2004 BUICK CENTURY belt

Here are the most important things to know about the
air bag systems:
{CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash
if you aren’t wearing your safety belt, even if
you have air bags. Wearing your safety belt
during a crash helps reduce your chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or being
ejected from it. Air bags are designed to work
with safety belts but don’t replace them.
Frontal air bags for the driver and right front
passenger are designed to deploy only in
moderate to severe frontal and near frontal
crashes. They aren’t designed to inate at all
in rollover, rear or low-speed frontal crashes,
or in many side crashes. And, for some
unrestrained occupants, frontal air bags may
provide less protection in frontal crashes
than more forceful air bags have provided in
the past.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
The side impact air bag for the driver is
designed to inate only in moderate to severe
crashes where something hits the driver’s side
of your vehicle. It isn’t designed to inate in
frontal, in rollover or in rear crashes.
Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety
belt properly, whether or not there’s an air bag
for that person.
{CAUTION:
Both frontal and side impact air bags inate
with great force, faster than the blink of an
eye. If you’re too close to an inating air bag,
as you would be if you were leaning forward, it
could seriously injure you. Safety belts help
keep you in position for air bag ination before
and during a crash.
CAUTION: (Continued)
1-50

CAUTION: (Continued)
Always wear your safety belt, even with frontal
air bags. The driver should sit as far back as
possible while still maintaining control of the
vehicle, and should not lean on the door.
{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any air bag when it inates can be seriously
injured or killed. Air bags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults, but
not for young children and infants. Neither the
vehicle’s safety belt system nor its air bag
system is designed for them.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Young children and infants need the protection
that a child restraint system can provide.
Always secure children properly in your
vehicle. To read how, see the part of this
manual called “Older Children” or “Infants and
Young Children.”
There is an air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows the air bag symbol.
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAir Bag Readiness Light on page 3-30
for more information.
1-51

What Makes an Air Bag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For
both the frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inator, which
inates the air bag. The inator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules. Frontal air
bag modules are located inside the steering wheel
and instrument panel. For vehicles with a driver’s side
impact air bag, the air bag modules are located in
the seatback closest to the driver’s door.
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal air bags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the air bag. A side impact air bag
would not help you in many types of collisions, including
frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear
impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is not
toward that air bag. Air bags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts,
and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal collisions for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s frontal air bags, and only in moderate to
severe side collisions for vehicles with a driver’s
side impact air bag.
1-55

In many crashes severe enough to inate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inate only once. After an
air bag inates, you will need some new parts for
your air bag system. If you do not get them, the air
bag system will not be there to help protect you
in another crash. A new system will include air bag
modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace
other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information
about the frontal air bag system. The module
records information about the readiness of the
system, when the system commands air bag
ination and driver’s safety belt usage at
deployment. The module also records speed,
engine rpm, brake and throttle data.
Let only qualied technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air
bag system will not work properly. See your dealer
for service.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, or the air
bag covering on the driver’s seatback, the bag may
not work properly. You may have to replace the
air bag module in the steering wheel, both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s air bag, or the air bag
module and seatback for the driver’s side impact air
bag. Do not open or break the air bag coverings.
1-57

Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag systems in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer and the service
manual have information about servicing your vehicle
and the air bag systems. To purchase a service manual,
seeService Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-11.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
air bag can still inate during improper
service. You can be injured if you are close to
an air bag when it inates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the air
bag system. Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualied to do so.
The air bag systems do not need regular maintenance.
Restraint System Check
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing
its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
1-58

Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
{CAUTION:
A crash can damage the restraint systems in
your vehicle. A damaged restraint system may
not properly protect the person using it,
resulting in serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure your restraint
systems are working properly after a crash,
have them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts or LATCH
system parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if
worn during a more severe crash, then you need
new parts.
If the LATCH system was being used during a more
severe crash, you may need new LATCH system parts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have LATCH
system, safety belt or seat parts repaired or replaced.
New parts and repairs may be necessary even if the belt
or LATCH system wasn’t being used at the time of
the collision.
If an air bag inates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier
in this section.
1-59

Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers — especially children — can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked, the
handle will not open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash if the doors are not 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 the vehicle.
From the outside, use the door key or remote keyless
entry transmitter. From the inside use the manual
or power door locks.
To manually lock or unlock the driver’s door from the
outside, insert the key and turn it clockwise or
counterclockwise.
To lock or unlock the doors from the inside, push the
manual lock lever forward or rearward.
2-10

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-2
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-4
Other Warning Devices...................................3-4
Horn.............................................................3-5
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-5
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-5
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-12
Interior Lamps..............................................3-15
Accessory Power Outlets...............................3-17
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter........................3-17
Climate Controls............................................3-18
Dual Climate Control System..........................3-18
Dual Automatic Climate Control System...........3-21
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-25
Passenger Compartment Air Filter...................3-26
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators.............3-27
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-28
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-29
Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-30
Air Bag Readiness Light................................3-30
Charging System Light..................................3-31
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-32
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-33
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light.........3-34
Low Traction Light........................................3-34Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light......3-35
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-35
Tire Pressure Light.......................................3-36
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-36
Oil Pressure Light.........................................3-40
Change Engine Oil Light................................3-41
Security Light...............................................3-41
Cruise Control Light......................................3-42
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light.....................3-42
Door/Trunk Ajar Warning Light........................3-42
Service Vehicle Soon Light............................3-42
Fuel Gage...................................................3-43
Low Fuel Warning Light.................................3-44
Audio System(s).............................................3-44
Setting the Time...........................................3-45
Radio with CD..............................................3-45
Radio with Cassette and CD..........................3-53
Theft-Deterrent Feature..................................3-62
Audio Steering Wheel Controls.......................3-62
Understanding Radio Reception......................3-63
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player.................3-63
Care of Your CDs.........................................3-64
Care of Your CD Player................................3-64
Fixed Mast Antenna......................................3-64
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1