BUICK LESABRE 1999 Owner's Manual

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins to flow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows on the pressure cap line up like this.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblow outº while you're driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it's much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a ªblowout,º here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
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'd 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.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
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The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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5-21 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
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The equipment you'll need is in the trunk. Pull the
carpeting from the floor of the trunk.
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Turn the center retainer bolt
on the spare tire cover
counterclockwise to
remove it.
Lift and remove the cover. See ªCompact Spare Tireº in
the Index for more information about the compact spare.
Remove the spare tire from the trunk.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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The box that stores the jack
and wheel wrench is on the
passenger side trunk wall.
Open the box and then
remove the wing bolt by
turning it counterclockwise.
Remove the jack and wheel wrench.
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The tools you'll be using include the jack (A) and
wheel wrench (B).

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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5-23 Removing Wheel Covers and Wheel
Nut Caps
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If your vehicle has an aluminum wheel with a center
cover that hides the wheel nuts, remove the center cover
by using the flat end of the wheel wrench to pry it off.
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If your vehicle has a
wheel cover, remove it
by using the flat end of
the wheel wrench.
Pry along the edge of the wheel cover until it comes off.
Be careful, the rim edges may be sharp. Don't try to
remove it with your bare hands.
Note: When replacing any wheel cover, carefully line up
the tire valve stem and the notch in the wheel cover.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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If your vehicle has this
aluminum wheel, you may
have plastic wheel nut caps.
Use the wheel nut wrench to
remove the wheel nut caps
and to loosen the
wheel nuts.
When reinstalling the decorative nut caps, tighten the
caps snugly with the wheel wrench, then continue
one
-quarter rotation to secure plastic caps.
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If your vehicle has wire
wheel covers, remove them
as follows:
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1. Use the wire wheel key
wrench to remove the
wheel cover.
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2. Using the flat end of the
key wrench handle,
between the wire wheel
cover and the center cap,
pry off the center cap.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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3. Remove the
theft
-deterrent nut by
placing the key end of
the wire wheel key
wrench over the nut and
turning it
counterclockwise.
4. Pull off the wire wheel cover. Store it in the trunk
until the flat tire is repaired or replaced.
NOTE: When replacing the wheel cover, carefully line
up the tire valve stem and the notch in the wheel cover.Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
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1. Use the wheel wrench to loosen the wheel nuts, but
don't remove them.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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2. Turn the wheel wrench clockwise by hand to raise
the jack head until it fits under the vehicle.
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3. Put the jack into a notch in the frame which is
located near each wheel well. The front notch is
10 inches (25 cm) back from the front wheel well.
The rear notch is 8 inches (20 cm) forward from the
rear wheel well.
4. Position the jack and raise the jack head until it fits
firmly on the ridge in the vehicle's frame nearest the
flat tire. Do not raise the vehicle yet. Put the compact
spare tire near you.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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CAUTION:
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.
CAUTION:
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.
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5. Raise the vehicle by turning the wheel wrench
clockwise in the jack. Raise the vehicle far enough
so there's enough room for the spare tire to fit.
6. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
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7. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the 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 the 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 you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
8. Place the compact spare tire on the
wheel
-mounting surface.
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9. Replace the wheel nuts
with the rounded end of
the nuts toward
the wheel.
10. Make sure each wheel stud is centered in each wheel
hole while tightening the nuts. Tighten each nut by
hand until the wheel is held against the hub.