Buick Century, Owner'S Manual

Page: 277 / 358

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. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated. Check
the tire’s inflation pressure when the tires are cold.
Cold means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage firmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary.
If the inflation pressure is low, add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
Tire Pressure Monitor System
The tire inflation monitor system detects differences in
tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in
tire pressure. The system can alert you if a tire is
low – but it does not replace normal tire maintenance.
See Tires on page 5-57.
When the LOW TIRE light comes on the instrument
panel, stop as soon as you can and check all the tires
for damage. If a tire is flat, see If a Tire Goes Flat
on page 5-74. Also, check the tire pressure in all four
tires as soon as possible. See Inflation - Tire Pressure
on page 5-64.
In order for the tire inflation system to function properly,
the vehicle must be driven between 45 and 90 minutes
before the system determines the tire pressure in
each tire. The driving time may be longer depending on
an individual’s driving habits. The data does not have
to be accumulated during a single trip. Once determined,
the system will store the tire pressures until the
system is reset.
5-65