2008 CADILLAC STS tire type

Personal Settings Menu Items
The PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU must be selected
with a check mark to program the personalization
features. If it is not selected, press the tune/select knob
until the check mark appears. If it is selected, the
entire list of features will be available to program.
DRIVER GREETING
This feature allows you to type in a customized name or
greeting that will appear on the display whenever the
corresponding keyless access transmitter, 1 or 2, is used
or Driver 1 or Driver 2 is selected on the radio display.
If a customized name or greeting is not programmed, the
system will show Driver 1 or Driver 2 to correspond
with the numbers on the back of the keyless access
transmitters. In this case, the customized driver greeting
feature is factory shipped as off.
To turn the driver greeting feature on and to program a
customized name or greeting:
1. Enter the PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU by
following the instructions listed previously under
“Entering the Personal Settings Menu.”
2. Turn the tune/select knob until DRIVER GREETING
is highlighted.3. Press the tune/select knob to turn on the DRIVER
GREETING feature.
You will see a cursor on the screen.
4. Turn the tune/select knob until you reach the rst
letter you want; the letter will be highlighted.
There is a complete alphabet with both upper and
lower case letters and the numbers zero through
nine. Also included are spaces and other non-letter
characters such as the ampersand (&).
5. Press the tune/select knob once to select the letter.
The letter will then appear on the display and the
cursor will advance to the next letter.
If you make a mistake, press the F5 button, located
on the radio, repeatedly to cycle back through all
of the characters until you reach the character you
wish to change. Then turn the tune/select knob
until the letter you want is highlighted and press the
tune/select knob to select the new letter.
6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until the name or greeting
you want is complete. You can program up to
16 characters.
2-62

Under some conditions, the air quality sensor system
does not operate. In cold weather, the system might
not be active (even if AUTO is displayed) because
of concerns of fogging your windows, which may occur
by activating recirculation mode. Also, the air quality
sensor system does not remain in recirculation mode
for extended periods of time that could cause stuffy
or very dry conditions in the vehicle. Following a poorly
running vehicle for an extended period of time may
not keep recirculation active indenitely.
The air quality sensor does not activate due to organic
odors, like skunk, and may not activate on many
chemical-related odors. If you wish to limit these types
of odors, manually select recirculation. Your vehicle
could also have a charcoal lter that can limit many
odors from being pulled into your vehicle. This
lter needs to be changed periodically. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4. The air quality sensor
system does not protect against carbon monoxide (CO),
which you cannot see or smell. SeeEngine Exhaust
on page 2-38.
O(Power Driver’s Temperature):Press the power
button located on the driver’s side of the climate
control panel to turn the entire climate control system
on or off. Turn the knob to increase or decrease
the temperature inside the vehicle.
O(Power Passenger’s Temperature):Press the
power button located on the passenger’s side of
the climate control panel to turn the passenger’s climate
control system on if they wish to have a different
setting than the driver. Turn the knob to increase or
decrease the temperature for the front passenger.
Turning the passenger’s side power button off will not
shut off the climate control system for the passenger.
The system is set to the same setting as the driver.
{(Ventilated Seat):Press this button, to turn
on the driver or passenger’s side ventilated seat,
if the vehicle has this feature. SeeHeated and
Ventilated Seats on page 1-3.
J(Heated Seat):Press this button, to turn on the
driver or passenger’s side heated seat and seatback,
if the vehicle has this feature. SeeHeated and
Ventilated Seats on page 1-3.
^(Air Conditioning):Press this button to manually
turn off the air conditioning compressor. Press AUTO
to return to automatic operation. To limit fogging on
the windshield, the air conditioning compressor
cannot be off while in the defrost mode.
3-51

The right knob controls the air delivery to the rear
passengers. Turning the knob all the way to the left will
shut off airow to the rear passengers. Operating with
the rear air delivery off may make the entire vehicle
warm or cool less quickly. It may also increase the air
rush sound of the front system.
9(Off):This is the off position.
Y(Vent):This mode directs all the rear passenger
airow to the outlets in the console. This is the
normal position for cool down conditions.
\(Bi-Level):This mode directs airow to the
console outlets and the oor.
[(Floor):This mode directs all of the airow to the
oor. This is the normal position for warm up conditions.
The amount of airow to the rear passengers is
controlled automatically by the front climate control
system, regardless of optional equipment. Airow to
the rear system will be turned off when defrost is
selected on the front climate control panel to direct
air to clear the windshield.
Vehicles equipped with a rear climate control panel,
also, have heated rear seats. There are two buttons,
each with three indicator lights, located between thetwo climate control knobs on the rear climate control
panel, to control the rear heated seats. SeeHeated
Seats on page 1-7for additional information.
Be sure to keep the area under the front seats clear
of any objects so the air in your vehicle can circulate
effectively.
Passenger Compartment Air Filter
Your vehicle may be equipped with a passenger
compartment air lter. There are two types of lters
available. There is a standard dust lter that traps small
particles including pollen. There is, also, a dust/odor
lter available that traps dust and pollen and also uses
a charcoal element to help reduce many offensive
odors from entering your vehicle. The lter will need
to be changed periodically. For information on how
often to change the passenger compartment air lter,
seeScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
Notice:Driving without a passenger compartment
air lter in place can cause water and small particles,
like paper and leaves, to be pulled into your climate
control system which may cause damage to it. Make
sure you always replace the old lter with a new one.
3-55

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.You might see the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message
on the Driver Information Center. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-80andStabiliTrak®System on
page 4-8orEnhanced StabiliTrak®on page 4-9.
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.
4-17

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.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They might
not work as well in a quick stop and could
cause pulling to one side. You could lose
control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water
or a car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces. Driving through owing water could
cause your vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle occupants
could drown. Do not ignore police warnings
and be very cautious about trying to drive
through owing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water can build up under
your vehicle’s tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and
you are going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet weather driving tips
include:
Allow extra following distance.
Pass with caution.
Keep windshield wiping equipment in good shape.
Keep the windshield washer uid reservoir lled.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. SeeTires
on page 5-57.
4-19

Low-Prole Performance Tires
If your vehicle has 255/45ZR18, P255/45R18 or
P275/40R19 size tires, they are classied as
low-prole performance tires. These tires are
designed for very responsive driving on wet or dry
pavement. You may also notice more road noise
with low-prole performance tires and that they tend
to wear faster. These performance tires are not
rated as all-season tires. Winter tires are
recommended for snow or ice covered roads.
Notice:If your vehicle has low-prole tires,
they 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
vehicle 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/retailer for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection. Also, seeBuying
New Tires on page 5-76.
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.
5-58

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
5-59

(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 5-79.
(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.
If your vehicle has a compact spare tire, see
Compact Spare Tire on page 5-106andIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 5-86. Compact Spare Tire Example
5-60