BUICK PARK AVENUE 1998 Owners Manual
Page 321 of 426
Cheek
Use a good quality pocket-type gage t~ check tire
pressure. You can’t tell. if your tires ae properly inflated
simply by
looking at them. Radial tires may lo&
properly inflated even when they’re underinnflated.
Be sure to put the
valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by
keeping OU~ dirt md moisture.
(?-&e& pgessnre sy$&ekB @f Eqa@p&)
The check tire pressure system can de& you to a
large change in the pressure of one tire. The system
won’t
alert you before you chive that a tire is low or
flat. You must begin driving before the system will
work properly.
The
TIRE PRESSURE LOW CHECK TIRES message
will appear on the Driver hf~~~~~ati~n Center (DK) if
pressure in one tire becomes at least 10 psi (69 Wa)
lower or higher than the other thee tires. The check tire
pressure system won’t alert you if more than one tire is
Bow or high, or if the system is not calibrated properly.
It also won’t tell YOU which tire is Bow or high.
E the anti-lock brake system waning light comes on,
the check tire pressure system may not be working
properly. See your deder for service. (Also,
see
“Anti-hck Brake System Wzming Light” in the Index.)
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Page 322 of 426
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 OW tire --
but it doesn’t replace normal tire maintenance. See
“Tires”
in the Index.
When the TIRE PRESSURE LOW: CWECK TIRES
message appears on the Driver Information Center,
you should stop as soon as YOU can and check all your
tires
for damage. (If a tire is flat, see ‘‘If a Tire Goes
Flat” in the Index.) Also check the tire pressure in all
four tires as SOOIZ 2s you can. See “Inflati~n-Tire
Pressure”
in the Index.
Any time
you adjust tire’s pressure or have one or
more tires repaired or replaced, you’ll need to reset
(calibrate) tE-ae check
tire pressure system. YOU’BI a~so
Reed to reset the system whenever you rotate the tires,
buy new
rim, install or remove the compact spare, and
whenever the vehicle‘s battery has been disconnected.
Don’t reset the check tire pressure 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 check
tire presswe system will
not work properly and may ~QB
alert you when a tire is Bow or high.
To reset (calibrate) the system:
3. Press and hold the CIC RESET button for abut
five seconds. After five seconds, the display will
show TIRE PRESSUFE RESET. Hf TIE
PRESSURE RESET does not appear on the display
after about five seconds, see your dealer for service.
After
you release the DIC RESET button, TIRE
PRESSURE NORMAL will appear on the display.
The system completes the calibration process
during
driving. During the first 10 to 25 miles ( I5 to 40 kw) of
drivhg, the system will not alert you if a tire is high or
SOW. After 25 to EOO miles (40 to 160 h>, the system
will oniy alert YOU about pressure differences of 12 psi
(85 Wa) or more. After about 100 miles (160 h) of
driving, the system will alert you if one tire is IO psi
(69 kPaj different from the other thee tires.
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Page 323 of 426
Wen rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the Eront and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See "Wheel Nut Torque" in
the Index.
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Page 324 of 426
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
inciicatdlrs,
which will
appear when yQx tires have
only 1/16 inch (H .e mm) car
less of tread remaining.
8 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord OF fabric.
If you ever replace YOUF tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the sme size,
load rmge, speed rating and ~OI-LS~IUC~~Q~ type (bias,
bias-beited or radial) as your original tires.
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Page 325 of 426
Q e
U~ffJrpx Qna&y K&-&&qg
m~
The following infomation relates to the system
developed by the United States
National Highway
Traffic Safety'Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature pedommce.
(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 S~QW
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.
IVhile the tires available on Generd Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they
must also confom to Federal safety
requirements
and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria
(PC) standards.
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Page 326 of 426
''I+he brcadwear grade is a comparative rating based Q~Z
t tze wcx rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions
on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one md a
Mf (I U2) times as well on the government course
:H tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
tErrc to variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and climate.
'The traction grades, from highest
to !owest, are A, 3,
and C, and they represent the tire's ability to stop ora
wet pavement as measured mder controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of asphalt
2nd concrete. A tire marked &: may have poor
traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based
on
braking (straight alead) traction tests and does not
ifgcllude cornering (turning) traction. heat
and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled csndidsns 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 ternperaFure can lead to sudden fire faifwe.
The grade C corresponds to a level of pedomance
which ail passenger cx tires must meet e~nder the
Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Stmda-d No. i09. Grades
B asci A represent higher levels of perhmance an the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
The wheels OR your vehicle were aligned and balanced
careEulIy at the factory to give you the longest tire life
acd best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment
and wheel balancing are not
needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling GR~ way OF the other, the akignment
may need
to be reset. If YOU notice your vehicle
vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need
to be rebalaaaced.
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Page 327 of 426
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Page 328 of 426
-.- ,. sed 7-h $.-&&&c,:&,~ =- ‘0 . -.‘?3. r ?;%;?e& .- .%
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.
:-.-% 0 iCI?&?,S -
NOTICE:
Use tire chains only where Begal 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 and tighten them as
tightly as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them.
If the contact continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels
with chains on will damage your vehicle.
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Page 329 of 426
&&@L@-~anp~ calTe LA
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst into flame if yor: strike a
match or get them on a hot part of the vehicle. Some are
dangerous
if you breathe their fumes in a closed space.
When
you use anything from a cormtair,er to clean your
vehicle,
be sure to follow the manufacturer’s warnings
and instructions. And always open your doors or
windows when you’re cleaning
the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoiine
Benzene
Naphtha
Carbon TetracMoride
Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpenfirre
Lacquer Thinner
Nail Polish Remover
They can
a11 be hazardous -- some more than
others -- and they can all damage your vehicle, too.
Don’t use any of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
@ Reducing Agents
Use
a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe vinyl, leather, plastic
and painted surfaces
with
B clean, damp cloth.
Your deaier has two cleaners, Multi-Purpose Interior
Cleaner and Capture Non-Solvent
Dry Spot and Soil
Remover for cleaning fabric and carpet. They will clean
normal spots and stains very well. You can get
GM-approved cleaning products from
your dealer. (See
“Appearance Care and Materials” in the Index.)
Here
are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions 011 the cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
Carefully scrape off any excess stain.
0 Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area
often. A soft brush may be used if stains are stubborn.
0 If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or it will
set.
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Page 330 of 426
1 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt.
Always clean a whoie trim panel or section. Mask
surrounding trim along stitch or welt lines.
lwix powdered cleaner fobwing the directions on
the container label to f~m thick suds.
Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge. Don’t
saturate the material
and don’t nab it roughiy.
As SOQ~ as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge
*is remove the suds.
Wipe cleaned area with a clean, damp towel or cloth.
Wipe with a clean cloth and let dry.
I. Carefirlly scrape off excess stain, then sponge the
soiled area with CQOI water.
2. If a stain remains, folkow the multi-purpose interior
cleaner instructions described earlier.
3. If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine, treat
the area with a waterbaking soda solution:
I teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to B cup (250 ml>
of lukewm water.
4. Let dry.
Stains caused by candy, ice cream, mayonnaise, chili
sauce and unknown stains can be removed
as follows:
I. Carefully scrape off excess stain.
2. First, clean with cool water and ailow to
dry completely.
3. If a stain remains, follow instructions €or
Multi-Purpose Interior Cleaner.
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