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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 vehicle. If
your spare tire is a different brand than your road tires, you will have a tire
warranty folder from each of these manufacturers.
Inflation - Tire Pressure
The CertificatiodTire 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 no
more than
a mile.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 (overinflati
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards. can
get
‘e re
When to 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.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10 000 to 13 000 km)
for any signs of unusual wear. If unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as
soon
as possible and check wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires
or wheels. See “When it’s Time for New Tires” and “Wheel Replacement”
later in
this section for more information.
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Page 259 of 354
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more uniform wear for all tires
on the vehicle. The first rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in
the Index for scheduled rotation intervals.
FRT
D
When rotating your
FRT tires, always use one
of the correct rotation
patterns shown here.
ID
[/[
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and rear inflation pressures
as shown on the CertificatiodTire label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When it’s Time for New Tires
You need a new tire if:
Tread Wear
Indicators
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
1/16 inch (1.6
mm) or less of tread
remaining.
You can see the indicators at three or more places around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut 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.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at the
Certificationmire 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 an
“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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Uniform 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.)
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 (1 112)
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, By 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, 9, 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
These 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.
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 or corroded. 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
vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with bearing life,
brake cooling, speedometer/odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clearance, and tire or tire \
chain clearance
to the body and chassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Chains
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has P235/75R15, P235/70R15 or
3lxl0.50R15LT/C size tires, don’t use tire chains; they can
damage your vehicle.
If you have other size tires, 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 drive axle
tires (four-wheel-drive vehicles can use chains on both axles)
and 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 or spinning the wheels with chains
on will damage your vehicle.
Appearance Care
Remember, 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 from a container to clean your vehicle, be sure to
follow the manufacturer’s warnings and instructions. And always open your
doors
or windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
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