2006 PONTIAC TORRENT Owners Manual

A Tire and Loading Information label is attached to the
vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar), below the driver’s
door latch. This label shows your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct ination pressures for
your tires when they are cold. The recommended
cold tire ination pressure, shown on the label, is the
minimum amount of air pressure needed to support
your vehicle’s maximum load carrying capacity.
For additional information regarding how much weight
your vehicle can carry, and an example of the tire
and loading information label, seeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-31. How you load your vehicle affects
vehicle handling and ride comfort, never load your
vehicle with more weight than it was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Do not forget
to check the compact spare tire, it should be at
60 psi (420 kPa). For additional information regarding
the compact spare tire, seeCompact Spare Tire
on page 5-73.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly
inated simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inated even when they are under-inated.
Check the tire’s ination pressure when the tires
are cold. Cold means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no more than
1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary.
If the ination pressure is low, add air until you reach
the recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Re-check
the tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 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. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-55andWheel Replacement
on page 5-60for 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. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Do not include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear ination pressures as shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened.
See “Wheel Nut Torque” underCapacities and
Specications on page 5-88.
5-54

{CAUTION:
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 needed, to get
all the rust or dirt off. SeeChanging a Flat
Tire on page 5-62.
When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it is
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. Some
commercial truck tires
may not have treadwear
indicators.
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
cannot be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
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Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched specic tires for your
vehicle. The original equipment tires installed on
your vehicle, when it was new, were designed to meet
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria Specication
(TPC spec) system rating. If you need replacement
tires, GM strongly recommends that you get tires with
the same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehicle
will continue to have tires that are designed to give the
same performance and vehicle safety, during normal
use, as the original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over a
dozen critical specications that impact the overall
performance of your vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling, traction control, and
tire pressure monitoring performance. GM’s TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire’s sidewall by the tire
manufacturer. If the tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC spec number will be followed by an
MS for mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling
on page 5-47for additional information.{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different
sizes, brands, or types (radial and bias-belted
tires), the vehicle may not handle properly,
and you could have a crash. Using tires of
different sizes, brands, or types may also
cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to
use the correct size, brand, and type of tires
on all wheels. It is all right to drive with
your compact spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your vehicle. See
Compact Spare Tire on page 5-73.
5-56

{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.
If you must replace your vehicle’s tires with those that
do not have a TPC Spec number, make sure they
are the same size, load range, speed rating, and
construction type (radial and bias-belted tires) as
your vehicle’s original tires.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed on
the Tire and Loading Information Label. This label
is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar).
SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-31, for more
information about the Tire and Loading Information
Label and its location on your vehicle.
Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size than
your original equipment wheels and tires, this may
affect the way your vehicle performs, including its
braking, ride and handling characteristics, stability
and resistance to rollover. Additionally, if your vehicle
has electronic systems such as, anti-lock brakes,
traction control, and electronic stability control, the
performance of these systems can be affected.
{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your
vehicle may not provide an acceptable level
of performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are selected.
You may increase the chance that you will
crash and suffer serious injury. Only use
GM specic wheel and tire systems developed
for your vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a GM certied technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 5-56andAccessories
and Modications on page 5-3for additional information.
5-57

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 specied 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 signicantly 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 specied 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 specied 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 inated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underination, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The tires and wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to give you
the longest tire life and best overall performance.
Adjustments to wheel alignment and tire balancing
will not be necessary on a regular basis. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle pulling
to one side or the other, the alignment may need to
be checked. If you notice your vehicle vibrating when
driving on a smooth road, your tires and wheels
may need to be rebalanced. See your dealer for
proper diagnosis.
5-59

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 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 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 vehicle.{CAUTION:
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.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-62for more
information.
5-60