1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The CertificationRire label, which is on the rear edge of
the driver’s door, or on the incomplete vehicle document
in the cab, 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).
You can operate some vehicles at reduced inflation
pressures only when you’ll be carrying reduced loads.
On those vehicles, the minimum cold inflation pressures
for a typical reduced load are printed on the Improved
Ride Tire Pressure label located on the driver’s door.
Weigh the vehicle to find the load on each tire and see
the label
for the minimum cold inflation pressures for
that load.
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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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.
I FRT FRT
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 one
of the correct
rotation patterns shown here.
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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.
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.) When
It’s Time for New Tires
You need a new tire if any o
are true: 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.
f rh Ile following statements
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 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.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 CertificatiodTire 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.
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 wheels.
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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.) 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.
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 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 or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis. Used
Replacement Wheels
A CAUTION:
I-
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.
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for
more information.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Chains
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has P265/75R16 size tires, don’t
use tire chains. They can damage your vehicle. If
you have a tire size other than
P265/75R16, use
tire chains
only where legal and only when you
must. Use chains that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them on the tires of the rear axle.
Don’t use chains
on the tires of the front axle.
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 dn 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.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
Benzene
Naphtha
Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner
Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
-- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too.
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