2007 CHEVROLET COLORADO tires

Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires
made by a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever
have questions about your tire warranty and where
to obtain service, see your GM Warranty booklet for
details. For additional information refer to the tire
manufacturer’s booklet included with your vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used
tires are dangerous.
Overloading your vehicle’s tires
can cause overheating as a result
of too much friction. You could have
an air-out and a serious accident.
SeeLoading Your Vehicle on
page 293.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Underinated tires pose the same
danger as overloaded tires. The
resulting accident could cause serious
injury. Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be checked
when your vehicle’s tires are cold.
SeeInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 384.
Overinated tires are more likely to
be cut, punctured, or broken by a
sudden impact — such as when
you hit a pothole. Keep tires at the
recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
If the tire’s tread is badly worn,
or if your vehicle’s tires have been
damaged, replace them.
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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.
Passenger Vehicle Tire Example
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(D) Tire Identication Number (TIN):The letters
and numbers following DOT code are 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.
(E) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under
the tread.
(F) 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 395.
(G) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:
Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.(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 at.
See “Compact Spare Tire” underSpare Tire on
page 420for additional information.
(B) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and number
of plies in the sidewall and under the tread.
Compact Spare Tire Example
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(C) Tire Identication Number (TIN):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 384.
(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) 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.
(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 percent as high as
it is wide.
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Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:A tire used on
passenger cars and some light duty trucks and
multipurpose vehicles.
Recommended Ination Pressure:Vehicle
manufacturer’s recommended tire ination pressure
as shown on the tire placard. SeeInation - Tire
Pressure on page 384andLoading Your Vehicle
on page 293.
Radial Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in which the
ply cords that extend to the beads are laid at
90 degrees to the centerline of the tread.
Rim:A metal support for a tire and upon which
the tire beads are seated.
Sidewall:The portion of a tire between the tread
and the bead.
Speed Rating:An alphanumeric code assigned
to a tire indicating the maximum speed at
which a tire can operate.
Traction:The friction between the tire and the
road surface. The amount of grip provided.
Tread:The portion of a tire that comes into
contact with the road.Treadwear Indicators:Narrow bands, sometimes
called wear bars, that show across the tread of a
tire when only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread remains.
SeeWhen It Is Time for New Tires on page 391.
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards):A tire information system that
provides consumers with ratings for a tire’s
traction, temperature, and treadwear. Ratings
are determined by tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures. The ratings are
molded into the sidewall of the tire. SeeUniform
Tire Quality Grading on page 395.
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 293.
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 293.
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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 vehicle specic Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to your vehicle. 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 293. 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.
Also check the tire pressure of the spare tire.
If your vehicle has a compact spare tire, it
should be at 60 psi (420 kPa). SeeSpare Tire
on page 420for additional information.
384

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
underinated. 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.
Recheck 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.
Tire Pressure Monitor System
Your vehicle has a Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS). This system uses radio and
sensor technology to check tire pressure levels.
TPMS sensors are mounted onto each tire
and wheel assembly on your vehicle, except
the spare tire. The TPMS sensors monitor the
air pressure in your vehicle’s tires and transmit
the tire pressure readings to a receiver located
in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition is detected,
the TPMS will illuminate the low tire pressure
warning light located in the instrument panel
cluster, and at the same time display the LOW
TIRE warning message on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The low tire pressure warning
light and the LOW TIRE warning message appear
at each ignition cycle until the tires are inated
to the correct ination pressure. For additional
information and details about the DIC operation
and displays seeDIC Controls and Displays
on page 198andDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 202.
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You may notice, during cooler weather conditions,
that the low tire pressure warning light and the
DIC LOW TIRE message may come on when the
vehicle is rst started, and then turn off as you
start to drive. This may be an early indicator
that the air pressure in the tire(s) is getting low
and needs to be inated to the proper pressure.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should
be checked monthly when cold and inated to
the ination pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or
tire ination pressure label. (If your vehicle
has tires of a different size than the size indicated
on the vehicle placard or tire ination pressure
label, you should determine the proper tire
ination pressure for those tires.)As an added safety
feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that
illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when
one or more of your
tires is signicantly
under-inated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale
illuminates, you should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a signicantly
under-inated tire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire failure. Under-ination also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even
if under-ination has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
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