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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 296.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 299.
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 225.
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 in ation pressure. See “Tire
and Loading Information Label” underLoading
Your Vehicle on page 225.
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In ation - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air pressure to
operate effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell you that
under-in ation or over-in ation is all right.
It is not. If your tires do not have enough air
(under-in ation), 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-in ation),
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), below
the driver’s door latch. This label shows your
vehicle’s original equipment tires and the correct
in ation pressures for your tires when they
are cold. The recommended cold tire in ation
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 225. How you
load your vehicle affects vehicle handling and
ride comfort, never load your vehicle with more
weight than it was designed to carry.
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When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check
tire pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are
properly in ated simply by looking at them.
Radial tires may look properly in ated even
when they are under-in ated. Check the tire’s
in ation 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
in ation pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and Loading Information
label, no further adjustment is necessary.
If the in ation pressure is low, add air until you
reach the recommended amount.
If you over ll 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 296
andWheel Replacement on page 300for
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. See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 336.When rotating Goodyear Eagle RSA P245/45R18
non-directional tires, always use the correct
rotation pattern shown here.
Non-Directional Tires
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If your vehicle has Goodyear Eagle F1-GS1
P245/45R18 size tires, they are directional
tires and must roll in a certain direction for the
best overall performance. The direction is shown
by an arrow on the tire sidewall. Because
these tires are directional, they should be rotated
as shown here. These tires should only be
moved from front to rear and rear to front on
the same side of the vehicle.After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear in ation pressures as shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 225for an example of
the Tire and Loading Information label and
its location on your vehicle. Make certain that all
wheel nuts are properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities and Speci cations
on page 331.
{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 a crash. 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 you need to, to get all the rust or dirt off.Directional Tires
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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.
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.
Buying New Tires
Saturn has developed and matched speci c 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 Speci cation (TPC spec)
system rating. If you need replacement tires,
Saturn 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 speci cations 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 a MS,
for mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling
on page 287for additional information.
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{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 your
vehicle’s wheels.
{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 225, for more information about the Tire
and Loading Information label.
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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 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 Saturn speci c wheel and
tire systems developed for your vehicle,
and have them properly installed by a
Saturn certi ed technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 296and
Accessories and Modi cations on page 233for
additional information.
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