
Inflation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label which is on the rear
edge of the driver’s door shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires, when they’re cold. “Cold”
means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three
hours or driven no more than a mile.
When to Check: Check your tires once a month or
more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire.
It should be at 60
psi (420 Pa).
How to Check: Use a good quality pocket-type gage to
check tire pressure. Simply looking at the tires will not
tell you the pressure, especially if you have radial tires
--
which may look properly inflated even if they’re
underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to put them back on. They help prevent leaks by keeping out
dirt and
moisture.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have them inspected and
rotated at the mileages recommended in the
.
Maintenance Schedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance
Services’’ in the Index.
Use this rotation pattern. After
the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressure as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in the
Index.
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A CAUTION:
Rust or dlrt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastetfed, can make wheel nuts become
loose after a time. The wheel could come off and
cause
an accident. When you change a wheel,
remove any rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches
to the vehicle. In an emergency,
you can use a cloth or a paper towel to do this;
but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if
you need to, to get all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing a FI; Tire’* On the Index.)

c:
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
.
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires, get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way,
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating, traction, ride and other things during normal service on your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by a
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
You need a new tire if:
you can see the indicators at three places around the
tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
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A CAUTION:
;
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes
or
types (radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle
may not handle properly, and you could have a
crash. Be sure to use the same size and type
tires
on all four wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example,
a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance
of tires depends
upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B,
and C. They represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions
on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based
on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance

which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades
B and
A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Those grades are molded on the sidewalls of passenger
car tires.
While the tires available as standard or optional
equipment on General Motors vehicles may vary with respect to these grades, all such tires meet General
Motors performance standards and have been approved
for use on General Motors vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric) tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements in addition to these grades.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at
the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance. In most cases, you will not need
to have your wheels
aligned again. However, if you notice unusual tire wear
or your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset.
If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need
to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly rusted.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air
out, replace it (except some aluminum wheels, which
can sometimes be repaired). See your Buick dealer if
any
of these conditions exist.
Your dealer
will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset, and be mounted the
same way as
the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original
equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure to have the
right wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for your Buick model.
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‘A CAUTION:
0
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts,
or whwl nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the braking and
handling
of your vehicle, make your tires lose air
and make you lose control.
You could have a
collision in which you or others could be injured.
Always use the correctwheel, wheel bolts, and
wheel
nuts for replacement.
NOTICE:
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The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling,
speedometerlodometer calibration, headlight
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clearance,
and tire
or tire chai
Used Rep1 Vheels - - -
’A CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or
how many miles it’s been driven.
It could fail
suddenly and cause an accident. If you have to
replace a wheel use anew
GM original
equipment wheel.
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Tire Chains
NOTICE
Use tire chains
SAE Class “S”
size for your
and tighten them as tightly as possible with
ends securely fastened. Drive
slowly and fol
the chain ma
hear the chai
retighten them.
If the contact continues, .elow
down until it stops. Driving ton fast with 4
on will damage your vehicle.
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Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Don’t use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Use liquid
hand, dish or car washing (non-detergent) soaps. Don’t
use cleaning agents that contain acid or abrasives. All
cleaning agents should
be flushed promptly and not
allowed to dry on the surface, or they could stain. Dry the
finish with a soft, clean chamois or a 100% cotton towel
to avoid surface scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter your
vehicle.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your Buick may
be necessary
to remove residue from the paint finish. You
can get
GM approved cleaning products from your dealer.
(See “Appearance Care and Materials”
in the Index.)
Your Buick has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint finish. The
clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat.
finish or leave swirl marks,
Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)
Your aluminum wheels have a protective coating similar
to the painted surface of your car. Don’t use strong
soaps, chemicals, chrome polish, or other abrasive
cleaners on them because
you could damage this
coating. After rinsing thoroughly, a wax may be applied.
If you have aluminum wheels, don’
automatic vehicle wash that has hard silico
carbide cleaning brushes. TheFm brushes can
White Sidewall Tires
Your Buick dealer has a GM White Sidewall Tire
Cleaner. You can use a stiff brush with
it.
Weatherstrips
These are places where glass or metal meets rubber.
Silicone grease there will make them last longer, seal
better, and not squeak. Apply silicone grease with a
clean cloth at least every six months.

Appearance Care and Maintenance Materials
You can get these from your Buick dealer.
PART
NUMBER USAGE
DESCRIPTION
SIZE
12345343
Stops squeaks Silicone Grease
1 oz. (0.028kg)
1052863 Weather strips
Spray-A-Squeak
12
02. (0.354L)
1052277 Exterior cleaner and polish Magic Mirror Creme
Wax
16
02. (0.473L)
1050 172
Cleans white and black tires White Sidewall Tire Cleaner
16 oz. (0.473L) 1050 I74 Removes rust and corrosion
Chrome Cleaner and Polish
16 oz. (0.473L)
1050173 Also removes old waxes, polishes
Tar and Road Oil Remover
16
oz. (0.473L)
1050214 32
02. (0.946L) Vinylbeather
Cleaner Spot and stain removal
1050244 16
02. (0.473L) Fabric Cleaner Spot and stain removal
1050427 23
02. (0.680L) Glass Cleaner Also spot cleans vinyls
1050429 6
Ib. (2.72kg) Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner Cleans vinyl and cloth, also, tires and mats
1052349 12
02. (0.340kg) Lubriplate (White Grease) For hood, trunk, door hinges and latches
1051055 16
oz. (0.473L) Preservatone Vinyl Top Dressing
1051398*
8 oz. (0.237L) Spot Lifter For cloth
1051515 32
02. (0.946L) Washer Solvent Windshield-washing system
1052870 16
02. (0.473L) Wash-Wax (conc.) Exterior Wash
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* Not recommended for pigskin suede leather.
See Your General Motors Dealers
for These Products. I
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I See Your Maintenance Schedule for Other Products. I