2003 BUICK CENTURY engine overheat

To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is attached to the underside of the vehicle's
diagonal brace, which is located above the engine
air cleaner/®lter assembly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a ®re. 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.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 dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
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AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (X): This position is for
normal driving. If you need more power for passing,
and you're:
·Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
·Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down.
You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
THIRD (3):: This position is also used for normal
driving, but it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X):
·When driving on hilly, winding roads.
·When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
·When going down a steep hill.
·When driving in no-highway scenarios
(i.e. city streets, etc.)
Notice:Don't drive in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle. Use
THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X)as much
as possible. Don't shift into SECOND (2) unless
you are going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h) or you
can damage your engine.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power than
THIRD (3) but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You
can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your
speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then
you would also want to use your brakes off and on.
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power (but
lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can use it on
very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever
is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle won't shift into ®rst gear
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:If your front wheels won't turn, don't try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transaxle. Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don't hold your
vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal. This
could overheat and damage the transaxle. Use your
brakes to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
2-25

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake,
hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right
foot. Push down the
parking brake pedal with
your left foot.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. When you lift your
left foot, the parking brake pedal will follow it to the
released position.
A warning chime will sound if the parking brake is set,
the ignition is on and the shift lever is not in PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N).
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
cause your rear brakes to overheat. You may have
to replace them, and you could also damage
other parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on any hill, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-35. That section shows what
to do ®rst to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake ®rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure your vehicle won't
move, even when you're on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you're pulling a
trailer, see ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index.
2-26

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake ®rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch ®re.
You or others could be injured. Don't leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine running,
be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your parking
brake is ®rmly set before you leave it. After you've moved
the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal
down. Then, see if you can move the shift lever out of
PARK (P). If you can, it means that the shift lever wasn't
fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don't shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of
the vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transaxle. You may ®nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called ªtorque lock.º
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver's seat. To ®nd out how, see
Shifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-26.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)
beforeyou release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle, so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
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If the transaxle shift lever is in any position other
than FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and the warning
light stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means there's a problem with the
system.
·If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn off
and the warning light will come on.
When this warning light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
Low Traction Light
If your vehicle has the
Enhanced Traction
System, this light will come
on when the system is
limiting wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal. 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 Enhanced Traction System stops limiting wheel spin.
See
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-10.The low traction light also comes on brie¯y when you
turn the ignition key to RUN. If the light doesn't come on
then, have it ®xed so it will be there to tell you when
the Enhanced Traction System is active.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
This light tells you that
your engine coolant has
overheated or your radiator
cooling fan is not working.
The light will come on brie¯y when your ignition is
turned on to show you that it is working.
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.
See
Engine Overheating on page 5-26.
3-29

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
You have a gage that
shows the engine coolant
temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into
the red area, your
engine is too hot!
This 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.
See
Engine Overheating on page 5-26.
Tire Pressure Light
Your vehicle may have a
tire pressure monitor that
can alert you to a large
change in the pressure in
one tire.
After the system has ªlearnedº tire pressures with
properly in¯ated 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 in¯ation monitor
system won't alert you if the pressure in more than
one tire is low, if the system is not yet calibrated, or if
the vehicle is moving faster than 70 mph (110 km/h).
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 ¯at, see
If a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-66. Also
check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as you
can. See
In¯ation Ð Tire Pressure on page 5-57.
The light will stay on, while the ignition is on, until you
reset (calibrate) the system. See
Tire Pressure
Monitor System on page 5-58.
3-30

If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you don't want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as ªrockingº²can
help you get out when you're stuck, but you must
use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transaxle or other parts of the
vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartment ®re or other damage.
When you're stuck, spin the wheels as little as
possible. Don't spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle back
and forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
See ªRocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out.º
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see
Tire Chains on page 5-66.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If you have the
Enhanced Traction System, you should turn the
system off. See
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on
page 4-10. Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) gear. The
Enhanced Traction System will be turned off in
FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) gear. Spin the wheels as little
as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you
shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the
transaxle is in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in
the forward and reverse directions, you will cause a
rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If that doesn't
get you out after a few tries, you may need to be
towed out. If you do need to be towed out,
see ªTowing Your Vehicleº following.
4-31

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal ¯asher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your dealer. The arrows on your instrument
panel will ¯ash whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also
¯ash, telling other drivers you're about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will ¯ash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It's
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforeyou start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer, you may want to drive in
THIRD (3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X).
Shift to a lower gear as needed.
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here's
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don't shift into
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer's
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
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