spare tire BUICK CENTURY 1997 Owners Manual

@) Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2
5-3
5-9
5-15
5-
17
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating
Cooling System 5-25
5-25
5-37
5-38
If a Tire Goes Flat
Changing
a Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
5-1
ProCarManuals.com

........................................................................\
........ ........................................................................\
........ ........................................................................\
........
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. Pull the
carpeted mat up from the
floor
of the trunk.
(See “Compact Spare Tire” later in this section for more
information about the compact spare.)
1. Turn the center nut on the compact spare cover to the
left to remove it. Then lift and remove the cover.
5-26
ProCarManuals.com

2. Remove the spare tire. 3. Turn the nut holding the jack to the left and remove
it. Then remove the jack and wrench.
5-27
ProCarManuals.com

If your vehicle is equipped
with wheel covers, be
sure
to use a wheel wrench
to begin the process of
loosening the plastic
wheel
nut caps.
They won’t come off.
You will only be able to loosen
them. Once you have loosened the plastic
nut caps with
the wheel wrench, if needed,
you can finish loosening
them with your fingers.
Then, using the flat end of
the wheel wrench, pry along
the edge of
the wheel cover until it comes off. Be
careful; the edge may be sharp. Don’t try to remove the
cover with your bare hands.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don’t remove them yet.
2. Turn the jack handle to the right to raise the jack lift
head a few inches.
5-29
ProCarManuals.com

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.
FRONT
VEHICLE
I L 1-14 I
- REAR EDGE OF FRONT
WHEEL OPENING
edge of the front wheel opening or just behind the
two bolts
as shown.
FRONT EDGE OF
REAR WHEEL OPENING
For jacking at the vehicle’s rear location, put the jack
lift head about
5 inches (13 cm) from the front edge
of the rear wheel opening or just behind the off-set
as shown.
Put the compact spare tire near you.
3. For jacking at the vehicle’s front location, put the
jack lift head about
6 inches (15 cm) from the rear
ProCarManuals.com

c
CAUTION:
I
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.
1
4. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle to the
right. Raise
the vehicle far enough off the ground for
the spare tire to
fit under the vehicle.
5. Remove all wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
5-31
ProCarManuals.com

9. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly
in a crisscross
sequence
as shown.
A CAUT’ON:
Inca xt 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 Ib-ft
(140 N-m).
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 the 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.
5-34
ProCarManuals.com

Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
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.
When storing a full-size
tire you must use the extension
with the protector/guide to help avoid wheel surface
damage.
Use the extension and protector/guide located
in the foam holder.
To store a full-size tire, place the
tire valve stem facing down and then remove the
protector/guide and attach the retainer securely. When
reinstalling a compact spare tire, put the
protector/guide back in the foam holder. Store the cover
as far forward as possible.
5-35
ProCarManuals.com

Storing the Spare Tire and Tools
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.
The compact spare is for temporary use only. Replace
the compact spare tire with a full-size tire as soon
as you
can. See “Compact Spare Tire” in the Index. See the
storage instructions label to replace your compact spare
into your
trunk properly.
1. Retainer
2. Cover
3. Retainer (full-size tire)
4. Compact spare tire
5. Nut
6, Jack
7. Wrench
8. Lock nut tool
9. Foam holder
10. Bolt screw
11. Extension and
protector/guide
5-36
ProCarManuals.com

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 kPa).
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. 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.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t
fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
I NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains
on your
compact spare.
5-37
ProCarManuals.com