towing BUICK REGAL 1993 User Guide

Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if
you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into “P’
(Park) yet.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to “P” (Park).
Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system, and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before
you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
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Part 5 Problems On The Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road .
Part 5 includes:
Hazard Warning Flashers
........................................................
QtherWarningDevices .........................................................
“Jump”Starting ...............................................................
TowingYourBuick ............................................................
Engineoverheating ............................................................
IfaTireGoesFlat .............................................................
ChangingaFlatTire ............................................................
CompactSpareTire ............................................................
If You’re Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ..........................................
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
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Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Ruick. The usual towing equipment
is
a sling-type (A) or a wheel-lift (B) or car carrier (C) tow
truck.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires
and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not
be correct. Before
you do anything,
turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
0 The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When
the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
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0
0
0
0 0
0
'AA"TT
To help avoid injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride
in a vehicle that
is being towed.
Never tow faster than safe or posted
speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not fully
secured.
Never get under your vehicle after
it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
Always use separate safetv chains on each
side when towing
a vehic ~
Never use "J" hnnks- Use T-hanks i
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device designed
for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle's steering
column lock for this. The transaxle should be in Neutral
and the parking brake released.
Don't have your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless
you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, don't
go more than 55 mph (88 Km/h) or
farther than
500 miles (800 km) or your transaxle will
be damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported
on a dolly.
/1 CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn't
properly secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before
it is transported.
Don't use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle.
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Front Towing Hook-Ups
(Custom Sedan Only)
Attach "T" hook chains in
front of the wheels into the
side slots
of the cradle on
both sides.
I
Position a 4" x 4" wood beam across the sling chains
against the bottom
of the cradle horns. Position the
lower sling crossbar against the front
of the 4" x 4"
wood beam.
1
A
Attach a separate safety
chain around the outboard
end
of each lower control
arm.
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Front Towing Hook-Ups
(Limited Sedan Only)
r
Attach "T' hook chains in
front of the wheel into the
side slots in the cradle on
both
sides.
Position a 4"x 4" wood beam across the sling chains
and center
in,be middle of the lower facia. Position the lower sling crossbar against the front
of the
4" x 4" wood
beam.
Attach a separate safety
chain around the outboard
end
of each lower control
arm.
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Rear Towing Hook-Ups (Coupes Only)
Attach “T” hook chains
into
slots in the bottom of
the floor pan just ahead of
the rear wheels on both
sides.
No 4 I’ x 4 I‘ wood beam is needed. Position the lower sling
crossbar just ahead
of the front edge of the rear bumper.
Attach a separate safety
chain around the outboard
end
of each lower control
arm.
I I
‘-7
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Rear Towing Hook-Ups
(Limited & Custom Sedans Only)
r'
Use wheel lift or car carrier equipment. Additional
ramping may be required for car carrier equipment. Use
safety chain and wheel straps.
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Front Towing Hook-Ups (Coupes Only)
,-
Use wheel lift or car carrier equipment. Additional
ramping
may be required for car carrier equipment. Use
safety chain and wheel straps.
over rough surfaces, install a towing dolly
beneath the wheels that would otherwise be o
the ground during the tow. This will increase the
clearance between the wheel-lift equipment an6
the underbody of the towed vehicl*
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/;1 CAUTION:
I
Storing a jack, a tire, or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
equipment could strike someone. Store
all the$$
in the proper place.
3use
injury. In a sudden stop or collision,
loose
!-
1
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of you1
vehicle
as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you
can destroy your transaxle
Aocking your vehicle to get it out:
If - You’re Stuck: In Sand; Mud’ Ice Or First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
Snow clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
What
you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is and forth between “R” (Reverse) and a forward gear,
to spin your wheels. The method known as “rocking” spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the
can help you get out when you’re stuck, but you must accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly
on
use caution. the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear. If
that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.
IT you let your tires spin at h I speea, they can
explode and you or others could be injured. And
the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as
shown on the speedometer.
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