spare tire BUICK RAINIER 2007 Owner's Manual

“Off-roading” means you have left the North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes are
not marked. Curves are not banked. There are no
road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough,
uphill, or downhill. In short, you have gone right
back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And
that is why it is very important that you read this
guide. You will nd many driving tips and
suggestions. These will help make your off-road
driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out.
For example, be sure to have all necessary
maintenance and service work done. Check to
make sure all underbody shields, if the vehicle has
them, are properly attached. Is there enough
fuel? Is the spare tire fully inated? Are the uid
levels up where they should be? What are
the local laws that apply to off-roading where you
will be driving? If you do not know, you should
check with law enforcement people in the
area. Will you be on someone’s private land?
If so, be sure to get the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road
Driving
{CAUTION:
Cargo on the load oor piled higher
than the seatbacks can be thrown
forward during a sudden stop. You or
your passengers could be injured.
Keep cargo below the top of the
seatbacks.
Unsecured cargo on the load oor can
be tossed about when driving over
rough terrain. You or your passengers
can be struck by ying objects.
Secure the cargo properly.
Heavy loads on the roof raise the
vehicle’s center of gravity, making it
more likely to roll over. You can be
seriously or fatally injured if the
vehicle rolls over. Put heavy loads
inside the cargo area, not on the roof.
Keep cargo in the cargo area as far
forward and low as possible.
300

Tires............................................................ 411
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 412
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 416
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 419
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 420
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 425
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 426
Buying New Tires...................................... 427
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 428
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 429
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 431
Wheel Replacement.................................. 432
Tire Chains............................................... 433
Accessory Inator...................................... 434
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 435
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 436
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 438
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 440
Secondary Latch System........................... 446
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 450
Spare Tire................................................. 453Appearance Care........................................ 453
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 453
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 455
Leather...................................................... 456
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 456
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 457
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 457
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 458
Finish Care............................................... 458
Windshield, Backglass, and
Wiper Blades......................................... 459
Aluminum Wheels...................................... 459
Tires......................................................... 460
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 460
Finish Damage.......................................... 460
Underbody Maintenance............................ 461
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 461
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 462
Vehicle Identication.................................. 463
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)........... 463
Service Parts Identication Label............... 463
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
354

Ination - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air pressure to
operate effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell you that
under-ination or over-ination is all right. It is
not. If your tires do not have enough air
(under-ination), you can get the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Premature or irregular wear
Poor handling
Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (over-ination),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Poor handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazardsA Tire and Loading Information label is attached to
the vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar), below the
driver’s door latch. This label shows your vehicle’s
original equipment tires and the correct ination
pressures for your tires when they are cold.
The recommended cold tire ination pressure,
shown on the label, is the minimum amount of air
pressure needed to support your vehicle’s
maximum load carrying capacity.
For additional information regarding how much
weight your vehicle can carry, and an example of
the tire and loading information label, see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 330. How you load
your vehicle affects vehicle handling and ride
comfort, never load your vehicle with more weight
than it was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the spare tire.
419

How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are
properly inated simply by looking at them. Radial
tires may look properly inated even when
they’re underinated. Check the tire’s ination
pressure when the tires are cold. Cold means your
vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours
or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem.
Press the tire gage rmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement. If the cold tire
ination pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the tire and loading information label,
no further adjustment is necessary. If the
pressure is low, add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on
the metal stem in the center of the tire valve.
Recheck the tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
Tire Pressure Monitor System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) uses
radio and sensor technology to check tire pressure
levels. TPMS sensors are mounted on each tire
and wheel assembly, except the spare tire.
The TPMS sensors monitor the air pressure in
your vehicle’s tires and transmit tire pressure
readings to a receiver located in the vehicle.
The TPMS is designed to alert the driver if a low
tire pressure condition exists. If your vehicle
has the Driver Information Center (DIC) steering
wheel control buttons, tire pressure levels
may also be checked through the DIC. See “Tire
Pressures” underDIC Operation and Displays
on page 199.
When a low tire pressure condition is detected, the
TPMS will illuminate the low tire pressure warning
symbol located on the instrument panel cluster, and
at the same time a message will also appear on the
DIC display. The low tire pressure warning symbol
on the instrument panel cluster and the CHECK
TIRE PRESSURE warning message on the DIC
will appear at each ignition cycle until the tires are
inated to the correct ination pressure.
420

For additional information and details about the DIC
operation and displays seeDIC Operation and
Displays on page 199andDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 202.
You may notice, during cooler weather conditions,
that the tire pressure monitor light, located on
the instrument panel cluster, and the CHECK TIRE
PRESSURE message will appear when the
vehicle is rst started, and then turn off as you
start to drive the vehicle. This could be an
early indicator that the tire pressures are getting
low and need to be inated to the proper pressure.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and inated
to the ination pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
ination pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires
of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire ination pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire ination
pressure for those tires.)As an added safety
feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with
a tire pressure
monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure
telltale when one
or more of your tires is
signicantly
under-inated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale
illuminates, you should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a signicantly
under-inated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-ination also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even
if under-ination has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
421

7. Proceed to the passenger’s side rear tire, and
repeat the procedure in Step 5.
8. Proceed to the driver’s side rear tire, and
repeat the procedure in Step 5.
9. After hearing the conrming horn chirp for the
driver’s side rear tire, check to see if the
TPMS warning light is still ashing. If yes, turn
the ignition switch to LOCK to exit the
sensor matching process. If the TPMS warning
light is not ashing, the ve minute time
limit has passed and you will need to start the
process over beginning with Step 1.
10. Set all four tires to the recommended air
pressure level as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
11. Put the valve caps back on the valve stems
The spare tire does not have a TPMS sensor.
If you replace one of the road tires with the spare,
the SERVICE TIRE MONITOR message will be
displayed on the DIC screen. This message should
go off once you re-install the road tire containing
the TPMS sensor.Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) and Industry and Science Canada
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
operates on a radio frequency and complies with
Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference.
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
operates on a radio frequency and complies with
RSS-210 of Industry and Science Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference.
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Changes or modications to this system by other
than an authorized service facility could void
authorization to use this equipment.
424

Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 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.
SeeWhen It Is Time for New Tires on page 426
andWheel Replacement on page 432for
more information.
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely. Push,
pull, and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If it
moves, use the wheel wrench to tighten the cable.
For information on storing or removing the
spare tire, seeChanging a Flat Tire on page 436.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve
more uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The
rst rotation is the most important. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 479.When rotating your tires, always use the correct
rotation pattern shown here.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear ination pressures as shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 330, for an example of
the label and its location on your vehicle.
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
sensors will need to be reset after a tire rotation.
See “TPMS Sensor Identication Codes” under
Tire Pressure Monitor System on page 420.
425

{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your
vehicle may not provide an acceptable
level of performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are
selected. You may increase the chance
that you will crash and suffer serious
injury. Only use GM specic wheel and
tire systems developed for your vehicle,
and have them properly installed by a GM
certied technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 427and
Accessories and Modications on page 356for
additional information.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which
grades tires by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors
passenger cars and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also conform
to federal safety requirements and additional
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
429

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 16
for more information.
To release the jack from its holder, turn the
knob on the jack counterclockwise to lower the
jack head.The tools you will be using include the wheel
wrench (A), wheel blocks (B), extension(s), (socket
end) (C), handle (jack end) (D), and jack (E).
A. Wheel Wrench
B. Hoist Shaft
C. Extension
D. Retainer
E. Spare or Flat Tire
(Valve Stem
Pointed Up)
438

The following instructions explain how to remove
the underbody-mounted spare located 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.
1. Open the liftgate. SeeLiftgate/Liftglass on
page 102for more information.
2. Attach the wheel wrench (A) to the
extension (C).
3. It is exposed when the rear gate is open and
is just above the rear bumper.
Be sure the socket end of the extension (C)
connects to the hoist shaft (B).4. 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. SeeSecondary Latch
System on page 446for more information.
439