2008 SATURN ASTRA tires

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 crashes.
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.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
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 9-38.
Turn off cruise control, if
equipped.
Driving and Operating 8-25
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Before Leaving on a
Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, consider having it serviced by
your dealer/retailer before departing.
Things to check on your own
include:
Windshield Washer Fluid:
Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:In good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:All
levels checked?
Lamps:Do they all work and are
lenses clean?
Tires:Are treads good? Are tires
inated to recommended
pressure?
Weather and Maps:Safe to
travel? Have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention
to your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, nd
a safe place to park your vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
Keep interior temperature cool.
Keep your eyes moving — scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on at or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
Keep the vehicle serviced
and in good shape.
Check all uid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{CAUTION
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to
let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
8-26 Driving and Operating
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{CAUTION
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will
have to do all the work of
slowing down and they could
get so hot that they would not
work well. You would then have
poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could
crash. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear
when going downhill.
Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
Top of hills: Be alert — something
could be in your lane (stalled car,
accident).
Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter
driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape
for winter.
You might want to put winter
emergency supplies in your
vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small
brush or broom, a supply of
windshield washer uid, a rag, some
winter outer clothing, a small shovel,
a ashlight, a red cloth, and reective
warning triangles. And, if you will be
driving under severe conditions,
include a small bag of sand, a pieceof old carpet, or a couple of burlap
bags to help provide traction. Be sure
you properly secure these items in
your vehicle.
Also seeTires on page 9-38.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places
where the tires meet the road
probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice
between the tires and the road, you
can have a very slippery situation.
You have a lot less traction, or grip,
and need to be very careful.
What is the worst time for this? Wet
ice. Very cold snow or ice can be
slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice
can be even more trouble because it
can offer the least traction of all.
Driving and Operating 8-27
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You can get wet ice when it is about
freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing
rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth
ice, packed, blowing, or loose
snow — drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to
break the fragile traction. If you
accelerate too fast, the drive wheels
will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you
have ABS, begin stopping soonerthan you would on dry pavement.
SeeAntilock Brake System
(ABS) on page 8-18.
Allow greater following distance
on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The
road might be ne until you hit
a spot that is covered with ice.
On an otherwise clear road, ice
patches can appear in shaded
areas where the sun cannot
reach, such as around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass can
remain icy when the surrounding
roads are clear. If you see a patch
of ice ahead of you, brake before
you are on it. Try not to brake
while you are actually on the ice,
and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy
snow, you could be in a serious
situation. You should probably
stay with your vehicle unless you
know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some things to do
to summon help and keep yourself
and your passengers safe:
Turn on the hazard warning
ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to
alert police that you have been
stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a
blanket around you. If you do not
have blankets or extra clothing,
make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags,
oor mats — anything you can
wrap around yourself or tuck
under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep
warm, but be careful.
8-28 Driving and Operating
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{CAUTION
Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This can
cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could overcome you and
kill you. You cannot see it or
smell it, so you might not know
it is in your vehicle. Clear away
snow from around the base of
your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking the exhaust
pipe. And check around again
from time to time to be sure
snow does not collect there.
Open a window just a little on
the side of the vehicle that is
away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.Run your engine only as long as you
must. This saves fuel. When you run
the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less
fuel for the heat that you get and it
keeps the battery charged. You will
need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with the
headlamps. Let the heater run
for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close
the window almost all the way to
preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when
you feel really uncomfortable from
the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long
as you can. To help keep warm,
you can get out of the vehicle and
do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help
comes.
If Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It
Out on page 8-30.
{CAUTION
If you let your vehicle’s tires
spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others
could be injured. The vehicle
can overheat, causing an
engine compartment re or
other damage. Spin the wheels
as little as possible and avoid
going above 35 mph (55 km/h)
as shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, seeTire
Chains on page 9-59.
Driving and Operating 8-29
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{CAUTION
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). If you do, parts on
the vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your
vehicle handles. These
could cause you to lose
control and crash. Also,
overloading can shorten
the life of the vehicle.Tire and Loading Information
Label
A vehicle specic Tire and
Loading Information label
is attached to the vehicle’s
center pillar (B-pillar). With the
driver’s door open, you will
nd the label attached below
the door lock post. The Tireand Loading Information label
shows the number of occupant
seating positions (A), and
the maximum vehicle capacity
weight (B) in kilograms and
pounds.
The Tire and Loading
Information label also shows the
tire size of the original equipment
tires (C) and the recommended
cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and
ination seeTires on page 9-38
andInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 9-46.
There is also important loading
information on the Certication
label. It tells you the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axle; see “Certication
Label” later in this section.
Label Example
Driving and Operating 8-31
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Vehicle Service
and Care
Service
Service...............................9-2
Accessories and
Modications.....................9-3
California Proposition 65
Warning............................9-3
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements.....9-3
Doing Your Own
Service Work....................9-4
Adding Equipment to the
Outside of the Vehicle......9-4
Owner Checks
Owner Checks....................9-5
Hood Release.....................9-5
Engine Compartment
Overview...........................9-6
Engine Oil..........................9-7
Engine Oil Life System.......9-9
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. . . .9-11
Automatic Transmission
Fluid................................9-12
Manual Transmission
Fluid................................9-12
Hydraulic Clutch................9-12
Engine Coolant.................9-12
Pressure Cap....................9-15
Engine Overheating...........9-15
Cooling System.................9-16
Power Steering Fluid.........9-20
Windshield Washer Fluid. . . .9-20
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement...................9-21
Brakes..............................9-22
Battery..............................9-25
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming..............9-26
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement.............9-28
Halogen Bulbs..................9-28
Front Turn Signal Lamps. . .9-28
Taillamps
(Five-Door Hatchback).....9-29
Taillamps
(Three-Door Hatchback). . .9-30
License Plate Lamp..........9-32
Replacement Bulbs...........9-33
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical
Equipment.......................9-33
Headlamp Wiring..............9-33
Windshield Wiper Fuses. . . .9-34
Power Windows and
Other Power Options.......9-34
Fuses...............................9-34
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block......................9-34
Rear Compartment
Fuse Block......................9-36
Tires
Tires.................................9-38
Winter Tires......................9-39
Tire Sidewall Labeling.......9-40
Tire Terminology and
Denitions.......................9-43
Ination - Tire Pressure. . . .9-46
High-Speed Operation.......9-47
Tire Pressure Monitor
System............................9-48
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation........................9-50
Tire Inspection and
Rotation..........................9-51
When It Is Time for
New Tires.......................9-53
Vehicle Service and Care 9-1
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Buying New Tires.............9-54
Different Size Tires
and Wheels.....................9-55
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading...........................9-56
Wheel Alignment and
Tire Balance....................9-58
Wheel Replacement..........9-58
Tire Chains.......................9-59
Tire Changing
If a Tire Goes Flat............9-60
Changing a Flat Tire.........9-60
Removing the Spare
Tire and Tools.................9-61
Removing the Flat Tire
and Installing the
Spare Tire
.......................9-62
Storing a Flat or Spare
Tire and Tools.................9-66
Compact Spare Tire..........9-67
Jump Starting
Jump Starting...................9-68
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle.........9-72
Recreational Vehicle
Towing............................9-72
Towing a Trailer................9-72
Appearance Care
Interior Cleaning................9-72
Exterior Cleaning..............9-75
Sheet Metal Damage........9-78
Finish Damage..................9-79
Underbody Maintenance. . . .9-79
Chemical Paint Spotting. . . .9-79
Vehicle Care/Appearance
Materials.........................9-80
Service
For service and parts needs,
visit your dealer/retailer. You will
receive genuine Saturn parts
and Saturn-trained and supported
service people.
Genuine Saturn parts have one of
these marks.
9-2 Vehicle Service and Care
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