2007 CHEVROLET AVEO spare tire

Turn Signal Lamps (Side).......................... 314
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
(CHMSL) (Sedan).................................. 315
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps............................... 316
License Plate Lamp................................... 317
Replacement Bulbs................................... 317
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 318
Tires............................................................ 319
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 320
Tire Terminology and Definitions............... 323
Inflation - Tire Pressure............................. 326
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 327
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 329
Buying New Tires...................................... 330
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 331
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 332
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 333
Wheel Replacement.................................. 333
Tire Chains............................................... 335
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 335Changing a Flat Tire................................. 336
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 337
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 339
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 344
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 344
Appearance Care........................................ 345
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 345
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 346
Leather...................................................... 347
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 348
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 348
Weatherstrips............................................ 348
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 349
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 349
Finish Care............................................... 349
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 350
Aluminum Wheels...................................... 350
Tires......................................................... 351
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 351
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
262

Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger car tire and a compact spare tire
sidewall.(A) Tire Size:The tire size is a combination of
letters and numbers used to define 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) 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.
(C) Tire Identication Number (TIN):The letters
and numbers following DOT code are the Tire
Identification 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 Car Tire Example
320

(D) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under
the tread.
(E) Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG):Tire
manufacturers are required to grade tires
based on three performance factors: treadwear,
traction and temperature resistance. For more
information seeUniform Tire Quality Grading on
page 332.
(F) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:
Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
For information on recommended tire pressure see
Inflation - Tire Pressure on page 326andLoading
Your Vehicle on page 249.
(A) Temporary Use Only:The compact spare
tire or temporary use tire has a tread life of
approximately 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and should
not be driven at speeds over 65 mph (105 km/h).
The compact spare tire is for emergency use when
a regular road tire has lost air and gone flat.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on page 344andIf a
Tire Goes Flat on page 335.
Compact Spare Tire Example
321

(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 Tire
Identification 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. SeeCompact Spare Tire on page 344and
Loading Your Vehicle on page 249.
(E) Tire Ination:The temporary use tire or
compact spare tire should be inflated to 60 psi
(420 kPa). For more information on tire pressure
and inflation seeInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 326.
(F) Tire Size:A combination of letters and
numbers define a tire’s width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type and service description. The
letter T as the first character in the tire size means
the tire is for temporary use only.Tire Size
The following illustration shows an example of a
typical passenger car tire size.
(A) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:The United
States version of a metric tire sizing system. The
letter P as the first character in the tire size
means a passenger vehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U. S. Tire and Rim
Association.
(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 70, as
shown in item C of the illustration, it would mean
that the tire’s sidewall is 70% as high as it is wide.
322

Ination - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air pressure to
operate effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell you that
under-ination or over-ination is all right. It is
not. If your tires do not have enough air
(under-ination), you can get the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Premature or irregular wear
Poor handling
Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (over-ination),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Poor handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazardsA Tire and Loading Information label is attached to
the vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar). This label shows
your vehicle’s original equipment tires and the
correct inflation pressures for your tires when they
are cold. The recommended cold tire inflation
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, see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 249. 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 344.
326

When rotating your tires, always use the correct
rotation pattern shown here.
Do not include the compact spare tire in the
tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear inflation pressures as shown on the
tire and loading information label. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 249for an example of
the tire and loading information label and where it
is located on your vehicle. Make certain that all
wheel nuts are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut
Torque” underCapacities and Specifications on
page 368.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts
become loose after 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 336.
328

Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched specific tires for
your vehicle. If you need replacement tires,
GM strongly recommends that you get tires that
are the same size, brand, load range, speed rating,
and construction type (radial and bias-belted
tires) as your vehicle’s original tires. 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. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling on page 320
for 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 344.
330

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum selection width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the Unites States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 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 (UTQG)
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.
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
1⁄2) 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.
332