tires BUICK RIVIERA 1993 Owner's Manual

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).
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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.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have them inspected and
rotated at the mileages recommended
in the
Maintenance, Schedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance
Services”
in the Index.
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Use this rotation pattern.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressure
as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque”
in the
Index.

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 a
“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 rdnge, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
, A CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes
or types (radial and ‘bias-belted tires), the
1 vehicle may not handle properly, and you cou’ ’
have a crash. Be sure to use the same size ana
type tires on all four wheels.
It’s
all right to drive with your compact spa
though. It was developed for use
on your
vehicle.
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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
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(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded
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.
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
whicrall 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
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excessive loading, either separately or in combination, !
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Those grade
b 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.
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A CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts, or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous.
It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could’ have a
collision
in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts, and wheel nuts for replacement. I
Used Keplacement Wheels
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A CAUTION:
Putting a used eel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how
it’s been used
or how many miles it’s been driven.
It could fail
suddenly and cause an accident. If you have to
replace a wheel use a new
GM original
equipment wheel.
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Aluminum Wheels
If your Buick has these, don’t use chrome polish on
them. Use wax after you clean them. Also, don’t use
abrasive cleaners or cleaning brushes
on them -- you
could damage the protective coating.
White Sidewall Tires
Your Buick dealer has a GM White Sidewall Tire
Cleaner. You can
use a stiff brush with it.
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At Least Once a Month
CHECK OR
Tire Inflation
WHAT TO DO
~~ ~~ ~~ ~
Check tire inflation. Make sure they
are inflated to the pressures specified
on the Tire-Loading Information
label located on the rear edge of the
driver’s door. See “Tires” in the
Index for further details.
At Least Once a Year
CHECK OR
SERVICE I WHAT TO DO
Key Lock
the lubricant specified
in Section D. Cylinders Lubricate the key lock cylinders with
Lubricate all body door hinges. Also
Body
Lubrication lubricate ‘all hinges and latches,
including those for the hood, glove
box door and console door. Section
D tells you what to use.
CHECK OR SERVICE
Starter Switch
WHAT TO DO
or others could be injured.
Follow the stem below.
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1. Before you start, be sure you have
enough room around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake (see “Parking Brake” in the Index if
necessary) and the regular brake.
NOTE: Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to
turn off the
engine immediately if it starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear.
The starter should work only
in “P”
(Park) or “N” (Neutral). If the starter
works in any other position, your
vehicle needs service.
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1
Why Wear Safety Belts ? ........................... 19
Windows. Power
................................. 84
Windshield Cleaning
.................................... 256
Washer
...................................... 88
Washer Fluid
................................. 235
Wipers
................................... 87. 256
Winter Driving
.................................. 178
WireWheelCover
............................... 206 Working on Your Car
............................. 216
Worn Tires
...................................... 247
Wrecker Towing
................................. 191
Your Driving and the Road
....................... 139
Your Own Signs
................................. 147
Your Vehicle and the Environment
.................. 271
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