Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certificationmire label, which is on the rear edge of
the driver’s door, 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).
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.
NOTICE: (Continued)
NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
I
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.
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After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and rear
inflation pressures
as shown on the Certification/Tire 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
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
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord
or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
0 The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
around the tire.
tire’s rubber.
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.
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 Certificationmire 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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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. Scheduled wheel
alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. 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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L dT’^Y:
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.
Whenever a wheel, wheel bolt or wheel nut is replaced
on a dual wheel setup, check the wheel nut torque after
100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles (160,l 600 and
10 000 km)
of driving. For proper torque, see “Wheel Nut Torque”
in the Index.
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for
more information.
Used Replacement WP-?ls
A CAUTIP’
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or
how far 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.
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IMPORTANT:
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
LEVEL AND CHANGE AS
RECOMMENDED
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet,
or your
GM dealer for details.
Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality
of the air we breathe. Improper fluid
levels
or the wrong tire inflation can increase the level
of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
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Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed below are owner checks and services which
should be performed at the intervals specified to help
ensure the safety, dependability and emission control
performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in Part
D.
At the First 100, 1,000 and 6,000 Miles
(160,1600 and 10
000 km)
For vehicles with dual wheels, check dual wheel nut
torque. For proper torque, see “Wheel Nut Torque” in
the Index.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant to
perform these underhood checks at each fuel
fill.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. See “Engine
Oil” in the Index for
further details.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture
if necessary. See “Engine Coolant” in the
Index for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the
windshield washer tank and add the proper fluid if
necessary. See “Windshield Washer Fluid’’ in the Index
for further details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation Check
Make sure tires are inflated to the correct pressures. See
“Tires” in the Index for further details.
Cassette Deck Service
Clean cassette deck. Cleaning should be done every
50 hours of tape play. See “Audio Systems’’ in the Index
for further details.
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Roadside Assistance
In
nnl
GMC’s Roadside Assistance provides stranded owners
with over-the-phone roadside repairs, location of the
nearest GMC dealer or
the following special services:
Flat Tire Change: Installation of spare tire will be
covered at no charge (customer is responsible for repair
or replacement of tire).
Fuel Delivery: Delivery of enough fuel for the customer
to get to the nearest service station (up to
$4.00) will
be covered.
Jump Start: No-start situations which require a battery
jump start will be covered at no charge.
Lock Out: Replacement keys or locksmith service will
be covered
at no charge if you are unable to gain entry
into your vehicle. Delivery
of the replacement key will
be covered at no charge within
10 miles (16 km).
Emergency Towing Service: Towing to the nearest
GMC dealer for warranty related disablements will
be covered.
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