tires BUICK SKYLARK 1993 User Guide

Driving on Snow or Ice .: What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive
on. But wet Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
road probably have good
traction~~~~~~~-!~~~.~~~~~,~..:i:::;.’;~~~ &5:. +! C? . .- : (. 7-..?.&-$&r least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and about freezing (32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll fall. Try to avoid driving on
wet ice
until salt and sand
have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be very crews can get there.
careful. Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packe:d, blowing
clumps of trees, behind’buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may
176

Towing a Trailer
A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy. the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. Yo
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section.
i ~ ~, ~~ ~~
~~~ ~~ before you pull a trailer.
Your
car can tow a trailer.
To identify what the vehicle
trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should read
the information in “Weight of the Trailer”. that appears
I later in this section. But trailering is different than just
driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes
I in. handling, durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be
I used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of these are important for your safety and that of
I your passengers. So please read this section carefully
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
All of that means changes in:
ulling a trailer improper1 required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
Do not tow a trailer if your vehicle is equipped with the
0 Handling
2.3 Liter, L4 engine. Durability
Fuel economy
179

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. The trailer tongue (A) should weigh
10% 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 “Tire
Loading” 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
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index).
Dirt
and water can, too.
181

The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and. your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to
the road if it becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be provided by the
hitch manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow safety
chains to drag
on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes
so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain them
properly. Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try
to tap into your vehicle’s brake system. ff you do, both
brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not.nearly
so
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform,
safety chains, electrical connector, lights, tires and
mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric brakes, start
your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load
is secure, and that the lights and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.

Towing Your Buick
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Buick
. The usual towing equipment is
a sling-type
(A) or a wheel-lift (B) or car carrier (C) tow
truck. 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.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.:,.
0 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 wan.t to
see them.
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.
193

.If a Tire Goes Flat Changing a Flat Tire
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain yourtires 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:
1
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 gentlv
I. - 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 your tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use
your jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly
to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
A “-CAUTION:
I Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured. Find
a level place to change your tire.
To help prevent
the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake K- Ay.
2. Put the shift lever in “P” (Park
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t mob
you can put chocks at the front and rear of t
tire farthest away from the one being changed,
I That would be the tire on the oP?r side of the
vehicle, the oppos’-
1 end.
CAUTION: (Continued)

Storing a jack, a tire, or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle COL
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, lo ~ ~e
equipment could strike s-neone. Store all these
in the r-7per place.
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck
is to spin your wheels. The method known as “rocking ”
can help you get out when you’re stuck, but you must
use caution.
If you let yow tires spin at Mgh speed, they can
expl’ode and
yo’u or ,others could be injured. And,
the tra.nsaxle
or other parts of ,the vehilcle cs--
overheat. That could cause an engine fire or
other damage. When you’re stuck, spin the
wheels as little as possible. Do:n’t spin the
wheel~s’ above 35 mph (55
speedometer.,
I
he
213

Loading Your Vehicle
TIRE-LOADI',NG INFORMATION
OCCUPANTS
, VEHICLE CAP. WT.
FRT. CTR.
RR. TOTAL LBS. KG
MAX
... LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CAPACITY WEIGHT- XXX COLD 'TIRE
TIRE SIZE SPEED PRESSURE .R.TG PSI/KPa
FRT.
,., : 3. ~
RR.
SPA.
IF TlRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PSI28KPa
SEE OWNER'S MANUAL
FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
11)mp .$$##,::
.. ~ c . ., . 'Lj . - .,.
,::.,,: - -i, y- . e,; 2-.,- .- .
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
found
on the rear edge of the driver's door tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives you
important information about the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the Vehicle Capacity Weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
,~,,
- -
:.I.
' I
F >
MFD BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP
:.r .~,. a. DATE GVWR' GAWR FRT GAWR RR (1 . -. i < .
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLI-
CA5LE US. FED.ERAL MOTOR VEHICLE
SAFETY, BUMPER, AND THEFT PREVENTION
STANDARDS IN EFFECT
ON THE DATE OF
MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE..
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver's door.
It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle,
or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear
axle.

And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it
out. Don’t carry more than 132 pounds
(60 kilograms)
in your trunk.
A CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR or the maximum front and rear GAWRs. If
you do, parts on your vehicle can break, or it can
change the way your vehicle handles. These
could cause you to
lose control. Also, $
overloading can shorten the life of youi-vehicle.
If you put things inside your vehicle -- like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything else
-- they will go as fast
as the vehicle goes.
If you have to stop or turn quickly,
or if there is
a crash, they’ll keep going.
A CAUTION:
I
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike and I
injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash.
Put things in the trunk of your vehicle.
In a trunk, put them as far forward as you
can. Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops
of the seats.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
’
I
I
Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new vehicle comes with high
quality tires made by a leading tire manufacturer. These
tires are warranted by the tire manufacturers and their
warranties are delivered with every new Buick. If your
spare tire is a different brand than your road tires, you
will have a tire warranty folder from each of these
manufacturers.
241

Inflation - Tire Pressure I
I
I
The Tire-Loading Information label which is located on
the rear edge
of the driver’s door 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.
overinflation is all right. it’s not. If your tires d
have enough air (underinflation) you can get:
0 Too much flexin
0 Too much heat
Tire overloadi
0 Bad wear
0 Bad handlin
0 Bad fuel ec
If your tires have too
242