1996 CADILLAC ELDORADO tires

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine We don’t make tires. Your new Cadillac comes with
high-quality tires made by a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions about your tire warranty and
where to obtain service,
see your Cadillac Warranty
booklet
for details.
A CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are
dangerous.
0 Overloading your tires can cause
overheating
as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle”
in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
0
0
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check
all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
Overinflated tires
are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by
a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
See “Inflation
-- Tire Pressure” in this section
for inflation pressure adjustment for higher
speed driving.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label which is located on
the rear edge of the driver’s door, 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.
If you’ll be driving at speeds higher than 100 mph
(160 km/h) where it is legal, raise the cold inflation
pressure
of each tire to 35 psi (240 Wa). When you end
this very high-speed driving, reduce the cold inflation
pressures to those listed on the Tire-Loading
Information label.
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 the following:
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 the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
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I

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Wa).
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.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent
le:.& 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. 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 Maintenance Schedule
booklet for scheduled rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire
in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear
inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information 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 I A CAUTION:
I
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make 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
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
,
When It’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 whenb’,your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
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.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 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.
Mixing tires could cause you 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.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure
to use the same
size and type tires on all four wheels.
It’s
all right to drive with your compact spare,
though.
It was developed for use on your vehicle.

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.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls
of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver
or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to
30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform
to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
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 fi-om 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, and 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 (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine pttraturt: -
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 t.ested 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
A and B represent higher levels of perfolmance 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, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or
in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
I'ire Bala.--
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.
11 c
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
Cadillac 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
Cadillac model.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -
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 your 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.
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.
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
-
CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your 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.
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