1993 BUICK ROADMASTER Owners Manual

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Station wagons can carry more weight than regular
passenger cars:- You’ll find ,the heading-“Maximum
Loadingat
GVWR” on the Tire-Loading- Information
labei.
YQU can load your station wagon up to the limit
shown there, but only if
you’ take the following steps: ;
1.
2.
3.
-4.
.. ..
I
IT you swerloaa your somon wagon, you CQI
damage parts of the vehicle and/or affect
vehicle handling. Either of these could cau!
you
to 10s- --1trol of the vehicle and you c-~d
be injured
Newer carry rn ht than the
Certification label under “Gross Vehicle Weight
r ‘‘Gross Axle Weight Rating
..
Tires ..
We, don’t make tires. Your new vehicle comes with high
quality tires made by a leading tire,manufacturer. These
tires are
warranted.:by the tire manufacturers and their :
warranties are delivixed with every new Buick. :If your
spare ti& is a different brand than yo& road tires,. you
will have a tire warranty folder fi-om eaGh of these
manufacturers.
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ION
)orly maintained and improper1
dangerous.
Overloading
- 3ur tires can caus [sed
tires are
e
overheating as a result
of too much
friction:You could have an air-out ant
serisws accident. See -“Loading Your
Vehicle”
in the Inde:
Underinflated tires
pose the same dangc
as overloaded tires. The resulting
accident’could cause serious injury.
Check
all tires frequently to maintain a I
recommended pressure. Tire pressure
sha I be checked when your tires are
cold
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.
I,
your tread is badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged, replace them.
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 (if SO equipped). 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.
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.
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After the tires have beers rotated, adjust the front and
rea inflation pressure as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts ax9
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in the
’ ..
Index.
A CAUTION:
Rust or diir 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 --
dirt off. (See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the
Index.)
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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.
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DU 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
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut -or snagged deep
rubber.
enough to show cord or fabric.
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 nu-mber will be followed. by a “MS”
(for mad 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.
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A CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different siz
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you
cows
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 (if
you have one). It
was developed for use on your
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‘ :le.
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 govement test course. For
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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 .I 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 how 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.
/! CA-TION:
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
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bolts, and wheel nuts for reelacement. jured. Always use the correct wheel,
whec
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277

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 u
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
278