flat tire BUICK LESABRE 2002 Owner's Manual

2-84
Press the GAGE INFO button until the display shows
BATTERY STATE. If the voltage is normal the display
will show BATTERY STATE NORMAL. If the voltage
drops below 10.5 volts, the display will show BATTERY
STATE LOW. If the voltage is above 16.2 volts, the
display will show BATTERY STATE HIGH. If the display
shows the high or low message, you need to have your
battery and charging system checked.
Press the GAGE INFO button until OIL LIFE INDEX
appears in the display. The OIL LIFE INDEX
NORMAL display will show an estimate of the oil's
remaining useful life. When the oil life index is less than
10 percent, the display will show OIL LIFE INDEX
CHANGE OIL. When you have the oil changed
according to the maintenance schedule (see
ªMaintenance Scheduleº in the Index), you will have to
reset the oil life monitor. To reset the Oil Life System
(Index), see ªOil Life Systemº or ªEngine Oil, When to
Changeº in the Index.
Press the GAGE INFO button until TIRE PRESSURE
appears in the display. TIRE PRESSURE NORMAL is
displayed when the check tire pressure system believes
your vehicle's tire pressures are normal. If a potential
tire pressure problem is detected, the display will show
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE.If you see the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE message, you
should stop as soon as you can and check all your tires
for damage. (If a tire is flat, see ªIf a Tire Goes Flatº in
the Index.) Also check the tire pressure in all four tires
as soon as you can. See ªInflation
-- Tire Pressureº
and ªCheck Tire Pressure Systemº in the Index.
There are times when you will have to reset (calibrate)
the Check Tire Pressure System. See ªCheck Tire
Pressure Systemº in the Index.
RESET: This button, used along with other buttons, will
reset system functions.
ENG/MET (English/Metric): Use this button to change
the display between English and metric units.
DIC messages can be displayed in one of three languages:
English, French or Spanish. The language of the display
is set by holding the FUEL INFO and RESET buttons
together for five seconds. As the buttons are held, each
language will be displayed for three seconds. Release the
FUEL INFO and RESET buttons when the desired
language is displayed. All DIC messages will now be in
the selected language. Language selection can also be
done through the DIC Personal Choice Programming. See
ªDIC Personal Choice Programmingº later in this section.

4-23
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on
to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you're ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you're not fresh
-- such as after a day's
work
-- don't plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it's ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you'll find experienced and able service experts in
Buick dealerships all across North America.
They'll be ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:

Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?

Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?

Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?

Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?

Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble
-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long
-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated
to the recommended pressure?

Weather Forecasts: What's the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?

Maps: Do you have up
-to-date maps?

4-24
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as ªhighway hypnosisº?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don't let
it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in less than a second, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:

Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.

Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.

If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.

4-32
Loading Your Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire
-Loading Information label
found on the rear edge of the driver's door 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 that you can
carry. This weight is called the Vehicle Capacity Weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory
-installed options.
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 Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). 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.
And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread
it out. Don't carry more than 176 lbs. (80 kg) in
your trunk.

4-36 Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the total or gross
weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) 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 tow a trailer, you must
add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle
will be carrying that weight, too. See ªLoading Your
Vehicleº in the Index for more information about your
vehicle's maximum load capacity.
If you're using a weight-carrying hitch or a
weight
-distributing hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should
weigh 10
-15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you've loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren't, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
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.

5-
5-1
Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you'll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5
-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5
-2 Other Warning Devices
5
-3 Jump Starting
5
-9 Towing Your Vehicle
5
-10 Engine Overheating5
-12 Cooling System
5
-20 If a Tire Goes Flat
5
-20 Changing a Flat Tire
5
-30 Compact Spare Tire
5
-31 If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow

5-20
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.
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.

5-22
4. Unscrew the wing nuts to remove the container that
holds the wrench and jack.
5. Remove the wheel wrench, jack and the spare tire
from the trunk.
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A) and the
wheel wrench (B).
Removing Wheel Covers and Wheel
Nut Caps
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.
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.
When reinstalling the wheel cover, carefully line up the
tire valve stem and the notch in the wheel cover.

5-23 Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Use the wheel wrench to loosen the wheel nuts, but
don't remove them yet.
2. The jack has a bolt at the end. Attach the wheel
wrench to the bolt to create a jack handle.
3. Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower
the jack head until it fits under the vehicle.

5-24
4. Put the jack into a notch in the frame which is
located near each wheel well. The front notch is
eight inches (20 cm) back from the front wheel well.
The rear notch is three inches (8 cm) forward from
the rear wheel well. The notches are accessible
through openings in the plastic trim at the bottom
of the vehicle.
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.
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.