1994 BUICK CENTURY tow

When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed
for towing service. Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock
for this. The transaxle should be in
Neutral and the parking brake released.
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Don’t have your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels,
don’t go more than 35 mph (56 km/h) or
farther than
50 miles (80 km) or your transaxle will be
damaged. If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
Front Towing Hookups
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be sure to read all the
information in “Towing Your Buick” earlier in this part.
1. Attach T-hook chains behind the front wheels into
the bottom
of the floor pan on both sides.
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4. Attach a separate safety chain around the outboard
end of each lower control arm.
Rear Towing Hookups
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be sure to read all the
information
in “Towing Your Buick” earlier in this part.
1. Attach T-hook chains on both sides in the slotted
holes
in the floor pan just ahead of the rear wheels.
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I
2. Position the lower sling crossbar directly under the
rear bumper. 3. Attach a separate safety chain to each side of the
axle inboard of the spring.
4. Be certain your vehicle is towed no faster than 35 mph
(56 km/h) and no farther than 50 miles (80 km) to avoid
damage
to your transaxle.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage or the warning
light about a hot engine on
your Buick’s instrument
panel.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when
you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
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10. Then replace the
pressure cap. At any
time during this
procedure if coolant
begins to flow
out of the
filler neck, reinstall the
pressure cap. Be sure
the arrows on pressure cap line up like this.
11. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level in
the coolant recovery tank should be at the
“HOT”
mark when the engine is hot or at the “ADD” mark
when the engine
is cold.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are
a few
tips about what
to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your
foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid.
In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way
you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but
you can still steer. Gently
brake to
a stop, well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use
your jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
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Place the spare on the
wheel mounting surface.
Replace the wheel nuts
with the rounded end
of the
nuts toward the wheel.
Tighten each
nut by hand
until the wheel
is held
against
the hub.
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If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels. The method known as “rocking”
can help you get out when you’re stuck, but you must
use caution.
I NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between
“R” (Reverse) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little
as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when
the transaxle is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed
out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Buick”
in the Index.
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