1996 BUICK CENTURY oil level

Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave
the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance.
If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed
is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend
to think you are going
s1owe.r than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive
in.
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:
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Windshield Wclsher Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they
in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil,
Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Larnps: 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?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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(ACA u TT” I:
An electric fan under the hood 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.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t
do anything else until it cools down.
2.2L L4 Engine
3.1L V6 Engine
The coolant level should be at 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.
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A C U-ION:
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.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fan is running. If the engine is
overheating, the fan should
be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t at ADD, add a
50/50 mixture of clean water
(preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze at
the coolant recovery tank. (See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain
water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain
water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use
a 50/50 mix of clean
water and DEX-COOL
TM antifreeze.
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Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not
to drop or spill
Underhood Lamp
Your underhood lamp is designed to come on whenever
you raise the hood.
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.
things that will burn onto a hot engine. 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
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps
are on properly.
Then lift the hood
to relieve pressure on the hood prop.
Remove the hood prop from the slot in the hood and
return the prop
to its retainer. Then just let the hood
down and close
it firmly. might
not show the actual level.
Checking 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 down, and check the level.
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I
When to Add Oil What Kind of Oil to ‘Use
1
If the oil is at or below the ADD line, then you’ll
need to add some oil. But you must use the right kind.
This
part explains what kind of oil to use. For crankcase
I capacity, see “Capacities and Specifications” in
+he Index. Oils recommended
for your vehicle can be identified by
looking for the “Starburst” symbol.
This symbol
indicates that the oil has been certified by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).
Do not use any oil which
does not carry this Starburst symbol.
NOTICE:
Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched.area that shows the proper
’,
operating range, your engine could be damaged.
Just fill it enough to put the level somewhere in the
proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when you’re through.
If you change your
own
oil, be sure
you use oil that has
the Starburst symbol
on the front
of the
oil container.
If you have your oil changed for you, be
sure the oil put
into your engine is American Petroleum Institute
certified for gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your
vehicle, as shown in the following chart:
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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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Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
I
LE
IMPORTANT:
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
,VEL AND CHANGE
RECOMMENDED
AS
This section covers the maintenance required for your
Buick. Your vehicle needs these services to retain its
safety, dependability and emission control performance.
Protectiob.
Plan
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements
your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet, or your Buick
dealer
for details.
Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality
of the air we breathe. Improper fluid
levels or the wrong tire inflation can increase the level
of emissions from your vehicle.
To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle
in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
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Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed below are owner checks and services which
should be performed at the intervals specified to help
ensure the safety, dependability and emission control
performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in Part
D.
Engine Cc --ant - - el Chc -’L
Check the engine coolant level and add the proper
coolant mix if necessary. See “Engine Coolant” in
the
Index for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the
windshield washer tank and add the proper fluid if
necessary. See “Windshield Washer Fluid” in the Index
for further details.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant to
perform these underhood checks at each fuel fill.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation Check
Engine Oil Level Check Make sure tires are inflated to the correct pressures.
See “Tires”
in the Index for further details.
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil
if necessary. See “Engine Oil” in the Index for
further details.
Cassette Deck Service
Clean cassette deck. Cleaning should be done every
50 hours of tape play. See “Audio Systems” in the
Index for further details.
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