1998 Buick Century Owner's Manual

f The 1998 Buick Century Owner’s Manual 1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “SRS” system. 2-1 Featuresand Controls This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle. 3-1 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system. 4- 1 Your Driving and the Road Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and howto drive under different conditions. 5- 1 Problems on the Road This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc. 6- 1 Service and Appearance Care Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly andlooking good. 7-1 Maintenance Schedule This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. 8- 1 Customer Assistance Information This section tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8-8. 9- 1 Index Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read. i We support voluntary technician certification. GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK, WE SUPPORT the BUICK Emblem and the name CENTURY are VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. CERTIFICATION THROUGH National Institute for This manual includes the latest information at the time it AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the EXCELLENCE product after that time without furthernotice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Buick Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual. Foi- Lanadian Owners Who Prefer a Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be French Language Manual: there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you Aux propribtaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new procurer un exemplaire de ce guideen fraqais chez owner can use it. votre concessionaire ou au: DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1577 Meyerside Dr. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1B9 Litho in U.S.A. 0Copyright General Motors Corporation 1997 Part No. 10415722 B Second Edition All Rights Reserved ii ~ How to Use this Manual Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features These mean thereis something that could hurt and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll you or other people. find that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly. In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then Index we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or A good place to look for what you need is the Index in others couldbe hurt. back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical listof what’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it. You will also find a circle Safety Warnings and Symbols with a slash through it in this book. This safety You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. symbol means “Don’t,” We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you “Don’t do this” or “Don’t about thingsthat could hurtyou if you were to ignore let this happen.” the warning. iii VehicleDamage Warn s In the notice area, we tell you about something that can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would Also, in this book you will find thesenotices: not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help NOTICE: avoid the damage. I When you read other manuals, you might see These mean thereis something that could CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in differentwords. damage your vehicle. You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. iv Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. For example, These symbols These symbols These symbols These symbols Here are some these symbols are important have to do with are on some of are used on other symbols are used on an for you and your lamps: your controls: warning and you may see: original battery: your passengers indicator lights: whenever your vehicle is WINDSHIELD CAUTION driven: WIPER POSSIBLE A FUSE INJURY COOLANT - TEMP - DOOR LOCK TURN PROTECT UNLOCK SIGNALS EYES BY e BAllERY LIGHTER n SHIELDING CHARGING I-1 SYSTEM CAUSTIC WINDSHIELD HORN b "E 4 DEFROSTER BRAKE BELTS (a) BURNS FLASHER A COOLANT SPEAKER AVOID WINDOW b SPARKS OR DEFOGGER a POWER FLAMES WINDOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE Wb FUEL e3 SPARK OR ,\I/, FLAME VENTILATING COULD FAN I ANTI-LOCK EXPLODE FOG LAMPS (@) 3 0 BRAKES BAllERY V fi NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Here you’ll find information about the seatsin your Buick and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about some thingsyou should not do with air bags and safety belts. 1-2 Seats and Seat Controls 1-3 1 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides 1-5 Safety Belts: They’re forEveryone for Children and Small Adults 1-10 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About 1-34 Children Safety Belts -- and the Answers 1-37 Built-in Child Restraint (Option) 1-11 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly 1-52 Child Restraints 1-11 Driver Position 1-65 Larger Children 1-18 Safety BeltUse During Pregnancy 1-68 Safety Belt Extender 1-19 Right Front Passenger Position 1-68 Checking Your Restraint Systems 1-19 Air Bag System 1-68 Replacing Restraint System Parts 1-26 Center Passenger Position After a Crash 1-28 Rear Seat Passengers 1-1 Seats and Seat Controls 2-Way Manual Seat This section tells you how to adjust the seats and explains the reclining seatbacksand head restraints. Manual Front Seat You can lose control of the vehicle if youtry to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement couldstartle and confuse you,or make you push a pedal when you don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle isnot moving. Lift the bar under the front of the seat using an upward motion. This will unlock the seat. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked into place. 1-2 6-Way Power Seat (If Equipped) This switch is designed to imitate the movements of your seat cushion. The driver’s switch is located on the left side of the driver’s seat cushion. The passenger’s switch is located on the right side of the passenger’s seat cushion. To move the seat forward or rearward, push the switch forward or rearward. To raise or lower the entire seat, push the switch up or down. To raise or lower the front portion of your seat, push the front of the switch up or down. To raise or lowerthe rear portion of your seat, push the rear of the switch up or down. You may have a six-way power driver’s seat and a six-way power passenger’s seat (if equipped). 1-3 Reclining Front Seatbacks Lift the lever to release the seatback, then move the seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to lock But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle the seatback into place. Pull up on the lever without is moving. pushing on the seatback and the seatback will move forward. 1-4 I Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone A ’ C,A UTION: This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do Sitting in a reclined position when yourvehicle is with safety belts. in motion can be dangerous. Evenif you buckle And it explains the air bag system. up, your safety belts can’t do their job when you’re reclined likethis. The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it won’t be against your body. Instead, itwill be in front of you. In a crashyou could go into it, Don’t let anyone ride where heor she can’t wear receiving neck or other injuries. a safety belt properly.If you are in a crash and The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the you’re not wearinga safety belt, your injuries belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt can be much worse. You can hit things inside the forces would be there, notat your pelvic bones. vehicle or be ejected fromit. You can be seriously This could cause serious internal injuries. injured orkilled. In the same crash,you might For proper protection when the vehicle is in not be if you are buckled up.Always fasten your motion, have the seatback upright. Then sitwell safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.

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