Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by
not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possible.
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, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and
quickly steer the way
you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering
quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for
a
second skid if it occurs.
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
limited.
While driving
on a surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration, or braking (including engine braking by
shifting
to a lower gear). Any sudden changes 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.
Remember: The rear-wheel anti-lock braking system (RWAL) helps avoid
only
a rear braking skid. In a braking skid (where the front wheels are no
longer rolling), release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the front wheels
rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down
steadily when you have
to stop suddenly. As long as the front wheels are
rolling, you
will have steering control.
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find the load on each tire and see the label for the minimum cold inflation
pressures
for that load.
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or overinflation is
all right. It’s not. If your tires don’t have enough air
(underinflation) you can get:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you can get:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
‘Needless damage from road hazards.
When io Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.
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.
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Dual lire Operation
If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, the outer tire will usually wear faster
than the inner tire. Your tires will wear more evenly and last longer
if you
rotate the tires periodically. If you’re going to be doing a lot of driving on
high-crown roads,
you can reduce tire wear by adding 5 psi (35 kPa) to the
tire pressure in the outer tires. Be sure to return to the recommended
pressures when
no longer driving under those conditions.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at the
CertificationRire 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.
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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 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
Repla@ Zm 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, 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, 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 to have the right wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for your
GM model.
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NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with bearing life,
brake cooling, speedometer/odometer calibration, headlight aim,
bumper height, vehicle ground clearance, and tire or tire chain
clearance to the body and chassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
Tire Chains
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has dual wheels or LT26Y75R16 size tires, don’t
use tire chains; they can damage your vehicle.
If you don’t have
dual wheels or
if you have a tire size other than LT265/75R16,
use tire chains only where legal and only when you must. Use
only SAE Class “S” type chains that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them on the tires of the rear axle. Tighten them as
tightly
as possible with the ends securely fastened. Drive slowly
and follow the chain manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can
hear the chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten them.
If the contact continues, slow down until it stops. Driving too
fast with chains on will damage your vehicle.
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Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl or
leather 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 stains very
well.
Do not use them on vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
0 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.
0 If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire area immediately or
it will
set.
Using Foam-Type CIeaner on Fabric
0 Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt.
Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask surrounding trim
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following the directions on the
along
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.
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 a blow dryer or a heat lamp.
I NOTICE:
I Be careful with a hair dryer or heat lamp. You could scorch the I
fabric.
Wipe with a clean cloth.
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