Buick Century (USA / CAN)

Automatic transmission fluid capacity & service interval

Buick Century (USA / CAN) automatic transmission fluid capacity ranges from 7 to 12,7 liters. Service intervals include checking every 12 months and changing every 80000 to 160000 km. The data covers 6 configurations.

The configuration chart below lists fill volumes and service intervals for each engine and trim variant.

TypeSpecifications
Century 3.1 V6 (2003-2005)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 12,7 liter (Dry fill)
  • Capacity 9,5 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Capacity 7 liter (Service fill)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 160000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Century 3.1 V6 (2003-2005)
  • Use: Severe
  • Capacity 12,7 liter (Dry fill)
  • Capacity 9,5 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Capacity 7 liter (Service fill)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 80000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Century 3.1 V6 (1999-2003)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 12,7 liter (Dry fill)
  • Capacity 9,5 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Capacity 7 liter (Service fill)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 160000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Century 3.1 V6 (1999-2003)
  • Use: Severe
  • Capacity 12,7 liter (Dry fill)
  • Capacity 9,5 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Capacity 7 liter (Service fill)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 80000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Century 3.1 V6 (1996-1999)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 12,7 liter (Dry fill)
  • Capacity 9,5 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Capacity 7 liter (Service fill)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 160000 km
  • Code: 4/1
Century 3.1 V6 (1996-1999)
  • Use: Severe
  • Capacity 12,7 liter (Dry fill)
  • Capacity 9,5 liter (Overhaul capacity)
  • Capacity 7 liter (Service fill)
  • Check 12 months
  • Change 80000 km
  • Code: 4/1

Additional Notes

  • The Buick Century (USA / CAN) 3.1 V6 automatic transaxle carries a dry fill capacity of 12.7 liters across all covered model years from 1996-2005, which represents the total fluid volume required when filling a completely empty unit, such as after a full rebuild from bare components.
  • The overhaul capacity of 9.5 liters is lower than the dry fill figure because a rebuilt unit retains some fluid within internal passages and components even after disassembly, meaning a full teardown and reassembly does not require the same volume as an entirely dry system.
  • The service fill capacity of 7 liters applies to routine fluid changes where the torque converter is not drained, leaving a significant portion of fluid in the converter and hydraulic circuits, which accounts for the difference between the 7-liter service figure and the 12.7-liter dry fill figure.
  • Under normal use conditions, the change interval for the automatic transaxle fluid is 160,000 km across all 1996-2005 model year configurations of the 3.1 V6.
  • Under severe use conditions, the change interval is reduced to 80,000 km, exactly half the normal interval, while all three capacity values remain identical to the normal use specification.
  • A fluid level check interval of 12 months is specified for all configurations regardless of whether the use condition is normal or severe, meaning the inspection frequency does not change between the two use categories.
  • The three capacity values of 12.7 liters dry fill, 9.5 liters overhaul, and 7 liters service fill remain consistent across the entire 1996-2005 production span of the 3.1 V6, indicating no capacity revision was made across the three overlapping model year groupings covered in the specifications.

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