1997 BUICK CENTURY coolant

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES
BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
ACID COULD
&
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
. K
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
These symbols have to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e
TURN
WARNING
A
HAZARD
FLASHER
RUNNING
' 0
DAYTIME rn
LAMPS .*
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
These symbols are used
on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE t
COOLANT - tm
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
1
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
t
LIGHTER
HORN
)cr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
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Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Buick, and information on starting, shifting
and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you
if everything is working
properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2-2
2-4
2-9
2- 14
2-15
2-16 2-17
2-17
2- 19
2-20
3-22
2-26
2-27
2-29
2-30
2-30
2-3 1
Keys
Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry TrUnk
Theft
PASS-Key@ I1
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Parking Brake
Shifting Into PARK
(P)
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Parking Over Things That Burn
Engine Exhaust
Running Your Engine While
You’re Parked 2-32
2-33
2-33
2-34
2-4 1
2-44
2-46
2-49
2-50
2-50
2-5 1.
2-52
2-52
2-53
2-54
2-55 Windows
Horn
Tilt Steering Wheel
Turn SignalMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Ashtrays and Lighter
Sun Visors
Auxiliary Power Connection
Sunroof
Cellular Phone Provisions
Instrument Panel
-- Your Information System
Instrument Panel Cluster
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
2-1
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2. If your engine won’t start (or starts but then stops), it
could be flooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for up to 15 seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the
way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather, 0” F (- 1 8 “C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum
of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
2-20
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To Use the Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord
is attached to the diagonal brace near the
coolant recovery tank.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt AC outlet.
I
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind
of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire.
You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least
15 amps.
I
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away from
moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends
on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil
you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Buick dealer in the area where you’ll be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you
the best advice for
that particular area.
2-21
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Engine Coolant Temperature Light Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
h -
TEMP
This light
tells you that your
engine coolant has
overheated or your radiator
cooling fan is not working.
The light should come on
briefly when your ignition
is turned on to show you
that it is working.
TEMPERATURE
You have a gage that shows
the engine coolant
temperature. If the gage
pointer moves into the red
area, your engine is too hot!
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index. That reading means
the same thing as the warning light.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
2-60
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Low Coolant Warning Light
LOW COOLANT
If this light comes on, your
system
is low on coolant
and the engine may
overheat. See “Engine
Coolant” in the Index and
have your vehicle serviced
as soon as you can. The
light will come on briefly
when your ignition is turned
on to show
you that it is
working properly.
Low Traction Light
LOW TRAC
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid,
this light will come on.
(Also see “Anti-Lock Brake
System Active Light”
earlier
in this section.)
Slippery road conditions may exist if the low traction
light comes on,
so adjust your driving accordingly. The
light will stay on for a few seconds after the anti-lock
system stops adjusting brake pressure.
The
LOW TRAC light also comes 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 there to tell you when
the anti-lock brake system is active.
2-61
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Change Oil Soon Light Security Light
CHANGE OIL
SOON
Your
CHANGE OIL SOON
light should come on as a
bulb check when you start
the engine. If this light stays
on for about 20 seconds
after
you turn on the
ignition, have the
oil chaneed. SECURITY
This light will come on
when
you turn the key to
START and stay on until the
vehicle starts. It will also
flash if your key
is too dirty
or wet for the PASS-Key I1
system to read the resistor
pellet. See “Pass-Key
11” in
the Index.
When to change your oil also depends
on driving habits
and conditions because they directly affect engine speed,
coolant temperature and vehicle speed. Because of this,
the
CHANGE OIL SOON light may come on as early as
2,000 miles (3,200 km) or less for harsh conditions.
Remember, after changing your engine oil, the system
must be reset; with the ignition key
in the RUN position,
but
the engine off, fully push and release the accelerator
pedal three times within five seconds.
If the CHANGE
OIL SOON light flashes two times, the system is reset.
However
if the light comes on and stays on for five
seconds,
it did not reset. You’ll need to reset the
system again. If
the resistor pellet is damaged or missing, the light will
come on.
If you’re driving and the SECURITY light comes on
and remains on, your PASS-Key I1 system is not
working properly. Your vehicle is not protected by
PASS-Key
11, and you should see your dealer.
2-66
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Heating
On cold days, use HTR with the temperature knob all
the way in the red area. The system will bring in outside
air, heat it and send it to the floor ducts.
If your vehicle has an engine coolant heater, you can use
it to help your system provide warm air faster when it’s
cold outside
(OOF (- 18°C) or lower). An engine coolant
heater warms the coolant your engine and heating
system use to provide heat. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in the Index.
Ventilation
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed,
use VENT to direct outside air
through your vehicle. Your vehicle also has the
flow-through ventilation system described later in
this section.
Defogging and Defrosting
Your system has two settings for clearing the front and
side windows.
To defrost the windows quickly, use
FRONT with the temperature knob all the way in the red
area.
To warm passengers while keeping the windows
clear, use
BLEND.
Dual ComforTemp Climate Control
(If Equipped)
With this system, the driver and passenger can maintain
separate temperatures. The system works best
if you
keep your windows closed while using it.
Fan Control
The left knob labeled FAN controls the fan
speed selection.
If the airflow seems very low when the fan knob is turned
to the highest setting regardless of the mode setting, your
passenger compartment
air filter may need to be replaced.
See “Maintenance Schedule’’ in
the Index.
3-4
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