2005 SATURN L-SERIES ESP

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 Saturn 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 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 straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
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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.
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.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blowout” 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 “blowout,” here are a
few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
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 flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your
hazard warning flashers.
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•Flat Tire Change:Installation of a spare tire will be
covered at no charge. (The customer is responsible
for the repair or replacement of the tire if not
covered by a warrantable failure.)
•Jump Start:No-start occurrences which require a
battery jump start will be covered at no charge.
•Saturn Retailer Locator Service
In many instances, mechanical failures are covered
under Saturn’s Bumper-to-Bumper warranty. However,
when other services are utilized, our Roadside
Assistance Representatives will explain any payment
obligations you might incur.
For prompt and efficient assistance when calling, please
provide the following to the Roadside Assistance
Representatives:
•Your name, home address, and home
telephone number
•Telephone number of your location
•Location of the vehicle
•Model, year, color, and license plate number
•Mileage, Vehicle Identification Number and delivery
date of the vehicle
•Description of the problemWhile we hope you never have the occasion to use our
service, it is added security while traveling for you
and your family. Remember we are only a phone call
away. Saturn Roadside Assistance: 1-800-553-6000;
text telephone (TTY) users, call 1-800-833-6000.
Saturn reserves the right to limit services or
reimbursement to an owner or driver when, in Saturn’s
judgment, the claims become excessive in frequency
or type of occurrence.
Roadside Assistance is not part of or included in the
coverage provided by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Saturn reserves the right to make any changes or
discontinue the Roadside Assistance program at any
time without notification.
Canadian Roadside Assistance
Vehicles purchased in Canada have an extensive Saturn
Roadside Assistance program accessible from anywhere
in Canada or the United States. Please refer to the
Warranty and Owner Assistance Information book.
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Vehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders
Your vehicle, like other modern motor vehicles, has a
number of sophisticated computer systems that monitor
and control several aspects of the vehicle’s performance.
Your vehicle uses on-board vehicle computers to monitor
emission control components to optimize fuel economy,
to monitor conditions for airbag deployment and, if so
equipped, to provide anti-lock braking and to help the
driver control the vehicle in difficult driving situations.
Some information may be stored during regular
operations to facilitate repair of detected malfunctions;
other information is stored only in a crash event by
computer systems, such as those commonly called
event data recorders (EDR).
In a crash event, computer systems, such as the Airbag
Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) in your vehicle
may record information about the condition of the vehicle
and how it was operated, such as data related to engine
speed, brake application, throttle position, vehicle speed,
safety belt usage, airbag readiness, airbag performance,
and the severity of a collision. This information has been
used to improve vehicle crash performance and may be
used to improve crash performance of future vehicles
and driving safety. Unlike the data recorders on many
airplanes, these on-board systems do not record sounds,
such as conversation of vehicle occupants.To read this information, special equipment is needed
and access to the vehicle or the device that stores
the data is required. GM will not access information
about a crash event or share it with others other than:•with the consent of the vehicle owner or, if the
vehicle is leased, with the consent of the lessee,
•in response to an official request of police or similar
government office,
•as part of GM’s defense of litigation through the
discovery process, or
•as required by law.
In addition, once GM collects or receives data, GM may:
•use the data for GM research needs,
•make it available for research where appropriate
confidentiality is to be maintained and need is
shown, or
•share summary data which is not tied to a specific
vehicle with non-GM organizations for research
purposes.
Others, such as law enforcement, may have access to
the special equipment that can read the information
if they have access to the vehicle or the device
that stores the data.
If your vehicle is equipped with OnStar
®, please check
the OnStar®subscription service agreement or manual
for information on its operations and data collection.
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