2003 BUICK CENTURY Owner's Manual

The ignition key is for the
ignition only.
The door key is for the
driver's door and all other
locks.The ignition and door keys don't have plugs. Your
dealer or Buick Roadside Assistance has the code for
your keys.
If you need a new ignition or door key, contact your
dealer who can obtain the correct key code. Also, see
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-6for more
information.
Notice:Your vehicle has a number of features that
can help prevent theft. 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 spare keys.
If your vehicle is equipped with the OnStar
žsystem with
an active subscription and you lock your keys inside
the vehicle, OnStar
žmay be able to send a command to
unlock your vehicle. SeeOnStaržSystem on page 2-34for more information.
2-3

Remote Keyless Entry System
Your keyless entry system operates on a radio
frequency subject to Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry 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 interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Changes or modi®cations to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.At times you may notice a decrease in range. This is
normal for any remote keyless entry system. If the
transmitter does not work or if you have to stand closer
to your vehicle for the transmitter to work, try this:
·Check the distance. You may be too far from your
vehicle. You may need to stand closer during
rainy or snowy weather.
·Check the location. Other vehicles or objects may
be blocking the signal. Take a few steps to the
left or right, hold the transmitter higher, and
try again.
·Check to determine if battery replacement is
necessary. See ªBattery Replacementº under
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation on
page 2-5.
·If you are still having trouble, see your dealer or
a quali®ed technician for service.
2-4

Remote Keyless Entry System
Operation
Using the remote keyless
entry transmitter, you can
lock and unlock your
doors, or release the trunk
from about 3 feet 1 (m)
and up to 30 feet
9 (m) away.
LOCK:Press the LOCK button to lock all the doors.
UNLOCK:Press the UNLOCK button to unlock
the driver's door and turn on the interior lamps. See
ªIllumination on Remote Activationº later in this section
for more details. Press UNLOCK again to unlock
the passenger's door.
F(Trunk Release):To release the trunk lid, press
the button with the trunk symbol on it. The trunk will only
unlock if your transaxle is in PARK (P).
L(Remote Alarm):Press this button to activate an
alarm. The ignition must be in OFF or ACC for the
remote alarm to work. When you press the remote alarm
button the headlamps will ¯ash, the horn will sound
repeatedly and your interior lamps will turn on, attracting
attention. The alarms will continue until one of the
following occurs:
·You press the remote alarm on the remote keyless
entry transmitter a second time,
·the ignition is moved to RUN, or
·an alarm period of about two minutes has elapsed.
Security Feedback
Security feedback provides audible and/or visible
feedback con®rming that a remote keyless entry lock or
unlock command has been received and executed.
The ignition must be off for this feature to work.
You may select one of four operating modes for reception
of a lock command. You may also select one of four
operating modes for reception of an unlock command.
The selection and programming of the lock and unlock
operating modes are independent of each other.
2-5

Programmable Modes
Your vehicle can be programmed to one of the following
modes.
Mode 1:No Veri®cation
Mode 2:Horn Chirp only
Mode 3:Headlamps Flash only
Mode 4:Horn Chirp and Headlamps Flash
The vehicle was originally programmed to Mode 3. The
mode may have been changed since then. To
determine the current mode, or to change the mode, do
the following:
1. Close all doors and turn the ignition key to RUN.
2. Press and hold the power door lock switch in
the lock position.
3. While holding the door lock switch in the lock
position, press and release the remote keyless entry
transmitter LOCK button. This will start the
customization mode. While in the customizationmode, the feature will sound the number of chimes
corresponding to the current lock mode. If you
do not wish to change the current mode, you can
either exit the programming mode by following
the instructions listed here or program the
next feature available on your vehicle.
4. Each additional press of the remote keyless entry
transmitter LOCK button will cause your vehicle to
advance the lock mode by one, starting from
the current lock mode.
5. If cycled beyond Mode 4, the vehicle will enter
Mode 1. When the door lock switch is released,
the vehicle will remain in the most recent lock mode.
The mode you selected is now set. You can either exit
the programming mode by following the previous
instructions or program the next feature available on
your vehicle.
Disconnecting the vehicle's battery for up to a year will
not change the programmed mode for the lock and
unlock security feedback features.
2-6

Delayed Locking
Delayed locking allows the doors to be locked while the
passengers are exiting the vehicle. This feature also
allows a brief time period for you to re-enter the vehicle
after the doors have been closed. Delayed locking is
user programmable for enabling or disabling the feature.
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
either the lock switch on the door or on the remote
keyless entry transmitter. See ªRemote Keyless Entry
System Operationº earlier 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:
·Cancel the delayed locking by pressing the unlock
switch or by fully inserting the key in the ignition.
·Override the delayed locking feature and lock the
doors immediately by pressing the lock switch a
second time.
·Let the delayed locking feature complete the locking
of the vehicle.If you wish to let the delayed locking feature complete
the locking of the vehicle, no additional action is
required. The delayed locking feature will lock the doors
automatically after all the doors have been closed for
a period of ®ve seconds. During this ®ve second period,
any door may be reopened, at which time the three
possible actions shown above are again available.
You may also customize your vehicle to activate the
delayed locking feature as described previously, or you
may choose to completely disable the feature at all
times. If disabled, the power door locks will activate
immediately when a power door lock switch is pressed.
The enabled/disabled state of the delayed locking
feature will be toggled when you perform the following
sequence:
1. Close the doors.
2. Move the ignition key to the RUN position.
3. Apply your regular brakes.
4. Press and hold the power door unlock switch. While
holding the door unlock switch, move the shift lever
out of and back into PARK (P).
2-7

After an initial transaxle cycle, each additional cycle will
toggle the enable/disable state of the delayed locking
feature. During this procedure, the chime will sound,
providing you with feedback. In Mode 1, a single chime
will be heard if the delayed locking feature is disabled.
In Mode 2, two chimes will be heard if the feature
is enabled. When the door lock switch is released, the
vehicle will remain in the most recent operating mode.
Disconnecting the vehicle battery for up to a year will not
change the programmed mode for the delayed locking
feature.
Illumination on Remote Activation
This feature provides interior lighting when a remote
keyless entry door unlock command is received by your
vehicle. Your ignition must be off for this feature to
work. The interior lamps will light until either the ignition
is turned to RUN or until a period of 40 seconds has
elapsed. If a door is opened during this period, the timed
lighting will be canceled, and the interior lamps will
remain on. Also see ªEntry Lightingº under
Interior
Lamps on page 3-14for more information.
Matching Transmitter(s) to Your
Vehicle
Each remote keyless entry transmitter is coded to
prevent another transmitter from unlocking your vehicle.
If a transmitter is lost or stolen, a replacement can
be purchased through your dealer. Remember to bring
any remaining transmitters with you when you go to
your dealer. When the dealer matches the replacement
transmitter to your vehicle, any remaining transmitters
must also be matched. Once your dealer has coded the
new transmitter, the lost transmitter will not unlock
your vehicle. Each vehicle can have a maximum of four
transmitters matched to it.
Battery Replacement
Under normal use, the battery in your remote keyless
entry transmitter should last about three years.
You can tell the battery is weak if the transmitter won't
work at the normal range in any location. If you have
to get close to your vehicle before the transmitter works,
it's probably time to change the battery.
2-8

Notice:When replacing the battery, use care not to
touch any of the circuitry. Static from your body
transferred to these surfaces may damage the
transmitter.
To replace the battery do the following:
1. Insert a ¯at object like a thin coin into the slot on
the back of the transmitter. Gently pry apart the
front and back.2. Remove the old battery and replace it with the new
one. Do not use a metal object to do this. Use
type CR2032 or an equivalent. Make sure the
positive (+) side of the battery is facing down.
3. Snap the top and bottom together, making sure the
halves are together tightly so water won't get in.
4. Resynchronize and test the operation of the
transmitter with your vehicle.
Resynchronization
After you have changed the battery in your transmitter,
you will need to resynchronize the transmitter. To do this,
press the LOCK and UNLOCK buttons at the same time
and hold for about seven seconds or until one horn chirp
is heard.
2-9

Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
·Passengers Ð especially children Ð can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked, the
handle won't open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash if the doors aren't locked. So,
wear safety belts properly and lock the
doors whenever you drive.
·Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
·Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use your door key or remote
keyless entry transmitter.
From the inside use the manual or power door locks.
To manually unlock the driver's door from the outside,
insert the key and turn it toward the front of the vehicle.
To manually lock the driver's door from the outside,
insert the key and turn it toward the rear of the vehicle.
To lock the door from the inside, push the manual lock
lever forward. To unlock the door, push the lever
rearward.
2-10