1996 BUICK CENTURY flat tire

I NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Don’t try to put a wheel cover on your compact spare
tire. It won’t fit. Store the wheel cover in
the trunk or, if
you have the wagon, in the rear cargo area, until you
have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
I NOTICE:
Wheel covers won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare,
you could damage the cover or the spare.
A CAUTIGN:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
ProCarManuals.com

3OAD
TIRE .--
BAG
Sedan
1.
2.
3.
4.
Place the tire, air valve up, in the tire storage area.
Remove the extension bolt from the jacking tools
bag. Secure the tire by inserting and tightening the
extension bolt through the center
of the tire into the
storage area floor.
Place the spare tire cover on the storage area, with the
jack face down over
the hole in the center of the board.
Insert the center retainer bolt through the jack and
secure it
by turning the bolt clockwise.
NOTE: The cover will not
fit flush when a flat tire is
stored
in this location.
5-35
ProCarManuals.com

NUT
WHEEL WREN0
FULL SIZE FLAT /
COMPACT SPARE,
JACK RETAINER m \\!J JJ In-
JACK
USE TOP HOLE WITH VALVE STEM OUTBOARI:
FOR STORAGE OF FULL-SIZE FLAT
Wagon
The cover will not fit when a flat tire is stored in
this location.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Store the wheel well cover in the floor compartment.
Remove the tire retaining bolt from under the jack
and position it in the slot above the jack.
With the air valve facing you, place the flat tire in
the storage area.
Insert the bolt through the top wheel stud hole
in the wheel.
Place the spacer over the bolt and tighten the
wing
nut.
5-36
ProCarManuals.com

Wagon Spare Cover Replacement
To install the spare tire cover in your station wagon
when you are finished changing the tire:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Put the front lower corner of the cover into the floor
track. Overlap the lower rear edge of the front panel
1 (2.54 m) to 2 inches (5.08 m).
Slide the cover to the front; the tabs must go under
the rear edge.
Insert the front upper corner into the track,
at the
bottom
of the glass.
Adjust the position
of the cover to fit over the
weatherstrip. Push the panel down into the track
in
the floor.
Push the panel
to lock it into the track of the molding
at the bottom of the glass.
Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated
when your vehicle was new, it can
lose air after a time.
Check the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi (420 kPa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your
spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare is
made to perform well at posted speed limits for
distances up to
3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you can
finish your trip and have your full-size tire repaired or
replaced where
you want. Of course, it’s best to replace
your spare with a full-size tire as soon as you can. Your
spare will last longer and be in good shape in case
you
need it again.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
5’ -7
ProCarManuals.com

Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new Buick comes with
high-quality tires made
by a leading tire manufacturer. If
you ever have questions about your tire warranty and
where to obtain service,
see your Buick Warranty
booklet for details.
I A CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are 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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
0 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 be checked
when your tires are cold.
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
0 Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
0 Overinflated tires are more likely to be
6-38
ProCarManuals.com

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 1 mile (1.6 km).
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that, underinflation or
overinflation
is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
0 Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
0 Bad wear
0. Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued)
NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
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 Pa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t
tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking .at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back
on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out
dirt and moisture.
6-39
ProCarManuals.com

Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km) for any signs of unusual wear.
If unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as soon as
possible and check wheel alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See “When It’s Time for
New
Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information. When
rotating your tires, always
use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation,
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque”
in
the Index.
The purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires
on the vehicle. The first
rotation
is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
1 A 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.)
6-40
ProCarManuals.com

Treadwear Temperature -- A, B, C
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, and 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 (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction. 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.
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.
6-43
ProCarManuals.com