wheel alignment BUICK RAINIER 2004 Owner's Manual

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............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-12
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-23
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-24
Engine Coolant.............................................5-27
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-29
Engine Overheating.......................................5-29
Cooling System............................................5-32
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-38
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-39
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-40Brakes........................................................5-41
Battery........................................................5-44
Jump Starting...............................................5-45
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-51
Rear Axle.......................................................5-51
Front Axle......................................................5-53
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-54
Headlamps..................................................5-54
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps...................5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-56
Tires..............................................................5-59
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-67
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-68
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-70
Buying New Tires.........................................5-71
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-72
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-73
Wheel Replacement......................................5-74
Tire Chains..................................................5-75
Accessory Inator.........................................5-76
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-78
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-79
Spare Tire...................................................5-92
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inated even when they’re underinated. Check
the tire’s ination pressure when the tires are cold.
cold means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjustment is necessary.
If the pressure is low, add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 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 5-70andWheel Replacement on
page 5-74for 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
wheel wrench to tighten the cable. For information on
storing or removing the spare tire, seeChanging a Flat
Tire on page 5-79.
5-68

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 specied 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
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 inated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underination, 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.
5-73

Tire Terminology and Denitions........................5-64
Tires.............................................................5-59
Buying New Tires........................................5-71
Chains.......................................................5-75
Changing a Flat Tire....................................5-79
If a Tire Goes Flat.......................................5-78
Ination - Tire Pressure................................5-67
Inspection and Rotation................................5-68
Spare Tire..................................................5-92
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................5-72
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance.................5-73
Wheel Replacement.....................................5-74
When It Is Time for New Tires......................5-70
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater....................2-23
Top Strap......................................................1-36
Top Strap Anchor Location...............................1-37
Torque Lock...................................................2-28
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires..................4-57
Towing
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-45
Towing a Trailer..........................................4-53
Your Vehicle...............................................4-45
Traction
Assist System (TAS)...................................... 4-9
Trailer Brakes.................................................4-58
Trailer Wiring Harness.....................................4-63Transfer Case................................................5-51
Transmission
Fluid, Automatic...........................................5-24
Transmission Operation, Automatic....................2-24
Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer Case Unit
Repair Manual............................................7-12
Transportation Options...................................... 7-8
Travel Note Recorder......................................2-41
Traveling to Remote Areas...............................4-18
Trip Information..............................................3-44
Trip Odometer................................................3-29
Turn and Lane Change Signals.......................... 3-8
TURN SIGNAL ON.........................................3-53
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever........................... 3-7
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer..................4-60
U
Understanding Radio Reception.......................3-114
Uniform Tire Quality Grading............................5-72
United States – Customer Assistance.................. 7-5
Used Replacement Wheels..............................5-75
Using Cleaner on Fabric..................................5-94
Using HomeLink
®...........................................2-39
Using Song List Mode.....................................3-96
16

Wheels
Alignment and Tire Balance..........................5-73
Replacement...............................................5-74
When to Add Engine Oil..................................5-19
When to Change Engine Oil
(GM Oil Life System)...................................5-22
When to Check..............................................5-67
When to Check and Change............................5-24
When to Check Lubricant.................................5-51
When to Check Power Steering Fluid................5-39
When to Inspect.............................................5-23
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill.........................................4-62
Where to Put the Restraint...............................1-35
Why Safety Belts Work..................................... 1-8
Window Lockout.............................................2-16
Windows.......................................................2-15
Power........................................................2-16
Windshield Washer.........................................3-10
Fluid..........................................................5-40Windshield Wiper
Blade Replacement......................................5-56
Fuses......................................................5-102
Windshield Wipers............................................ 3-9
Winter Driving................................................4-40
X
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System..............3-116
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
(48 Contiguous US States) . . . 3-58, 3-69, 3-85, 3-114
Y
Your Vehicle and the Environment....................... 6-2
18