2004 BUICK CENTURY check engine

Low Fuel Warning Light
If the vehicle’s fuel is low, a circular light on the
instrument panel cluster will come on and a chime will
sound periodically until fuel is added to the fuel tank.
It will also come on for a few seconds when the ignition
is turned on as a check to indicate it is working. If it
does not come on then, have it xed.
Audio System(s)
Notice:Before you add any sound equipment to
your vehicle – like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two-way radio – be sure you can
add what you want. If you can, it’s very important to
do it properly. Added sound equipment may
interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s engine,
radio or other systems, and even damage them.
Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the
operation of sound equipment that has been added
improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
Your audio system has been designed to operate easily
and to give years of listening pleasure. You will get
the most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with
it rst. Figure out which radio you have in your vehicle,
nd out what your audio system can do and how to
operate all of its controls to be sure you’re getting the
most out of the advanced engineering that went into it.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, you can play your audio
system even after the ignition is turned off. See
“Retained Accessory Power (RAP)” underIgnition
Positions on page 2-19. United States
Canada
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When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself.
You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each wheel.
The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
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The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed
according to your speedometer, not to your sense
of motion. After driving for any distance at higher
speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower
than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you are not fresh — such as after
a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that
rst part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you
will nd experienced and able service experts in GM
dealerships all across North America. They will be ready
and willing to help if you need it.Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
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Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway
hypnosis”? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel?
Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on
the road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of
the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy.
Do not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle
can leave the road inless than a second,and you could
crash and be injured.What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
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Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all uid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down
to let your engine assist your brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
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Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags,
oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can not see it
or smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
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Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When towing a trailer, the vehicle may need a different
turn signal asher and/or extra wiring. Check with
your dealer. The arrows on the instrument panel will
ash whenever signaling a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also ash,
telling other drivers you are about to turn, change lanes
or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on the instrument
panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. You may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It is important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforestarting
down a long hill or steep downgrade. If the vehicle
is not shifted down, the brakes might have to be
used so much that they would get hot and no longer
work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce the
vehicle’s speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce
the possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
If 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 the rig ever has to be parked on a hill, here is
how to do it:
1. Apply the regular brakes, but do not 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 the parking
brake, and shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply the regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start the engine.
Shift into a gear.
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle will need service more often when it pulls a
trailer. See.Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4for
more information. Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic transaxle uid; which
should not be overlled; engine oil, drive belt, cooling
system, and brake system. Each of these is covered
in this manual, and the Index will help you nd
them quickly. If trailering, it is a good idea to review this
information before starting on a trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-25.
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