1993 BUICK PARK AVENUE Owners Manual

1 /rl CAUTION:
I
I
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are I
dangerous.
0 Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as
a result of too much
friction. You could have an air-out and a
serious accident. See “Loading Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
Underinflated tires pose the same danger
as overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should checked
when your tires are cold.
0 Overinflated tires are more likely to be cut,
punctured, or broken by
a sudden impact,
such
as when you hit a pothole. Keep tires
at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
I- -
Inflation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label which is located 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
-- 3 more than a mile.
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation
,overinflation
is
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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 Ha).
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.
i
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to put them back
on. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
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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CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, 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 Flat Tire”
in the Index.)
When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear.
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only
2/32 inch (1.6
mm) or less of tread
remaining.
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.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
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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.
. CAUTION:
Xing tires could cause you to lose control
hile driving. If you mix tires ob different sizes or
types (radial and bias-betted tires;), the vehicle
may not handle properly, and you coutd have a
crash.
Be sure to use the same size and type
tires on all wheels.
It’s all right to drive
with your compact spare,
bbugh. It was developed for limited use on your
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
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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.
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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.
A CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts, or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
rngerous. It could affect the braking and
.. ~ndling 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.
- ..ways use the correct wheel, wheel bolts, ~ d
I wheel nuts
for replacement.
I
1: NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can atso cause Droblems with
bearing life, brake cooling,
speedometer/odometer calibration, headllgb,,
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clearance
and tire or tire chain clearance to the body an(
chassis.
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i
teplacement WFpels Tire Chains
I
/11 CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been use#-. Jr
how many miles it’s been driven. It could fail
suddenly and cause an accident.
If you t--- re to
replace a wheel use anew
GM original
equipment wheel.
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277
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Appearance Care
I
A CAUTION:
Cleaning products can be hazardous. Some are I
I toxic. Others can burst into flame if you strike a
match or get them on a hot part
of the vehicle.
Some are dangerous if you breathe their fumes
in a closed space. When you use anything in a
container to clean your Buick, be sure to follow
the instructions. And always open your doors or
windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
0 Benzene
Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
0 Paint Thinner
0 Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner I
Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
-- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle,
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278
Cleaning the Inside of Your Buick
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe vinyl with
a clean, damp cloth.
Your Buick dealer has two
GM cleaners -- a
solvent-type spot lifter and a foam-type powdered
cleaner. They will clean normal spots and stains very
well.
Here are some cleaning tips:
0 Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
0 Clean up stains as soon as you can ore they set.
0 Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean
area often. A soft brush may be used
if stains are
stubborn.
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