tire BUICK REGAL 1995 Owner's Guide

Inflation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label which is inside the
trunk lid shows the correct inflation pressures for your tires,
when they’re cold. “Cold” means your vehicle has been
sitting for at least three hours or driven no more than a mile.
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It’s not.
If your tires
don’t have enough
air (underinflation) you can
get:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards. When to Check
Check
your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How
to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. Simply looking at the tires will
not tell you the
pressure, especially
if you have radial tires -- which
may look properly inflated even if they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure
to put them back
on. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(I 0 000 to 13 000 km) for any signs of unusual wear.
If unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as soon as
possible and check wheel alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See “When
it’s Time ,for New
Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” later
in this section for
more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in the Index 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 inflation pressures
as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” in the
Index.
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When it’s 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:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough
to show cord or fabric.
0 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 find 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 Specification (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
“MS”
(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.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only
to vehicles sold in the United States.)
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on
a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
c- qraded 100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due
to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B,
and C. They represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement
as measured under controlled conditions on
specified 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 braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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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 specified 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 inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately
or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
These grades are molded
on the sidewalls of passenger
car tires. While the tires
available
as standard or optional
equipment on General Motors vehicles may vary with
respect to these grades, all such tires meet General
Motors performance standards and have been approved
for use
on General Motors vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric) tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements
in addition to these grades.
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.
In most cases, you will
not need to have your wheels
aligned again. 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
Buick 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 Buick
model. NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odometer
calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or tire chain clearance
to the body and chassis.
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Used Replacement Wheels Tire Chains
NOTICE:
If your Buick has P215/60R16 or P225/60R16 size
tires, don’t use tire chains; they can damage your
vehicle.
If you have other tires, use tire chains only where
legal and only when you must. Use only
SAE
Class “S” type chains that are the proper size for
your tires. Install them on the front tires and
tighten them as tightly
as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the
chain manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can
hear the chains contacting your vehicle, stop and
retighten them.
If the contact continues, slow
down until
it stops. Driving too fast or spinning
the wheels with chains on will damage your
vehicle.
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Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst
into flame if you strike a
match or get them on a hot part
of the vehicle. Some are
dangerous
if you breathe their fumes in a closed space.
When you
use anything from a container to clean your
Buick, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s warnings
and instructions. And always open your doors or
windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
0 Gasoline
0 Benzene
Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
0 Acetone
0 Paint Thinner
0 Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous -- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too. Don’t
use any
of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
0 Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your Buick
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe
vinyl or leather with a clean, damp cloth.
Your Buick dealer has two
GM cleaners, a solvent-type
spot lifter and a foam-type powdered cleaner.
They will
clean normal spots and stains very well.
Do not use
them on
vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
0
0
0
0
0
Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
Clean
LIP stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
Use a clean cloth
or sponge, and change to a clean area
often.
A soft brush may be used if stains are stubborn.
Use solvent-type cleaners
in a well-ventilated area
only.
If you use them, don’t saturate the stained area.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or
it will set.
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Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period
of years.
You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new by keeping your Buick garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)
Your aluminum wheels have a protective coating similar
to
the painted surface of your vehicle. Don’t use strong
soaps, chemicals, chrome polish, abrasive cleaners or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because you could
damage this coating. After rinsing thoroughly,
a wax
may be applied.
NOTICE:
If you have aluminum wheels, don’t use an
automatic car wash that has hard silicon carbide
cleaning brushes. These brushes can take the
protective coating
off your aluminum wheels.
Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
When applying
a tire dressing always take care to wipe
off any overspray or splash from painted surfaces.
Petroleum-based products may damage the paint finish.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced
to restore corrosion protection.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal
will corrode
quickly and may develop into
a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
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Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
IMPORTANT:
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
.EVEL AND CHANGE AI
RECOMMENDED
This section covers the maintenance required for your
Buick. Your vehicle needs these services
to retain its
safety, dependability
and emission control performance.
Protection
Plan
ui
Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle
in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance or the
removal
of important components can significantly
affect the quality
of the air we breathe. Improper fluid
levels or
even the wrong tire inflation can increase the
level of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to help keep
your vehicle in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
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