service BUICK LESABRE 2003 Workshop Manual

9. Connect the other end
of the negative (-)
cable at least 18 inches
(45 cm) away from
the dead battery, but
not near engine
parts that move. The
electrical connection is
just as good there,
and the chance
of sparks getting back
to the battery is
much less.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If
it won't start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Notice:Damage to your vehicle may result from
electrical shorting if jumper cables are removed
incorrectly. To prevent electrical shorting, take care
that the cables don't touch each other or any
other metal. The repairs wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.A. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) and Remote
Negative (-) Terminals
C. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part or Remote
Negative (-) Terminal
Jumper Cable Removal
5-46

If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment to the low beam
may be necessary if it is difficult to see lane markers (for
horizontal aim), or if oncoming drivers ¯ash their high
beams at you (for vertical aim). If you believe your
headlamps need to be re-aimed, we recommend that
you take your vehicle to your dealer for service.
However, it is possible for you to re-aim your headlamps
as described in the following procedure.
Notice:To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before beginning.
Failure to follow these instructions could cause
damage to headlamp parts.
The vehicle should be properly prepared as follows:
·The vehicle should be placed so the headlamps are
25 ft. (7.6 m) from a light colored wall or other ¯at
surface.
·The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface which is level all the way to the wall
or other ¯at surface.
·The vehicle should be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall or other ¯at surface.
·The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
·The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.
·The vehicle should be normally loaded with a
full tank of fuel and one person or 160 lbs (75 kg) on
the driver's seat.
·Tires should be properly in¯ated.
Headlamp aiming is done with the vehicle low beam
lamps. The high beam lamps will be correctly aimed if
the low beam lamps are aimed properly.
5-48

Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See ªWiper Blade
Checkº under
Part B: Owner Checks and Services on
page 6-17for more information.
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways.
To replace the wiper blade assembly, do the following:
1. Lift the windshield wiper arm away from the
windshield.
2. Push the tab on the wiper blade assembly and pull
the assembly down enough to release it from the
ªUº hooked end of the wiper arm. Slide the
assembly away from the arm.
3. Remove the blade.
4. To reinstall the wiper blade assembly, slide it over
the wiper arm to engage the ªUº hooked end on the
wiper blade assembly. Pull up on the assembly
to lock it into place.
For the proper windshield wiper blade replacement
length and type, see
Normal Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 5-94.
5-57

Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service,
see your Buick Warranty booklet for details.
{CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
·Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much
friction. You could have an air-out and a
serious accident. See ªLoading Your
Vehicleº in the Index.
·Underin¯ated tires pose the same danger
as overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
·
Overin¯ated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact Ð such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
·Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If
your tread is badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged, replace them.
In¯ation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the rear
edge of the driver's door, shows the correct in¯ation
pressures for your tires when they're cold. ªColdº means
your vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours
or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
5-58

If the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
the check tire pressure system may not be working
properly. See your dealer for service. Also, see
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-38.
The check tire pressure system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in tire
pressure. The system can alert you about a low tire ±
but it doesn't replace normal tire maintenance. See
Tires
on page 5-58.
When the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE message appears
on the Driver Information Center, you should stop as
soon as you can and check all your tires for damage. If
a tire is ¯at, see
If a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-66.
Also check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as
you can. See
In¯ation -- Tire Pressure on page 5-58.
Any time you adjust a tire's pressure or have one
or more tires repaired or replaced, you'll need to reset
(calibrate) the check tire pressure system. You'll
also need to reset the system whenever you rotate
the tires, buy new tires and install or remove the
compact spare.
Don't reset the check tire pressure system without ®rst
correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires. If you reset
the system when the tire pressures are incorrect,
the check tire pressure system will not work properly
and may not alert you when a tire is low or high.To reset (calibrate) the system:
1. Turn the ignition switch to RUN.
2. Press the GAGE INFO button on the DIC until TIRE
PRESSURE appears on the display.
3. Press and hold the DIC RESET button for about ®ve
seconds. After ®ve seconds, the display will show
TIRE PRESSURE RESET. If TIRE PRESSURE
RESET does not appear in the display after about
®ve seconds retry the process. If it does not work
after two tries, see your dealer for service. After you
release the DIC RESET button, TIRE PRESSURE
NORMAL will appear in the display.
The system completes the calibration process during
driving. Calibration time can take 45 to 90 minutes,
depending on your driving habits. After the system has
been calibrated, the system will alert the driver that
a tire is low, up to a maximum speed of 65 mph
(105 km/h).
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. See
When It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-62andWheel Replacement
on page 5-65for more information.
5-60

The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The ®rst rotation
is the most important. See ªPart A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services,º in Section 6, for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don't include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear in¯ation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label.Reset the check tire pressure system, if equipped. SeeCheck Tire Pressure System on page 5-59.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened.
See ªWheel Nut Torqueº under
Capacities and
Speci®cations on page 5-93.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make 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
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. See ªChanging a Flat
Tireº in the Index.
5-61

When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it's
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
·You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
·You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire's rubber.
·The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
·The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
·The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can't be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To ®nd out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Speci®cation (TPC Spec)
number on each tire's sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an ªMSº (for
mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
5-62

Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a speci®ed government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart signi®cantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction ± AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on speci®ed government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature ± A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a speci®ed indoorlaboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly in¯ated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underin¯ation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
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.
5-64

Vehicle Identi®cation
Vehicle Identi®cation Number (VIN)
This is the legal identi®er for your vehicle. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on
the driver's side. You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certi®cation and Service Parts
labels and the certi®cates of title and registration.
Engine Identi®cation
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, speci®cations
and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identi®cation Label
You'll ®nd this label on your spare tire cover. It's very
helpful if you ever need to order parts. On this label is:
·your VIN,
·the model designation,
·paint information and
·a list of all production options and special
equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
Notice:Don't add anything electrical to your
vehicle unless you check with your dealer ®rst.
Some electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working as they
should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting
to add anything electrical to your vehicle, see
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-54.
5-85

Power Windows and Other Power
Options
Circuit breakers in the rear fuse block protect the power
windows and other power accessories. When the
current load is too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and
closes, protecting the circuit until the problem is ®xed
or goes away.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses and circuit
breakers. This greatly reduces the chance of ®res
caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical
size and rating.
You will ®nd a fuse puller clipped in both of the fuse
blocks. Snap the wide end of the fuse puller at the side
indentations and pull the fuse out.
The MaxiFuses are located in two fuse blocks, one
located in the engine compartment on the passenger's
side and the other under the rear seat on the driver's
side. If a MaxiFuse should blow, have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer immediately.
Engine Compartment Fuse Block
The engine compartment
fuse block is located near
the front on the
passenger's side of the
vehicle. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
for more
information on location.
Lift the cover to gain access. On some vehicles, there
may be an additional cover that you will need to lift
to gain access to the fuses.
Fuse 22 or 23 can be moved to the outer position to
provide continuous power to the auxiliary outlets
or cigarette lighter when the ignition is not on. See your
dealer for additional assistance, if needed.
5-86