load capacity BUICK CENTURY 1997 Owners Manual

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less
fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later
on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all
the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But
do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get
out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Loading Your Vehicle
TIRE-LOADING INFORMATION
VEHICLE CAP. WT.
FRT. CTR.
RR. TOTAL LBS.
MAX. LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CAPACITY WEIGHT
XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE
SIZE SPEED PRESSURE RTG PSI/KPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA. IF TIRES ARE
HOT, ADD 4PSIi28KPa
SEE OWNER'S MANUAL
FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
is inside the trunk lid. The label tells you the proper size,
speed rating and recommended inflation pressures for
the tires
on your vehicle. It also gives you important
information about the number of people that can
be in
your vehicle and the total weight you can carry. This
weight
is called the vehicle capacity weight and includes
the weight of all occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory-installed options.
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MFDBYGENERALMOTORSCORP
DATE GVWR GAWR
FRT GAWR RR
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLI-
CABLE
U.S. FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE
SAFETY,
BUMPER, AND THEFT PREVENTION
STANDARDS IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF
MANUFACTURE
SHOWN ABOVE.
I
If you do have a heavy load, spread it out. Don’t carry
more than
167 pounds (75 kg) in your trunk.
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver’s door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the
weight
of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for either the front or
rear axle.
DO not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR.
If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, or
it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose control.
Also, overloading can shorten the life
of
your vehicle.
I
NOTICE:
Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that fail because
of overloading.
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Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read
the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has
to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part.
In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably
to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
0
0
0
0
0
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during
the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 kmh) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear
in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear
on your vehicle’s parts.
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Three important considerations have to do with weight:
0 the weight of the trailer,
0 the weight of the trailer tongue
0 and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 Ibs. (450 kg). But
even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to
pull a
trailer are all important. And,
it can also depend on any
special equipment that
you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write
us at:
Buick Motor Division
Customer Relations Center
902 E. Hamilton Avenue
Flint,
MI 48550 In
Canada, write to:
General Motors
of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1
H 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because
it affects the total capacity
weight
of your vehicle. The capacity weight includes the
curb weight
of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in
it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight because your vehicle will be carrying that weight,
too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle”
in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
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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.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel
nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the
wheel leaks air, replace
it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
Buick dealer if any
of these conditions exist. Your
dealer will know the kind
of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way
as the one it replaces.
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
Buick model.
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I /! CAUTION:
1
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.
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