2003 CHEVROLET TRACKER tire type

Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes,
steering and acceleration) do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of less
danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not ªoverdrivingº
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle's
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues Ð such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a ªmirrored surfaceº Ð and slow
down when you have any doubt.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember:
It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels
are no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the
brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores
steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily
when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels
are rolling, you will have steering control.
4-15

In¯ation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
driver's door lock pillar, shows the correct in¯ation
pressures for your tires when they're cold. ªColdº 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 underin¯ation
or overin¯ation is all right. It's not. If your tires
don't have enough air (underin¯ation), you can get
the following:
·Too much ¯exing
·Too much heat
·Tire overloading
·Bad wear
·Bad handling
·Bad fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (overin¯ation),
you can get the following:
·Unusual wear
·Bad handling
·Rough ride
·Needless damage from road hazards
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 in¯ated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly in¯ated even when they're underin¯ated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
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 Is Time for
New Tires on page 5-62andWheel Replacement on
page 5-64for more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The ®rst rotation
is the most important. See ªPart A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services,º in Section 6, for scheduled
rotation intervals.
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When It Is 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.
·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.
Buying New Tires
To ®nd out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
Make sure the replacement tires are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your vehicle's original tires.
{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.
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim ¯anges 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.
5-62

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
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 speci®ed government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) 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 signi®cantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction ± AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on speci®ed 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 straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
5-63

Tire Chains
Notice:Use tire chains only where legal and only
when you must. Use only SAE Class²S²type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install them
on the tires of the drive axle (four-wheel-drive
vehicles can use chains on both axles). 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.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblowoutº while you're driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it's much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a ªblowout,º here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the ¯at tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel ®rmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you'd use
in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.
{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is designed
only for changing a ¯at tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could be badly
injured or killed if the vehicle slips off the jack.
Use the jack provided with your vehicle only for
changing a ¯at tire.
If a tire goes ¯at, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a ¯at tire safely.
5-66

Cleaning the Windshield, Backglass
and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or if the wiper blade chatters when running,
wax, sap or other material may be on the blade or
windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with a full-strength
glass cleaning liquid. The windshield is clean if beads do
not form when you rinse it with water.
Grime from the windshield will stick to the wiper blades
and affect their performance. Clean the blade by
wiping vigorously with a cloth soaked in full-strength
windshield washer solvent. Then rinse the blade
with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as necessary;
replace blades that look worn.
Special Care for Canvas Top and
Plastic Windows
Your canvas top should be cleaned often. If you use an
automatic car wash, use one with water jets and
hanging cloths. High pressure car washes may cause
water to enter your vehicle.
When you hand wash the top, do it in partial shade. Use a
mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft sponge.
A chamois or cloth may leave lint on the top, and a brush
can chafe the threads in the top fabric. Don't use
detergents, harsh cleaners, solvent or bleaching agents.
Wet the entire vehicle and wash top evenly to avoid
spots or rings. Let the soap remain on the fabric for a
few minutes. When the top is really dirty, use mild
foam-type cleaner. Thoroughly rinse the entire vehicle,
then let the top dry in direct sunlight.
To protect the canvas top:
·After you wash the vehicle, make sure the top is
completely dry before you open or remove it.
·Don't get any vinyl cleaner on the vehicle's painted
®nish; it could leave streaks.
·If you decide to go through an automatic car wash,
ask the manager if the equipment could damage
your top.
5-84