2001 BUICK CENTURY maintenance

6-29 Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built
-in wear indicators that make
a high
-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come
and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won't work well. That could lead
to an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong
with your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don't have wear indicators,
but if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have
the rear brake linings inspected immediately. Also, the
rear brake drums should be removed and inspected
each time the tires are removed for rotation or changing.
When you have the front brake pads replaced, have the
rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See ªBrake System Inspectionº in Section 7 of this
manual under Part C ªPeriodic Maintenance Inspections.º

6-30 Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your vehicle
was designed and tested with top
-quality GM brake parts.
When you replace parts of your braking system
-- for
example, when your brake linings wear down and you
have to have new ones put in
-- be sure you get new
approved GM replacement parts. If you don't, your
brakes may no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you've come to expect can change in many other ways
if someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelco
battery. When it's time for a new battery,
get one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery's label. We recommend an ACDelco
battery. See ªEngine Compartment Overviewº in the
Index for battery location.
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and
reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.

6-40
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See ªWiper Blade
Checkº in the Index for more information.
1. Turn on the wipers to LO.
2. Turn off the ignition while the wipers are at the
outer positions of the wiper pattern. The blades are
more accessible for removal/replacement while in
this position.
3. Pull the windshield wiper arm 3 to 4 inches
(7.5 to 10 cm) away from the windshield.
4. While holding the wiper arm away from the glass,
push the release clip from under the windshield
wiper arm connecting point and slide the blade
assembly down toward the glass to remove it
from the wiper arm.
5. Slide the new wiper blade securely on the wiper arm
until you hear the release clip ªclickº into place.
For wiper blade replacement length and type, see
ªNormal Maintenance Replacement Partsº in the Index.

6-43 Tire Inflation Monitor System
The tire inflation monitor system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure of one tire. The system ªlearnsº
the pressure at each tire throughout the operating speed
range of your vehicle. The system normally takes
between 45 and 90 minutes of driving to learn the
tire pressures. This time may be longer depending on
your individual driving habits. Learning need not be
accumulated during a single trip. Once learned, the
system will remember the tire pressures until the
system is recalibrated.
After the system has learned tire pressures with properly
inflated tires, the LOW TIRE light will come on if the
pressure in one tire becomes 12 psi (83 kPa) lower than
the other three tires. The tire inflation monitor system
won't alert you if the pressure in more than one tire is
low, if the system is not properly calibrated, or if the
vehicle is moving faster than 70 mph (110 km/h).
The tire inflation monitor system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in
tire pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire
-- but it doesn't replace normal tire maintenance.
See ªTiresº in the Index.When the LOW TIRE light comes on, you should stop
as soon as you can and check all your tires for damage.
(If a tire is flat, see ªIf a Tire Goes Flatº in the Index.)
Also check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as
you can. See ªInflation
- Tire Pressureº in the Index.
The LOW TIRE light will also be displayed (while the
ignition is on) until you reset (calibrate) the system.
Don't reset the tire inflation monitor system without first
correcting the cause of the problem and checking and
adjusting the pressure in all four tires. If you reset the
system when the tire pressures are incorrect, the system
will not work properly and may not alert you when a tire
is low.
Any time you adjust a tire's pressure, rotate your tires,
or have one or more tires repaired or replaced, you'll
need to reset (calibrate) the tire inflation monitor
system. You'll also need to reset the system whenever
you buy new tires and whenever the vehicle's battery
has been disconnected.

6-44
To reset (calibrate) the system:
1. Turn the ignition switch to RUN.
2. Then press and hold the RESET button for about
five seconds. The red RESET button is located inside
your instrument panel fuse block.
The fuse block is located under the cover labeled
FUSES, which is at the end of the instrument panel
on the passenger's side of the vehicle. The RESET
button is the first button in the top row of the fuse
block. The LOW TIRE light will come on and flash
three times. Then it will go off. If the light doesn't
go off, see your dealer for service.
The system completes the calibration process
during driving.
The system normally takes 15 to 20 minutes of driving
in each of three speed ranges to ªlearnº tire pressures.
The speed ranges are 15 to 40 mph (25 to 65 km/h),
40 to 65 mph (65 to 105 km/h) and above 65 mph
(105 km/h). When learning is complete, the system will
alert you after 2
-8 minutes if a tire is 12 psi (83 kPa)
different from the other three tires. Detection thresholds
may be higher and detection times may be longer on
rough roads, curves and at high speeds. The system
is not capable of detection at speeds greater than
70 mph (110 km/h).
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See ªWhen It's Time for New Tiresº and
ªWheel Replacementº later in this section for
more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See ªScheduled
Maintenance Servicesº in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.

6-56
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch
-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer's body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on
the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor
pan and exhaust system even though they have
corrosion protection.At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can do
this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create
a chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon
and attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This
damage can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet
-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched
into the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, Buick
will repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.

6-65 Engine Specifications
Engine VIN Code J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine Type 3100 V6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Displacement 191 CID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Firing Order 1
-2-3-4-5-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thermostat Temperature 195F (91C) . . . . . . . . . . .
Horsepower 175 @ 5200 rpm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Normal Maintenance
Replacement Parts
Engine Air Cleaner/FilterACDelco
. . . . . . . . . . .
Type A1208C
Passenger Compartment Air Filter10406026 . . . .
BatteryACDelco

Type 600 CCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine Oil FilterACDelco
Type PF47 . . . . . . . . . .
PCV ValveACDelco
Type CV892C . . . . . . . . . . . .
Radiator CapACDelco
Type RC27 . . . . . . . . . . . . Remote Keyless
Entry BatteriesType CR2032 (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
or equivalent
Spark PlugsACDelco

Type 41-940 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gap: 0.060 inches (1.52 mm)
Wiper Blade
Type Hook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Length 22.0 inches (56 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vehicle Dimensions
Wheelbase 109.1 inches (277.1 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Front Tread 62.0 inches (157.6 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear Tread 61.1 inches (155.3 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Length 194.6 inches (494.2 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Width 72.7 inches (184.5 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Height 56.6 inches (143.8 cm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-
7-1
Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
This section covers the maintenance required for your vehicle. Your vehicle needs these services to retain its safety,
dependability and emission control performance.
7
-2 Introduction
7
-4 Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
7
-15 Part B: Owner Checks and Services7
-19 Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections
7
-21 Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
7
-22 Part E: Maintenance Record