1996 BUICK PARK AVENUE lock

Safety Chains Driving with a Trailer
You
should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if
it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer‘ Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
loaded, then
it needs its own brakes -- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into
you vehicle’s brake system.
If you do, both brake
systems won’t work well, or at all. Towing a trailer requires a certain amount
of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving
is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut
by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They
will damage drivetrain and
suspension components. When your vehicle
is being towed, have
the ignition
key in the
OFF position. The steering wheel should
be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with
a
clamping device designed for towing service. Do not
use the vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The
transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking
brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless you must. If the vehicle must
be towed on the
front wheels, be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section or your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported
on a dolly.
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Horn )., Add CL=-~=- to the Radiator
1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure cap
and upper radiator hose, is no longer hot. Turn the
pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until it first
stops. (Don’t press down while turning the
pressure cap.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there
is still some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push
down as
you turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if
you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But
if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what
to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d
use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to
go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop -- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
Changing
a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people.
You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire
on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
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Turn the center retainer bolt on the spare tire cover
counterclockwise to remove
it, then lift the tire cover.
Remove the spare tire from the trunk. See “Compact
Spare Tire” later in this section for more information
about the compact spare.
Remove the jack hold-down
screw, then remove the jack.
1
The tools you’ll be using include the jack (A) and the
wheel wrench
(B).
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Wheel Covers
The following steps are necessary only if you have wire
wheel covers:
1. Remove the special key
wrench that's attached to
the trunk sidewall.
2. Using the handle
.of the special key
wrench,
pry off
the center emblem
cover to reveal the
theft-deterrent wheel nut.
3. Push the end. of
the special key
wrench onto the
theft-deteq-ent
wheel nut and'twist
it counterclockwise
to remove the nut.
,.
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Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire
1. Use the wheel wrench to loosen the wheel nuts, but
don’t remove them yet.
2. The jack has a bolt at the
end. Attach the wheel
wrench to the jack bolt.
3. Rotate the wheel wrench clockwise (to the right) to
raise the jack head a few inches.
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6. Raise the vehicle by rotating the wheel wrench
clockwise in the jack. Raise the vehicle far enough
off the ground
so there is enough room for the spare
tire to fit.
7. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
8. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
~ Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
' which it is fastened, can make the 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 the 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.
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