2003 Buick Century Owner's Manual
2003 Buick Century Manual
2003 Buick Century manual content summary:
- 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 1
- 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 2
... ... ... ... ... ... ... . ...* . * ...1 . . ...I . : : : : : . ...: s ...: o . :.- . x . .a, . . i> ... n . ... . ..., ...: s - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 3
learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you'll find that pictures and words work together to explain things. Index A good place to look for what you need is the Index in back of the manual. It's an alphabetical list of what's i n the manual, and the page number where - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 4
Safety Warnings and Symbols You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. You will also find a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means "Don't,'' - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 5
Systems in Section 1 Features and Controls in Section 2 Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3 Climate Controls in Section 3 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3 Audio System do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 6
CHILD SEAT $8: @ @ I LIGHTING MASTER 0 SWITCH - 8- , \ ENGINE COOLANT TEMP PROTECT S T U R: GN A L I SHIELDING BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM I I 1 I CAUSTIC BATERY ACID COULD CAUSE BURNS \$$= / > DO NOT INSTALL A REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT IN THIS SEATING POSITION LAMPS pf BRAKE COOLANT - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 7
NOTES vi - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 8
Makes an Air Bag Inflate? ...1-59 How Does an Air Bag Restrain? ...1-59 What Will Ynll S p p After 3.n Rac !nf!gtoc? ...-!-eQ Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle ...1-62 .Air Restraint System Check ...1-63 Checking Your Restraint Systems ...1-63 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 9
Front Seats Manual Seats Lift the bar located under the front of the passenger's seat. This will unlock the seat. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to move the seat to be sure the seat is locked into place. 1-2 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 10
the rear of your seat, push the rear of the control up or down. e Lift the lever located on the outboard side of the seat to release the seatback, then move the seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to lock the seatback in place. Pull up on the lever without - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 11
reclined likethis. The shoulder belt can't do its job because it won't be against your body. Instead, will be it in front of you. In a crash you could go into is in motion, have the seatback upright.Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. 3ut don't have a seatback reclined - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 12
Head Restraints Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. '-5 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 13
vehicle has this feature it allows you to have access to the trunk from the inside of your vehicle. Pull forward on the seat tab, located on the front of the rear seat, to fold the rear seatback down. To return the seatback to its original position, push it - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 14
Belts Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. using a safety belt properly. IC IS Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. See Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 3-29. In most states and in all Canadian - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 15
. After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter...a lot! Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it'sjust a seat on wheels. 1-8 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 16
6- 1 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 17
The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel... 1-10 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 18
the forces. That's why safety belts make such good sense. A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts - not instead of them. Every air bag system ever offered for sale has required the use - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 19
your control, such as bad drivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h). Safety belts are for everyone. Driver Position This part describes the driver's restraint system. 1-12 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 20
latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don't let it get twisted. The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly. 4. Push the latch plate into - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 21
of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt. The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just go over the shoulder and acrossthe chest. Theseparts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The safety belt locks if there's a sudden stop or crash, or if you - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 22
. To move it down, squeeze the release lever and the shoulder belt guide as shown and move the height adjuster to the desired position. You can belt guide. After you move the adjuster to where you want it, try to move it down without squeezing the release lever to make sure it has locked into - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 23
Q: What's wrong with this? You can be seriously hurt your shoulc ?It is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should fit against your body. A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won't give nearly as much protection this way. 1-16 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 24
Q: What's wrong with this? You can be seriously injur- -~ if your bel i buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 25
Q: What's wrong with this? You can be seriol y injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move toofar forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which aren't as strong as shoulder - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 26
. In a crash, you wouldn't have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer to fix it. L A: The belt is twisted across the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 27
To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way. Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle. 1-20 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 28
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, 's safety belt properly, see Driver Position on page 7-72. The right front passenger's safety belt works the same way as the driver's safety belt - except for one thing. If you ever pull - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 29
Center Passenger Position Lap Belt n If your vehicle has front and rear bench seats, someone can sit in the center positions. When you sit in the center seating position, you have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor. To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt. - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 30
make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug. Buckle, position and release it the same way as the f part o a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt isn't long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-29. Make sure the release button on the buckle is - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 31
get twisted. Lap-Shoulder Belt The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder belts. Here's how to wear one properly. The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 32
When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and start again. If the belt is not long enough, . The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. 1-25 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 33
belt locks if there's a sudden stop or a crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor. You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should fit against your body - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 34
guide better positions the belt away from the neck and head. There is one guide guides may be installed on the shoulder belts. Here's how to install a comfort guide and use the safety belt: 1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of the seatback and the interior body to remove the guide - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 35
and past the belt. The elastic cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide over the belt, and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide. 3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat. The elastic cord must be under the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 36
edges together so that you can take them out of the guides. Pull the guide upward to expose its storage clip, and then slide the guide onto the clip. Turn the guide and clip inward and in between the seatback and the interior body, leaving only the loop of the elastic cord exposed. Safety Belt - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 37
Child Restraints Older Children If you have the choice, a child should sit next to a window so the child can wear a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. Q: What is the proper way to wear safety - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 38
the child's shoulder, so that in a crash the child's upper body would have the restraint that belts provide. If kilt: ciliiu is siiiirly irl a rear seai ouisiae posiiion, see Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults on page 1-27. I f the child is - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 39
Never do this. Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder parti s behind the child. If the childwears the belt in this way, in a crash the child might slide under the belt. The belt's force would then be applied right on the child's abdomen. That could cause - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 40
Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate restraints. Young children should not use the vehicle's adult safety belts alone, unless there is no other choice. Instead, they need to use a child restraint. People should never hold a - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 41
it inflates can be seriously injured or killed. Air bags plus lap-shoulder belts offer outstanding protection for adults and older children, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle's safety belt system nor its air bag system is designed for them. Young children and infantsneed - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 42
standards. The restraint manufacturer's instructions that come with the head weighsso much compared with the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing seat settles into the restraint, so the crash forces can be distributed across the strongest part of an infant's body, the back - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 43
In a crash, the belt would apply force on a body area that's unprotected by any bony structure. This alone car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed to restrain or position a child on a continuous flat surface. Make sure that the infant's head - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 44
restraint with the seating surface against the back of the infant. The harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash, acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint. A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for the child's body with the harness and also sometimes with - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 45
work? A: A child restraint system is any devicedesigned for to use in a motor vehicle restrain, seat, or position children. A built-in child restraint systemis a permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on child restraint system rests low against the child's body. A shelf-or armrest-type shield - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 46
and to this manual. The child restraint instructions are important, so if they are not available, obtain a replacement copy from the front passenger's air bag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating air bag. Always secure - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 47
front passenger's air bag if it work, a top strap must be properly anchored to the vehicle. Some top strap-equipped child restraints are designed for use with or without the top strap being anchored. Others require the top strap always to be anchored. Be sure to read and follow the instructions - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 48
1-41 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 49
Top Strap Anchor Location Your vehicle has top strap anchors already installed for the rear seating positions. You'll fiirId them behind the rear seat filler panel. In order to get to a bracket, you'll t-lave to open the trim cover. Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for Children (LATCH System) Your - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 50
To assist you in locating the lower anchors for this child restraint system, each seating position with the LATCH system will have a dot on the seatback directly above the anchor. A. Vehicle anchor B. LATCH system attachment points C. Top strap 1-43 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 51
installed using the anchorage points, or use the vehicle's safety belts to secure the restraint. See "Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System'' or "Securing a Child Restraint in aRear Seat Position" in the Index for information on how to secure a child restraint in your vehicle - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 52
for the LATCH System 1. Find the anchors for the seating position you want to use, where the bottom of the seatback meets the back of the seat System) on page 7-42. You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See Top Strap on page 7-40 if the child restraint has one. Be sure to follow the instructions - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 53
3. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 1-46 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 54
5. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor while you push down on 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. 1-47 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 55
front seat can be badly injured or killed by the right front passenger's air bag if it inflates. Never secure a child restraint in the center front system, see Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for Children (LATCH System) on page 1-42. You'll be using the lap belt. Be sure to follow the instructions - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 56
your knee to push the child restraint as you tighten the belt. 3. Run the vehicle's safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. 1-49 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 57
air bag. Never put a rear-facing child re lint in this seat. Here's why: To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle's safety belt. It will be ready to work and as the instructions say. 1. Because your vehicle has a right front passenger air bag, always move the seat as far back as it - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 58
of the vehicle's safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if needed the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 59
6. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor while you push down on 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. 1-52 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 60
Air Bag Systems This part explains the frontal and side impact air bag systems. Your vehicle has air bags - a frontal air bag for the driver and another frontal airbag for the right front passenger. Your vehicle may also have a side impact air bag for the driver. If your vehicle has a side impact - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 61
seriously injure you. Safety belts help keep you in position for air bag inflation before and during a crash. Alwayswear 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. 1-54 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 62
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. See Air - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 63
Where Are the Air Bags? The right front passenger's frontal air bag is in the instrument panel on the passenger's side. The driver's frontal air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel. 1-56 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 64
, and don't attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other air bag covering. Don't let seat coversblock the inflation path of a side impact air bag. If your vehicle has one, the driver's side impact air bag is in the sideof the driver's seatback closest to the door. 1-57 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 65
or may not have a side impact air bag. See Air Bag Systems in the Index. A driver 's side impact air bag is designed to inflate in moderate air bags, inflation is determined by the location and severity of the impact. If your vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such as a parked car - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 66
both the frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, 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 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 67
trouble.To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should get out soon as it is safe as to do so. If you have breathing problems but can't get out of the vehicle after air bag an inflates, then get fresh air by opening a window or a door. If you experience breathing problems following an air bag - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 68
need some new parts for your air bag system. If you don't get them, the air bag system won't 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 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 69
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, see - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 70
impact forces. If a belt is torn or frayed, get a new one right away. Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash 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.) A crash can damage the restraint - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 71
, 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 inflates, you'll need to replace air bag system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier in this section - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 72
Remote Keyless Entry System ...24 . Remote Keyless Entry System Operation ...2.5 Doors and Locks ...2.10 Door Locks ...2.10 Power Door Locks ...2-11 Programmable Automatic Door Locks ...2.11 Lockout Protection ...2.12 Leaving Your Vehicle ...2.12 Trunk ...2.13 Windows ...2.15 Windows Power ...2.16 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 73
Leaving childrer I vehicle a wit ignition key is dangerous for many reasons. A child or others could be badly injured or even killed. They could operate the power windows or other controls or even make the vehicle move. Don't leave the keys in a vehicle with children. 2-2 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 74
that can help prevent theft. You can have a lot of trouble getting into your vehicle if you ever lock your keys inside. You may even have to damage your If your vehicle is equipped with the Onstar@system with an active subscription and you lock your keys inside the vehicle, Onstar@may be able - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 75
to the left or right, hold the transmitter higher, and try again. Check to determine if battery replacement is necessary. See "Battery Replacement" under Remote Keyless Entry System Operation on page 2-5. If you are still having trouble, see your dealer or a qualified technician for service. 2-4 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 76
Entry System Operation Using the remote keyless entry transmitter, youcan lock and unlock your doors, or release the trunk from about 3 feet 1 (m) and up to 30 feet 9 (m) away. & : (Remote Alarm) Press this button to activate an alarm. The ignition must be in OFF or ACC for the remote alarm to work - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 77
and release the remote keyless entry transmitter LOCK button. The mode you selected is now set. You can either exit the programming mode by following the previous instructions or program the next feature available on your vehicle. Disconnecting the vehicle's battery for up to a year will not change - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 78
brakes. 4. Press and hold the power door unlock switch. While hn!rJIng the clmr L!"!C)Ck'S\!!i!Ch, mn'E fhP shift !PF3out of and back into PARK (P). Cancel the delayed locking by pressing the unlock switch or bv fullv insertinq the kev in the iqnition. Override the delayed locking feature and lock - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 79
"Entry Lighting" under lnterior Lamps on page 3-74for more information. Battery Replacement Under normal use, the battery in your remote keyless entry transmitter should last about three years. You can tell the battery is weak if the transmitter won't work at the normal range in any location. If - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 80
transmitter, you will need to resynchronize the transmitter. To do this, press the LOCK and UNLOCK buttons at the same time and hold for approximately seven seconds or until one horn chirp is heard. I To replace the battery do the following: 1. Insert a flat object like a thin coin into the slot on - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 81
and unlock your vehicle. From the outside, use your door key or remote keyless entry transmitter. From the inside use the manual or power door locks. To manually unlock the driver's door from the outside, insert the key and turn it toward the front of the vehicle. Unlocked doors can be dangerous - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 82
into PARK (P). The rear doors do not have power door lock switches. Programmable Automatic Door Locks Programmable automatic power door locks are intended to provide enhanced security and convenience by automatically locking and unlocking doors. This feature provides four operating modes. Mode - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 83
brakes. 4. Press and hold the power door lock switch in the lock position. While holding the door lock switch in the lock position, move the shift lever out of and back can't guarantee that you'll never be locked out of your vehicle. If you use the manual door lock or if you leave the key in your - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 84
pass through the seal between the body and the trunk lid: Make sure all other windows are shut. Turn the fan on your heating or cooling system to its highest speed and select the control setting that will force outside air into your vehicle. See "Climate Controls" in the Index. o !f yru hznie SI - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 85
. f Improper use o the emergency trunkrelease handle could damage it. Your vehicle may have a glow-in-the-dark emergency trunk release handle located inside the trunk on the latch. This handle will glow following exposure to light. Pull the release handle up to open the trunk from the inside. 2-14 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 86
Windows Leaving children in a vehicle with the windows closed is dangerous. A child can be overcome by the extreme heat and can suffer permanent injuries or even death from heat stroke. Never leave a child alone in a vehicle, especially with the windows closed in warm or hot weather. 2-15 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 87
Window The driver's window switch has an express-down feature. This switch is labeled AUTO. Tap the rear of the switch and the driver's window will quickly open a small amount. Lighted Visor Vanity Mirrors If your vehicle has the lighted vanity mirrors, the lamps come on when you open the cover - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 88
key, it shuts down the vehicle's starter and fuel systems. For about three minutes, the starter won't work and fuel won't go to the engine. If someone the engine may not start. If the engine does not start and the SECURITY light is flashing, the key may be dirty or wet. Turn the ignition off. - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 89
a new key made. to If you're ever driving and the SECURITY light comes on, you will be able to restart your engine if you turn it off. Your PASS-Key@II system, however, is not working properly and must be serviced by your dealer. Your vehicle is not protected by the PASS-Key - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 90
premature wear and earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in guideline every time you get new brake linings. A (ACCESSORY): This position lets IS VIE. I lyll u use ACCESSORY, push in the key and turn it toward you. Your steering wheel will stay locked. B (LOCK): This is the only position in - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 91
break the key or the ignition switch. If none of these works, then your vehicle needs service. Retained Accessory Power (RAP) With Retained Accessory Power (RAP), your power windows, audio system and sunroof (if equipped) will continue to work for up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is turned - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 92
battery or damaging your starter. 2. If your engine won't start (or starts but then stops) it could be flooded with too much gasoline. Try pushing your accelerator Your engine is designed to work with the electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical parts or accessories, you could change the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 93
brace, which is located above the engine air cleaner/filter assembly. 4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the cord as it was before to keep it away from moving engine parts a normal, grounded 1IO-volt AC outlet. Plugging the cord into - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 94
a shift lever on the steering column. PARK (P): This position locks your front wheels. It's the best position to use when you of your vehicle if the shift lever i not fully inPARK (P) with the s parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. Don't leave your vehicle when the engine is running - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 95
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock control system. You must fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 96
a transaxle system sensor. If you drive very far way, your that vehicle can be damaged. So, if this happens, have your vehicle serviced right away. on hills. It can help control your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on. (a). (a): - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 97
pedal down with your right foot. Push down the parking brake pedal with your left foot. Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can cause your rear brakes tooverheat. You may have to replace them, and you could alsodamage other parts of your vehicle. If you are towing a trailer and parking on - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 98
down with your right foot and set the parking brake with your left foot. 2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this: F 0 Move the lever up as far as it will go. 3. Turn the ignition - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 99
Shifting Into Park ( f ) on page 2-26. When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of PARK (P) before you release the parking brake. If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the pressure from the parking pawl in - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 100
(P) Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shiftlock control system. You must fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when you can. I Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don't park over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that can - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 101
points on the road or over road debris. CAUTION: (Continued) Repairs weren't n ,e correctly. Your vehicle or exhaust system had been modified improperly. If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into your vehicle: Drive it only with all the windows down to blow out any CO; and Have your vehicle fixed - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 102
sure your vehicle won't move, even when you're on fairly level ground, always set your parking brake and move the shift lever to PARK (P). I c - ~ lthe engine with the climate control g system off could allow dangerous exhaust into your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under "Engine Exhaust." Also - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 103
return the mirror to the day position, push the lever away from you. There are two lamps located on the bottom of the mirror. Each lamp is turned on and off by pressing the button next to the lamp. Manual Rearview Mirror with OnStaP If your vehicle is equipped with this mirror, it has a lever - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 104
mirror with the Onstar@System. The automatic dimming feature is turned on or off by pressing the far left button, located on the lower part of the mirror, There are two lamps located on the bottom of the mirror. Each lamp is turned on and off by pressing the button next to the lamp. Your vehicle - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 105
before changing lanes. To choose either the left or right outside mirror, move the selector switch located above the control pad to the left or the right. Then use the four-way arrows located on the control pad to move the mirrors in the desired direction. Adjust each mirror so you can see the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 106
Onstar@System Onstar@Services Onstar@provides a number of service plans. Some of the services currently provided by Onstar@are: 0 Automatic Notification of Air Bag Deployment Emergency Services Roadside Assistance Stolen Vehicle Tracking AccidentAssist Remote Door Unlock Remote Diagnostics Onstar@ - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 107
Calling, refer to the OnStap user's guide in your vehicle's glove box, or Service Agreement is required prior to delivery of Onstar@ services and prepaid calling minutes are also required for Onstar@Personal Calling and Onstar@Virtual Advisor use. Terms and conditions of the Subscription Service - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 108
Storage Areas Glove Box Use the door key to lock and unlock the glove box, To open, lift . Front Storage Area Convenience Net Your vehicle may have a convenience net located on the back wall of the trunk. Put small loads, like grocery bags, behind the net. It can help keep them from falling over. - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 109
a sliding glass panel and a sunshade. The switch to open the sunroof is located overhead on the headliner. The switch works only when the ignition is on or when retained accessory power is active. See "Retained Accessory Power" in ignition Positions on page 2-19. VENT: To raise the sunroof to - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 110
Air Filter ...3-25 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ...3-27 Instrument Panel Cluster ...3-28 Speedometer and Odometer ...3-29 satety Beit Heminder Llght ...Y-ZY Air Bag Readiness Light ...3-30 Charging System Light ...3-31 Brake System Warning Light ...3-31 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 111
I - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 112
the following: A. Exterior Lamps Control B. Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever C. Instrument Panel Cluster D. Audio Steering Wheel Controls E. Gear Shift Lever F. Air Outlets G. Side Window Defogger Outlet H. HoodRelease I. Tilt Wheel Lever J. Horn K. Audio System L.Ashtray M.ClimateControl N. GloveBox - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 113
The hazard warning flasher button is located on the top of the steering column. Other Warning the front and rear turn signal lamps flash on and off. Press the button again to turn the flashers off. When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn signals won't work. A tilt wheel allows you to - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 114
comfortable position and release the lever to lock the wheel into place. Turn SignalIMultifunction Lever The lever located on the left side of the steering column includes the following: - TurnandLane-Change Signals - - - __ nea.ua I ~p nlyl v ~ u w - k aIr - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 115
out and other drivers won't see your turn signal. If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an accident. If the arrows don't go on at all when way toward you. Then release it. When the high beams are on this light, located on the instrument panel cluster, will also be on. To signal a lane - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 116
you want to pass. It works even if your headlamps are off. light rain or snow. Windshield Wipers To operate the windshield wipers turn the band located your wipers. A circuit hrnaknr .a* ".-+I.". WIPER: Turn this band to control the windshield wipers. OFF: Turn the band to OFF to turn off - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 117
accelerator. This can really help on long trips. Cruise control does not work at speeds below about 25 mph (40 km/h). When you apply your brakes, the cruise control The LOW WASH light on your instrument panel cluster will come on when the fluid level is low. Cruise control can be dangerous where - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 118
automatically disengage. See Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-10. When road conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may turn the cruise control back on. Resuming a Set Speed Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 119
to be too much trouble and don't use cruise control on steep hills. Ending Cruise Control There are two ways to turn off the cruise control: Step lightly on the brake pedal, or move the cruise switch to OFF. Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control Use the accelerator pedal to increase - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 120
headlamps together with the previously listed lamps and lights. A warning chime will sound if you open the driver's door when you turn the ignition switch to OFF, LOCK or ACCESSORY with the lamps on. The exterior lamps control has three positions: Off: Pushing the control all the way in turns off - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 121
in Canada. A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the DRL work, so be sure it isn't covered. The DRL system will make your front turn signal lamps come on when the following conditions are met: The ignition is on, the exterior lamps control is off and the parking brake is released. When - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 122
this feature under any conditions. You can turn the feature on and off when you perform the following sequence: 1. Turn the ignition key to RUN. 2. Close all the doors. 3. Press and hold the power door lock switch. While holding the door lock switch, cycle the exterior lamps control on and then off - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 123
lighting feature will continue to work until one of the following occurs: The ignition is in RUN,or the doors are locked, or an illumination period of 25 seconds has elapsed. If during the illumination period a door is opened, the timed illumination period will be canceled and the interior lamps - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 124
ignition must beoff for delayed exit lighting to work. When the ignition key is lamps control off, then on, or open a door. If your vehicle has less than 15 miles (25 km) on the odometer, the battery saver will turn off the lamps after only three minutes. Reading Lamps The reading lamps are located - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 125
hookup, please refer to your service manual. To order a service manual, see Service Publications Ordering Information on page 7-10. Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter The center front ashtray is located just below the instrument panel's comfort controls. To remove the ashtray, open the storage door - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 126
Controls Dual Climate Control System With this system you can control the heating, cooling and ventilation for your vehicle. MAX (Maximum Air-conditioning): This mode recirculates much of the air inside your vehicle and sends it through the instrument panel outlets. The air-conditioning compressor - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 127
@ FAN: The left knob controls the fan speed. OFF: Turn the knob all the way counterclockwise to turn off the fan. the light. 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 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 128
located on the right knob, directs most of the air through the defroster and the side window outlets. Some of the air is directed to the floor and side window outlets. The air-conditioning compressor rear window. If you do, you could cutor damage the defogger and the repairs would not be covered by - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 129
will not cause the system to heat or cool any faster. If you setthe system atthe warmest temperature setting, 90°F (32"C), hot air will be directed to the floor, the fan will increase to the highest speed, and, the system will remain in manual mode at that temperature. The system will not return to - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 130
air filter, if equipped, may need to be replaced. For more information see Passenger Comparfment Air Filter on page 3-25 and Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on page 6-4. AIR FLOW: This control has several setting to control the direction of airflow when the system is not in AUTO. @ Manual - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 131
this button to turn the air-conditioning compressor on or off. The indicator light on the VENT mode is lit when the compressor is turned off. You may have to adjust the interior brightness control to the highest setting during the day in order to see the indicator lamp. VENT does not operate in - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 132
supply cooler air the side of the vehicle facing the to sun. The recirculation mode will also be activated, as necessary. Do not cover the solar sensor located in the center of the instrument panel, near the windshield, or the system will not work properly. button so that the indicator light is on - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 133
air-conditioning compressor will run automatically in this setting unless the outside temperature is below 40°F (4°C). Notice: Don't use a razor blade or something else sharp on the inside of the rear window. If you do, you could cut or damage the defogger and the repairs would not be covered by - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 134
, the passenger compartment air filter, if equipped, may need to be replaced. For more information, see Passenger Compartment Air Filter on page 3-25 and Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on page 6-4 Passenger Compartment Air Filter The passenger compartment air filter is located in the engine - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 135
side of the vehicle (peel back halfway to center). 5. Remove the three air inlet grille retainers. 7. Remove the passenger compartment air filter. 8. Then replace the old air filter with the new one. For the type of filter to use, see Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts on page 5-95. 9. Reinstall - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 136
This part describes the warning lights and gages that may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them. Warning lights and gages can signal that something is wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to your warning lights and - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 137
you're going, about how muchfuel is in your tank and manyother things you needto drive safely and economically. ~~ ~ _ _ _ _ ~ ~ ~~ United States version with Enhanced Traction System and ABS shown; Canada Base Level similar 3-28 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 138
unless the driver's safety belt is already buckled. The safety belt light will also come on and stay on for several seconds, then it np! + s ? ~ r . "" 3' -*-- The tripkelect reset button will go back and forth between the odometer and the trip odometer if the button is pressed and released within - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 139
or comes on when you are driving, your air bag system may not work properly. Have your vehicle serviced right away. If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start your vehicle, it means the air bag system may not be working properly. The air bags in your vehicle may not inflate a crash, or - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 140
go out. Brake System Warning Light Your vehicle's hydraulic brake system is divided into two parts. If one part isn't working, the other part can still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you need both parts working well. If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem. Have your - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 141
on, have the vehicle towed for service. See Towing Your Vehicle on page 4-32. Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light ANTILOCK United States Canada -UT - _ 3ke SI em may no - Je working properly if the brake system warning light is on. Driving with the brake system warning light on can lead to an - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 142
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. This is normal. If the light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem. 0 If the Enhanced Traction System warning light comes on and stays on for an - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 143
your engine coolant has overheated or your radiator cooling fan is not working. TEMP You may feel or hear the system working, but this is normal. Slippery road conditions may exist if the low traction light comes on, so adjust your driving accordingly. The light will stay on for a few seconds after - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 144
operating your vehicle under normal driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible. See Engine Overheating on page 5-25. After the system has learned tire pressures with properly inflated tires, the LOW TIRE light will come on if the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 145
and emission control systems. Notice: If you keep driving your vehicle with this light on, after a while, your emission controls may not work as well, your fuel economy may not be as good and your engine may not run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may not be covered by your - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 146
in one of two ways: Light Flashing- A misfire condition has been detected. Amisfire increases vehicle emissions and may damage the emission control system on your vehicle. Dealeror qualified service center diagnosis and service may be required. e If the light continues to flash, when it - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 147
pass this inspection if the SERVICE ENGINE SOON light is on or not working properly. Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD (on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical emission control systems have not been completely diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be considered - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 148
Check your oil as soonas possible and have your vehicle serviced. ~ . This indicates that oil is not going problem. Have it fixed right away. The oil light could also come on in the following situations: The light will come on briefly when you turn on the ignition to show you that it is working - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 149
light does not come on briefly, have the low oil level sensor system repaired so it will be ready to warn you if there's a problem. The oil level monitoring system the oil normally in circulation to drain back into the oil pan. If the CHANGE OIL SOON light comes on and stays on after you start - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 150
The CRUISE light comes on whenever you set your cruise control. See "Cruise Control" under Turn Signal/Mu!tifunction Lever on page 3-5. SECURITY CRUISE It will also flash if your ignition key is too dirty or wet for the PASS-Key@II system to read the resistor pellet. See PASS-Key" !I on page - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 151
will come on when your windshield washers are working and the fluid container is low. I Service Vehicle Soon Light The SERVICE VEHICLE SOON light will come on if you have certain non-emission related vehicle problems. LOW WASH I The light will also come on briefly when your ignition is turned - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 152
The gage pointer may move while cornering, braking or speeding up. The gage may not indicate empty when the ignition is turned off. Low Fuel Warning Light FUEL United States Canada oo\\' I ' turn on the ignition as a check to show you it's working. If it doesn't come on then, have it fixed. 3-43 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 153
first. Find out what your audio system can and howto operate all of its controls to be sure you're getting the most outof the advanced engineeringthat went into it. Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP, you can play your audio system even after the ignition is - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 154
AM, FMI and FM2. The display will show your selection. TUNE: Turn this knob to choose radio stations. 4 SEEK b : Press the right or the left arrow there. Playing the Radio ON/OFF: Press this knob to turn the,system on and off. VOLUME: Turn the knob to increase or to decrease volume. To scan - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 155
this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the knob to increase or to decrease bass. TREB (Treble): Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the knob to control ring behind the upper knob to move the sound toward the left or the right speakers. FADE: Turn the control ring behind the lower knob - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 156
and scan only to stations that are in the selected band and only to those with a strong signal. 4 Playing the Radio ON/OFF: Press this knob to turn the system on and off. VOLUME: Turn the knob to increase or to decrease volume. 3-47 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 157
this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the knob to increase or to decrease bass. TREB (Treble): Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the knob to the control ring behind the upper knob to move the sound toward theleft or the right speakers. FADE: Turn the control ring behind the lower knob to - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 158
controls may have different functions when a tape is inserted. The display will show an arrow to show which side of the tape is playing. 1 PREV (Previous): Your tape must have at least three seconds of silence between each selection for previous to work b quickly to another part of the tape. Press - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 159
be used in the player. Try a new tape to make sure your player is working properly. BROKEN TAPE: The tape is broken. Try a new tape. WRAPPED: The when reporting the problem. SEEK b : Your tape must have at least three seconds of silence between each selection for seek to work. Press the left - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 160
Radio Shown Your vehicle may be equipped with a Concert Sound Ill sound system, which includes eight speakers and an eight channel, 200 watt amplifier. stations. Playing the Radio ON/OFF: Push this knob to turn the system on and off. VOLUME: Turn the knob to increase or to decrease the volume. To - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 161
. To return to the stations you manually set, press AUTO SET again. Setting the Tone (Bassnreble) BASS: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the knob to increase or to decrease bass. TREB (Treble): Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the knob to increase or to decrease treble. If - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 162
work. Press this pushbutton to search for the next selection on the tape. FADE: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the knob BAL: BASS and TREB controls just as you do for the radio. Other controls may have different functions quickly to another part ot the tape. Press it again to return to - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 163
not be used in the player. Try a new tape to make sure your player is working properly. BROKEN TAPE: The tape is broken. Try a new tape. WRAPPED: The tape it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem. Dolby Noise Reduction is manufactured under a license from Dolby Laboratories - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 164
A Standard Radio Shown Your vehicle may be equipped with a Concert Sound Ill sound system, which includes eight speakers and an eight channel, 200 watt amplifier. SEEK : Press and stay there. Playing the Radio ON/OFF: Push this knob to turn the system on and off. To scan, press one of the SEEK - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 165
. To return the bass and treble to the manual mode, press either TONE until MANUAL appears or press and release the BASS or TREB knob and turn it until the display goes blank. See "Setting Preset Stations'' listed previously to program the auto tone feature. Setting Preset Stations The six numbered - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 166
knob lightly so it extends. Turn the knob to move the sound toward the front or the rear speakers. Return these knobs selection for next to work. Press this pushbutton to controls just as you do for the radio. Other controls pushbutton to advance quickly to another part of the tape. The radio will - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 167
. Try a new tape to make sure your player is working properly. BROKEN TAPE: The tape is broken. Try a new the display. If this button is pressed again, the system will go to disc play; CD PLAY will appear on the tape. EJECT: Press this button, located next to the cassette tape slot, to problem. 3-58 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 168
When you turn on the ignition or system, the disc will start playing where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. Also, as a protection feature pushbutton or press it more than once, the player will continue moving back through the disc. RECALL: Press this button to see which track - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 169
display. If this button is pressed again, the system will go to disc play; CD PLAY will appear next track on the CD. EJECT: Press this button, located next to the CD slot, to stop a CD when not playing correctly, for any other reason, try a known good CD. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 170
If ignored, the system plays normally and the radio is not protected by the feature. If THEFTLOCK@ is activated, your radio will not operate if stolen. V/hen THEFTLOCK@ is activateu, the radio wiii uispiay LOC to indicate a locked condition anytime battery power is removed.Ifyour battery loses power - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 171
secured. If the code entered is incorrect, SEC will appear on the display. The radio will remain secured until the correct code is entered. When battery power is removed and later applied to a secured radio, the radio won't turn on and LOC will appear on the display. To unlock a secured radio - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 172
Audio Steering Wheel Controls If your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain radio functions using the tape or compact disc when listening to the radio. iviUiE: Press this buiion i o siience the audio system. Press it again to turn on the sound. SEEK : Press the up or the down arrow - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 173
and player. If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a known good cassette to see if the tape or the tape player is at fault. If scrubbing action, non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn. The recommended cleaning cassette - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 174
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not eject on its own. A the cassette tape is in good condition before you have your tape Fixed Mast Antenna The fixed mast antenna can withstand most car washes without being damaged. If - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 175
- 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 176
the Road. and Your Vehicle ...4-2 Defensive Driving ...4.2 Drunken Driving ...4-3 Control of a Vehicle ...4-6 Braking ...4-6 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) ...4.10 Steering ...4-1 1 Off-Road Recovery ...4.13 414 Passing ...Loss of Control ...4.15 Driving at Night ...4.16 Driving in Rain and on ?!et - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 177
the best defensive driving maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly. Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving task - such as concentrating on - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 178
There are good medical, psychological and developmental reasons for these laws. The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway safety problem is for problem. The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone who is drinking depends upon four things: The amount of alcohol consumed The drinker's body - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 179
before or during drinking will have a somewhat lower BAC level. There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have a lower relative percentage of body water than men. Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a man of her same - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 180
; at a level of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater! The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No amount ;e dcri-,';~i-,uvv-. ;v;&iCai iesealC;-,s;-,uws that alcohol in a person's system can make crash injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 181
Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go. Theyare the brakes, the steering and the accelerator. All three systems haveto do their work at the places where the tires meet the road. Braking Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 182
cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking and longer brake life. Anti-lock rake System (ABS - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 183
The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster than any driver could. The computer is programmed to make the most of available tire and road conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard. Let's say the road is wet and you're driving safely. Suddenly, an - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 184
carry it in whatever direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic. Using Anti-Lock Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a slight - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 185
light will come on to let you know if there's a problem. LOW TRAC You may feel or hear the system working, but this is normal. If your vehicle is in cruise control when the enhanced traction system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 186
brake, the system will turn off. You can turn the system back on at any time by shifting to OVERDRIVE (@) or THIRD (3). The Enhanced Traction System warning light this. The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curve - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 187
a sharp curve. Then you suddenly accelerate.Both control systems - steering and braking - have to do their work where the tires meet the road. Unless you havefour-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can demandtoo much of those places. You can lose control. The samething can happenif you - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 188
object. The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety belts properly slightly below the pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so that - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 189
-lane highway waits for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver? passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents - the head-on collision. So here are some tips for passing: "Drive ahead." Look - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 190
your right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. (Remember moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may be slowing Control Let's review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 191
the anti-lock braking system, remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 192
other vehicles. Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlamps can light up only so much road ahead. In remote areas, watch for animals. sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if ynltre drivincj; don't wear slmcjlasses at - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 193
wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain Replace your windshield wiper inserts when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to separate from the inserts. Rain and wet roads can meandriving trouble. On a wet road, you can't stop, accelerate - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 194
Wet brakes can cause ac,,dents. They won't work as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of the vehicle. After driving through a large puddle of water or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until your brakes work normally. Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 195
too quickly through deep puddles or standing water, water can come in through your engine's air intake and badly damage your engine. Never drive through water thatis slightly lower than the your view restricted by road spray. @ Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires on page 5-57. 4-20 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 196
part, "Freeway Driving." Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light is there because the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light have not cleared the intersection or may be running the red light. One of the biggest problems with city streets is the Q1IIUUIIL U I LICLIIIL U I - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 197
Freeway Driving The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. At the entrance, - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 198
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside? Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape? Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels? Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean? Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough tor long - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 199
actually such a condition as "highway Mountain Roads Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior. Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 200
there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transaxle. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 201
go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in vour lane, like a stalled car or an accident. * Winter Driving 0 You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding roads. Be - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 202
the time, those places where your tires meet the road probably have good traction. However, if there is snow or ice between your tires , ii you will be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 203
more trouble because it accelerate when driving on a slippery road. Even though your vehicle has this system, you'll want to slow down and adjust your driving to the road conditions. See Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4- 10. Unless you have the anti-lock braking system, you'll want to brake - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 204
're Caught in a Blizzard Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you. If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor mats - anything you can wrap around yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm. If you are stopped by heavy - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 205
from time to time to be sure snow doesn't collect there. Open a window just a little on the sideof the vehicle that's away from the wind. push the accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to restart - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 206
back and forth between REVERSE (F?) r F!RST (1) or SECOND (2) gear. The yl Enhanced Traction System will be turned off in FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) gear. Spin the wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator or other parts of the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 207
Towing Towing Your Vehicle Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-5. If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 208
CJ B. T. RR. T m A L K W 4 IT, ADD 28KPA(4PSI) MANUAL FOR MORE INFORMATION W U Your vehicle can be towed using a dolly. To tow your Pi. 3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key. 4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead position. 5. Release the parking brake. Two labels on your - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 209
break, and it can change the way your vehicle handles. These could cause you to lose control and crash. Also, overloading can shorten the lifeof your vehicle. Notice: Your warranty does not cover parts or components that fail because of overloading. If you put things inside your vehicle - like - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 210
, you can lose control when you pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the brakes may not work well or even at all. You and your passengers could be seriously injured. You may also damage your vehicle; the resulting repairs would not be covered - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 211
and tires are forced to work harder against the drag of full throttle. This helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads good source for this information can be state or provincial police. Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 212
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or advice, or you can write us at: Buick Customer Assistance Center P.O. Box 33136 Detroit, MI 48232-51 36 In Canada, write to: General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Communication Centre, 163-005 1908 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 213
becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions about safety chains may be Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch Brakes Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle's brake system. If you do, both brake systems won't work - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 214
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible, have someone guide you. Making Turns Notice: - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 215
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other drivers you're about to turn, change lanes 't shift down, you might have to use your brakes so much that they would get hot and no longer work well. On a long uphill grade, shift down and - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 216
are automatic transaxle fluid (don't overfill), engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index will help you find them quickly. If you're trailering, it's a good idea to review this information before you start your trip. Check - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 217
4-42 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 218
5 Service and Appearance Care Battery ...-5-42 Jump Starting ...5-43 Headlamp Aiming ...5-49 Bulb Replacement ...5.5 1 Halogen Bulbs ...5-51 Headlamps ...5.51 Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps ...5-52 Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) ...5.53 Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps ...5.54 Back - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 219
Appearance Materials ...VehicleIdentification ...Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) ...Service Parts Identification Label ... Electrical System ...-5-88 Add-on Electrical Equipment ...5-88 Headlamp Wiring ...5-88 Windshield Wiper Fuses ...5-88 Power Windows and Other Power Options ...5-88 Fuses and - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 220
best and wants you to be happy with it. We hope you'll go to your dealer for all your service needs. You'll get genuine GM parts and GM-trained and supported service people. We hope you'll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM. Genuine GM parts have one of these marks: 5-3 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 221
. To order the proper service manual, see Service Publications Ordering Information on page 7IO. Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to do your own service work, see Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-62. You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 222
is an important part of the proper maintenance emission control system performance compared to other gasoline. In Canada, look for the "Auto engine. A little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is considered normal. This does not indicate a problem exists nr that a higher-~cfme fue! - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 223
the life of spark plugs and the performance of the emission control system may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for service. Additives To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States are now required to contain - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 224
in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs caused by use of improper fuel wouldn't be covered by your warranty. To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or contact a major oil to refuel. The tethered fuel cap is located behind a hinged door on the driver's side of your vehicle. 5-7 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 225
it slowly to the left (counterclockwise).The fuel cap has a spring in it; if you let go of the cap too soon, it will spring back to the right. 5-8 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 226
you. If you get the wrong type, it may not fit properly. This may cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light and may damage your fuel tank and emissions system. See "Malfunction Indicator Lamp" in the Index. Never fill a portable fbt=l container while it is in your vehicle. Static electricity - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 227
the engine not is running. Keep hands, clothing and toolsaway from any underhood electric fan. Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and start a fire.These include liquids likefuel, oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshieldwasher and other fluids, and plastic or rubber.You or others could be - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 228
Hood Release To open the hood, do the following: 1. Pull the handle inside the vehicle, located just below the instrument panel and to the left of the steering column. 2. Then go to the front of the vehicle and release the secondary - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 229
- 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 230
Cooling Fan I. Engine Oil Fill Cap J. Engine Oil Dipstick K. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick L. Brake Fluid Reservoir M. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter Checking Engine Oil It's a good ~ u ciean ii wirn apaper rowel or cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again, keeping the tip down, and - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 231
Overview on page 5-12 for more information on location. When to Add Engine Oil If the oil of oil. But you must use the right kind. This part explains what kind of oil to use. For engine oil the cross-hatched area. Push the dipstick all the way back in when you're through. Nofice: Don't add too - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 232
American Petroleum Institute (API). Do not use any oil which does not carry this starburst symbol. If you choose to perform the engine oil change service yourself, be sure the oil you use has the starburst symbol on the front of the oil centainer. I f you have p i l r oil changed for you, be - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 233
filter. This is based on engine revolutions and engine temperature, and not on mileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage at which an oil change will be indicated can vary considerably. For the oil life system to work properly, you must reset the system damage not covered by your warranty - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 234
. If you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil, ask your dealer, a sewice station or a local recycling center for help. 3. Turn the key to OFF, then start the vehicle. The oil life will change to 100 percent. If the CHANGE OIL SOON light comes back on, the system has not reset. Repeat - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 235
if needed. 6. Be sure to reinstall the filter and install the cover tightly when you are finished. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to replace the air filter. See Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on page 6-4. I 11 I 2. Lift up on the two clips located on the top of the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 236
towing. Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service. If you do not use your vehicle under any of these conditions, change the fluid and filter at 100,000 miles (166 000 km). . p Pat? A . S ~ h ~ r i l d e d % Maintenance Services on How to Check Because this operation can be a little - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 237
foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever through each gear range, pausing for about three seconds in eachrange.Then, position the shift lever in PARK (P). Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes. I The automatictransaxle fluid dipstick handle is the black loop located toward the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 238
area. 4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the dipstick back in all the way. How to Add Fiuiu Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what kind of transaxle fluid to use. See Part D: Recommended Fluidsand Lubricants on page 6-16. Notice: We recommend you use only fluid - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 239
occurs first. Damage caused by the useof coolant other than DEX-COOL@ not covered by your new is vehicle warranty. -- What to Use Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and one-half DEX-COOL@ coolant which won't damage aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you don't need to - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 240
and be badly damaged. The repair cost wouldn't be covered by your warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts. If you have to add coolant more than four times a year, have your dealer check your cooling system. Notice: If you use - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 241
for more information on location. The vehicle must parts are hot enough. Don't spill coolant on a hotengine. Occasionally check the coolant level in the radiator. For information on how to add coolant to the radiator, see Cooling System on page 5-28. If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 242
Warning Light on page 3-34. Ndiee: After driving ir; the overhecited engine protection operatingmode, to avoid enginedamage, allow the engine to cool before attempting any repair. The engine oil will be severely degraded. Repair the cause of coolantloss, change the oil and reset the oil life system - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 243
it. Just turn it off and get everyone away from the vehicleuntil it cools down. Wait until there is no signof steam or coolant before you be badly driving withno coolant, your vehicle damaged. Thecostly repairs would not covered by be your warranty.See "Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 244
the warning doesn't come back on, you can cools down. Also, see "Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode" listed previously in this section. You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service help right away. 2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan speed and open the window - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 245
Ln om ? 0 0 0 P , 2 2 S i i 91, " 3 CD CD D S n 3 0 0 Q 5 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 246
- 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 247
If you haven't found a problem yet, but the coolant level isn't at the COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL@engine coolant at the coolant recovery tank. See Engine Coolant on page 5-22 for more information. Adding only pla water to your cooli system can be dangerous - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 248
more thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant mixture directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system is cool before you do it. Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling system can blow out and burn you badly. They are under pressure, and if you turn the radiator pressure cap - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 249
to follow this procedure could cause your engine to overheat and be severely damaged. 1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when the cooling system, including the radiator pressure cap and upper radiator hose, is no longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until it first - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 250
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol and it will burn if the engine parts are hot enough. Don't spill coolant on a hot engine. I I 4. Fill the radiator with the proper DEX-COOL@ coolant mixture, up to the base of the filler neck. See Engine - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 251
can feel the upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the engine cooling fans. 10. By this time, the coolant level inside the radiator filler neck may be lower. If the level is lower, add more of the proper DEX-COOL@ coolant mixture through the filler neck until the level reaches the base - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 252
Power Steering Fluid L 11. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during this procedure if COLD mark when the engine is cold. The power steering fluid reservoir is located on the passenger's side of the vehicle at the back of the engine compartment, and can be identified by the above graphic on - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 253
system could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected and repaired. See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for reservoir location. How to Check Power Steering Fluid Turn the key off, let the engine compartment cool kind of fluid to use, see Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 254
0 When using concentrated washer fluid, follow the manufacturer's instructions for adding water. Don't mix water with ready-to-use washer fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze and damage your washer fluid tank and other parts of the washer system. Also, water doesn't clean as well as washer - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 255
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your brakeswon't work well, or won't work at all. So, it isn't a good idea to "top o f f your brake fluid. Adding brake fluid - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 256
kind of fluidyour brake in system, your =rakes may not w r i i weii, or- they may not even work at all. This could cause a crash. Always use the proper brake fluid. Canada When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake warning light will come on. See Brake System Warning bight on page - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 257
, just a few drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your brake system can damage brake system parts so badly that they'll have tobe replaced. Don't let someone put in the wrong kind of fluid. If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle's painted surfaces, the paint finish can be damaged. Be - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 258
Replacing Brake System Parts The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well together if the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking system - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 259
explode. You can be badly hurt if you aren't careful. See "Jump Starting" next for tips on working around a battery without getting hurt. Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle for longer storage periods. Also, for your audio system, see Theft-Deterrent Feature on page 3-67. 5-42 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 260
and the bad grounding could damage the electrical systems. Batteri,, ca...-. .,ou. Tl.-i can be dangerous brake. Notice: If you leave your radio on, it could be badly damaged. The repairs wouldn't be covered by your warranty. 3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug unnecessary accessories - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 261
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any underhood electric fan. 4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminal location on each vehicle. You will not need to access your battery for jump starting. Your vehicle has a remote positive (+) jump starting - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 262
of that first. If you don't, exp!osive gas could be present. Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you. Don't get it on you. water and get medical help immediately. Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts once the engineis running. 5. - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 263
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+) terminal of the dead battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one. 8. Now connect the negative (-) cable to the negative (-) terminal of the good battery. Use a remote negative (-) terminal if the vehicle has one. 5-46 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 264
at least 18 inches (45 cm) away from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that move. The electrical connection is just as good there, and the chance of sparks getting back to the battery is much less. 10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine for a while. 11. Try to - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 265
the red positive (+) cable from the other vehicle. 5. Return the remote positive (+) terminal cover to its original position. Jumper Cable Removal A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part or Remote Negative (-) Terminal B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) and Remote Negative (-) Terminals C. Dead - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 266
Your vehicle has a headlamp system equipped with horizontal and vertical instructions could cause damaue to headlamp parts. If necessary, pads may be used on an uneven surface. The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud attached to it. The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other work - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 267
the vertical aiming screw until the level bubble is lined up with zero. A. Vertical Aim Adjustment Screw B. Horizontal Aim Adjustment Screw Open the hood and locate the vertical and horizontal aim indicators. The aiming screw for the vertical aim indicator (A) is at the center of the headlamp - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 268
the bulb. You or others could be injured. Be sure to read and follow the instructions on the bulb package. I 2. Pull up on the headlamp retainers (A) to release the assembly locator tabs. 3. Disconnect the electrical connector (B) from the headlamp assembly. 4; Slide the headlamp assembly out of - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 269
section. 2. Remove the rubber bulb access cover. 3. Twist the sidemarker lamp socket, located on the outboard side of the headlamp assembly cover from behind the bulb you are replacing. 6. Turn the bulb socket one-quarter turn and remove it from the headlamp assembly. 7. Lift the plastic locking - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 270
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) 1. Open the trunk. 3. Remove the old bulb by turning it one-quarter turn counterclockwise. 4. Push the new bulb into the bulb socket. 5. Turn the socket one-quarter turn clockwise to reinstall. 2. Reach through the access opening in the trunk lid. 5-53 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 271
net, remove it. 3. Remove the three plastic wing nuts (A). A There is one wing nut located on the outside of the carpet. The other two are located underneath the carpet. 4. Pull the taillamp housing (B) away from the body of the vehicle. 5. Squeeze the tab on the socket and turn the socket - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 272
the bulb socket. 6. Twist and/or push the new bulb into the lamp socket. 1 4 7. Twist and/or push the lamp socket into the trunk lid covering. 8. Reverse Steps 2 and 3 to reinstall the lamp covering. Replacement Bulbs i Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) 3, 55 Front Turn Signal and Parking - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 273
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least twice a year for wear orcracking. See "Wiper Blade Check under Part B: Owner Checks and Services on page 6-10 for more information. 1. Turn on the wipers to LO. 2. Turn off the ignition while the wipers are at - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 274
to obtain service, see your Buick Warranty booklet for details. ~ I ' Poorly maintained and improperl, s e :ires are dangerous. Overloading your tires can cause overheating as a result of too much friction. You could have an air have been damaged, replace them. Inflation -- - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 275
enough air (underinflation), you can get the following: How to Check Use a good quality pocket back on the valve stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture. Too much flexing 0 Too muchheat Tire overloading Bad wear Bad handling Bad fuel economy Tire Pressure Monitor System - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 276
differences in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in tire pressure. The system can alert you about a low tire - but it doesn't replace normal tire maintenance. See Tires on page 5-57. When the LOW TIRE light comes on, you should stop as soon as you can and check all your tires - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 277
Time for New Tires on page 5-61 and Wheel Replacement on page 5-64 for more information. The purpose of rotation is the most important. See "Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services," in Section 6 , for scheduled the Tire Inflation Monitor System. See Tire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-58. Make - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 278
Rust or dirt or. wheel, or on the parts to which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose after a time. The wheel could come off tire has a bump, bulge or split. e The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that can't be repaired well because of the size or location of the damage. 5-6 1 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 279
rating, traction, ride and other things during normal service OF your vehicle. If your tires have an all "MS" (for mud and snow). If you ever replace your tires with those not having a TPC Spec number, vehicle. Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while driving. If you mix tires of different - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 280
passenger cars and light controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction performance. Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include acceleration - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 281
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high be replaced. If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your dealer if any of these conditions exist - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 282
have to If replace a wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel. Nofice: The wrong wheel can also cause problems with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire chain clearance to the body and chassis - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 283
instructions your tires properly. If air goes out of a accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently brake to a stop - well off the road if possible. If a tire goes flat, the next part - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 284
people. You and they could be badly injured. Find a level place to change your tire. To help prevent the vehicle from moving: 1. Set the parking brake firmly. 2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P). 3. Turn off the engine. To be even more certain the vehicle won't move, you can put blocksat the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 285
Tire and Tools The equipment you'll need is in the trunk. 1. Turn the center nut on the compact spare tire cover counterclockwise to remove it. Then lift and remove the cover. See Compact Spare Tire on page 5-78 for more information about the compact spare tire. 2. Remove the spare tire. 5-68 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 286
3. Turn the nut holding the jack counterclockwise and remove it. Then remove the jack and wrench. The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), extension and protection guide (B) and wheel wrench (C). 5-69 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 287
your vehicle is equipped with wheel covers, be sure to use a wheel wrench to begin the process of loosening the plastic wheel nut . Then, using the flat end o the wheel wrench, pry along f the edge of the wheel cover until it comes off. Be careful; the edge may be sharp. Don't try to remove the - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 288
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire A B' 3. For jacking at the vehicle's front location, put the jack lift head (C) about 6 inches (15 cm) from the rear edge of the front wheel opening (B) or just behind the two bolts (A) as shown. 1. Using the wheel wrench, - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 289
badly injured or killed. Never get under a vehicle whenit is supported only by a jack. C' Raising your vehiclewith the jack improperly positioned the jack lift head into the proper location before raising the vehicle. For jacking at the vehicle's rear location, put the jack lift head (B) about 5 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 290
tire to fit underneath the wheel well. 6. Remove all wheel nuts and take off the flat tire. Rust or dirt on thewheel, or on the parts to which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts become loose after a time.The wheel could come off and cause an accident. When you - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 291
. If you do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could fall off, causing a serious accident. 8. Install the compact spare tire. 9. Put the wheel nuts back on with the rounded end of the nuts toward the wheel. Tighten each nut by hand until the wheel is held against the hub. 10 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 292
" in the index for the wheel nut torque specification. Don't try to put the wheel cover on your compact spare tire. It won't fit. Store the wheel cover in the trunk until you have the flat tire repaired or replaced. Notice: Wheel covers won't fit on your compact spare. If you try to put a wheel - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 293
your trunk. Use the following procedure to secure the flat tire in the trunk. When storing a full-size tire, use the extension with the protector/guide, located in the foam holder, to help avoid wheel surface damage. To store a full-size tire, place the tire valve stem facing down, and then remove - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 294
When storing a compact spare tire in the trunk, put the protector/guide back in the foam holder. I I A I Storing a jack, See the storage instructions label to return your compact spare to your trunk properly. Be sure to calibrate your low tire pressure system after you replace your compact spare - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 295
your trip and have your full-size tire repaired or replaced where you want. You must calibrate the tire inflation monitor system after installing or removing the compact spare. See Tire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-58. The system may not work correctly when the compact spare is installed on - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 296
instructions. And always open your doors or windows when you're cleaning the inside. Never use these to clean your vehicle: Gasoline Benzene Naphtha 0 They can all be hazardous - some more than others - and they can all damage your vehicle, too. Don't use any of these unless this manual - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 297
, clean the entire area immediately or it will set. Special Fabric Cleaning Problems Stains caused by such things as catsup, coffee (black), egg, fruit, , then sponge the soiled area with cool water. 2. If a stain remains, follow the cleaner instructions described earlier. Using Cleaner on Fabric - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 298
see through the windshield under certain conditions. Interior Plastic Components Use only . -- -- immediately. If dirt is allowed to work into the finish, it can harm the leather. window, since they may have to be scraped off later. If abrasive cleaners are used on the inside of the rear window - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 299
with lukewarm or cold water. Don't wash your vehiclein the direct raysof the sun. Use a car washing soap. Don't use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Be sure to rinse the vehicle well more frequent application may be required. See Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6- 16. 5-82 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 300
and a car washing soap to clean exterior lamps and lenses. Follow instructions under "Washing finish looking new by keeping your vehicle garaged or covered whenever possible. Windshield and Wiper Blades If the wiper blades and clean them as necessary: replace blades that look worn. . Notice: - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 301
car wash that has silicone carbide tire cleaning brushes. These brushes can also damage the surface of these wheels. Sheet Metal Damage If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop applies anti-corrosion material to parts repaired - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 302
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust system car washing system repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 303
off. Removes swirl marks, fine scratches and other light surface contamination. Removes light scratches and protects finish. Cleans, shines and protects Tire Shine Low Gloss See your General Motors parts department for these products. See Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6- 16 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 304
Service Parts Identification Label You'll find this label on the inside of the trunk lid. It's very helpful if you ever need to order parts. outside your vehicle. The VIN also appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts labels and the certificates of title and registration. Be sure that - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 305
and the damage wouldn't be covered by your warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can keep other components from working as they should. Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to add anything electrical to your vehicle, see Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-62 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 306
. Be sure you replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical size and rating. Lock PM C , Bm. Relay ., UM Radio Power Prem. Mtrmrs . Sand INADV Paver BUS Dwr Lwks Cluster Cigar U r Stop Lamps Air Bag BCM Pwr Hazard Instrument Panel Fuse Block 3lwer Some fuses are located in a fuse - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 307
CLUSTER, PCM, BCM Blank Blank Blank INADV POWER BUS DOOR LOCKS ~ Remote Radio Premium Sound Power Mirrors Not Used Panel Dimming Not Used Ignition Signal: Hot in Run, Unlock and Start, Cluster, Powertrain Control Module, Body Control Module Not Used Yot Used Vot Used ~~ STOP LAMPS Stoplamps ONSTAR - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 308
I . _ ... SIGNALS, Signals, Turn Cornering Lamps CORN LPS Radio, Heatin Ventilation Air Conditioning ead, Remote Keyless Entrv. Cluster I I t7 0 m 0 (321 (981 I T:D:: E RH I HIGH BLOWER I Hiah Blower Passenger's Heated Seat Audio Steering Wheel Controls Defogger Heated Seats STRG WHL CONT - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 309
, Stoplamps, Power Mirror, Door Locks Ignition Switch, BTSI, Stoplamps, Anti-Lock Brake System, Turn Signals, Cluster, Air Bag, Daytime Running Lamps Module Cooling Fan Retained Accessory Power, Keyless Entry, Data Link, Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning Head, Cluster, Radio, Auxiliary Power - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 310
Usage Rear Compartment Release Parking Lamps Fuel Pump Headlamp (Left) Not Used Not Used Not Used Not Used Not Used Not Used Not Used A/C Compressor Clutch Diode 5-93 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 311
1 Application Air Conditioning Refrigerant R134a Automatic Transaxle Pan Removal and Replacement After Complete Overhaul When drainingheplacing converter, more fluid will be needed. - Capacities English 2.4 Ibs Metric 1.1 kg 7.4 quarts 10.0 quarts 7.0 L 9.5 L ~ Cooling System Including - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 312
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts I Part I Number A I 614C* 10406026 Type PF47* Type 41-1 01* Spark Plugs Gap: 0.060 inches (15 2 mm) Shepherd's Hook 22.0 inches (56.0 cm) Wiper Blade Type 5-95 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 313
- 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 314
and Seal Inspection ...6-14 Exhaust System Inspection ...6-14 Firel System Inspection ...6-14 Engine Cooling System Inspection ...6-14 Throttle System Inspection ...6-15 Brake System Inspection ...6-15 Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ...6-16 Part E: Maintenance Record ...6-17 Maintenance - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 315
, checks, inspections and recommended fluids and lubricants as prescribed in this manual are necessary to keep your vehicle in good working condition. Any damage caused by failure to follow recommended maintenance may not be covered by warranty. Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 316
can easily do to help keep your vehicle in good condition. "Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections" explains important inspections that your dealer's service department or another qualified service center should perform. "Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants" lists some recommended products - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 317
supported service people will perform the work using genuine GM parts. The proper fluids and lubricants to use are listed in Part D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses these. All parts should be replaced and all necessary repairs to keep your vehicle in good working condition. But we don't - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 318
vehicle. See Part 6: Owner Checks and Services on page6- 10 and Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections on page 6-14. @ Whenever the tires are rotated, the Tire Inflation Monitor System must be reset. + A good time to check your brakes is during tire rotation. See Brake System Inspection on page - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 319
record pages in Part E of this schedule. An Emission Control Service. 15,000 Miles (25 000 km) 0 Inspect engine air cleaner filter if you are driving in dusty conditions. Replace filter if necessary. An Emission Control Service. (See footnote f.) 0 Replace passenger compartment air filter. If you - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 320
and additional information. (See footnote @.) (See footnote +.) Emission Control Service. (See footnote t.) 0 Replace passenger compartment air filter. If you drive regularly under dusty conditions, the filter may require replacement more often. 0 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 321
and additional 90,000 Miles (150 000 km) 0 Replace passenger compartment air filter. If you drive regularly under dusty conditions, the filter may require replacement more often. 0 Replace engine air cleaner filter. An Emission Control Service. 0 Rotate tires. See Tire lnspection and Rotation on - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 322
60 months since last service, whichever occurs first). See Engine Coolant on page5-22 for what to use. Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser, pressure cap and neck. Pressure test the cooling system and pressure cap. An Emission Control Service. U Inspect engine accessory drive belt. An Emission - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 323
of tape play. See Audio System(s) on page 3-44 for further details. Engine Oil Level Check Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if necessary. See Engine Oil on page 5-73for further details. Engine Coolant Level Check Check the engine coolant level and add DEX-COOL@ coolant mixture if - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 324
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. Have any torn or frayed safety belts replaced. Also look for any opened or broken air bag coverings, and have them repaired - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 325
Star'-r Switch Check Automatic Transaxle Shift Lock Control System Check When you are doing this should work only in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N). If the starter works in any other position, your vehicle needs service. position, but don't start the engine. Without applying the regular brake, try - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 326
'sholding ability: With the engine running, shift to PARK Then (P). release the parking brake followed by the regular brake. in LOCK. Parking Brake and AutomaticTransaxle Park (P) Mechanism Check Underbody Flushing Service When)uaredoing this check, your vehicle could begin to move. You or others - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 327
they are cracked, swollen or deteriorated. Inspect all pipes, fittings and clamps; replace as needed. Clean the outside of the radiator and air conditioning condenser. To help ensure proper operation, a pressure test of the cooling system and pressure cap is recommended at least once a year. 6-14 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 328
or binding, and for damaged or missing parts. Replace parts as needed. Replace any components that have high effort or excessive wear. Do not lubricate accelerator and cruise control cables. Brake System Inspection Inspect the complete system. Inspect brake lines and hoses for proper hook-up - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 329
water and use only DEX-COOL@ Coolant. See Engine Coolant on page 5-22. Delco Supreme 11 Brake Fluid or equivalent DOT-3 brake fluid. GM Optikleen Washer Solvent or eauivalent. FluicULubricant GM Power Steering Fluid (GM Part Power Steering No. U S . 1052884, in Canada System 993294, or equivalent - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 330
Part E: Maintenance Record After the scheduled services are performed, record the date, odometer reading and who performed the service and any additional information from "Owner Checks and Services" or "Periodic Maintenance" on the following record pages. Also, you should retain all maintenance - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 331
Maintenance Record (cont'd) Serviced By 6-18 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 332
Maintenance Record (cont'd) 6-19 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 333
Maintenance Record (cont'd) 6-20 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 334
...79 Reporting Safety Defects to the Canadian Government ...7.9 Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors ...7.10 Service Publications Ordering Information ...7. 0 1 Customer Assistance Information ...7.2 Customer Satisfaction Procedure ...7.2 Customer Assistance for Text Telephone (TTY - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 335
the matter has already been reviewed with the sales, service or parts manager, contact the owner of the dealership or the and visible through the windshield.) Dealership nameand location Vehicle delivery date and present mileage When contacting Buick, please remember that your concern will likely - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 336
of Better Business Bureaus to settle automotive disputes regarding vehicle repairs or the interpretation of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. the toll-free telephone number or write them at the following address: BBB Auto Line Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. 4200 Wilson Boulevard Suite 800 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 337
number for assistance. If a U.S. customer wishes to write to Buick, the letter should be addressed to Buick's Customer Assistance Center. All Overseas Locations Please contact the local General Motors Business Unit. United States Buick Customer Assistance Center P.O. Box 33136 Detroit, MI 48232-51 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 338
Roadside Assistance to customers for vehicles covered under the 3 year/36,000 mile (60 000 km) new car warranty (whichever occurs first). Our commitment to Buick owners has always included superior service through our network of Buick dealers. Buick Premium Roadside Assistance provides an extra - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 339
onyour needs: Hotels Glass replacement Tire repair facilities Rental vehicle or taxis Airports or train stations Police, fire department or hospitals In many instances, mechanical failures are covered under Buick's comprehensive warranty. However, when other services are utilized, our advisors - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 340
work day as possible to allow for same day repair. Transportation Options Warranty service can generally be completed while you wait. However, if you are unable to wait Buick service &par ir~lerli irrlrrlediaieiy, keep ariving ii untii it can be scheduled for service, unless, of course, the problem - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 341
period, but it is not part of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty cost, up to a maximum of $30.00 per day supported by receipts. This requires that you sign and complete a rental repairs during the Complete Vehicle Coverage period of the General Motors of Canada New Vehicle Limited Warranty] alternative - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 342
of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your dealer or Genera-! Motors. To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in the Washington, D.C. area) or - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 343
call us at 1-800-521-7300, or write: Buick Customer Assistance Center P.O. Box 33136 Detroit, MI 48232- Service Publications Ordering Information Service Manuals Service Manuals have the diagnosis and repair information on engines, transmission, axle, suspension, brakes, electrical, steering, body - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 344
Service Bulletins Service Bulletins give technical service information needed to knowledgeably service General Motors cars and trucks. Each bulletin contains instructions to assist in the diagnosis and service of your vehicle. In Canada, information pertaining to Product Service Bulletins can be - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 345
- 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 346
58 1-56 Where Are the Air Bags? ...Air CleanedFilter, Engine ...5-18 All Overseas Locations ...7-4 AluminumWheels ...5-84 AM ...3-64 ,/\,PA !=!A !?Xk ...3-43 Antenna, Fixed Mast ...3-65 Anti-lockBrakeSystem(ABS) ...4-7 ...3-32 Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light Appearance Care ...5-79 Care of - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 347
...4-23 Body Lubrication Service ...6-1 1 Brake 2-26 Parking ...6-15 System Inspection ...3-31 SystemWarningLight ...Brake Fluid ...5-38 5-40 BrakeWear ...Brakes ...5-38 4-6 Braking ...4-9 Braking in Emergencies ...Break-In, NewVehicle ...2-19 5-51 Bulb Replacement ...Back-up Lamps ...5-55 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 348
Strap ...1-40 Top Strap Anchor Location ...1-42 4 r)n Wlhere to 1 Climate Control Dual Automatic ...3-20 Climate Control System Air Filter, Passenger Light ...3-34 Heater,Engine ...2-21 Cooling System ...5-28 Courtesy Lamps ...3-14 Cruise Control ...3-8 Cruise Control Light Service Publications Ordering - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 349
...4-32 Disabling the Theft-Deterrent Feature ...3-62 Doing Your Own Service Work ...5-4 Dolly Towing ...4-33 Dome Lamp ...3-15 Door Locks ...2-10 Power Door Locks ...2-11 Programmable Automatic Door Locks ...2-1 1 Trunk Warning Ajar Light ...3-42 Driver 1-12 Position, Safety Belt ...Driving 4-16 At - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 350
...Enhanced Traction System (ETS) ...Warning Light ...Entry Lighting ...Express-Down Window ...Extender,SafetyBelt ...Exterior Lamps ... 3-35 3-34 6-14 5-12 2-30 5-13 5-25 2-20 6-10 4-41 5-16 6-10 6-5 4-10 u-uu Q QQ 3-14 2-16 1-29 3-1 1 F FabricKarpet ...Filter Engine Air Cleaner ...FindingStation - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 351
36 How to Use This Manual ...ii How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ...1-12 ...4-19 Hydroplaning ... Hazard Warning Flashers ...Head Restraints ...Headlamp Aiming ...HeadlampHigh/Low-BeamChanger ...Headlamp Wiring ...Headlamps ...Bulb Replacement ...Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps ...Halogen Bulbs - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 352
Leaving Your Vehicle ...Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running ...Light Air Bag Readiness ...Anti-Lock Brake System Warning ...Brake System Warning ...ChangeEngine Oil ...Charging System ...Cruise Control ...Door/Trunk Ajar Warning ...Erlyirle Zuoiani iemperaiure vvarning ...Enhanced Traction - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 353
12 Lockout Protection ...Power Door ...2-11 Programmable Automatic Door Locks ...2-11 4-15 Loss of Control ...Low Fuel Warning Light ...3-43 Low Traction Light ...3-34 Low Washer Fluid Warning Light ...3-42 M Maintenance. Normal Replacement Parts ...5-95 Maintenance Schedule 6-10 AtEach Fuel Fill - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 354
- Scheduled Maintenance Services ...6-4 Part B - Owner Checks and Services ...6-10 P?!? c - Periedlc ?!2iinten2nc!3 InspCctiGzs ...u- A C 4 Part D - Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ...6-16 Part E - MaintenanceRecord ...6-17 Passenger Compartment Air Filter ...3-25 Passenger Control ...3-23 Passing - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 355
Lamps ...Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ...1-27 Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions ...1-24 RearSeatPassengers,Safety Belts ...1-24 Rear Window 5-70 Removing the Wheel Covers ...5-55 Replacement Bulbs ...Replacing Brake System Parts ...5-41 Replacing Restraint System Parts After Crash a ...1-63 - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 356
Check ...6-11 Checking Your Restraint Systems ...1-63 ReplacingRestraintSystem Parts After a Crash ...1-63 Restraint Systems 1-63 Checking ...1-63 Replacing Parts ...1-5 Restraints, Head ...Resynchronization ...2-9 Retained Accessory Power (RAP) ...2-20 RightFrontPassenger Position, Safety Belts - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 357
Service Manuals ...Setting ...Special Fabric Cleaning Problems ...Specifications, Capacities ... ...Steering Tips ...Steering Wheel Controls, Audio ...Storage Areas Center Console Storage Systems ...2-17 2-17 PASS-Key@II ...6-15 Throttle System Inspection ...3-4 Tilt Wheel ...Ti re Pressure Light - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 358
Using Cleaner on Fabric ...5-80 v Vehicle Control ...4-6 DamageWarnings ...iv Loading ...4-33 3-42 Service Soon Light ...iv Symbols ...1 I - I-: -1 .. ~ ... V G I IILlt: - 1 - 1 - .&I .!! . A ! . . Iuel ILIIItiCtLIUII Number(VIN) ...5-87 Service Parts Identification Label ...5-87 5-42 Vehicle - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 359
Warning Light ...3- Replacement ...5-64 When to Add Engine Oil ...5-14 When to Change Engine Oil 5-16 (GM Oil Life System Work ...Window Lock-Out ...Windows ...Power ...Windshield andWiper Blades ...Windshield Washer ...Fluid ...Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check ...Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 360
S31QN - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 361
6 NOTES - 2003 Buick Century | Owner's Manual - Page 362