1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER tires

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated
when your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time.
Check the inflation pressure regularly.
It should be
60 psi (420 ea).
After installing the compact spare
on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your
spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare is
made to perform well at posted speed limits for
distances up to
3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you can
finish your trip and have your full-size tire repaired or
replaced where you want.
Of course, it’s best to replace
your spare with a full-size tire
as soon as you can. Your
spare will last longer and be in good shape in case you
need it again.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic
car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
Don’t use your compact spare
on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
I NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle and can damage
the chains
too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re
stuck, but
you
rr t use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts
of the vehicle can
overheat.
That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 kdh) as shown
on the speedometer.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well
as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth,
you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking your, vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear (or
with a manual transaxle, between
mRST (1) or
SECOND
(2) and REVERSE (R)), spinning the wheels
as little as possible. (If your vehicle has the Enhanced
Traction System, shift back and forth between
REVERSE
(R) and FIRST (1) or SECOND (2),
spinning the wheels as little as possible.) Release the
,accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
5-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
Your Chevrolet has front disc brakes and rear
drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads
are needed. The sound may come and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except
when you
are pushing on the brake pedal fiily).
L
The brake wear warning sound means that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well.
That could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Free movement of brake calipers and properly torqued
wheel nuts are necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation.
When tires are rotated, inspect brake calipers
for movement, brake pads for wear, and evenly torque
wheel nuts in proper sequence to
GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected. Also, the rear brake drums
should be removed and inspected each time the tires are
removed for rotation
or changing. When you have the
front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced
as complete
axle sets.
6-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new Chevrolet 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 Chevrolet Warranty
booklet for details.
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
0 Overloadingyour 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)
-
L
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.
cut, punctured or broken by
a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
0 Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
0 Overinflated tires are more likely to be
6-36

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label which is 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
1 mile (1.6 km).
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.
NOTICE: (Continued) NOTICE:
(Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
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 Pa).
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 leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
6-37

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Inspection and Rotation
1 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 Index 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.
A CAUTION:
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.)
,
6-38

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
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 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.
You
need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
around the tire.
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.
0 The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that can’t be
repaired well because of the size or location of the damage.
6-39

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,
A CAUTION:
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.
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 fiom 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
k
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.
6-40