2005 BUICK CENTURY oil

Most stains can be removed with club soda water.
To clean, use the following instructions:
1. For liquids: blot with a clean, soft, white cloth.
For solids: remove as much as possible and
then vacuum or brush.
2. Apply club soda water to a clean, soft, white cloth.
Do not over-saturate; the cloth should not drip water.
3. Clean the entire area. Avoid getting the fabric
too wet.
4. Start cleaning from the seams into the stain to
avoid a ring effect.
5. Continue cleaning, using a clean area of the cloth
each time it becomes soiled.
6. When the stain is removed, blot the cleaned area
with another dry, clean, soft, white cloth.Using Cleaner on Fabric
1. First, try the cleaner in an inconspicuous area to
make sure the cleaner does not affect the color
of the fabric.
2. For liquids: blot with a clean, soft, white cloth.
For solids: remove as much as possible and
then vacuum or brush.
3. Spray a small amount of the cleaner onto a clean
soft, white, cloth. Do not apply spray directly to
the fabric.
4. Start cleaning from the seams into the stain to
avoid a ring effect.
5. Continue cleaning, using a clean area of the cloth
each time it becomes soiled.
6. When the stain is removed, blot the cleaned area
with another dry, clean, soft, white cloth.
7. If the cleaner leaves a ring effect, follow up with
the club soda water instructions given earlier in
this section.
5-83

Special Fabric Cleaning Problems
Stains caused by such things as catsup, black coffee,
egg, fruit, fruit juice, milk, soft drinks, vomit, urine,
and blood can be removed using the club soda water
instructions given earlier in this section. If an odor lingers
after cleaning vomit or urine, treat the area with a
water and baking soda solution: 1 teaspoon (5ml) of
baking soda to 1 cup (250ml) of lukewarm water.
Let dry.
Stains caused by oil and grease can be cleaned with
an approved GM cleaner and a clean, white cloth.
SeeVehicle Care/Appearance Materials on page 5-89
for more information.
1. Carefully scrape off excess stain.
2. Clean with cool water and allow to dry completely.
3. If a stain remains, follow the cleaner instructions
described earlier.
Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt.
This may have to be done more than once.
Things like tar, asphalt, and shoe polish will stain if
they are not removed quickly. Use a clean cloth
and vinyl cleaner. See your dealer for this product.
Leather
Use a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap or
saddle soap and wipe dry with a soft cloth. Then,
let the leather dry naturally. Do not use heat to dry.
For stubborn stains, use a leather cleaner.
Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive
cleaners, furniture polish, or shoe polish on leather.
Soiled or stained leather should be cleaned
immediately. If dirt is allowed to work into the nish,
it can harm the leather.
5-84

Washing Your Vehicle
The paint nish on the vehicle provides beauty,
depth of color, gloss retention, and durability.
The best way to preserve the vehicle’s nish is to keep it
clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold water.
Do not wash the vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Use a car washing soap. Do not use strong soaps
or chemical detergents. Be sure to rinse the vehicle well,
removing all soap residue completely. GM-approved
cleaning products can be obtained from your dealer.
SeeVehicle Care/Appearance Materials on page 5-89.
Do not use cleaning agents that are petroleum
based, or that contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning
agents should be ushed promptly and not allowed
to dry on the surface, or they could stain. Dry the nish
with a soft, clean chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter
the vehicle.
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and a
car washing soap to clean exterior lamps and lenses.
Follow instructions underWashing Your Vehicle on
page 5-86.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of the vehicle by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from
the paint nish. GM-approved cleaning products
can be obtained from your dealer. SeeVehicle
Care/Appearance Materials on page 5-89.
The vehicle has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint nish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat
paint nish.
Notice:Machine compounding or aggressive
polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint nish may
damage it. Use only non-abrasive waxes and
polishes that are made for a basecoat/clearcoat
paint nish on your vehicle.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc.,
can damage the vehicle’s nish if they remain on painted
surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
5-86

Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
See your GM dealer for more information on purchasing
the following products.
Description Usage
Polishing Cloth
Wax-TreatedInterior and exterior
polishing cloth.
Tar and Road
Oil RemoverRemoves tar, road oil,
and asphalt.
Chrome Cleaner
and PolishUse on chrome or
stainless steel.
White Sidewall
Tire CleanerRemoves soil and black
marks from whitewalls.
Vinyl CleanerCleans vinyl tops,
upholstery, and
convertible tops.
Glass CleanerRemoves dirt, grime,
smoke and ngerprints.
Chrome and Wire
Wheel CleanerRemoves dirt and grime
from chrome wheels and
wire wheel covers.
Finish EnhancerRemoves dust,
ngerprints, and surface
contaminants. Spray on
and wipe off.
Description Usage
Swirl Remover PolishRemoves swirl marks, ne
scratches, and other light
surface contamination.
Cleaner WaxRemoves light scratches
and protects nish.
Foaming Tire Shine
Low GlossCleans, shines, and
protects in one step.
No wiping necessary.
Wash Wax ConcentrateMedium foaming
shampoo. Cleans and
lightly waxes.
Biodegradable and
phosphate free.
Spot LifterQuickly removes spots
and stains from carpets,
vinyl, and cloth
upholstery.
Odor EliminatorOdorless spray odor
eliminator used on fabrics,
vinyl, leather and carpet.
See your General Motors parts department for these
products. SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-13.
5-89

Capacities and Specications
The following approximate capacities are given in English and metric conversions.
Capacities and Specications
ApplicationCapacities
English Metric
Air Conditioning Refrigerant R134a 2.4 lbs 1.1 kg
Automatic Transaxle
Pan Removal and Replacement
After Complete Overhaul7.4 quarts
10.0 quarts7.0 L
9.5 L
Cooling System Including Reservoir 11.7 quarts 11.0 L
Engine Oil with Filter 4.0 quarts 3.8 L
Fuel Tank 17.0 gallons 64.0 L
Wheel Nut Torque 100 ft lb 140Y
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to ll to the approximate level, as recommended in
this manual.
Engine Specications
Engine VIN Code Transaxle Spark Plug Gap
3100 V6 J Automatic .060 inches (1.52 cm)
5-96

Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
Important: Keep engine oil at the proper level and
change as recommended.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet or your dealer
for details.
Maintenance Requirements
Notice:Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections,
replacement parts and recommended uids and
lubricants as prescribed in this manual are necessary
to keep your vehicle in good working condition.
Any damage caused by failure to follow scheduled
maintenance may not be covered by warranty.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance is
important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper uid
levels or the wrong tire ination can increase the level
of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle in good condition,
be sure to maintain your vehicle properly.
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you keep your
vehicle in good working condition. But we do not know
exactly how you will drive it. You may drive very
short distances only a few times a week. Or you may
drive long distances all the time in very hot, dusty
weather. You may use your vehicle in making deliveries.
Or you may drive it to work, to do errands or in many
other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may need more
frequent checks and replacements. So please read
the following and note how you drive. If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your GM Goodwrench dealer.
6-2

Scheduled Maintenance
When the CHANGE OIL SOON light comes on, it means
that service is required for your vehicle. Have your
vehicle serviced as soon as possible within the next
600 miles (1 000 km). It is possible that, if you are
driving under the best conditions, the engine oil life
system may not indicate that vehicle service is
necessary for over a year. However, your engine oil
and lter must be changed at least once a year and
at this time the system must be reset. Your GM
Goodwrench dealer has GM-trained service technicians
who will perform this work using genuine GM parts
and reset the system.
If the engine oil life system is ever reset accidentally,
you must service your vehicle within 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) since your last service. Remember to reset
the oil life system whenever the oil is changed. See
Engine Oil Life System on page 5-16for information on
the Engine Oil Life System and resetting the system.When the CHANGE OIL SOON light appears, certain
services, checks and inspections are required.
Required services are described in the following for
“MaintenanceI” and “MaintenanceII.” Generally, it is
recommended that your rst service be MaintenanceI,
your second service be MaintenanceIIand that you
alternate MaintenanceIand MaintenanceIIthereafter.
However, in some cases, MaintenanceIImay be
required more often.
MaintenanceI— Use MaintenanceIif the light comes
on within ten months since vehicle was purchased or
MaintenanceIIwas performed.
MaintenanceII— Use MaintenanceIIif the previous
service performed was MaintenanceI. Always use
MaintenanceIIwhenever the light comes on ten months
or more since the last service or if the light has not
come on at all for one year.
6-4

Scheduled Maintenance
Service MaintenanceIMaintenanceII
Change engine oil and lter. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-13. Reset oil life system.
SeeEngine Oil Life System on page 5-16.An Emission Control Service.••
Visually check for any leaks or damage.See footnote (k).••
Inspect engine air cleaner lter. If necessary, replace lter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.An Emission Control Service. See footnote †.••
Rotate tires and check ination pressures and wear. SeeTires on page 5-53.••
Inspect brake system.See footnote (a).••
Check engine coolant and windshield washer uid levels and add uid
as needed.••
Perform any needed additional services. See “Additional Required Services”
in this section.••
Inspect suspension and steering components.See footnote (b).•
Inspect engine cooling system.See footnote (c).•
Inspect wiper blades.See footnote (d).•
Inspect restraint system components.See footnote (e).•
Lubricate body components.See footnote (f).•
Check transaxle uid level and add uid as needed.•
Replace passenger compartment air lter.See footnote (g).•
Inspect throttle system.See footnote (j).•
6-5