Buick CENTURY 1997 User manual

The

1997

Buick Century Owner’s Manual

1-1

3-1

4-1

5-1

6-1

Seats and Restraint Systems

This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “air bag” system.

Features and Controls

This section explains how to start and operate your Buick.

Comfort Controls and

Audio

Systems

This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.

Your Driving and the Road

Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.

Problems on the Road

This

section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as aflat tire or overheated engine, etc.

Service and Appearance Care

Here the manual tells you how to keep your Buick running properly and looking good.

7-1

MaintenanceSchedule

This

section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.

9-1

Customer Assistance Information

This

section tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.

It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects”

page

8-8.

Index

Here’s

alphabetical listing of almost every subject in

this

manual. You can useit to quickly find

something you want to read.

GENERAL MOTORS, GM,

the

GM Emblem,

BUICK,

the BUICK Emblem and the name CENTURY are

registered trademarks

General Motors Corporation.

This manual includes the latest information at the time it

was printed. We reserve theright to make changes in the

product after that time without further notice. For

vehicles first sold

Canada, substitute the name

“General Motors

Canada Limited”

for

Buick Motor

Division whenever it appears

this manual.

Pleasekeep this manual in your Buick,

will be there

you ever need

when you’re on the road. If you sell

the

vehicle, please leave this manual

the new

owner can use it.

SUPPORT

VOLUNTARY

TECHNICIAN

CERTIFICATION

THROUGH

National Institute

for

AUTOMOTIVE

SERVICE

EXCELLENCE

We support voluntary

technician certification.

For Canadian Owners

Who

Prefer a

French Language Manual:

Aux

propri6taires canadiens:

Vous pouvez vous

procurer

exemplaire de ce guide

fraqaischez

votre concessionaire

au:

DGN

Marketing Services Ltd.

1500

Bonhill Rd.

Mississauga, Ontario

L5T

1C7

Litho in U.S.A. @CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1996

Part

No.

iii

Walter

Marr

and

Thomas

Buick

Buick’schief engineer,Walter

Marr (left), and

Thomas D. Buick, son of founder David Dunbar Buick,

drove the firstFlint Buick in a successful Flint-Detroit

round trip in July 1904.

David Buick was building gasoline engines by 1899,

and Marr, his engineer, apparently built the first auto

be called aBuick in

1900.

However, Buick traditionally

dates its beginnings to

1903.

That was the year the

company was reorganized, refinanced and moved from

Detroit to Flint. Buick has always been a product

innovator.Buick engineers developed the

“valve-in-head” engine, a light, powerful and reliable

engine which would eventually influence the entire

automotive industry.

William

Durant was instrumental in promoting

Buicks

across the country using

his

Durant-Dort

Carriage

Co.

outlets and salespeopleas the nucleus of a

giant distribution system. He knew the Buick as a

“self-seller.” If automobiles could be this good,he

thought, maybe

was time to switch from the horse and

buggy business

automobiles.

William

(Billy)

Durant

At the 1905New York

Auto Show,Durant

took

orders for1,000Buicks

before the company had

built

40.

On Buick’s

success,Durant created a

holding company,

September

16,

1908.

called it General Motors.

Durant also created

racing team that won

500

racing

trophies in 1909and 1910, including successesat

Indianapolis twoyears before the Indy

500

began.

The success

Buick engines was visible not only on

the race track, but

endurance tests

across

the country

and around the world. Buick

was

the

only car to

complete a 1,000-mileChicago-to-New York race

1906.And

Buick was the first car to travel across

South America, driven from Buenos Aires, Argentina,

over the Andes to Santiago, Chile

14.

Buick drew plenty of attention because it could climb

hills and run through mud like no other car. Buick’s

endurance and reliability were world famous.

During World War

Buick built Liberty aircraft engines

well as Red Cross ambulances

successfully that

one Buick ambulance was awarded the Croix de Guerre

by the French government.

As a builder

premier automobiles,Buick was hard hit

by the Great Depression.However, new General

Manager Harlow

Curtice created popular new models

including the Special and the Roadmaster. Buick sales

soon flourished.

First

Bctick

Factocy

In World War

11,

Buick built aircraft engines,tanks and

other military hardware. This post-war period brought

great styling and engineering changes which resulted in

increased

sales.

The torque converter automatic

transmission, Dynaflow, was introduced

the

1948

Roadmaster. Buick’sfamous “portholes” came

along

1949.

I949

Roadtnaster

high-compression

V-8

engine

was

introduced

1953.

And Buick’s famous vertical pillar “toothy” grille

(introduced

1942)became more massive

the

post-war era.

...

953

Sky

lark

Motor Trend magazine named the

1962

Buick Special

“Car

the Year.”The first production

V-6

engine

was

used

the

Special.

1962

Buick Special

Built inside the walls

the old buildings

Buick’s

former Flint complex,which formed the cornerstoneof

General Motors, Buick City is a state-of-the-art

assembly facility with more than

200

robots and other

high-tech equipment.It was completed in the fall

1985.

Buicks are, and will continue to be, premium American

motorcars with smooth power, high performance, rich

detail and comfortable accommodation.

Mertz,

General

Manage<

Buick

Motor

Division

Our mission

simple:

“Buick will provide Premium American Motorcars

backed with servicesthat exceed our customers’

expectations, throughoutthe purchase, ownership,

service and repurchase experience.”

Buicks are SUBSTANTIAL.

Buicks are DISTINCTIVE.

Buicks are POWERFUL.

Buicks are PREMIUM.

vii

How

Use

this

Manual

Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning

to end when they first receivetheir new vehicle.

you do this, it will help you learn aboutthe features

and controls foryour vehicle. In this manual, you’ll

find that pictures and words work together

explain

things quickly.

Index

good place

look for what you need

the Index in

the

back

the manual. It’s an alphabetical list

what’s

the manual, and the pagenumber where you’ll

find

it.

Safety Warnings and Symbols

You will find a number

safety cautions inthis book.

use

box and the word

CAUTION

tell you

about thingsthat could hurt you if youwere to ignore

the warning.

These mean there

something that could hurt

you

other people.

In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then

we tell you what to do tohelp avoid or reducethe

hazard. Please read these cautions. If

you

don’t, you or

others could be hurt.

You will also find a circle

with a slash through it in

this book. Thissafety

symbol means “Don’t,”

“Don’t do this,” or “Don’t

let this happen.”

viii

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