2004 BUICK LESABRE Tire

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 will 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 will not 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 will 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 all trailer hitch parts 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.
4-43

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-28
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-35Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-36
Brakes........................................................5-37
Battery........................................................5-40
Jump Starting...............................................5-42
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-47
Headlamp Horizontal Aiming...........................5-49
Headlamp Vertical Aiming..............................5-50
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-52
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-52
Headlamps..................................................5-52
Front Turn Signal Lamps...............................5-53
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps............5-54
Taillamps and Back-Up Lamps.......................5-55
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-56
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-57
Tires..............................................................5-58
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-65
Check Tire Pressure System..........................5-66
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-67
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-68
Buying New Tires.........................................5-69
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-70
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-71
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Wheel Replacement......................................5-71
Tire Chains..................................................5-72
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-73
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-74
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-83
Appearance Care............................................5-83
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-84
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-86
Weatherstrips...............................................5-87
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-87
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-89
Finish Damage.............................................5-89
Underbody Maintenance................................5-89
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-89
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-90Vehicle Identication......................................5-91
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN).................5-91
Service Parts Identication Label.....................5-91
Electrical System............................................5-91
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-91
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-92
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-92
Removing the Rear Seat Cushion...................5-95
Capacities and Specications..........................5-99
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts.........5-100
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

2. Remove the air intake hose that is snapped over
the throttle body by pulling the hose upward and
away from the throttle body which is located
near the top of the engine.3. Disconnect the
electrical connector
from the air intake
hose. This will allow
you to lift the rear
portion of the engine
air cleaner/lter
housing.
4. After detaching the hose from the throttle body, pull
back the entire rear portion of the engine air
cleaner/lter housing by pulling upward and
rearward.
5-19

If you spill brake uid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paint nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake uid on your vehicle. If
you do, wash it off immediately. SeeAppearance
Care on page 5-83.
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 rmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not 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 rst 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 specications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
SeeBrake System Inspection on page 6-22.
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.
5-39

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 ash 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 at
surface.
The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface which is level all the way to the wall
or other at surface.
The vehicle should be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall or other at 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 inated.
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.
5-48

Taillamps and Back-Up Lamps
1. Open the trunk. Loosen and remove the seven
fasteners that hold the taillamp assembly in
place. The assembly for both sides is one piece.
The entire piece must be removed to replace
any bulbs.2. Pull out the assembly.
5-55

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 GM Warranty booklet for details. For additional
information refer to the tire manufacturer’s booklet
included with your vehicle’s Owner’s Manual.
{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 “Loading Your
Vehicle” in the Index.
Underinated 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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Overinated 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.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical passenger
car tire and a compact spare tire sidewall.
5-58