1993 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire hspection and Rotation I
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 the Index
under Wheel Nut Torque.
To make your tires last longer, have
them inspected and rotated at the
mileages recommended in the
Maintenance Schedule. See the
Index
under Scheduled Maintenance Services.
u I I’ -
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on
; parts to which it is
fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The
wheel could come off and cause an
accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt
from
places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or
a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush
later, if you need to, to get all the
rust or dirt
off. (See the Index
under Changing a Flat Tire.)
When lt’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 2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if
You can see the indicators at three
You can see cord or fabric showing
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut
places around the tire.
through the tire’s rubber.
or
snagged deep enough to show cord
or fabric.
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.
23 I

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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 range,
speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original
tires.
Mixing tires could cau’se you
d to lose control while driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted
tires), the vehicle
may not handle
properly,
and you could have a
crash. Be sure to use the same size
and type tires on all wheels. It’s all
right to drive with your compact
spare, though. It was developed for
limited use on your vehicle.
I I
Unijiorpn 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.)
232

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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%) 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 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.
233

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Temperature-A, 8, C ~NTJ
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.
Those 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.
234
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.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked
or badly rusted. If wheel nuts keep
coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts should be replaced. If
the wheel leaks air out, replace
it
(except some aluminum wheels, which
can sometimes be repaired). See your
Chevrolet 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 you have the right wheel,
wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for your
Chevrolet model.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A
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 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.
z -.
. ::?T?W wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, bra‘
cooling, speedometedodometer
calibration, headlight aim,
bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance,
.. and tire or tire chain clearance +*
the body adchassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
Putting a used wheel on your
4 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.
235
c

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Tire Chains
Appearance Care
A
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 in a container to clean your Chevrolet, be sure to follow the
instructions. And always open your doors or windows when you’re cleaning
the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline Carbon Tetrachloride Turpentine I
Benzene
Naphtha Paint Thinner Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous-some more than others-and they can
all damage
your vehicle, too.
I I
Acetone Lacquer Thinner

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cleaning the Inside of Your
Chevrolel
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of
dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl with a
clean, damp cloth.
Your Chevrolet 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.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the
cleaner label.
Clean up 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.
clean the entire area immediately or
it
will set.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning,
237

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service & Appearance Care
Using &am-Type Cleaner on
Fabric
Vacuum and brush the area to remove
any loose dirt.
Always clean a whole trim panel or
section. Mask surrounding trim along
stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner
following the directions on the
container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean
Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section,
sponge.
use a sponge to remove the suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet
sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly
damp paper towel or cloth.
Then dry it immediately with an air
hose,
a hair dryer or a heat lamp.
I
Be careful with a hair dryer or heat
lamp. You
could scorch the fabric. I
Wipe with a clean cloth.
Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on
Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type
cleaner at all. Some spots and stains will
clean
off better with just water and mild
soap.
If you need to use it, then:
Gently scrape excess soil from the
trim material with a clean, dull knife
or scraper. Use very little cleaner,
light pressure and clean cloths (preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning
should start at the outside of the stain,
“feathering” toward the center. Keep
changing to a clean section
of the
cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric,
immediately dry the area with an air
hose, hair dryer, or heat lamp to help
prevent a cleaning ring. (See the
previous
NOTICE.)