
5. Put the flat end of the extension on an angle through
the hole in the rear door frame, above the bumper.
Turn the ratchet clockwise until the tire is against the
underside
of the vehicle.
You will hear two “clicks” when the tire is up all the
way. Try
to move the tire with your hands to make
sure it is securely in place.
Return the jacking equipment to the proper location.
Secure the items and replace the jack cover.
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 must use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
And, the transmission 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 kmh) as shown
on the speedometer.
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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 transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
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 transmission 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.
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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.
:a1 ~ 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.
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nspectior
1 Ires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(I 0 000 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.
If your vehicle has dual rear wheels,
also see “Dual Tire Operation“ later
in this section.
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.
If your vehicle has single rear wheels, always use one of
the correct rotation patterns shown here when rotating
your tires.
If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, always use one of
FRT FRT the. correct rotation patterns shown here when rotating
KC
your tires.
When you install dual wheels, be sure the vent
holes in
the inner and outer wheels on each side are lined up.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on
the
CertificatidTire label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” in
the Index.
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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
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.
Some commercial truck
tires may
not have
treadwear indicators.
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 rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to
show cord or fdbric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
around the
tire.
can’t
be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
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Dual Tire Operation
When the vehicle is new, or whenever a wheel, wheel
bolt or wheel
nut is replaced, check the wheel nut torque
after
100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles ( 160, 1 600 and
10 000 km) of driving. For proper torque, see “Wheel
Nut Torque”
in the Index.
The outer tire
on a dual wheel setup generally wears
faster than
the inner tire. Your tires will wear more
evenly and last longer if
you rotate the tires periodically.
If you’re going to be doing a lot of driving on
high-crown roads, you can reduce tire wear by adding
5 psi (35 kPa) to the tire pressure in the outer tires. Be
sure to return
to the recommended pressures when no
longer driving under those conditions. See “Changing a
Flat Tire” in the Index for more information.
A CAUTION:
If you operate your vehicle with a tire that is
badly underinflated, the tire can overheat. An
overheated tire can lose air suddenly
or catch
fire. You or others could be injured. Be sure all
tires (including the spare) are properly inflated.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certification/Tire 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.
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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.
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
(TYC) standards.
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Treadwear Temperature -- A, B, C
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 governrnent course as a tire
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.
b oraded 100. The relative performance of tires depends
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 pelformance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction. 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 ca~w heat. buildup and possible tire failure.
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