flat tire BUICK TERRAZA 2007 Owner's Manual

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 447
Tires............................................................ 449
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 450
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 453
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 456
High-Speed Operation............................... 458
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 459
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 461
Buying New Tires...................................... 461
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 463
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 464
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 465
Wheel Replacement.................................. 465
Tire Chains............................................... 467
Accessory Inator...................................... 468
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 470
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 470
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 472
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire............................................. 474
Secondary Latch System........................... 481
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 483
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 486Appearance Care........................................ 487
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 487
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 488
Leather...................................................... 489
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces................................................ 490
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 490
Weatherstrips............................................ 490
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 491
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 491
Finish Care............................................... 491
Windshield, Backglass, and
Wiper Blades......................................... 492
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels......... 492
Tires......................................................... 493
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 493
Finish Damage.......................................... 494
Underbody Maintenance............................ 494
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 494
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 495
Vehicle Identication.................................. 496
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)........... 496
Service Parts Identication Label............... 496
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
398

(E) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under the
tread.
(F) Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG):Tire
manufacturers are required to grade tires
based on three performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature resistance. For more
information seeUniform Tire Quality Grading on
page 464.
(G) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:
Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
(A) Temporary Use Only:The compact spare
tire or temporary use tire has a tread life of
approximately 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and should
not be driven at speeds over 65 mph (105 km/h).
The compact spare tire is for emergency use when
a regular road tire has lost air and gone at. If
your vehicle has a compact spare tire, see
Compact Spare Tire on page 486andIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 470.
Compact Spare Tire Example
451

When rotating your tires, always use the correct
rotation pattern shown here.
Do not include the compact spare tire in your tire
rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear ination pressures as shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly
tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specications on page 503.
{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 needed, to get all the rust or
dirt off. SeeChanging a Flat Tire on
page 470.
460

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 470for more
information.Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You cannot know how it has
been used or how far it has been driven. It
could fail suddenly and cause a crash. If
you have to replace a wheel, use a new
GM original equipment wheel.
466

If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are
driving, especially if you maintain your vehicle’s
tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it is
much more likely to leak out slowly. But if you
should ever have a blowout, here are a few tips
about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the at tire will create a drag
that pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your
foot off the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel rmly. Steer to maintain lane
position, and then gently brake to a stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much
like a skid and may require the same correction
you would use in a skid. In any rear blowout
remove your foot from the accelerator pedal. Get
the vehicle under control by steering the way
you want the vehicle to go. It may be very bumpy
and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently brake
to a stop, well off the road if possible.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous
without the appropriate safety equipment
and training. The jack provided with your
vehicle is designed only for changing a
at tire. If it is used for anything else, you
or others could be badly injured or killed
if the vehicle slips off the jack. Use the
jack provided with your vehicle only for
changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to use the
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire and wheel
damage by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on
your vehicle’s hazard warning ashers. See
Hazard Warning Flashers on page 172for more
information.
470

2. Turn the folding wrench counterclockwise to
lower the compact spare tire (D) to the
ground. Continue to turn the wrench so the
compact spare tire can be pulled out from
under the vehicle.
3. Tilt the retainer at the end of the cable to
remove the compact spare tire, so it can
be pulled up through the wheel opening.The hoist is used to store a full-size or a at
road tire under the vehicle. SeeStoring a
Flat or Spare Tire and Tools on page 483for
more information.
4. Remove the compact spare tire from the
cable.
If the compact spare tire will not lower, check
under the vehicle to see if the tire is hanging loose
and the cable end and spring under the wheel
plate are missing. If so, the secondary latch
system is engaged. SeeSecondary Latch System
on page 481.
To continue changing the at tire, seeRemoving
the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire on
page 474.
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
Your vehicle may have aluminum wheels. If so, you
will see exposed stainless steel wheel nuts. Use the
wheel wrench to loosen all of the wheel nuts. Do not
remove them yet. Or, your vehicle may have steel
wheel covers. To remove the wheel covers and
wheel nut caps, loosen the plastic nut caps with the
wheel wrench in a counterclockwise direction.
474

10. Tighten the wheel
nuts rmly in a
crisscross sequence,
as shown.
Notice:Wheel covers will not t on your
compact spare. If you try to put a wheel cover
on the compact spare, you could damage
the cover or the spare.
11. Do not try to put a wheel cover on the
compact spare tire. It will not t. Store
the wheel cover securely in the rear of the
vehicle until you have the at tire repaired or
replaced.Secondary Latch System
Your vehicle may have an underbody-mounted tire
hoist assembly equipped with a secondary latch
system. It is designed to stop a tire from suddenly
falling off your vehicle if the cable holding the
spare tire is damaged. For the secondary latch to
work, the tire must be stowed with the valve
stem pointing down.
Your vehicle uses the underbody tire hoist
assembly to store either the compact spare or a
at road tire. SeeStoring a Flat or Spare Tire and
Tools on page 483for instructions on storing
the spare or at tire correctly.
{CAUTION:
Before beginning this procedure read all
the instructions. Failure to read and follow
the instructions could damage the hoist
assembly and you and others could get
hurt. Read and follow the instructions
listed next.
481

3. Keep raising the jack until the compact spare
tire stops moving upward and is held rmly in
place. This lets you know that the secondary
latch has released.
4. Lower the jack by turning the folding wrench
counterclockwise. Keep lowering the jack until
the compact spare tire is resting on the
folding wrench.
5. Grasp the compact spare tire with both hands
and pull it out from under the vehicle.
6. Reach under the vehicle and remove the
folding wrench and jack.Have the hoist assembly inspected as soon as
you can. You will not be able to store a spare or
at tire using the hoist assembly until it has
been repaired or replaced.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and
Tools
{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.
483

Storing the Flat or Spare Tire
{CAUTION:
The underbody-mounted spare tire needs
to be stored with the valve stem pointing
down. If the spare tire is stored with the
valve stem pointing upwards, its
secondary latch will not work properly
and the spare tire could loosen and
suddenly fall from your vehicle. If this
happened when your vehicle was being
driven, the tire might contact a person or
another vehicle, causing injury and, of
course, damage to itself as well. Be sure
the underbody-mounted spare tire is
stored with its valve stem pointing down.To store the spare tire, do the following:
1. Lay the tire near the rear of the vehicle with
the valve stem down.
2. Remove the small center cap by tapping the
back of the cap with the extension of the
shaft, if the vehicle has aluminum wheels.
3. Slide the cable retainer through the center of
the wheel and start to raise the tire.
Make sure the retainer is fully seated across
the underside of the wheel.
4. When the tire is almost in the stored position,
turn the tire so the valve is towards the rear of
the vehicle.
This will help when you check and maintain
tire pressure in the spare.
5. Raise the tire fully against the underside of
the vehicle. Continue turning the folding
wrench until you feel more than two clicks.
This indicates that the compact spare
tire is secure and the cable is tight. The spare
tire hoist cannot be overtightened.
484

At Each Fuel Fill
It is important to perform these underhood checks
at each fuel ll.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. SeeEngine Oil on page 411for
further details.
Notice:It is important to check your oil
regularly and keep it at the proper level. Failure
to keep your engine oil at the proper level
can cause damage to your engine not covered
by your warranty.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add
DEX-COOL®coolant mixture if necessary. See
Engine Coolant on page 420for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer uid level in
the windshield washer uid reservoir and add the
proper uid if necessary.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Ination Check
Visually inspect your vehicle’s tires and make sure
they are inated to the correct pressures. Do not
forget to check the spare tire. SeeInation - Tire
Pressure on page 456. Check to make sure the
spare tire is stored securely. SeeChanging a Flat
Tire on page 470.
Tire Wear Inspection
Tire rotation may be required for high mileage
highway drivers prior to the Engine Oil Life System
service notication. Check the tires for wear
and, if necessary, rotate the tires. SeeTire
Inspection and Rotation on page 459.
515