Buick Century 2002 User Manual

2002 Buick Century

Owner’s Manual

Litho in U.S.A.
Part Number 10315396 A First Edition All Rights Reserved

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Copyright General Motors Corporation 06/19/01

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GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, BUICK,
the BUICK Emblem and the name CENTURY are
registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.

This manual includes the latest information at the time
it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles first
sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of
Canada Limited” for Buick Motor Division whenever it
appears in this manual.

Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will
be there if you ever need it when you’re on the road.
If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it
so the new owner can use it.

We support voluntary
technician certification.

For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual:

Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous

procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez
votre concessionaire ou au:

Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207

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How to Use this Manual

Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.

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.

CAUTION:

These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.

In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce
the 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. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this” or “Don’t
let this happen.”

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Vehicle Damage Warnings

Also, in this book you will find these notices:

NOTICE:

These mean there is something that could damage
your vehicle.

In the notice area, we tell you about something that
can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage
would not be covered by your warranty, and it could
be costly . But the notice will tell you what to do to help
avoid the damage.

When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different
colors or in different words.

You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle.
They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

Vehicle Symbols

Your vehicle may be equipped with components and
labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols,
used on your vehicle, are shown along with the text
describing the operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gage or indicator.

If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage or indicator reference the following
topics in the Index:

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“Engine Compartment Overview”

D

“Instrument Panel”

D

“Comfort Controls”

D

“Audio Systems”

Also see “Warning Lights and Gages” in the Index.

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These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:

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Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Here you’ll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.

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-2 Seats and Seat Controls

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-6 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone

-10 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About

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Safety Belts

-11 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

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-12 Driver Position

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-19 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

-20 Right Front Passenger Position

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-20 Air Bag Systems

-28 Center Passenger Position

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-- and the Answers

-30 Rear Seat Passengers

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-33 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for

Children and Small Adults

1-35 Children

-39 Restraint Systems for Children

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-55 Older Children

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-58 Safety Belt Extender

-58 Checking Your Restraint Systems

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-58 Replacing Restraint System Parts

After a Crash

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Seats and Seat Controls

This section tells you how to adjust the seats and
explains the reclining seatbacks and head restraints.

Two-Way Manual Front Seats

CAUTION:

You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.

Lift the bar located under the front of the driver’s and
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 with your body to be sure the seat is
locked into place.

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Six-Way Power Seats (If Equipped)

If your vehicle is equipped
with this feature, the
driver’s and passenger’s
controls are located on
the outboard sides of the
seat cushions.

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T o move the seat forward or rearward, push the
control forward or rearward.

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T o raise or lower the entire seat, push the control
up or down.

D

T o raise or lower the front of your seat, push the
front of the control up or down.

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T o raise or lower the rear of your seat, push the rear
of the control up or down.

Reclining Front Seatbacks

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 into
place. Pull up on the lever without pushing on the
seatback and the seatback will move forward.

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But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.

CAUTION:

Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.

The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.

The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.

For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.

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Head Restraints

Slide the head restraint up or down 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.

Split Folding Rear Seat (If Equipped)

If your vehicle has this feature, it allows you to have
access to the trunk from inside of your vehicle.

Pull forward on the seat
tab, located on the front
of the rear seat, to fold
the seatback down.

T o return the seatback to its original position,
push it back up and make sure it latches.

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Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone

This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.

And it explains the air bag system.

CAUTION:

Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.

CAUTION:

It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people
to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using
a safety belt properly.

Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.

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In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says
to wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.

You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.

A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away . Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.

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’s just a seat on wheels.

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Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider

doesn’t stop.

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The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...

or the instrument panel ...

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or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.

You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.

Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts

Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an

Q:

accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?

-- and the Answers

A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a

safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety
belt, even if you’re upside down. And your chance
of being conscious during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater
if you are belted.

Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have

to wear safety belts?

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
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.

-- not instead of them. Every air bag

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Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from

home, why should I wear safety belts?

A: You may be an excellent driver , but if you’re in an

accident
and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver doesn’t protect you from things beyond 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.

-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

Adults

This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about

safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will
be riding in your vehicle, see the part of this
manual called “Children.” Follow those rules
for everyone’s protection.

First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.

We’ll start with the driver position.

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Driver Position

This part describes the driver’s restraint system.

Lap-Shoulder Belt

The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear
it properly.

1. Close and lock the door.

2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight.
T o see how, see “Seats” in the Index.

3. Pick up the 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.

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4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.

If the belt isn’t long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender” at the end of this section.

Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

5. T o make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end 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 touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies
force to the strong pelvic bones. And you’d be less likely
to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt
would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. 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.

The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or crash, or
if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.

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Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster

Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt
adjuster to the height that is right for you.

T o 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 move the
adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder 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 position.

Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the
belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be
away from your face and neck, but not falling off
your shoulder.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly

as much protection this way.

CAUTION:

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.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if your belt is 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 buckle nearest you.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should

be worn over the shoulder at all times.

CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if you wear the
shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your
body would move too far 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 bones.
You could also severely injure internal organs
like your liver or spleen.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is twisted across the body.

CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt.
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.

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T o 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.

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant
women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to
be seriously injured if they don’t wear safety belts.

A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt,
and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible,
below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.

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The best way to protect the fetus is to protect
the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly,
it’s more likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash.
For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.

Right Front Passenger Position

T o learn how to wear the right front passenger’s
safety belt properly, see “Driver Position” earlier
in this section.

The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt
If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all
the way, you will engage the child restraint locking
feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the
way and start again.

-- except for one thing.

Air Bag Systems

This part explains the frontal and side impact air
bag systems.

Your vehicle has air bags
driver and another frontal air bag for the right front
passenger. Your vehicle may also have a side impact
air bag for the driver.

-- a frontal air bag for the

If your vehicle has a side impact air bag for the driver it
will say AIR BAG on the air bag covering on the side of
the driver’s seatback closest to the door .

Frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk
of injury from the force of an inflating frontal air bag.
But these air bags must inflate very quickly to do their
job and comply with federal regulations.

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Here are the most important things to know about the air
bag systems:

CAUTION:

You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if
you aren’t wearing your safety belt
have air bags. Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Air
bags are designed to work with safety belts but
don’t replace them.

Frontal air bags for the driver and right front
passenger are designed to work only in moderate
to severe crashes where the front of your vehicle
hits something. They aren’t designed to inflate at
all in rollover, rear or low
or in many side crashes. And, for some
unrestrained occupants, frontal air bags may
provide less protection in frontal crashes than
more forceful air bags have provided in the past.

-speed frontal crashes,

CAUTION: (Continued)

-- even if you

CAUTION: (Continued)

The side impact air bag for the driver is designed
to inflate only in moderate to severe crashes where
something hits the driver’s side of the vehicle.
It isn’t designed to inflate in frontal, in rollover
or in rear crashes. Everyone in your vehicle should
wear a safety belt properly
there’s an air bag for that person.

-- whether or not

CAUTION:

Both frontal and side impact air bags inflate
with great force, faster than the blink of an eye.
If you’re too close to an inflating air bag, as you
would be if you were leaning forward, it could
seriously injure you. Safety belts help keep you in
position for air bag inflation before and during a
crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with
frontal air bags. The driver should sit as far back
as possible while still maintaining control of the
vehicle, and should not lean on the door.

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CAUTION:

Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any
air bag when it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Air bags plus lap
the best protection for adults, 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 infants need the
protection that a child restraint system can
provide. Always secure children properly in your
vehicle. To read how, see the part of this manual
called “Children.”

-shoulder belts offer

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 Bag Readiness Light” in the Index
for more information.

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How the Air Bag Systems Work

Where are the air bags?

The driver’s frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.

The right front passenger’s frontal air bag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.

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The driver’s side impact air bag is in the side of the
driver’s seatback closest to the door .

CAUTION:

If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
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 covers block
the inflation path of a side impact air bag.

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