2002 BUICK LESABRE tires

4-37

Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don't seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into
your vehicle. See ªCarbon Monoxideº in the Index.
Dirt and water can, too.
Safety Chains
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
Does your trailer have its own brakes? 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
your vehicle's brake system. If you do, both brake
systems won't work well, or at all.
Trailer Wiring Harness
All of the electrical circuits required for your trailer
lighting system can be accessed at the driver's side rear
lamp connector. This connector is located under the
carpet on the rear corner of the trunk compartment.
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.

5-20
If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblow outº 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 ªblowout,º 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.
CAUTION:
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.

5-30
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 speeds up to 65 mph (105 km/h) 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 Check Tire
Pressure System after installing or removing the compact
spare. See ªCheck Tire Pressure Systemº in the Index.
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.

5-31
If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you don't want to spin
your wheels too fast. The method known as ªrockingº
can help you get out when you're stuck, but you must
use caution.
CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, 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.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see ªTire Chainsº in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn the system off.
See ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index. Then
shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in
gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward and
reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion that
may free your vehicle. If that doesn't get you out after a
few tries, you may need to be towed out. If you do
need to be towed out, see ªTowing Your Vehicleº in
the Index.

6-
6-1
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 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6
-6 Filling Your Tank
6
-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-11 Engine Oil
6
-16 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Passenger Compartment Air Filter
(If Equipped)
6
-20 Automatic Transaxle Fluid
6
-23 Engine Coolant
6
-26 Radiator Pressure Cap
6
-26 Power Steering Fluid
6
-27 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-29 Brakes
6
-32 Battery
6
-34 Bulb Replacement6
-43 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-44 Tires
6
-53 Appearance Care
6
-54 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-56 Care of Safety Belts
6
-56 Cleaning Glass Surfaces
6
-57 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-59 Cleaning Tires
6
-59 Sheet Metal Damage
6
-60 Finish Damage
6
-61 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-62 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-62 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-63 Electrical System
6
-71 Replacement Bulbs
6
-71 Capacities and Specifications
6
-72 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-31 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 firmly).
CAUTION:
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.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
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 tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to GM torque specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See ªBrake System Inspectionº in Section 7 of this
manual under Part C ªPeriodic Maintenance Inspections.º
Brake Pedal Travel
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.

6-36
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment to the low beam
may be necessary if it is difficult to see lane markers
(for horizontal aim), or if oncoming drivers flash their
high beams at you (for vertical aim). If you believe your
headlamps need to be re
-aimed, we recommend that
you take your vehicle to your dealer for service.
However, it is possible for you to re
-aim your
headlamps as described in the following procedure.
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.
The vehicle should be properly prepared as follows:

The vehicle should be placed so the headlamps
are 25 ft. (7.6 m) from a light colored wall or other
flat surface.

The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface which is level all the way to the wall or
other flat surface.

The vehicle should be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall or other flat 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.

The vehicle should be normally loaded with a full
tank of fuel and one person or 160 lbs. (75 kg) on
the driver's seat.

Tires should be properly inflated.
Headlamp aiming is done with the vehicle low beam
lamps. The high beam lamps will be correctly aimed if
the low beam lamps are aimed properly.
The headlamp aiming devices are under the hood near
the headlamps.

6-44
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

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.