flat tire BUICK REGAL 1994 Owners Manual

Table of Contents
HowtoUsethisManual ................................................................ 10
This part tells you how to use your manual and includes safety and vehicle damage warnings and symbols.
Seats and Restraint Systems .............................................................
This part tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the ”SRS” system.
Featuresandcontrols ..................................................................
This part explains how to start and operate your Buick.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems .....................................................
This part tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your
sound system.
Here you’ll
find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
This part tells you what to do
il‘ you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or engine
overheating. etc.
Service and Appearance Care.. ..........................................................
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Buick running properly and looking good.
Maintenanceschedule ..................................................................
This part tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what Iluids and lubricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information ........................................................
This part tells you how to contact Buick for assistance and how to get service publications. It also
gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 285.
Index ........................................................................\
........
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want
to read.
YourDrivingandtheRoad ..............................................................
ProblemsontheRoad ..................................................................
13
69
121
139
171
207
263
283
293
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Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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0
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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?
Lights: 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 ur>-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
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
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:
0
0
a
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.
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Hill and Mountain Roads
I
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving
in flat or rolling terrain. If you
drive regularly in steep country, or
if you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and
also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transaxle. These parts can work hard on mountain
roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long
hill.
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Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because
it affects the total capacity
weight of your vehicle. The capacity weight 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 will tow a trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle”
in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A B
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 10% of the total loaded trailer weight
(B). If you have a “weight-distributing” hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 12% 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 limit for
cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the Certification
label at the rear edge of the driver’s door or see
“Loading Your Vehicle”
in the Index. Then be sure you
don’t go over the GVW limit for your vehicle.
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:
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
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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 ............................................................
OtherWarningDevices .............................................................
“Jump”Starting ...................................................................
TowingYourBuick ................................................................
Engineoverheating ................................................................
IfaTireGoesFlat .................................................................
ChangingaFlatTire ................................................................
CompactSpareTire ................................................................
If You’re Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ..............................................
172
173
173
179
187
196 197
205
206
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10. Then replace the pressure cap. At
any time during this
procedure
if coolant
begins to flow out
of the filler neck,
reinstall the
pressure cap. Be
sure the arrows on
pressure cap line up
like this.
11. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level
in
the coolant recovery tank should be at the “HOT”
mark when the engine is hot or at the “COLD” mark
when the engine is cold.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” 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 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, 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 section shows how to use
your jacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely.
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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.
The following steps will
tell you how to use the jack and
change a
tire.
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If you have a Gran Sport Coupe, remove a rocker panel
extension section
to expose the place where the jack fits.
Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don't remove them yet.
1
Position the jack under the
vehicle.
Your Buick has a
notch on the frame near
FRONT REAR
each of the wheels. Fit the
lift head into the notch
nearest the wheel
with the
flat tire.
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~ NOTICE:
Raising your
vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned
will damage the vehicle or may allow
the vehicle to fall off the jack. Be sure to
fit the
jack lift head into the proper location before
raising your vehicle.
Raise the vehicle by rotating the jack handle clockwise.
Raise the vehicle far enough
off the ground so there is
enough room for the spare tire to fit.
Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
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Lower the vehicle by rotating the jack handle
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
Tighten the wheel nuts firmly
in a criss-cross sequence
as shown. Don’t
try to put a wheel
cover on your compact spare
tire. It won’t
fit. Store the wheel cover in the trunk until
you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
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