1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass tires

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"
(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. 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.
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could
fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial-ply
tires with the wheels
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
Pedomance Criteria (PC) 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
I I
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire ~
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends 1
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the nom due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate. ! i
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Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, fkom highest to lowest, are A, B, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement
as measured mder controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction perfomce.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straight ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.

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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 Alig1:::::Bt 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
retailer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your retailer will know the kind of wheel you need.
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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
Oldsmobile model.
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Using the wrong -)la( nent wheels, wk 1.
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.
Used Replacement 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.
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6-41

Tire Chains
NOTICE: L
Use tire chains only where legal and only when
you must. Use only
SAE Class “S” 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 slowIy and foIlow 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 on 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:
0 Gasoline
Benzene
Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
e Paint Thinner
Turpentine
Lacquer Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
-- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too.
Don’t use any
of these unless this manual says you can. !
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
Reducing Agents
6-42

Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
(If Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap
and water. Rinse with clean water. after^
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel. A wax
may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface
of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners
or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because you could
damage the surface.
Don’t take your vehicle through an automatic car wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface
of these wheels.
Cleaning Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe
off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces
on the body or wheels of the vehicle.
Petroleum-based products may damage the paint
finish.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is darnaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired
or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
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I Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule I
15,000 Miles (25 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
CI Inspect air cleaner filter if you are driving in dusty conditions.
An Emission Control Service.
Replace filter if necessary.
An Emission Control Service. (See footnotef.)
18,000 Miles (30 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation” in the Index for proper
An Emission Control Service.
rotation pattern and additional information. (See footnote +.)
21,000 Miles (35 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
24,000 Miles (40 000 km)
Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
17 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation” in the Index for proper
rotation pattern and additional information. (See footnote
+.)
I DATE I
DATE
DATE
I
1 MILEAGE ACTUAL I SERVICmBP.1
d
I
DATE
MILEAGE
7-9

30,000 Miles (50 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
Cl Replace air cleaner filter.
0 Inspect~fuel tank, cap and lines for darnage or leaks. Inspect fuel cap gasket
An Emission Control Service.
An Emission
Control Service.
for any damage. Replace parts as needed.
An-Emission Control Service. (See footnote?.)
rotation pattern and additional information. (See footnote
+.)
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire kspection and Rotation” in the Index for proper
33,000 Miles (55 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
MILEAGE
DATE
I
MILEAGE
DATE
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7-10