BUICK PARK AVENUE 1997 Owners Manual
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The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you’ll need is in the trunk.
Lift the carpeting from the floor of the trunk.
Lift and remove the spare tire cover for access to the
spare tire and jack.
Remove the wheel wrench and jack from the jack
container. Turn the spare tire retainer bolt
counterclockwise and remove the retainer assembly.
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I
A
Remove the spare tire from the trunk. See “Compact
Spare Tire” later in this section for more information
about the compact spare.
The tools you’ll be using include the jack
(A) and the
wheel wrench
(B).
Wheel Covers
The following steps are necessary if you have the alloy
(aluminum) wheel with a center cover that conceals the
wheel nuts.
1. Insert the flat end of the wheel wrench in the notch and
pry
off the center cover. Do not drop the cover or lay it
face down, as it could be scratched or damaged.
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2. If your vehicle has this
aluminum wheel, you
may have plastic wheel
nut caps. Use the wheel
nut wrench to remove
the wheel nut caps and
to loosen the wheel nuts.
3. When reinstalling the decorative nut caps, tighten the
caps snugly with the wheel wrench, then continue
one-eighth
of a turn rotation for steel caps and
one-quarter of a turn rotation for plastic caps.
It
is not required to remove the center cover on this
wheel; however, if it should be necessary, it should
be removed from the back side by pushing out with a
blunt tool and not pried
off from the front.
When reinstalling the cap, there
is a plastic
alignment pin which must be aligned with the notch
in the wheel to assure proper installation.
4. When replacing the cover after the wheel is put back
on the vehicle, do not use
a hammer or mallet to
install the cover.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Use the wheel wrench to loosen the wheel nuts, but
don’t remove them yet.
2. The jack has a bolt at the
end. Attach the wheel
wrench to the bolt to
create a jack handle.
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(28 CM) A I
3. Rotate the wheel wrench clockwise (to the right) to
lower the jack head a few inches.
4. Near each wheel well is a notch in the plastic trim
panel to position the jack head. You’ll find the word
JACK and an arrow stamped into the plastic near
each notch. Position the jack under the vehicle and
raise the jack head until it fits firmly against the
sheet metal next to the word
JACK. Do not raise the
vehicle yet. Put the compact spare tire near
you.
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Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous.
If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured
or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
Raising
your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even make
the vehicle fall.
To help avoid personal injury
and vehicle damage, be sure to
fit the jack lift
head into the proper location before raising
the vehicle.
5. Raise the vehicle by rotating the wheel wrench
clockwise in the jack. Raise the vehicle
far enough
off the ground
so there is enough room for the spare
tire to fit.
6. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
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' 7. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and spare wheel.
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which
it is fastened, can make the 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 the 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.
/1 CAUTMN:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
8. Replace the wheel nuts
with the rounded end
of the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each nut
by hand until the wheel
is held against the hub.
A CAUTION: I
I
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9. Lower the vehicle by rotating the wheel wrench
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
10. Using the wheel
wrench, tighten the
wheel nuts firmly
in a crisscross
sequence.
A CAUTION:
- - I
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose
and even come off.
This could lead to an accident.
Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts.
If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new
GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have the
nuts tightened with
a torque wrench to 100 lb-ft
(140 Nom).
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NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Don’t try to put a wheel cover on your compact spare
tire. It won’t fit. Store the wheel cover
in the trunk
until you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
NOTICE:
Wheel covers won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or the spare.
Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
L!b, CAUTION: I
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury. In
a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
After you’ve put the compact spare tire on your vehicle,
you’ll need
to store the flat tire in your trunk. Use the
following procedure to secure the flat tire in the trunk.
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Store the flat tire as far forward in the trunk as possible.
Store the jack and wheel wrench in their compartment in
the trunk. Storing the Spare Tire and Tools
A CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision,
loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
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Store the compact spare tire and tools as shown in
the diagram.
A
SPARE TIRE COVER
The compact spare tire is for temporary use only.
Replace the compact spare tire with a full-size tire as
soon as you can. See “Compact Spare Tire” later in
this section.
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 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 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 Tire Pressure
Monitor after installing or removing the compact spare.
See “Driver Information Center
- Controls and Displays”
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.
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