1998 BUICK REGAL tires

Driving with a Trailer
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.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand
to
the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide
you.
4-38
ProCarManuals.com

14. Reinstall the red protective remote jump start cover
on the vehicle that was jump started.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a dealer or a professional towing service tow
your vehicle.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
rear with sling-type equipment.
0 That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
5-8
ProCarManuals.com

If a Tire Goes Flat
10. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure
if coolant begins to flow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows on the pressure cap line
up like this.
11. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level in
the coolant recovery tank should be at the HOT
mark when the engine is hot or at the COLD mark
when the engine is cold. 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.
5-25
ProCarManuals.com

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 remhrly. It should be
60 psi (420 Wa).
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 speeds up to
65 mph
(105 kmk) 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. You must calibrate
the tire pressure monitor system after installing or
removing the compact spare. See “Tire Pressure
Monitor”
in the Index. The system may not work
correctly when the compact spare
is installed on the
vehicle. 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.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t
mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
5-37
ProCarManuals.com

If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking”
can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must -use caution.
If yaa let your tires spin at M~JI speed, they can
expIode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle
or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat.
That could cause an engine
compartment
fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck,
spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
5-38
ProCarManuals.com

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2
6-3
6-5 6-5
6-8
6- 12
6-
12
6- 17
6-20
6-23
6-27
6-28 6-30
6-33 6-34
6-39
6-49
6-49 Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
3800 Supercharged (Code 1) Engine
Engine Oil Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care Cleaning the Inside
of Your Vehicle 6-5
1
6-52
6-52
6-52
6-53
6-54
6-55
6-57 6-58
6-58
6-59
6-65
6-65
6-66
6-67 6-67 Cleaning the Built-in
Child Restraint
Care of Safety Belts and Built-in Child
Restraint Harness
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Cleaning the Outside of the Windshield and
Wiper Blades
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome Wheels
Cleaning Tires
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Vehicle Dimensions
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
6- 1
ProCarManuals.com

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are worn
and new pads are needed. The sound may come and
go or
be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you are pushing
on the brake pedal firmy).
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary
to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to
GM specifications.
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When
you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have
your vehicle serviced.
I Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in Section
7 of this
manual under Part
C “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections.”
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Brake Pedal navel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
6-32
ProCarManuals.com

4. Connect the new headlamp assembly to the wiring
harness, making sure the connector tab snaps
into place.
5. Insert the headlamp into the slots in the fascia.
6. Slide the retainers downward until they are
fully seated.
Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has a modular headlamp system. These
headlamps have horizontal and vertical aim indicators.
The aim has been optically pre-set at the factory and
should need
no further adjustment.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident and the
headlamp aim seems to be affected,
see your dealer.
Headlamps on damaged vehicles may require
recalibration of the vertical and horizontal aim by
your dealer.
To check the aim, the vehicle should be properly
prepared as follows:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Place the vehicle on a level pad or surface.
The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming
is being done.
There should not be any cargo
or loading of the
vehicle, except it should have a full tank
of gas and
one person or
160 lbs. (75 kg) on the driver’s seat.
Close all doors.
Tires should be properly inflated.
Rock the vehicle to stabilize the suspension.
I I
NOTICE:
To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before
beginning. Failure to follow these instructions
could cause damage to headlamp parts.
6-35
ProCarManuals.com