1997 BUICK CENTURY ignition

0
a
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information about
the
air bag system. The module records information
about the readiness
of the system, when the sensors
are activated and driver’s safety belt usage at
deployment.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air
bag system. Improper service can mean that your
air bag system won’t work properly. See your
dealer for service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s
air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the
air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s
air bag. Do not open or
break the
air bag coverings.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Buick
Air bags affect how your Buick should be serviced.
There are parts
of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don’t want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
Buick dealer and the Century Service Manual have
information about servicing your vehicle and the air bag
system. To purchase a service manual, see “Service and
Owner Publications” in the Index.
I
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can
still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured
if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape
or yellow connectors. They are probably
part of
the air bag system.
Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you
is qualified to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
ProCarManuals.com

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
ProCarManuals.com

Keys
e
Leaving young children in a vehicle with the
ignition key is dangerous for many reasons.
A child or others could be badly injured or
even killed.
They could operate power windows or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. Don't
leave the keys in a vehicle with young children.
2-2
ProCarManuals.com

The ignition keys are for the
ignition only.
1
The door keys are for the
doors and all other locks.
When a new Buick is delivered, the dealer removes the
plugs from the door keys and gives them
to the
first owner. The ignition
keys don’t have plugs. Your Buick dealer or
Roadside Assistance has the code for your keys.
Each plug has a code on it that tells your dealer or
a
qualified locksmith how to make extra door keys. Keep
the plugs in a safe place.
If you lose your door keys,
you’ll be able to have new ones made easily using
these plugs.
If
you need a new ignition key, contact your Buick
dealer who can obtain the correct key code, or, in an
emergency, call Buick Roadside Assistance at
1-800-252-1112.
I NOTICE:
Your Buick has a number of features that can
help prevent theft. But you can have a lot of
trouble getting into your vehicle if you ever
lock your keys inside. You may even have to
damage your vehicle
to get in. So be sure you
have extra keys.
2-3
ProCarManuals.com

Power Door Locks
L .I
Press the power door lock
switch to lock or unlock
all doors.
The rear doors do not have power door lock switches.
The lever
on each rear door works only that door’s lock.
It won’t lock or unlock all the doors.
Lockout Prevention Feature
This feature prevents a driver who has left the key in the
vehicle’s ignition from locking the doors by using the
power door locks while any door
is open. The feature
works by disabling the power door locks when a key is
in the ignition and any door is open.
You may override the Lockout Prevention Feature by
holding the power door lock switch in the lock position
for more than three seconds while the key is in the
ignition and any door is open.
Remember, this feature can’t guarantee that you’ll never
be locked out
of your vehicle. If you use the manual
door lock or if you don’t leave the key in the ignition,
you could still lock your keys inside your vehicle.
Always remember to take your keys
with you.
2-5
ProCarManuals.com

Automatic Power Door Locks
Programmable Automatic Power Door Locks is a
standard feature that is intended to provide enhanced
security and convenience by automatically locking and
unlocking doors. This feature provides four operating
modes. For your vehicle, you may select and program
one of the following four operating modes:
Mode 1: No automatic door lock or unlock.
Mode 2: Automatic all-door lock when the transmission
is shifted out of PARK
(P).
No automatic door unlock.
Automatic door relock when any door is unlocked,
opened and then all doors are again closed while the
vehicle is not in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and the
driver’s foot is
on the brake pedal.
Mode 3: Automatic all-door lock when the transmission
is shifted out of PARK (P).
Automatic all-door unlock when the transmission
is
shifted into PARK (P).
Automatic door relock when any door is unlocked,
opened and then all doors are again closed while the
vehicle
is not in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and the
driver’s foot is
on the brake pedal.
Mode 4: Automatic all-door lock when the transmission
is shifted out of PARK (P).
Automatic driver’s door only unlock when the
transmission is shifted into PARK (P).
Automatic door relock when any door
is unlocked,
opened and then all doors are again closed while the
vehicle is not in PARK (P)
or NEUTRAL (N) and the
driver’s foot is
on the brake pedal.
The operating mode of the Programmable Automatic
Power Door Locks will be changed when the driver
performs the following sequence with the doors closed
and the ignition key in the RUN position:
Press and hold the power door lock switch. While
holding the door lock switch, cycle
the transmission out
of and back into PARK (P). After an initial transmission
cycle, each additional cycle will advance the operating
mode by one, starting from
the current operating mode.
During this procedure, the Automatic Door Lock and
Unlock functions will operate as defined by each mode
above, providing the driver with feedback of the current
operating mode. If cycled beyond Mode
4, the vehicle
will enter operating Mode
1. When the door lock switch
is released, the vehicle will remain in the most recent
operating mode.
2-7
ProCarManuals.com

The Programmable Automatic Power Door Locks will
be in operating Mode
3 when your vehicle is shipped
from the factory.
Disconnecting the vehicle battery for up to a year will
not change the programmed mode of the Programmable
Automatic Power Door Locks.
Delayed Locking
Delayed Locking allows the doors to be locked while
passengers
are exiting the vehicle. This feature also
provides a brief time period after all the doors are
closed, but before the doors are locked,
in which the
doors
may be reopened. Delayed Locking is user
programmable for the enabling or disabling of
the function.
Delayed Locking is activated when a door lock switch is
pressed while the key
is not in the vehicle’s ignition, and
a door is open. The door lock switch may be the lock
switch on the door or
on the remote keyless entry
transmitter (see “Remote Keyless Entry” later in this
section for more details). The doors
do not lock when
the lock switch is pressed, but instead, three chimes are
heard. These chimes indicate that the Delayed Locking
function has been activated.
You have three actions possible once Delayed Locking
is activated:
1. Cancel the Delayed Locking by pressing the unlock
switch or by fully inserting the key in the ignition.
2. Override the Delayed Locking feature and lock the
doors immediately by pressing the lock switch a
second time.
3. Let the Delayed Locking function complete the
locking of the vehicle.
If you wish to let the Delayed Locking function
complete the locking of the vehicle, no additional action
is required. The Delayed Locking function will lock the
doors automatically after all the doors have been closed
for a period of five seconds. During this five second
period, any door may be reopened, at which time the
three possible actions shown above are again available.
ProCarManuals.com

You may also customize your vehicle to activate the
Delayed Locking function as described above, or you
may choose to completely disable the function at
all
times. If disabled, the power door locks will activate
immediately when a power door lock switch
is pressed.
The enableddisabled state of the Delayed Locking
function will be toggled when you perform the
following sequence with the doors closed and the
ignition key in the
RUN position:
Press and hold the power door unlock switch. While
holding the door unlock switch, cycle the transmission
out of and back into
PARK (P). After an initial
transmission cycle, each additional cycle will toggle the
enable/disable state of the Delayed Locking function.
During this procedure, the chime will sound, providing
you with feedback.
A single chime will be heard if the
Delayed Locking function is disabled and two chimes
will be heard
if the function is enabled. When the door
unlock switch is released, the vehicle will remain in the
most recent operating mode.
The Delayed Locking function will be enabled when
your vehicle is shipped from the factory.
Disconnecting the vehicle battery for up to a year will
not change the programmed mode of the Delayed
Locking function.
Leaving Your Vehicle
If you are leaving the vehicle, take your keys, open your
door and set the locks from inside. Then get out and
close the door. (Also see “Delayed Locking” in this
section for more information.)
Remote Keyless Entry
You can lock and unlock your doors or unlock your
trunk from about
3 feet (1 m) up to 30 feet (9 m) away
using the remote keyless entry transmitter supplied with
your vehicle.
Your remote keyless entry system operates on a radio
frequency subject to Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry and
Science Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference,
and
(2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
2-9
ProCarManuals.com