tire size BUICK REGAL 2013 Owner's Manual

Black plate (23,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
In Brief 1-23
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message when it is time
to change the engine oil and filter.
The oil life system should be reset
to 100% only following an oil
change.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN withthe engine off.
2. Press the DIC MENU button on the turn signal lever to enter the
Vehicle Information Menu. Use
the thumbwheel to scroll through
the menu items until you reach
REMAINING OIL LIFE.
3. Press the SET/CLR button to reset the oil life at 100%.
4. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12.
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
Vehicles with a yellow fuel cap can
use either unleaded gasoline or
ethanol fuel containing up to 85%
ethanol (E85). See Fuel E85 (85%
Ethanol) on page 9‑48. For all other
vehicles, use only the unleaded
gasoline described under
Recommended Fuel on page 9‑46.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.

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Driving and Operating 9-11
WARNING (Continued)
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
shorten the life of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information
Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the vehicle's center
pillar (B-pillar). With the driver door open, you will find the label
attached below the door lock
post. The Tire and Loading
Information label shows the
number of occupant seating
positions (1), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (2) in
kilograms and pounds.
The Tire and Loading
Information label also shows the
tire size of the original
equipment tires (3) and the
recommended cold tire inflation
pressures (4). For more
information on tires and inflation
see
Tires on page 10‑41 and
Tire Pressure on page 10‑48.
There is also important loading
information on the Certification
label. It tells you the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axle. See “Certification
Label” later in this section. Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1.Locate the statement
“The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs” on your vehicle's
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity.

Black plate (2,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
10-2 Vehicle Care
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71 Storing the Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-84
Jump Starting
Jump Starting (On-board with eAssist Only) . . . . . . . . . 10-85
Jump Starting (with or without eAssist) . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-92
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-95
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to

Black plate (42,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
10-42 Vehicle Care
SeeTire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation on
page 10‑49 for inflation pressure
adjustment for high-speed
driving.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with
all-season tires. These tires are
designed to provide good overall
performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original
equipment tires designed to GM's
specific tire performance criteria
have a TPC specification code
molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can be
identified by the last two characters
of this TPC code, which will
be “MS.”
Consider installing winter tires on
the vehicle if frequent driving on
snow or ice-covered roads is
expected. All-season tires provide
adequate performance for most
winter driving conditions, but they
may not offer the same level of traction or performance as winter
tires on snow or ice-covered roads.
See
Winter Tires on page 10‑42.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not, originally,
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered
roads. Consider installing winter
tires on the vehicle if frequent
driving on snow or ice-covered
roads is expected. See your dealer
for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection.
Also, see Buying New Tires on
page 10‑57.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise, and shorter
tread life. After changing to winter
tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.
If using winter tires:
.Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
.Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with high
performance summer tires. These
tires have a special tread and
compound that are optimized for
maximum dry and wet road
performance. This special tread and
compound will decrease
performance in cold climates, and
on ice and snow. We recommend
installing winter tires on the vehicle
if frequent driving in cold
temperatures or on snow or ice
covered roads is expected. See
Winter Tires on page 10‑42.

Black plate (43,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
Vehicle Care 10-43
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is
molded into its sidewall. The
examples show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a
compact spare tire sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
(1) Tire Size:The tire size is a
combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type, and service description. See the
“Tire Size”
illustration later in this
section.
(2) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(3) DOT (Department of
Transportation)
:The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that the
tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
DOT Tire Date of
Manufacture
:The last four
digits of the TIN indicate the tire
manufactured date. The first two digits represent the week
(01–52) and the last two digits,
the year. For example, the third
week of the year 2010 would
have a four-digit DOT date
of 0310.
(4) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code are the
Tire Identification Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(5) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(6) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three

Black plate (44,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
10-44 Vehicle Care
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
seeUniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 10‑59.
(7) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
Compact Spare Tire Example
(1) Tire Ply Material:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread. (2) Temporary Use Only
:The
compact spare tire or temporary
use tire should not be driven at
speeds over 80 km/h (50 mph).
The compact spare tire is for
emergency use when a regular
road tire has lost air and gone
flat. If the vehicle has a compact
spare tire, see Compact Spare
Tire on page 10‑84 andIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 10‑62.
(3) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code are the
Tire Identification Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture. (4) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
(5) Tire Inflation
:The
temporary use tire or compact
spare tire should be inflated to
420 kPa (60 psi). For more
information on tire pressure and
inflation see Tire Pressure on
page 10‑48.
(6) Tire Size
:A combination of
letters and numbers define a
tire's width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type, and service
description. The letter T as the
first character in the tire size
means the tire is for temporary
use only.
(7) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance

Black plate (45,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
Vehicle Care 10-45
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The following is an example of a
typical passenger vehicle
tire size.
(1) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:
The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The
letter P as the first character in
the tire size means a passengervehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association.
(2) Tire Width
:The three-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
(3) Aspect Ratio
:A two-digit
number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 60, as shown in
item 3 of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire's sidewall is
60 percent as high as it is wide.
(4) Construction Code
:A letter
code is used to indicate the type
of ply construction in the tire.
The letter R means radial ply
construction; the letter D means
diagonal or bias ply
construction; and the letter B
means belted-bias ply
construction. (5) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
(6) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire
is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of
air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of
the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch).
Accessory Weight
:The
combined weight of optional
accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are
automatic transmission, power

Black plate (48,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
10-48 Vehicle Care
Treadwear Indicators:Narrow
bands, sometimes called wear
bars, that show across the tread
of a tire when only 1.6 mm (1/
16 in) of tread remains. See
When It Is Time for New Tires
on page 10‑56.
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards)
:A tire
information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a
tire's traction, temperature, and
treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire
manufacturers using
government testing procedures.
The ratings are molded into the
sidewall of the tire. See Uniform
Tire Quality Grading on
page 10‑59.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The
number of designated seating
positions multiplied by 68 kg (150 lb) plus the rated
cargo load. See
Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑10.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard
:A label
permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle
capacity weight and the original
equipment tire size and
recommended inflation pressure.
See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑10.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of
air pressure to operate
effectively. Notice:
Neither tire
underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires
that do not have enough air,
can result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires that
have too much air, can
result in:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards.

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10-50 Vehicle Care
WARNING (Continued)
the tires are rated for high-speed
operation, in excellent condition,
and set to the correct cold tire
inflation pressure for the
vehicle load.
Vehicles with P235/50R18 size tires
require inflation pressure adjustment
when driving the vehicle at speeds
of 160 km/h (100 mph) or higher.
Set the cold inflation pressure to
40 kPa (6 psi) above the
recommended cold tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label for the P235/
50R18 tire.
Vehicles with P245/40R19 size tires
require inflation pressure adjustment
when driving the vehicle at speeds
of 160 km/h (100 mph) or higher.
Set the cold inflation pressure to
40 kPa (6 psi) above the
recommended cold tire pressure shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label for the P245/
40R19 tire.
Return the tires to the
recommended cold tire inflation
pressure when high-speed driving
has ended. See
Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑10 andTire Pressure on
page 10‑48.
Tire Pressure Monitor
System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) uses radio and sensor
technology to check tire pressure
levels. The TPMS sensors monitor
the air pressure in your tires and
transmit tire pressure readings to a
receiver located in the vehicle.
Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire
inflation 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 significantly
under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
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

Black plate (52,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
10-52 Vehicle Care
each ignition cycle until the tires are
inflated to the correct inflation
pressure. Using the DIC, tire
pressure levels can be viewed. For
additional information and details
about the DIC operation and
displays seeDriver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑24.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
could be an early indicator that the
air pressure is getting low and
needs to be inflated to the proper
pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information
label, attached to your vehicle,
shows the size of the original
equipment tires and the correct
inflation pressure for the tires when
they are cold. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑10, for an example
of the Tire and Loading Information
label and its location. Also see Tire
Pressure on page 10‑48. The TPMS can warn about a low
tire pressure condition but it does
not replace normal tire
maintenance. See
Tire Inspection
on page 10‑54, Tire Rotation on
page 10‑55 andTires on
page 10‑41.
Notice: Tire sealant materials are
not all the same. A non-approved
tire sealant could damage the
TPMS sensors. TPMS sensor
damage caused by using an
incorrect tire sealant is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use only the
GM-approved tire sealant
available through your dealer or
included in the vehicle.
Factory-installed Tire Inflator Kits
use a GM approved liquid tire
sealant. Using non-approved tire
sealants could damage the TPMS
sensors. See Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit on page 10‑64 or
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit on
page 10‑71 for information
regarding the inflator kit materials
and instructions.TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire warning light flashes for
about one minute and then stays on
for the remainder of the ignition
cycle. A DIC warning message also
displays. The malfunction light and
DIC warning message come on at
each ignition cycle until the problem
is corrected. Some of the conditions
that can cause these to come
on are:
.One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire. The
spare tire does not have a
TPMS sensor. The malfunction
light and DIC message should
go off after the road tire is
replaced and the sensor
matching process is performed
successfully. See “TPMS Sensor
Matching Process” later in this
section.