1996 Buick Century Owner's Manual

The upper lever has three air conditioner settings. Onvery hot days, open the windows long enough to let hot,inside air escape. This reduces the amount of work yourair conditioner's compressor will have to do, whichshould help fuel economy.MAX: Provides maximum cooling with the leastamount of work. This setting recirculates much of theair inside your vehicle so it maximizes your airconditioner's performance and fuel economy.NORM: Use for normal cooling on hot days. Thissetting cools outside air and directs it through theinstrument panel outlets.BI-LEV: Use this on cool, but sunny days. This settingbrings in the outside air, and directs it in two ways. Thecool air is directed to the upper portion of your bodythrough the instrument panel outlets, and warmed air isdirected through the heater ducts and defroster vents. Attimes, this temperature difference may be more apparentthan others.The air conditioner compressor operates in all airconditioning positions, and in DEF (defrdst) when theoutside temperature is above about 40°F (4.5"C).When outside temperatures are cold, sliding the upperlever to HEATER and the lower lever to HOT willsend heated air through the heater ducts, and somethrough the defroster vents. VENT and HEATERare labeled ECONOMY positions because the airconditioner compressor doesn't run in these twosettings. This reduces engine load, resulting inimproved fuel economy. If either setting fails to keepyou comfortable, or causes your windows to fog up,slide the upper lever to one of the air conditioningpositions, or to DEF (defrost).rgiiThe DEF setting directs most of the air through thedefroster vents and some through the heater dl s.To quickly defog the windshield, set the upper le ~ r toDEF and move the fan switch to HI. Slide the lowerlever to HOT.In damp, cool weather (temperatures about 45"to 65"F,7 " to 18 " C), you can use BI-LEV to defog the sidewindows. Set the upper lever to BI-LEV and the fanswitch to HI. Aim the side vents toward the sidewindows, For increased airflow to the side vents, closethe center vents.3-2