1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD wheel

NOTICE:
If the compact spare is used as a rear tire, do not
drive faster than
50 mph (80 km/h). Damage to
the rear axle may occur if the compact spare is
driven faster than 50 mph (80 km/h). This speed
limitation does not apply when the compact spare
is used as a front tire.
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.
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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If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
What you d0n’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
igjlared. 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 km/h) 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 transmission back
and forth,
you can destroy your transmission.
For infomation 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. If your vehicle
I
has traction control, you should turn the system off. (See
“Traction Control System” in the Index.) Then shift
back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear (or with a manual transmission, between
FIRST (1)
or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R)), 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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NOTICE:
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 someone 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.
I
Brake Wear
Unless you have the four-wheel disc brake option, your
Pontiac 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 fiy).
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 the proper sequence to
GM specifications.
If you have rear drum brakes, they don’t have wear
indicators, but if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing
noise, have the rear brake linings inspected. Also, the
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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 first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Servi~es” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals. If
you don’t
have P245/50ZR16 or P275/40ZR17
Goodyear Eagle
GS-C tires, use the rotation pattern
shown previously for your tires.
L
If you have P245/50ZR16 or P275/40ZR17 Goodyear
Eagle
GS-C tires, they must roll in a certain direction
for the best overall performance. The direction is shown
by an arrow on the sidewall. Because these tires
are
directional, they should be rotated as shown here. These
tires should only be moved from front to rear and rear to
front on the same side
of the vehicle.
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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.
I
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
attach.& 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 The 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.
You need
a new tire if any of the following statements
are true: . .. 1. .. . .. ...
You can see the indicators at three or more places
.. . ‘ : __ .I
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.
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.
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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”
I>>.,.. ,.. ;: (for mud and snow). A. . > ..
I ‘, -. 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,
though.
It was developed for use on your vehicle.
.
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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
I , conditions on a specified government test course. For
example,
a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 112) 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 co’nditions 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 performame
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109.
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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
aIigned 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
Pontiac 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
Pontiac model.
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.
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