
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow I NOTICE:
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 must use caution.
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.
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 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
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,
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.
5-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
NOTICE:
0
0
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops
of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let sonleone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
Your Chevrolet has four-wheel disc 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 firmly).
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.
6-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I 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 the proper sequence to
GM specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced
as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase
in pedal
travel. This could be
a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well
together
if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality
GM brake
parts in them,
as your Chevrolet does when it is new.
When you replace parts
of your braking system -- for
example, when your brake linings wear down and you
have to have new ones put
in -- be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your
brakes may no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways
if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new Chevrolet has a Delco Freedom@ battery.
You never have to add water to one
of these. When
it’s time for
a new battery, we recommend a Delco
Freedom@ battery. Get one
that has the replacement
number shown on the original battery’s label.
6-28

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 kPa).
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.
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 kt
rotation is tlle most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
Whcn rotating your tires,
always use the correct rotation
pattern
shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire
in your tire rotation.
u-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
I1 the Index.
I
When It’s Time for New Tires
(
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.)
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 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.
0 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.
6-39

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 ti.re’s sidewall. When
you get new tires,
~~ - -I - ~ 4
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original 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 SDec number. make sure thev are the same size, 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.
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, &action
and temperature performance.
(This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States.) The grades are molded on the sidewas
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Tread wear
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
( I 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 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.
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
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, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
Chevrolet 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
Chevrolet model.
CAUTION:
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.
6-42