Buick 1994 Century User manual

A-
-
Century

Y

The 1994 Buick Century
Owner's Manual
Litho in USA
Part No. 25609658 B First Edition 'Copyright General Motors Corporation
1993
All Rights Reserved
1

U
GENERAL MOTORS, GMand the GM Emblem,
Buick, and the Buick Emblem areregistered trademarks
of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information
at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the
product 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 Buick,
so it will be
there if youever 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.
VOLUNTARYTECHNICIAN
WE SUPPORT
CERTIFICATIONTHROUGH
AUTOMOTIVE
EXCELLENCE
SERVICE
Narlonal Instatute for
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux proprietaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous procurer
un exemplairede ceguide en francais chez votre
concessionaire ou au
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.,
1500 Bonhill Rd., Mississauga, Ontario L5T lC7.
2

P
-
Buick Motor Division
provides one of the most dramatic
and importantchapters
in the history
of theAmerican automobile
3

WalterMarr and Thomas Buick
Buick’s chief engineer, Walter L. Marr (left), and
Thomas D. Buick, son of founder David Dunbar Buick,
drove thefirst Flint Buick ina 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 to
be called a Buick in 1900. However, Buick traditionally
dates itsbeginnings 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, alight, powerful and reliable
engine which would eventually influence the entire
automotive industry.
William
C. Durant was instrumental in promoting
Buicks across
the country using his Durant-Dort
Carriage
Co. outlets and salespeopleasthe nucleus of a
giant distribution system.
He knew the Buick asa
“self-seller”.
If automobiles could be this good, he
thought, maybe
it was time to switch from the horse and
buggy business
to automobiles.
William C. (Billy) Durant
At the 1905,New York
Auto Show, Durant took
orders
for 1,000Buicks
before the company had
built
40. On Buick’s
success, Durant created a
holding company,
September 16, 1908.He
called it General Motors.
4

Durant also created a racing team that won 500 racing
trophies
in 1909 and 19 10, including successes at
Indianapolis two years before
the Indy 500 began.
The success
of Buick engines was visible not only on
the race track, but
in endurance tests across the country
and around the world. Buick was the only car to
complete a 1,000-mile Chicago-to-NewYork race
in
1906. And a Buick was the first car to travel across
South America, driven from Buenos Aires, Argentina,
over theAndes to Santiago, Chilein
19 14.
1911 Model 21 Touring Car on Buick’s Test Hill
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
I, Buick built Liberty aircraft engines
as well as Red Cross ambulances
so successful that one
Buick ambulance was awarded the Croix de Guerreby
the French government.
As a builder of premier automobiles, Buick was hard hit
by the Great Depression. However, new General
Manager, Harlow
H. Curtice created popular new
models including the Special and the Roadmaster. Buick
sales soon flourished.
First Buick Factory
5

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
in the 1948
Roadmaster. Buick’s famous “portholes” came along in
1949.
I949 Roadmaster
A high-compression V-8 engine was introduced in 1953.
And Buick’sfamous vertical pillar “toothy” grille,
(introduced
in 1942), became more massive in the
post-war era.
I953 Skylark
Motor Trend magazine named the 1962 Buick Special,
“Car
of the Year”. The first production V-6 engine was
used
in the Special.
6

I962 Buick Special
Built inside the walls of the old buildings in Buick’s
former
Flint complex, which formed the cornerstone of
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 of
1985.
Buicks are, and will continue to be, premium American
motorcars with smooth power, high performance, rich
detail and comfortable accommodation.
I
Ed Mertz,Gener-ulManager,Buic-k Motor- Division
Our mission is simple:
“Buick will provide Premium American Motorcars
backed with services that exceed
our customers’
expectations, throughout the purchase, ownership,
service and repurchase experience.”
Buicks are SUBSTANTIAL.
Buicks are DISTINCTIVE.
Buicks are POWERFUL.
Buicks are MATURE.
7

8