
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even tho\
ugh the
brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driv\
er to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve enough friction
where the tires meet the road to
do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer, and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditi\
ons, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possib\
le.
The three types
of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems.
In the braking skid, your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to \
slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle causes the
driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow- or ice-covered road), ease your foo\
t
off the
accelerator pedal as soon as you feel the tires start to slide. Quickly steer
the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle will straighten out.
As it does, straighten the front wheels.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other material
is on the road. For safety, you’ll want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions.
It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limit\
ed.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your bes\
t to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration, or braking (including engine brak\
ing by shifting
to a lower gear). Any sudden move could cause the tires to slide. You may
not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to
recognize warning clues-such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the
road to make
a “mirrored surface”-and slow down when you have any
doubt.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service & Appearance Care
Inflation-Tire Pressure
The Certification/Tire label, which is on the driver’s door \
lock pillar, 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 n\
o more than a mile.
I NOTICE I
When to Check: Check your tires once a month or more. Don’t forget \
your
compact spare tire (if
so equipped). It should be at 60 psi (420 kPa).
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, e\
specially
if you
have radial tires-which may
l’ook 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.
Ere lnspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have them inspected and rotated a\
t the
mileages recommended in the Maintenance Schedule. See Scheduled
Maintenance Services in the Index.
6-44

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 an\
d construction
type (bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
Mixing tires
could cause you to lose control while driving. If you mix
tires of different types (like radial and bias-belted tires) the vehicl\
e
may nlot handle properly, an'd you could have a cras'h. Be sure to
use the same size 'and type tires on all four wheels.
It's all right to drive with your compact spare (if you have one). It
I was developed for use on your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system developed by th\
e United
States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which grade\
s tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This applies o\
nly 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 (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 var\
iations in
driving habits, service practices and differences in road charac\
teristics 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
6-47

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service & Appearance Care
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.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is established for\
a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla\
tion, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
These grades are molded on the sidewalls of passenger car tire\
s.
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.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced carefully \
ar IT.-
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 GM 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, di\
ameter,
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
vehicle.
6-48
I

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl with
a clean, damp cloth.
Your GM dealer has two GM cleaners-a solvent-type spot lifter and a
foam-type powdered cleaner. They will clean normal spots and st\
ains 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.
don’t saturate the stained area.
Use solvent-type cleaners in a well ventilated area only. If you use them,
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire area immediately or it
will set.
Using Foam-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
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following the directions on the
stitch
or welt lines.
container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge.
Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge to remove the
suds.
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