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6-38
The vehicle should be properly prepared as follows:
The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface.
If necessary, pads may be used on an uneven 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 fuel 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.
Driver's Side Headlamp Shown
A. Vertical aim adjustment screw
B. Horizontal aim adjustment screw
Open the hood and locate the vertical and horizontal aim
indicators. The aiming screw for the vertical aim
indicator is at the center of the headlamp cover (A) and
the aiming screw for the horizontal aim indicator is on
the outboard side of the headlamp cover (B).
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Tires
Your new vehicle 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.CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air
-out and a serious
accident. See ªLoading Your Vehicleº in
the Index.
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.
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. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
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6-46 Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
inside of the trunk lid, shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they're cold. ªColdº
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:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
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 kPa).
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.
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6-47 Low Tire Inflation Monitor System
(If Equipped)
The low tire inflation monitor system can alert you to a
large change in the pressure of one tire. The system
ªlearnsº the pressure at each tire throughout the
operating speed range of your vehicle. The system
normally takes between 45 and 90 minutes of driving to
learn the tire pressures. This time may be longer
depending on your individual driving habits. Learning
need not be accumulated during a single trip. Once
learned, the system will remember the tire pressures
until the system is recalibrated.
After the system has learned tire pressures with properly
inflated tires, the LOW TIRE light will come on if the
pressure in one tire becomes 12 psi (83 kPa) lower than
the other three tires. The low tire inflation monitor
system won't alert you if the pressure in more than one
tire is low, if the system is not properly calibrated, or if
the vehicle is moving faster than 60 mph (95 km/h).
The low tire inflation monitor system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in
tire pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire
-- but it doesn't replace normal tire maintenance.
See ªTiresº in the Index.When the LOW TIRE light comes on, you should stop
as soon as you can and check all your tires for damage.
(If a tire is flat, see ªIf a Tire Goes Flatº in the Index.)
Also check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as
you can. See ªInflation
- Tire Pressureº in the Index.
The light will come on and stay on until you turn off the
ignition or press the RESET button.
Don't reset the low tire inflation monitor system without
first correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires. If you reset
the system when the tire pressures are incorrect, the
system will not work properly and may not alert you
when a tire is low.
Any time you adjust a tire's pressure, rotate your tires,
or have one or more tires repaired or replaced, you'll
need to reset (calibrate) the low tire inflation monitor
system. You'll also need to reset the system whenever
you buy new tires and whenever the vehicle's battery
has been disconnected.
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6-49
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 ªWheel Nut Torqueº in
the Index.
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
ªChanging a Flat Tireº in the Index.)
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Treadwear
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
-- AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades 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 straight
-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.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.
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NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See ªChanging a Flat Tireº in the Index for
more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can't know how it's been used or
how far it's been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause an accident. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has P225/60R16 size tires, don't
use tire chains. They can damage your vehicle
because there's not enough clearance.
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it's contacting your vehicle, and don't
spin your wheels.
NOTICE: (Continued)
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6-66 Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers
and fusible thermal links in the wiring itself. This
greatly reduces the chance of fires caused by
electrical problems.
Look at the silver
-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical size
and rating.
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
Some fuses are located in a
fuse block on the
passenger's side of the
instrument panel. Pull off
the cover labeled FUSES to
expose the fuses.
Circuit Description
Breaker
A Tire Inflation Monitor Reset
Button
B Power Windows/Sunroof
C Rear Defog
D Power Seats
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