2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE tire type

Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels are
not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid only
the acceleration skid. If your traction control system is off,
then an acceleration skid is also best handled by easing
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for
a second skid if it occurs.Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower
gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on
the road to make a mirrored surface — and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have all-wheel
drive. If your vehicle does not have all-wheel drive or
if it has 20-inch tire/wheel assemblies, you should not
drive off-road unless you are on a level, solid surface.
SeeTires on page 5-54.
4-12

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving because
some drivers are likely to be impaired — by alcohol or
drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
Slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles because headlamps can
only light up so much road ahead.
Watch for animals.
When tired, pull off the road.
Do not wear sunglasses.
Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out.
Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns
or curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But, as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction
and affect your ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types of driving
conditions and avoid driving through large puddles
and deep-standing or owing water.
4-26

Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into the
sidewall. The following illustration is an example
of a typical P-Metric tire sidewall.
(A) Tire Size
:The tire size code 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 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 5-72.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
5-55

(G) 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
seeInflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-60
andLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-35.
Tire Size
The following examples show the different parts of
a 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.(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 75,
as shown in item C of the light truck (LT-Metric)
tire illustration, it would mean that the tire’s
sidewall is 75% 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
:The service description
indicates the load range and speed rating of a
tire. The load index can range from 1 to 279.
Speed ratings range from A to Z.Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
5-56

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
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.
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.
If your vehicle has P265/65R18 or P285/45R22 size tires
and you will be driving at high speeds, speeds of 100
mph (160 km/h) or higher, set the cold ination pressure
to 3 psi (20 kPa) above the recommended tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading Information Label.
When you end this high-speed driving, return the tires
to the cold ination pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on
page 4-35andInflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-60.
5-61

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 near the tire
size. 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 5-55for
additional information.
GM recommends replacing tires in sets of four. This is
because uniform tread depth on all tires will help keep
your vehicle performing most like it did when the tires
were new. Replacing less than a full set of tires canaffect the braking and handling performance of your
vehicle. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on page 5-67
for information on proper tire rotation.
{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 might not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes, brands, or types could also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the
same size, brand, and type tires on all wheels.
Your vehicle may have a different size spare
than the road tires (those originally installed on
your vehicle). When new, your vehicle included
a spare tire and wheel assembly with a similar
overall diameter as your vehicle’s road tires and
wheels, so it is all right to drive on it. Because
this spare was developed for use on your
vehicle, it will not affect vehicle handling.
5-70

{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.
Vehicles that have a tire pressure monitoring system may
give an inaccurate low-pressure warning if non-TPC spec
rated tires are installed on your vehicle. Non-TPC Spec
rated tires may give a low-pressure warning that is higher
or lower than the proper warning level you would get with
TPC Spec rated tires. SeeTire Pressure Monitor System
on page 5-62.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed on the
Tire and Loading Information Label. SeeLoading Your
Vehicle on page 4-35, 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 could
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, rollover
airbags, 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 5-70andAccessories
and Modifications on page 5-3for additional information.
5-71

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 (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 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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