2005 BUICK CENTURY belt

6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the
lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt
back into the retractor. You may nd it helpful to use
your knee to push down on the child restraint as
you tighten the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety
belt will move freely again and be ready to work for
an adult or larger child passenger.
Airbag System
Your vehicle has airbags – a frontal airbag for the driver
and another frontal airbag for the right front passenger.
Your vehicle may also have a side impact airbag for
the driver.
If your vehicle has a
side impact airbag for
the driver it will say
AIR BAG on the airbag
covering on the side of the
driver’s seatback closest
to the door.
Frontal airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of
injury from the force of an inating frontal airbag.
But these airbags must inate very quickly to do their
job and comply with federal regulations.
1-49

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

{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it inates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags 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 airbag
system is designed for them. 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 airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-31
for more information.
1-51

A driver’s side impact air bag is not designed to inate in
frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts,
because ination would not likely help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal air bags, ination is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
air bags, ination is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both
the frontal and side impact airbags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inator, which
inates the airbag. The inator, airbag and related
hardware are all part of the airbag modules. Frontal
airbag modules are located inside the steering wheel
and instrument panel. For vehicles with a driver’s
side impact airbag, the airbag modules are located in
the seatback closest to the driver’s door.
How Does an Airbag 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 airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags 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 airbag. A side impact airbag 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 airbag. Airbags 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 airbags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for vehicles with a driver’s side
impact airbag.
1-55

Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer and the service manual
have information about servicing your vehicle and the
airbag system. To purchase a service manual, see
Service 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
airbag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an
airbag when it inates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualied to do so.
The airbag system does 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 airbag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The airbag 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 have 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 was not being used at the time of
the collision.
If an airbag inates, you will need to replace airbag
system parts. See the part on the airbag 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 your vehicle.
From the outside, use your key or remote keyless
entry transmitter. From the inside, use the manual or
power door locks.
To unlock the driver’s side door from the outside with
the key, insert the key and turn it toward the front of the
vehicle. To lock the driver’s side door from the outside
with your key, insert the key and turn it toward the
rear of the vehicle.
To lock the door from the inside, push the manual
lock lever forward. To unlock the door, pull the
lever rearward.
2-10

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-4
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-6
Other Warning Devices...................................3-6
Horn.............................................................3-6
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-6
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-7
Turn and Lane-Change Signals........................3-7
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer..................3-8
Flash-to-Pass.................................................3-8
Windshield Wipers..........................................3-8
Windshield Washer.........................................3-9
Cruise Control..............................................3-10
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-13
Headlamps on Reminder................................3-13
Delayed Headlamps......................................3-13
Daytime Running Lamps/Automatic
Headlamp System.....................................3-14
Cornering Lamps..........................................3-15
Interior Lamps..............................................3-15
Instrument Panel Brightness...........................3-15
Courtesy Lamps...........................................3-15
Dome Lamp.................................................3-16
Entry Lighting...............................................3-16
Delayed Entry Lighting...................................3-16Delayed Exit Lighting.....................................3-17
Reading Lamps............................................3-17
Battery Run-Down Protection..........................3-17
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter........................3-18
Climate Controls............................................3-18
Dual Climate Control System..........................3-18
Dual Automatic Climate Control System...........3-21
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-26
Passenger Compartment Air Filter...................3-26
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators............3-28
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-29
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-30
Trip Odometer..............................................3-30
Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-30
Airbag Readiness Light..................................3-31
Charging System Light..................................3-32
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-32
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-33
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light.........3-34
Low Traction Light........................................3-34
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light......3-35
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-35
Tire Pressure Light.......................................3-36
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1