1996 BUICK CENTURY reset

For steady wiping at low speed, turn the band away
from you to the
LO position. For high-speed wiping,
turn the band further, to
HI. To stop the wipers, move
the band
to OFF.
Remember that damaged wiper blades may prevent you
from seeing well enough to
drive safely. To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them.
If they’re frozen to the
windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them.
If your blades
do become damaged, get new blades
or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wiper motor.
A
circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools. Clear
away snow Or ice to prevent an overload.
Windshield Washer
At the top of the turn signal/multifunction lever, there’s
a paddle with the word
PUSH on it. To spray washer
fluid on the windshield,
push the paddle.
If you push the paddle for less than one second, washer
fluid will spray three to four times while the wiper
blades cycle. If you push the paddle longer than one
second, washer fluid will spray as long as the paddle is
held. When you release the paddle, the wiper blades will
cycle three to four more times to clear the window and
then either stop or return to your preset speed.
Driving without washer fluid can be dangerous.
A bad
mud splash can block your vision. You could hit another
vehicle or go
off the road. Check your washer fluid level
often. See “Windshield Washer Fluid”
in the Index.
AUTION:
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
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Resuming a Set Speed Increasing Speed While U
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts off
the cruise control. But
you don’t need to reset it.
Once you’re going about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can move the cruise control switch from ON to
R/A (Resume/Accelerate) for about half
a second.
You’ll go right back up
to your chosen speed and
stay there.
If you hold the switch at R/A longer than half a second,
the vehicle will keep going faster until you release the
switch or apply the brake. You could be startled and
even lose control.
So unless you want to go faster, don’t
hold the switch at
WA.
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speea.
Push the
SET button at the end of the lever, then
release the button and the accelerator pedal.
You’ll
now cruise at the higher speed.
Move the cruise switch from ON to WA. Hold it
there until you get up to the speed
you want, and
then release the switch.
(To increase your speed in
very small amounts, move the switch
to R/A for
less than half a second and then release it. Each
time you do this, your vehicle will go
1 mph
(1.6 km/h) faster.)
The accelerate feature will only work after you turn on
the cruise control by pushing the SET button.
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
0 Push in the SET button at the end of the lever until
you reach the lower speed you want, then release it.
0 To slow down in very small amounts, push the SET
button for less than half a second. Each time you do
this, you’ll go
1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
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Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (kmh). Your
odometer shows how far your vehicle has been driven,
in either miles (used in the United States) or kilometers
(used in Canada).
Your Buick has a “tamper-resistant odometer.” If
you
can see very noticeable bright silver lines between the
numbers, someone has probably tried to turn it back.
The numbers may not be true.
You may wonder what happens if a vehicle has to have
a new odometer installed. If possible, the new one has
to be set
to the same reading as the old one. If it can’t
be, then it’s set at zero, and a label on the driver’s door
must show the old reading and when the new one
was installed.
Trip Odometer
The trip odometer can tell you how many miles you
have driven since
you last set it to zero. To reset it, push
the button
on the instrument cluster.
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that may
be
on your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention
to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s hnctions.
As you will
see in the details
on the next few pages, some warning
lights come on briefly when you
start the engine just to let
you know they’re working. If you are familiar with this
section, you should not be alarmed when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one
of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to
let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when
you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
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If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your
regular brakes. Pull
off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may go closer to the floor. It may take longer
to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Vehicle” in the Index.)
I
Your regular brake system may not be working
properly if the anti-lock brake system warning
light is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock
brake system warning light flashing can lead
to an accident. After you’ve pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition
off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays
on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Buick needs service.
If the
light is on
but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when
you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
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In addition to the four stations set as above, up to three
additional stations may be preset on each band by
pressing two adjoining buttons at the same time. Just:
1. Tune in the desired station.
2. Press SET. (The SET indicator will appear on
3. Press any two adjoining pushbuttons at the same
the
display.)
time (within five seconds).
4. Whenever you press the same buttons, the station
you
set will return.
Setting the Tone
BASS:
Slide this lever up to increase bass and down to
decrease it.
TREBLE: Slide this lever up to increase treble and
down to decrease it. If a station is weak or noisy, slide
the lever down
to reduce the noise.
Adjusting the Speakers
BAL:
This control behind the upper knob adjusts the
sound between the right and
left speakers.
FADE: This control behind the lower knob adjusts the
sound between your front and rear speakers.
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
(Option)
Playing the Radio
VOL: Turn the upper knob to turn the radio on and off
and control the volume. When the ignition is
off, press
the knob to display the time.
Finding a Station
AM-FM: Press the lower knob to select AM or FM.
TUNE: Turn the lower knob to choose radio stations.
SEEK: Press this button to go to the next higher station
and stay there.
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SCAN: Press this button to hear each station for a few
seconds. The radio will go to
a station, stop for a few
seconds, then go on to the next station. SCAN appears
on the display. Press SCAN again to stop scanning.
PUSHBUTTONS: The four numbered pushbuttons let
you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to
14 stations (seven
AM and seven FM).
1. Find the station you want by using TUNE.
2. Press SET. (The SET indicator will appear briefly on
3. Press one of the four pushbuttons, within five
the
display.)
seconds. Whenever
you press that numbered button,
the station
you set will return.
4. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
In addition to the four stations set
as above, up to three
additional stations may be preset on each band by
pressing two adjoining buttons at the same time. Just:
1. Tune in the desired station.
2. Press SET. (The SET indicator will appear on the
3. Press any two adjoining pushbuttons at the same
4. Whenever you press the same buttons, the station
display.)
time (within five seconds).
you set will return.
Setting the Tone
BASS:
Slide this lever up to increase bass and down to
decrease it.
TREBLE: Slide this lever up to increase treble and
down to decrease it.
If a station is weak or noisy, slide
the lever down to reduce the noise.
Adjusting the Speakers
BAL:
This control behind the upper knob adjusts the
sound between the right and left speakers.
FADE: This control behind the lower knob adjusts the
sound between your front and rear speakers.
Playing a Cassette Tape
Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are
30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes longer than
that are
so thin they may not work well in this player.
While the tape is playing, use the VOL, FADE, BAL,
TREBLE and
BASS controls just as you do for the
radio. The display will show an arrow to show which
side
of the tape is playing. When the right indicator
arrow is lit, selections listed on the bottom side
of the
cassette are playing. When the left arrow
is lit,
selections listed on the top side of the cassette are
playing. The tape player automatically begins playing
the other side when it reaches the end
of the tape.
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Add coolant mix at the recovery tank, but be careful not
to spill it.
'B CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and
it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don't spill coolant on a hot engine.
Radiator Pressure Cap
NOTICE:
Your radiator cap is a 15 psi (105 kPa)
pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed to
prevent coolant loss and possible engine damage
from overheating. Be sure the arrows on the cap
line up with the overflow tube on the radiator
filler neck.
When you replace your radiator pressure cap, an AC@
cap is recommended.
Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat
in the engine coolant system. The thermostat stops the
flow of coolant through the radiator until the coolant
reaches a preset temperature.
When you replace your thermostat, an
AC' thermostat
is recommended.
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In most cases, you will not need to have your wheels
aligned again. However, if you notice
unusual tire wear
or your vehicle pulling
one way or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset. If
you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
Wl 21 Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the
wheel leaks air, replace
it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
Buick dealer if any
of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind
of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the
one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new
GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have the
right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel
nuts for your
Buick model. Using
the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous. It
could affect the braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your
tires lose air and make you lose
control. You could have
a collision in which you or
others could be injured. Always use the correct
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer
or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
~ ~~ ~~~~~ ~ ~
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for more
information.
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