1996 BUICK CENTURY towing

To help avoid injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
0 Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
0 Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.
0 Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being
towed.
U
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle.
Always use
T-hooks inserted in the
T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle
is being towed, have the ignition
key
in the OFF position. 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 (N) and the
parking brake released.
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Front Towing
Tow Limit,s -- 35 mph (56 krn/h), 50 miles (80 km)
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be sure to read all the
information in “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in this part.
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 exceed the above limits or your
transaxle will be damaged. If these limits must be
exceeded, then the front wheels have to be supported
on
a dolly.
1. Attach T-hook chains behind the front wheels, into
the bottom of the floor pan, on both sides.
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p.
F
4. Attach a separate safety chain around the outboard
end
of each lower control arm.
Rear Towing
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be sure to read all
the information
in “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in
this section.
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 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.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains’’ in the Index.
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 REVERSE
(R) 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 Vehicle” in the Index.
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Automatic Transaxle Fluid
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level
is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90” F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do
not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
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 your Buick dealership’s
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.
~~
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting
a fire. Be sure to
get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle fluid.
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Maintenance Scl aule
1 Short Trip/City Definition 1
Follow the Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule if any
one
of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
a
a
a
a
0
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures
are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving
in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty
areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your car. (With some models, you should never tow a
trailer. See “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.)
If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
One
of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine oil to break
down sooneE
Short Trip/City Intervals -
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Chassis Lubrication
(or
6 months, whichever occurs first).
At 6,000 Miles (10 000 km) -- Then Every
12,000 Miles (20 000 km): Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Inspection, if driving in dusty conditions.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System Inspection
(2.2L Code 4 engine only).
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Cooling System
Service
(or every 60 months, whichever occurs first).
Spark Plug Wire Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.
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I Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule I I I
50,000 Miles (83 000 km) 1 51,000 Miles (85 000 km)
0 Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter
if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90 OF
(32 O C) or higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
delivery service.
Ifyou do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions,
the fluid and filter do not require changing.
I DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE SERVICED BY:
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
-
DATE
SERVICED BY: ACTUAL MILEAGE I- --<-. _*--- - -
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I Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule I
100,000 Miles (166 000 km)
17 Drain, flush and refill cooling system
(or every
60 months since last service,
whichever occurs first). See “Engine
Coolant’’ in the Index for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser,
pressure cap and neck. Pressure test
cooling system and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
Inspect spark plug wires.
0 Replace spark plugs.
0 Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter
if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90 OF
(32°C) or higher.
An Emission Control Service.
An
Emission Control Service.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of
these conditions, the fluid and filter do not
require changing.
DATE SERVICED BY ACTUAL MILEAGE
~ .. ~ - - z - ~- -_ .~~_ - :_ ~~ -. ..
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