2005 BUICK CENTURY tow

Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic
transaxle shift lock control system. The regular brakes
must be fully applied before shifting from PARK (P)
when the ignition is in RUN. If the vehicle cannot
be shifted out of PARK (P), increase pressure on the
shift lever by pushing it all the way into PARK (P) while
keeping the brake pedal pushed down. Then move
the shift lever out of PARK (P). SeeShifting Out of
Park (P) on page 2-26.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
To rock the vehicle back and forth in order to get it out
of snow, ice, or sand without damaging the transaxle,
seeIf You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
on page 4-30.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when the vehicle is
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when the vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine racing may damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Be sure the engine is not racing when shifting
your vehicle.
Notice:Driving your vehicle if you notice that it is
moving slowly or not shifting gears as you
increase speed may damage the transaxle. Have
your vehicle serviced right away. You can drive in
SECOND (2) when you are driving less than 35 mph
(55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) for
higher speeds until then.
2-22

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (X): This position is for
normal driving. If more power is needed for passing, and
the vehicle is:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down.
By doing this the vehicle will 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 such as
city streets.Notice:Driving in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h)
may damage the transaxle. Also, shifting into
SECOND (2) at speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h) can
cause damage. Drive in THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) instead of SECOND (2).
SECOND (2): This position gives the vehicle more
power than THIRD (3) but lower fuel economy
than THIRD (3). You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It
can help control the speed going down steep mountain
roads, but then you would also want to use your
brakes off and on.
FIRST (1): This position gives the vehicle even more
power but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). It can
be used on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud.
If the shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle will
not shift into rst gear until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
2-23

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
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on any hill, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-38. That section shows what
to do rst to keep the trailer from moving.
2-24

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 will
not move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 4-38.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake with your left foot.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by pulling the
shift lever toward you and moving it up as far as it
will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in PARK (P).
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. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine running, be sure it is
in PARK (P) and the parking brake is rmly set before
you leave it. After you have 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
was not fully locked into PARK (P).
2-25

Running Your Engine While You
Are Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under
Engine Exhaust on page 2-27.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the climate control fan is at the highest setting.
One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust — with CO — can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the
engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 4-26.
{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. Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always set
your parking brake and move the shift lever
to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park (P) on page 2-25.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a
trailer, also seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-38.
2-28

Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beams to high
beams, or high to low, pull the multifunction lever until
a click is heard, then release it.
This indicator light on the
instrument panel cluster
will come on while the
high-beam lamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal the driver in front of you that you want to pass.
It works even if the headlamps are off. Pull the turn
signal lever toward you a little, but not so much that you
hear a click.
If the headlamps are off or on low-beam, the high-beam
headlamps will turn on. They will stay on as long as
you hold the lever toward you. The high-beam indicator
on the instrument panel cluster will come on. Release
the lever to return it to the normal operation.
Windshield Wipers
To operate the windshield wipers turn the band located
on the multifunction lever upward or downward.
WIPER:Turn this band to control the windshield wipers.
OFF:Turn the band to OFF to turn off the
windshield wipers.
LO (Low Speed):Turn the band away from you
to LO and past the delay settings for steady wiping at
low speed.
HI (High Speed):Turn the band away from you, to HI,
and past the delay settings for steady wiping at a
high speed.
(Delayed Wiping):Turn the band away from you,
just past OFF, to one of the ve delayed settings,
to choose the length of intervals between each wiping
cycle. The further the band is turned upward, toward LO,
the shorter the delay will be. Select one of these
settings for light rain or snow.
3-8

VENT (Ventilation):This mode brings in outside air
and directs it through the instrument panel outlets.
BI-LEV (Bi-Level):This mode directs approximately
half of the air to the instrument panel outlets, and then
directs most of the remaining air to the oor outlets.
Some air may be directed toward the windshield.
HTR (Heater):This mode directs most of the air to the
oor outlets, with some air directed to the outboard
outlets, for the side windows, and some air directed to
the windshield.
BLEND:This mode directs half of the air to go to the
oor outlets and half to the defroster and side window
outlets. The air-conditioning compressor will run
automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below 40°F (4°C).
The right knob can also be used for the defrost mode.
Information on defrosting and defogging can be
found later in this section.
9FAN:The left knob controls the fan speed.
OFF:Turn the knob all the way counterclockwise to
turn off the fan.LO (Low Fan Speed):This setting creates the lowest
fan speed.
HI (High Fan Speed):This setting creates the highest
fan speed.
DRIVER (Driver’s Side Temperature):The lever on
the left adjusts the air temperature for the driver’s
side outlets. Slide the lever up to raise the temperature
and down to lower the temperature.
PASSENGER (Passenger’s Side Temperature):
The lever on the right adjusts the air temperature for the
passenger’s side outlets. Slide the lever up to raise
the temperature and down to lower the temperature.
A/C (Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn
the air-conditioning on and off. An indicator light above
the button will come on when the air conditioning is
on. During daylight hours the interior lighting control
might need adjustment to the highest setting in order
for the indicator light to be seen. The system will
cool and dehumidify the air inside the vehicle when the
A/C indicator light is on.
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to let
hot, inside air escape. This reduces the time for the
vehicle to cool down.
3-19

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when the parking brake is set.
The light will stay on if the parking brake does not
release fully. If it stays on after the parking brake is
fully released, it means there is a brake problem.
If the light comes on while the vehicle is being driven,
pull off the road and stop carefully. The pedal may
be harder to push, or it may go closer to the oor. It may
take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing Your Vehicle on
page 4-36.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning light
on can lead to an accident. If the light is still
on after you have pulled off the road and
stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
If the vehicle has anti-lock brakes, this warning light will
come on for a few seconds when the ignition key is
turned to RUN. If the anti-lock brake system warning light
stays on longer than normal after the engine has been
started, turn the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and
stays on while the vehicle is being driven, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while driving, the anti-lock brake system
needs service. If the light is on and the regular brake
system warning light is not on, the vehicle still has brakes,
but it does not have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on
briey when the ignition key is turned to RUN. This is
normal. If the light does not come on then, have it xed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.United States
Canada
3-33