2003 BUICK CENTURY Owner's Manual

To turn the system off, move the gear shift lever to
FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) gear. See ªRocking Your
Vehicle To Get It Outº under
If You Are Stuck: In Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-31. When you turn the
system off, the Enhanced Traction System warning light
will come on and stay on. If the Enhanced Traction
System is limiting wheel spin when you turn the system
off, the warning light will come on ± but the system won't
turn off right away. It will wait until there's no longer a
current need to limit wheel spin. Also, if you set the
parking brake, the system will turn off.
You can turn the system back on at any time by shifting
to OVERDRIVE (
X) or THIRD (3). The Enhanced
Traction System warning light should go off.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer
but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here's why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you've ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you're
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
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Suppose you're steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control
systems Ð steering and braking Ð have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Unless you have
four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can
demand too much of those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you're steering through a
sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those two
control systems Ð steering and acceleration Ð can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road
and make you lose control. See
Enhanced Traction
System (ETS) on page 4-10.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way
you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you'll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.Try to adjust your speed so you can ªdriveº through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than
braking. For example, you come over a hill and ®nd a
truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked
cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking Ð if you can stop in time. But
sometimes you can't; there isn't room. That's the time for
evasive action Ð steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes Ð but, unless you
have anti-lock, not enough to lock your wheels. See
Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer
around the problem, to the left or right depending on
the space available.
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An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, you
can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
You may ®nd that your right wheels have dropped off the
edge of a road onto the shoulder while you're driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way,
steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of
the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to
one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
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Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents Ð the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
·ªDrive ahead.º Look down the road, to the sides
and to crossroads for situations that might affect
your passing patterns. If you have any doubt
whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait
for a better time.
·Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it's all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a
solid line on your side of the lane or a double solid
line, even if the road seems empty of approaching
traffic.
·Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass
while you're awaiting an opportunity. For one thing,
following too closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you're following a larger vehicle. Also,
you won't have adequate space if the vehicle ahead
suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable
distance.
·When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don't
get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
ªrunning startº that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your
pass, you need only slow down and drop back again
and wait fo another opportunity.
·If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle,
wait your turn. But take care that someone isn't trying
to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
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·Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
·Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
·Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not ¯ashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
·If you're being passed, make it easy for the following
driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a
little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let's review what driving experts say about what happens
when the three control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don't have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don't give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
ªoverdrivingº those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle's
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren't rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
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Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you'll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration
or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues Ð such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a ªmirrored surfaceº Ð and slow
down when you have any doubt.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember:
It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels
are no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the
brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores
steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily
when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels
are rolling, you will have steering control.Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired Ð by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
·Drive defensively.
·Don't drink and drive.
·Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
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·Since you can't see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
·Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
·In remote areas, watch for animals.
·If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you're
driving, don't wear sunglasses at night. They may
cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also make
a lot of things invisible.You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who doesn't lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean Ð inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a ®lm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and ¯ash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it's easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness Ð the inability to see in dim light Ð and
aren't even aware of it.
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Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can't stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire-to-road traction isn't as good as on dry roads.And, if your tires don't have much tread left, you'll get
even less traction. It's always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your re¯exes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy
rain can make it harder to see road signs and
traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road
and even people walking.
It's wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment in
good shape and keep your windshield washer tank ®lled
with washer ¯uid. Replace your windshield wiper
inserts when they show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to
separate from the inserts.
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