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 (1.5) 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 significantly 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 controlledconditions 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 straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
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.
5-65
Child Restraints (cont.)
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position...........................................1-39
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position...................................1-41
Top Strap...................................................1-35
Top Strap Anchor Location............................1-36
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-34
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-18
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels........................................5-81
Exterior Lamps/Lenses.................................5-80
Fabric/Carpet..............................................5-77
Finish Care.................................................5-80
Glass Surfaces............................................5-79
Instrument Panel.........................................5-79
Interior Plastic Components...........................5-79
Leather......................................................5-79
Tires..........................................................5-82
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-83
Vinyl..........................................................5-78
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-80
Weatherstrips..............................................5-80
Windshield and Wiper Blades........................5-81
Climate Control System...................................3-19
Outlet Adjustment........................................3-21
Clutch, Hydraulic.............................................5-22
Comfort Guides, Rear Safety Belt.....................1-22Compact Spare Tire........................................5-76
Content Theft-Deterrent....................................2-14
Control of a Vehicle.......................................... 4-5
Coolant
Engine Temperature Gage............................3-28
Cooling System..............................................5-29
Courtesy Lamps.............................................3-15
Cruise Control Lever.......................................3-10
Cupholder(s)..................................................2-29
Customer Assistance Information
Courtesy Transportation.................................. 7-7
Customer Assistance for Text Telephone
(TTY) Users.............................................. 7-4
Customer Assistance Offices........................... 7-4
Customer Satisfaction Procedure..................... 7-2
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program............... 7-5
Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors....7-11
Reporting Safety Defects to the United
States Government...................................7-10
Roadside Assistance Program......................... 7-6
Service Publications Ordering Information........7-11
D
Daytime Running Lamps..................................3-14
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator Light.............3-32
Defensive Driving............................................. 4-2
3
