2003 BUICK RANDEZVOUS Owner's Manual

Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certification/Tire 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:
•Too muchflexing
•Too much heat
•Tire overloading
•Bad wear
•Bad handling
•Bad fuel economy
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.
Check Tire Pressure System
Your vehicle may have a check tire pressure system
that can alert you to a large change in the pressure of
one tire. The system won’t alert you before you drive
that a tire is low orflat. You must begin driving before
the system will work properly.
The LOW TIRE PRESSURE HOLD SET TO RESET
message will appear on the Driver Information Center
(DIC) and the LOW TIRE PRESSURE message
will come on the message center if pressure difference
(low pressure) is detected in one tire. In the following
conditions, the LOW TIRE PRESSURE message
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may not come on even if the tire pressure is low, or it
may come on when the tire pressure is actually normal:
•more than one tire is low,
•only one tire is replaced with a new tire during
service,
•the vehicle is moving faster than 70 mph (113 km/h),
•the system is not yet calibrated,
•the tire treadwear is uneven,
•the compact spare tire is installed,
•tire chains are being used, or
•the vehicle is being driven on a rough or
frozen road.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
the check tire pressure system may not be working
properly. See your dealer for service. Also, see
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-39.
The check tire pressure 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.
SeeTires on page 5-48.
When the LOW TIRE PRESSURE HOLD SET TO
RESET message appears on the Driver Information
Center and the LOW TIRE PRESSURE message comes
on the message center, you should stop as soon asyou can and check all your tires for damage. If a tire is
flat, seeIf a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-58. Also check
the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as you can.
SeeInflation -- Tire Pressure on page 5-49.
Any time you adjust a tire’s pressure or have one or more
tires repaired or replaced, you’ll need to reset (calibrate)
the check tire pressure system. You’ll also need to reset
the system whenever you rotate the tires, buy new tires
and install or remove the compact spare.
Don’t reset the check tire pressure system withoutfirst
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 check tire pressure system will not work properly
and may not alert you when a tire is low or high.
To reset the system:
1. Turn the ignition to ON with the engine off.
2. Press the MODE button until the DIC reads LOW
TIRE PRESSURE HOLD SET TO RESET.
3. Press and hold the SET button until you hear a
chime and TIRE PRESSURE RESET is displayed.
You will hear three chimes and the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE message will go off and the DIC will return
to TIRE PRESSURE NORMAL. If the LOW TIRE
PRESSURE message comes back on, the check tire
pressure system has not reset. Repeat the procedure.
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The system completes the calibration process during
driving. The system“learns”the pressure at each
tire throughout the operating speed range of your
vehicle. The system normally takes between 30 and
60 minutes of driving to learn the tire pressures.
The system normally takes 10 to 20 minutes of driving
in each speed range to learn tire pressures. The
speed ranges are 20 to 40 mph (32 to 64 km/h), 40 to
60 mph (64 to 96 km/h) and above 60 mph (96 km/h).
This time may be longer depending on your individual
driving habits. The learning process does not need to be
completed during a single trip. Once learned, the
system will remember the tire pressure until the system
is reset.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 7,500 miles (12 500 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires
as soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-52andWheel Replacement
on page 5-55for more information.
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try to rotate or turn the tire, If it moves,
use the folding wrench to tighten the cable. See“Storing
a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools”inChanging a Flat
Tire on page 5-59.The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. Thefirst rotation
is the most important. See“Part A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services,”in Section 6, for scheduled
rotation intervals.
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
Certification/Tire label.
Reset the check tire pressure system, if equipped. See
Check Tire Pressure System on page 5-49.
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Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened.
See“Wheel Nut Torque”underCapacities and
Specifications on page 5-92.
{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.
When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
•You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
•You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
•The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
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•The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
•The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
Buying New Tires
Tofind out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certification/Tire label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes may also cause damage to your vehicle.
Be sure to use the same size and type tires on
all wheels. It’s all right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily, it was developed
for use on your vehicle. See“Compact Spare
Tire”in the index.
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rimflanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
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 (1.5) times as well on the government course asa 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
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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.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
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.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-59for more
information.
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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 a crash. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has P215/70R16 size tires, don’t
use tire chains, there’s not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can cause damage
to the brakes, suspension or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the tire chains
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and you or others may be injured in a crash.
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.
If you dofind traction devices that willfit,
install them on the front tires for
front-wheel-drive vehicles. If your vehicle has
all-wheel drive, install traction devices on
either the front tires or all four tires, but never
on the rear tires only.
Notice:If your vehicle has a tire size smaller than
P215/705R16 size tires, use tire chains only where
legal and only when you must. Use only SAE Class
″S″type chains that are the proper size for your tires.
Install them on the front tires, or for all-wheel-drive
vehicles, the front or all four (but never rear only)
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