1993 BUICK RIVIERA Owners Manual

A CAUTION:

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 rdnge, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
, 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
1 vehicle may not handle properly, and you cou’ ’
have a crash. Be sure to use the same size ana
type tires on all four wheels.
It’s
all right to drive with your compact spa
though. It was developed for use
on your
vehicle.
~1
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
248

(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
whicrall 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
I
excessive loading, either separately or in combination, !
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Those grade
b 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.
249

Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance w.
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.
Eachnew 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.
'1250

I
A CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts, or wheel 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 correct wheel, wheel
bolts, and wheel nuts for replacement. I
Used Keplacement Wheels
I
A CAUTION:
Putting a used eel 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 a new
GM original
equipment wheel.
251
-

Tire Chains Appearance Care
A CAUTION:
Cleaning products can be hazardous. Some are
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:
0 Gasoline
0 Benzene
Naphtha
Carbon Tetrachlorid
0 Acetone
0 Paint Thinner
0 Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover

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 -- before 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.
Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area
only. If you use them, don’t saturate the stained area.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or it will set.

0 Wipe with a clean cloth.