Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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.
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 make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
If your brake pedal goes down farther than normal, your
rear drum brakes may need adjustment. Adjust them by
backing
up and firmly applying the brakes a few times.
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 vehicle 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 6. Put the blade assembly pivot in the wiper arm
hook. Pull up until the pivot locking tab locks in
the hook
slot.
7. Carefully lower the wiper arm and blade assembly
onto the windshield.
Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new vehicle 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 warranty booklet
for details.
I 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Inflation - Tire Pressure
The Certificatioflire label which is on the driver’s door
door edge, above the door latch, 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 thana mile.
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
0 Too much,heat
0 Tire overloading :
0 Bad wear
0 Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued) NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
e Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check Check your tires once a month or
more. Also, check the
tire pressure of the spare tire.
If you have a 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 leaks by keeping out
dirt and moisture.
. 6-45
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Inspection and Rotation
Fires 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“‘Whee1 Replacement” later
in this section for
more information.
I
J.
@
I
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more uniforrn
wear for all tires on the vehicle. Thy first rotation is the
most important.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in
the Index for scheduled rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use one
of the correct
rotation patterns shown here.
If your vehicle has a compact spare tire, don’t include it
in your tire rotation.
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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 Certificatioflire label.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened. See ‘”Wheel Nut Torque” in the Index.
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
11 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:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
around
the tire.
rubber.
enough
to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or dit.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The tire has a panctufe, 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 Certificatioflire 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 wheels.
It’s all ,right to drive with your compact spare
(if you have one).. 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 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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.
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