with water.
Clean the blade by wiping vigorously with a cloth
soaked in full strength windshield washer solvent. Then
rinse
the blade with water.
Wiper blades should be checked on a regular basis and
replaced when worn.
Cleaning the Outside of Your Buick
The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is to keep
it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold
water.
Don’t wash your vehicle
in the direct rays of the sun.
Don’t use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Use
liquid hand, dish or car washing (mild detergent) soaps.
Don’t use cleaning agents that contain acid or abrasives.
All cleaning agents should be flushed promptly and not
allowed
to dry on the surface, or they could stain. Dry
the finish with a soft, clean chamois or a
100% cotton
towel to avoid surface scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter your
vehicle.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your Buick may
be necessary to remove residue from the paint
finish. You
can get GM approved cleaning products from your dealer.
(See “Appearance Care and Materials” in the Index.)
Your Buick has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint finish. The
clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
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basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat paint
finish.
I
I NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing
on a basecoatklearcoat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)
Your aluminum wheels have a protective coating similar
to the painted surface
of your buick. Don’t use strong
soaps, chemicals, chrome polish, abrasive cleaners
or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because you could
damage this coating. After rinsing thoroughly,
a wax
may be applied.
NOTICE:
If you have aluminum wheels, don’t use an
automatic vehicle wash that has hard silicon
carbide cleaning brushes. These brushes can
take
off the protective coating.
White Sidewall Tires
Your Buick dealer has a GM White Sidewall Tire
Cleaner.
You can use a stiff brush with the cleaner.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth
at least every six
months. During very cold, damp weather more frequent
application may be required. (See “Recommended Fluids
& Lubricants’’ in the Index.)
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
to remove foreign matter.
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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 fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall 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 surface.
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 12,000 miles (20
000 km) of purchase,
whichever comes first.
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Appearance Care and Maintenance Materials
You can get these from your Buick dealer.
I I I
PART
I NUMBER I SIZE I DESCRIPTION I USAGE
See Your Maintenance Schedule for Other Products
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Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
I 1111 11111 11 11 I I 111 I 11 111n1 111 I 11111 111 I 11111111 11 1111 111 11 I 111111 II I
I
ENGINE A4 f ASSEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR PLANT
mII I1 111111111 I111 111 1111l111111111111111111111111111111111111l111 II=
SAMPLE4UXRM072675 I
This is the legal identifier for your Buick. It appears on
a plate in the front corner 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 engine code.
This code will help you identify your engine,
specifications, and replacement parts.
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:
0 your VIN,
0 the model designation,
paint information, and
0 a list of all production options and special.
equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
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Add-on Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don’t add anything electrical to your Buick
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn’t be covered
by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working
as they
should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your Buick, see “Servicing
Your Air Bag-Equipped Buick” in the Index.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by
a combination of fuses, circuit breakers,
and fusible thermal links
in the wiring itself. This
greatly reduces the chance of fires caused by electrical
problems.
The fuse panel is located inside the glove box,
on the
left side.
To change a fuse, open the glove box. Pull down on the
fuse panel latch and open the door. Pull the fuse straight
out.
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