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.
I
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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.
I NOTICE:
If you have aluminum wheels, don’t use an
automatic vehicle wash that has hard silicon
carbide cleaning brushes. These brushes can
take
off the protective coating.
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 stick or squeak. Apply silicone grease
with a clean cloth at least every six months.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Foreign Material
Calcium chloride and other salts, ice melting agents,
road oil and tar, tree sap, bird droppings, chemicals from
industrial chimneys, and other foreign matter can
damage your vehicle’s finish if they remain on painted
surfaces.
Use cleaners that are marked safe for painted
surfaces for these stains.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
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Park Avenue Dimensions
Inches Unless Otherwise Noted
Overall:
Length .......................... 205.3
Width
........................... 74.9
Height
........................... 55.1
Wheel Base
...................... 110.8
Front Tread
....................... 60.5
Rear Tread
........................ 60.2
Interior Front:
Leg Room ........................ 42.0
Head Room
....................... 38.8
Shoulder Room .................... 59.1
Hip Room ........................ 55.1
Interior Rear:
Leg Room ........................ 41.6
Head Room
....................... 38.8
Shoulder Room
.................... 59.1
Hip Room ........................ 55.1
Trunk Capacity . Cu . Ft .............. 20.3
Passengers:
Front ............................... 3
Rear ................................ 3
Base Curb Weight . Lbs ............... 3580
(ULTRA)
........................... 3673
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Scheduled Maintenance Services Schedule I
Follow Schedule I if your car is MAINLY driven under one or more of the following conditions:
0 When most trips are less than 4 miles (6 kilometers).
0 When most trips are less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) and outside temperatures remain below freezing.
0 When most trips include extended idling and/or frequent low-speed operation as in stop-and-go traffic.
0 Towing a trailer."?
0 When operating in dusty areas.
Schedule I should also be followed if the car is used for delivery service, police, taxi or other commercial applications.
TO BE SERVICED
(See Explanation of
Scheduled Maintenance
Services Following
- Schedules I and 11)
Item No.
1. Engine Oil & Oil Filter
Change*
2. Chassis Lubrication
3. Throttle Body Mounting
Bolt Torque*
4. Tire & Wheel Inspection &
Rotation
5. Engine Accessory Drive
Belt(s) Inspection*
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