BUICK RAINIER 2004 Owner's Manual

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 specied indoor
laboratory 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 inated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underination, 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.
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Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.{CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
Notice:The wrong wheel can also cause problems
with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire chain
clearance to the body and chassis.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-79for more
information.
5-74

Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used
or how far it’s been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause a crash. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
Don’t use tire chains. There’s not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes, suspension or
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
other vehicle parts. The area damaged by
the tire chains could cause you to lose
control of your vehicle and you or others
may be injured in a crash. Use another type
of traction device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for use on your vehicle and
tire size combination and road conditions.
Follow that manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to your vehicle, drive
slowly, readjust or remove the device if it’s
contacting your vehicle, and don’t spin your
wheels. If you do nd traction devices that
will t, install them on the rear tires.
5-75

Accessory Inator
Your vehicle may be equipped with an air inator
system. You can inate things like basketballs and
bicycle tires. You can also use it to bring your tire
pressure up to the proper pressure. It is not designed to
inate large objects which will require more than ve
minutes to inate, such as an air mattress.
The air inator is located
in the rear compartment
on the passenger’s side
of the vehicle behind
an access cover.To remove the cover, pull the two tabs on the cover
and pull it off.
You may have an air inator kit that is located in the
glove compartment. The kit includes a 22 ft (6.7 m)
hose with three nozzle adapters.
To use the air inator attach the appropriate nozzle
adapter to the end of the hose if required. Then attach
that end of the hose to the object you wish to inate.
Attach the other end of the hose to the outlet.
Press and release the switch to turn the air inator on.
The indicator light will remain on when the inator is
running.
The system has an internal clock to prevent overheating.
The system will allow about ve minutes of running
time, then the compressor will stop. The indicator light
will then begin to ash. When the indicator is off,
the inator can be started again by pressing the switch.
If the compressor is still hot, it may only run for a
short time before shutting off again.
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Press and release the switch to turn the inator off.
Place the inator kit tools in the pouch and store
it properly. Remove the inator hose from the outlet
during loading and unloading. Load leveling will
not function with the inator hose attached to the inator
outlet. See “Electronically Controlled Air Suspension
System” in the Index.
To reinstall the cover, line up the tabs at the back of
the cover, put it in place and latch the tabs.
A continuous ashing indicator light may also indicate
a malfunction in the air suspension system.
See “Electronically Controlled Air Suspension System”
in the Index.
{CAUTION:
Inating something too much can make it
explode, and you or others could be injured.
Be sure to read the inator instructions, and
inate any object only to its recommended
pressure.
5-77

If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blowout” 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 “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the at tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel rmly.
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.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a at tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
5-78

Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your
hazard warning ashers.
{CAUTION:
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over or fall on you
or other people. You and they could be badly
injured or even killed. Find a level place to
change your tire. To help prevent the vehicle
from moving:
1. Set the parking brake rmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart
while the vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in
the vehicle.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
5. Put the wheel 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, at the opposite end of the
vehicle.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack
and change a tire.
5-79

Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The jacking equipment you will need is stored under
the rear seat on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
SeeRear Seat Operation on page 1-5. To release
the jack from its holder, turn the knob on the jack
counterclockwise to lower the jack head.The tools you’ll be using include the wheel wrench (A),
wheel blocks (B), extension (socket end) (C), handle
(jack end) (D), and jack (E).
The following instructions explain how to remove the
spare tire mounted underneath your vehicle.
Notice:If you remove or restow a tire from/to
the storage position under the vehicle when it is
supported by a jack, you could damage the
tire and/or your vehicle. Always remove or restow
a tire when the vehicle is on the ground.
5-80

1. To remove the underbody-mounted spare, insert
the socket end of the extension on a 45° angle
downward into the hoist drive shaft hole. This will
be exposed when the rear gate is open and is
just above the rear bumper. Be sure the socket end
of the extension connects to the hoist shaft.2. Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower
the spare tire. Keep turning the wheel wrench until
the spare tire can be pulled out from under the
vehicle.
If the spare tire does not lower to the ground,
the secondary latch is engaged causing the tire not
to lower. See “Secondary Latch System” following
this section.
When the tire has been completely lowered, tilt the
retainer at the end of the cable and pull it through
the wheel opening. Pull the tire out from under
the vehicle.
Notice:If you drive away before the spare tire or
secondary latch system cable has been reinstalled,
you could damage your vehicle. Always reinstall
this cable before driving your vehicle.
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3. Put the spare tire near the at tire.
4. Position the chisel end of your wheel wrench in the
notch of the center cap and pry off the center cap.
See “Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire” later in this section to continue changing
the at tire.Secondary Latch System
Your vehicle has an underbody mounted tire hoist
assembly equipped with a secondary latch system.
It’s designed to stop the spare or at road tire
from suddenly falling off your vehicle if the cable holding
the spare tire is damaged. For the secondary latch to
work, the tire must be stowed with the valve stem
pointing up. See “Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools”
for instructions on storing the spare or at tire correctly.
{CAUTION:
Before beginning this procedure read all the
instructions. Failure to read and follow the
instructions could damage the hoist assembly
and you and others could get hurt. Read and
follow the instructions listed below.
5-82