1994 BUICK CENTURY tires

Tire Inspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have them in
rotated at the mileages recommended in the spected and
Maintenance Schedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance
Services” in the Index.
FRONT
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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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
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 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.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
0 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.
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Treadwear
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.) 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.
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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.
These 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, 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.
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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.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odometer
calibration, headlight aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire
or tire chain clearance
to the body and chassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
Tire Chains
NOTICE:
Use tire chains only where legal and only when
you must. Use only
SAE Class “S” type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install
them on the front tires and tighten them as
tightly
as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and
retighten them.
If the contact continues, slow
down
until it stops. Driving too fast with chains
on will damage your vehicle.
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basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat paint
finish.
I
I NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing
on a basecoatklearcoat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)
Your aluminum wheels have a protective coating similar
to the painted surface
of your buick. Don’t use strong
soaps, chemicals, chrome polish, abrasive cleaners
or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because you could
damage this coating. After rinsing thoroughly,
a wax
may be applied.
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 the cleaner.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth
at least every six
months. During very cold, damp weather more frequent
application may be required. (See “Recommended Fluids
& Lubricants’’ in the Index.)
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
to remove foreign matter.
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Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance
Services
Below are explanations of the services listed in Schedule
I and Schedule
11.
The proper fluids and lubricants to use are listed in
Section D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses
these. All parts should
be replaced and all necessary
repairs done before you or anyone else drives the vehicle.
NOTE: To determine your engine’s displacement and
code, see “Engine Identification” in the Index.
1. Engine Oil and Filter Change* -- Always use SH
or SG Energy Conserving I1 oils of proper viscosity.
The
“SH or SG’ designation may be shown alone or
in combination with others, such as “SH/CD’ or
“SH, SG, CD,” “SG/CD,”etc. To determine the
preferred viscosity for your vehicle’s engine (e.g.,
SAE 5W-30 or SAE 10W-30), see “Engine Oil” in
the Index.
2. Chassis Lubrication -- Lubricate the transaxle shift
linkage, parking brake cable guides, underbody
contact points and linkage. If your vehicle is equipped with grease fittings, lubricate the suspension and steering linkage. 3.
Tire and Wheel Rotation and Inspection -- For
proper wear and maximum tire life, rotate your tires
following the instructions in this manual. See “Tires,
Inspection
& Rotation” in the Index. Check the tires
for uneven wear or damage. If you see irregular or
premature wear, check the wheel alignment. Check
for damaged wheels also.
4. Engine Accessory Drive Belt(s) Inspection --
Inspect the belt(s) for cracks, fraying, wear and
proper tension. Replace as needed.
5. Cooling System Service* -- Drain, flush and refill
the system with new or approved recycled coolant
conforming to GM Specification 1825M. Keep coolant
at the proper mixture as specified.
See “Coolant” in the
Index.
This provides proper freeze protection and boil
protection, corrosion inhibitor level and maintain
proper engine operating temperature.
Inspect hoses and replace if they are cracked,
swollen or deteriorated. Tighten screw type hose
clamps. Clean the outside of the radiator and air
conditioning condenser. Wash the pressure cap and
neck
To help ensure proper operation, we recommend a
pressure test
of both the cooling system and the
pressure cap.
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At Least Once a Month
WHAT TO DO
Check tire inflation. Make sure they are
inflated
to the pressures specified on the
Tire-Loading Information label located
on the rear edge of the driver’s door. See
“Tires”
in the Index for further details.
Cassette Deck Clean
cassette deck. Cleaning should
be done every
15 hours of tape play. See
“Audio Systems”
in the Index for
further details.
At Least Once a Year
CHECK OR
SERVICE
Key Lock
Cylinders
L
Body Lubrication
WHAT TO DO
Lubricate the key lock cylinders with
the lubricant specified in Section D.
Lubricate all body door hinges. Also
lubricate all hinges and latches,
including those for the hood, rear
compartment, glove box door, console
door and any folding seat hardware.
Section
D tells you what to use.
CHECK OR
SERVICE
Starter Switch
WHAT TO DO
CAUTION: When you are doing this
check, the
vehicle could move
suddenly. If it does, you or others
could
be injured. Follow the steps
below.
1. Before you start, be sure you have
enough room around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake
(see “Parking Brake”
in the index if
necessary) and the regular brake.
NOTE: Do
not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready
to turn off the
engine immediately
if it starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear.
The starter should work
only in “P”
(Park) or
“N” (Neutral). If the starter
works
in any other position, your
vehicle needs service.
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