lock BUICK LESABRE 1999 Repair Manual

yellowblue
4-15
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you'll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.

yellowblue
4-27
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle's stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have the anti
-lock braking system, you'll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See ªAnti
-Lockº in the Index.

Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.

Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that's covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can't reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you're actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You're Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:

Turn on your hazard flashers.

yellowblue
4-28

Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you've been stopped by the snow.

Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.

yellowblue
4-35 Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires
Be sure your vehicle's tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You'll find these numbers on the
Tire
-Loading Information label located at the rear edge
of the driver's door or see ªLoading Your Vehicleº in the
Index. Then be sure you don't go over the GVW limit
for your vehicle, including the weight of the
trailer tongue.
Hitches
It's important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you'll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:

The rear bumper on your vehicle is not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper
-type hitches to it. Use only a frame-mounted
hitch that does not attach to the bumper.

Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don't seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see ªCarbon Monoxideº in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer's recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes so
you'll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
Because you have anti
-lock brakes, do not try to tap into
your vehicle's brake system. If you do, both brake
systems won't work well, or at all.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
yellowblue
5-16
W±35±1020±S
How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
C±45±6704±T
1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure cap
and upper radiator hose, is no longer hot. Turn the
pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until it first
stops. (Don't press down while turning the
pressure cap.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
yellowblue
5-20
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.
H±45±0010±V
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
yellowblue
5-21 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
C±45±0610±P
The equipment you'll need is in the trunk. Pull the
carpeting from the floor of the trunk.
C±35±5051±R
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
yellowblue
5-22
H±45±0610±L
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.
H±25±6006±T
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A) and
wheel wrench (B).

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
yellowblue
5-25
H±45±4613±P
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
H±35±6012±R
1. Use the wheel wrench to loosen the wheel nuts, but
don't remove them.

First Edition for Buick LeSabre Owner's Manual ± 1999
yellowblue
5-26
H±35±5061±R
2. Turn the wheel wrench clockwise by hand to raise
the jack head until it fits under the vehicle.
C±53±5053±T
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.