2007 CADILLAC CTS V tire size

Tire and Loading Information Label
A vehicle specic Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar
(B-pillar). With the driver’s door open, you will nd
the label attached below the door lock post (striker).
The Tire and Loading Information label shows the
number of occupant seating positions (A), and the
maximum vehicle capacity weight (B) in kilograms
and pounds.The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the tire size of the original equipment tires (C)
and the recommended cold tire ination
pressures (D). For more information on tires
and ination seeTires on page 392and
Ination - Tire Pressure on page 402.
There is also important loading information on the
Certication label. It tells you the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for the front and rear axle; see
“Certication Label” later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.Example Label
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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 390
Tires............................................................ 392
Winter Tires.............................................. 393
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 394
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 397
Run-Flat Tires (CTS-V).............................. 400
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 402
High-Speed Operation............................... 404
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 405
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 409
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 411
Buying New Tires...................................... 411
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 414
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 414
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 416
Wheel Replacement.................................. 416
Tire Chains............................................... 418
Lifting Your Vehicle (CTS-V)...................... 418
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 422
Changing a Flat Tire (CTS Only)............... 424
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
(CTS Only)............................................ 425Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire (CTS Only)..................... 426
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
(CTS Only)............................................ 433
Compact Spare Tire (CTS Only)................ 434
Appearance Care........................................ 435
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 435
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 437
Leather...................................................... 438
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 438
Wood Panels............................................. 439
Speaker Covers........................................ 439
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 439
Weatherstrips............................................ 439
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 439
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 440
Finish Care............................................... 440
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 441
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels
and Trim................................................ 441
Tires......................................................... 442
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
330

Notice:If your vehicle has 245/45R18,
P245/45ZR18 or P225/50R18 size tires, they are
classied as low-prole tires. Low-prole
tires are more susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than standard prole
tires. Tire and or wheel assembly damage
can occur when coming into contact with road
hazards like, potholes, or sharp edged
objects or when sliding into a curb. Your GM
warranty does not cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct ination
pressure and when possible avoid contact with
curbs, potholes and other road hazards.
Winter Tires
If you expect to drive on snow or ice covered
roads often, you may want to get winter tires for
your vehicle. All season tires provide good overall
performance on most surfaces but they may
not offer the traction you would like or the same
level of performance as winter tires on snow or ice
covered roads.Winter tires, in general, are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice covered roads. With
winter tires, there may be decreased dry
road traction, increased road noise, and shorter
tread life. After switching to winter tires, be alert for
changes in vehicle handling and braking.
See your dealer for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection. Also,
seeBuying New Tires on page 411.
If you choose to use winter tires:
Use tires of the same brand and tread type on
all four wheel positions.
Use only radial ply tires of the same size, load
range, and speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed rating as your
original equipment tires may not be available for H,
V, W, Y, and ZR speed rated tires. If you choose
winter tires with a lower speed rating, never
exceed the tire’s maximum speed capability.
393

Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a compact spare tire
sidewall.(A) Tire Size:The tire size is a combination of
letters and numbers used to dene a particular
tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the “Tire Size”
illustration later in this section for more detail.
(B) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specication):Original equipment tires designed
to GM’s specic tire performance criteria have
a TPC specication code molded onto the sidewall.
GM’s TPC specications meet or exceed all
federal safety guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department of Transportation):The
Department of Transportation (DOT) code
indicates that the tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
(D) Tire Identication Number (TIN):The letters
and numbers following DOT (Department of
Transportation) code is the Tire Identication
Number (TIN). The TIN shows the manufacturer
and plant code, tire size, and date the tire
was manufactured. The TIN is molded onto both
sides of the tire, although only one side may have
the date of manufacture.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
394

(B) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under the
tread.
(C) Tire Identication Number (TIN):The letters
and numbers following the DOT (Department of
Transportation) code is the Tire Identication
Number (TIN). The TIN shows the manufacturer
and plant code, tire size, and date the tire
was manufactured. The TIN is molded onto both
sides of the tire, although only one side may have
the date of manufacture.
(D) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:
Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
(E) Tire Ination:The temporary use tire or
compact spare tire should be inated to 60 psi
(420 kPa). For more information on tire pressure
and ination seeInation - Tire Pressure on
page 402.
(F) Tire Size:A combination of letters and
numbers dene a tire’s width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type, and service description. The
letter T as the rst character in the tire size means
the tire is for temporary use only.(G) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specication):Original equipment tires designed
to GM’s specic tire performance criteria have
a TPC specication code molded onto the sidewall.
GM’s TPC specications meet or exceed all
federal safety guidelines.
Tire Size
The following illustration shows an example of a
typical passenger vehicle tire size.
(A) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:The United
States version of a metric tire sizing system.
The letter P as the rst character in the tire size
means a passenger vehicle tire engineered
to standards set by the U.S. Tire and Rim
Association.
396

(B) Tire Width:The three-digit number indicates
the tire section width in millimeters from sidewall
to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio:A two-digit number that
indicates the tire height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size aspect ratio is 60,
as shown in item C of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire’s sidewall is 60 percent as high
as it is wide.
(D) Construction Code:A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire.
The letter R means radial ply construction;
the letter D means diagonal or bias ply
construction; and the letter B means belted-bias
ply construction.
(E) Rim Diameter:Diameter of the wheel in
inches.
(F) Service Description:These characters
represent the load range and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents the load carry
capacity a tire is certied to carry. The load index
can range from 1 to 279. The speed rating is
the maximum speed a tire is certied to carry a
load. Speed ratings range from A to Z.Tire Terminology and Denitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air inside the tire
pressing outward on each square inch of the
tire. Air pressure is expressed in pounds
per square inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight:This means the combined
weight of optional accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are, automatic transmission,
power steering, power brakes, power windows,
power seats, and air conditioning.
Aspect Ratio:The relationship of a tire’s height
to its width.
Belt:A rubber coated layer of cords that is
located between the plies and the tread. Cords
may be made from steel or other reinforcing
materials.
Bead:The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in which the plies
are laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees
to the centerline of the tread.
397

Vehicle Capacity Weight:The number of
designated seating positions multiplied by 150 lbs
(68 kg) plus the rated cargo load. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 321.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire:Load on an
individual tire due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard:A label permanently attached to
a vehicle showing the vehicle’s capacity weight
and the original equipment tire size and
recommended ination pressure. See “Tire and
Loading Information Label” underLoading
Your Vehicle on page 321.
Run-Flat Tires (CTS-V)
If your vehicle has run-at tires, there is no spare
tire and no tire changing equipment. Your
vehicle also has a Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)
which will alert you if there is a loss of tire pressure
in any of the tires. SeeTire Pressure Monitor
System on page 405.
{CAUTION:
When the low tire warning light is
displayed on the instrument panel cluster,
your vehicle’s handling capabilities will be
reduced during severe maneuvers. If you
drive too fast, you could lose control of
your vehicle. You or others could be
injured. Do not drive over 55 mph (90 km/h)
when the low tire warning light is
displayed. Drive cautiously and check your
tire pressures as soon as you can.
If a tire goes at, you will not need to stop on the
side of the road to change the tire. You can
just keep on driving. The tire can operate
effectively with no air pressure for up to 65 miles
(105 km) at speeds up to 55 mph (90 km/h).
The shorter the distance you drive and the slower
the speed, the greater the chance that the tire
will not have to be replaced. When a tire is lled
with air, it provides a cushion between the
road and the wheel.
400

High-Speed Operation
{CAUTION:
Driving at high speeds, 100 mph
(160 km/h) or higher, puts an additional
strain on tires. Sustained high-speed
driving causes excessive heat build up
and can cause sudden tire failure. You
could have a crash and you or others
could be killed. Some high-speed rated
tires require ination pressure adjustment
for high speed operation. When speed
limits and road conditions are such that a
vehicle can be driven at high speeds,
make sure the tires are rated for high
speed operation, in excellent condition,
and set to the correct cold tire ination
pressure for the vehicle load.The CTS-V high-performance tires, size
245/45R18 96V and P245/45ZR18 96W require
ination pressure adjustment when driving
your vehicle at speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h) or
higher. Set the cold tire ination pressure to
the maximum ination pressure shown on the tire
sidewall, or 41 psi (282 kPa), whichever is
lower. See the example following.
Example:
You will nd the maximum load and ination
pressure molded on the tire’s sidewall, in small
letters, near the rim ange. It will read something
like this: Maximum load 710 kg (1565 lbs)
350 kPa (51 psi) Max. Press.
For this example, you would set the cold ination
pressure for high-speed driving at 41 psi (282 kPa)
When you end high-speed driving, return the tires
to the cold ination pressures shown on the
tire and loading information label. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 321.
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