1997 PONTIAC PONTIAC tires

To calibrate the system:
1. Turn the ignition switch to ON.
2. The CALIBRATE TIRE PRESS button is under the
instrument panel, to the right of the steering column.
Press and hold the button for about three seconds.
The
CHECK TIRE PRFSS light will flash three
times and go out.
If the light doesn’t go out after you
press the
CALIBRATE TIRE PRESS button, see
your dealer for service.
3. The system completes the calibration process during
driving. During the first
10 to 20 miles (15 to 30 km)
of driving, the system will not alert you if a tire is
low or high. After
20 to 80 miles (30 to 125 km), the
system will only alert
you about pressure differences
of
12 psi (85 kPa) or more. After 80 miles (125 km)
of driving, the system will alert you if a tire is 8 psi
(55 Pa) different from the other three tires.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, 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 Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use
the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
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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.
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.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
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.
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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g 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 sarne 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. Reset Tire
Inflation Monitor
(TIM).
I
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
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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Temperature -- A, B, C Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
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. 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 corning 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 rep1,aces.
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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.
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.
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for more
information.
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Used R lacement Wheels
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.
Tire Chains
~
NOTICE:
If your Pontiac has P225/60R16 size tires, don’t
use tire chains. They can damage
your vehicle
because there’s not enough clearance.
NOTICE: (Continued) NOTICE:
(Continued)
Use another type
of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
condition,s. Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle drive slowly, readjust
or remove the
device if
it’s contacting your vehicle and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction de that will fit, install
them on the front tires,
If you have oth,er tires, use tire chains only where
legal and
only when you must. Use only SAE
Cla,ss LLS” type chains that are the proper size for
your tires. Install them
on the front tires and
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.
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Tires Sheet Metal Damage
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleanler. If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
~ repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
NOTICE: applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
When applying a tire dressing always take care Finish Damage
~ . Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish to wipe off any overspray or splash from all
painted surfaces on the body or wheels of the should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
vehicle. Petroleum-based products may damage
the paint finish.
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available
from your dealer or other service -
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s
body and paint shop.
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