2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE spare tire

A Tire and Loading Information
label, attached to your vehicle,
shows the size of your vehicle’s
original equipment tires and
the correct ination pressure for
your vehicle’s tires when they
are cold. SeeLoading the Vehicle
on page 4-16, for an example of the
Tire and Loading Information
label and its location on your
vehicle. Also seeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-42.
Your vehicle’s TPMS can warn you
about a low tire pressure condition
but it does not replace normal tire
maintenance. SeeTire Inspection
and Rotation on page 5-48andTires
on page 5-36.
Notice:Using non-approved tire
sealants could damage the
Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) sensors. TPMS sensor
damage caused by using an
incorrect tire sealant is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.Always use the GM approved tire
sealant available through your
dealer/retailer.
Factory-installed Tire Inator Kits
use a GM approved liquid tire
sealant. Using non-approved tire
sealants could damage the TPMS
sensors. SeeTire Sealant and
Compressor Kit on page 5-57for
information regarding the inator kit
materials and instructions.
TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly if
one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire warning light ashes for
about one minute and then stays on
for the remainder of the ignition
cycle. A DIC warning message is
also displayed. The low tire warning
light and DIC warning message
come on at each ignition cycle until
the problem is corrected. Some ofthe conditions that can cause the
malfunction light and DIC message
to come on are:
One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire, if
your vehicle has one. The spare
tire does not have a TPMS
sensor. The TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message should go
off once you re-install the road tire
containing the TPMS sensor.
The TPMS sensor matching
process was started but not
completed or not completed
successfully after rotating the
vehicle’s tires. The DIC message
and TPMS malfunction light
should go off once the TPMS
sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See
“TPMS Sensor Matching Process”
later in this section.
5-46 Service and Appearance Care

The TPMS sensor matching process
is outlined below:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition switch to
ON/RUN with the engine off.
3. Press the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter’s LOCK
and UNLOCK buttons at the
same time for approximately
ve seconds. The horn sounds
twice to signal the receiver
is in relearn mode and TIRE
LEARNING ACTIVE message
displays on the DIC screen.
4. Start with the driver side front tire.
5. Remove the valve cap from the
valve cap stem. Activate the
TPMS sensor by increasing or
decreasing the tire’s air pressure
for ve seconds, or until a horn
chirp sounds. The horn chirp,
which may take up to 30 seconds
to sound, conrms that the sensor
identication code has been
matched to this tire and wheel
position.6. Proceed to the passenger side
front tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 5.
7. Proceed to the passenger side
rear tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 5.
8. Proceed to the driver side rear
tire, and repeat the procedure
in Step 5. The horn sounds
two times to indicate the sensor
identication code has been
matched to the driver side rear
tire, and the TPMS sensor
matching process is no longer
active. The TIRE LEARNING
ACTIVE message on the
DIC display screen goes off.
9. Turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF.
10. Set all four tires to the
recommended air pressure level
as indicated on the Tire and
Loading Information label.
11. Put the valve caps back on the
valve stems.Tire Inspection and
Rotation
We recommend that you
regularly inspect the vehicle’s
tires, including the spare tire, if
the vehicle has one, for signs of
wear or damage. SeeWhen It Is
Time for New Tires on page 5-50
for more information.
Tires should be rotated
every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km). See
Scheduled Maintenance on
page 6-3.
The purpose of a regular tire
rotation is to achieve a uniform
wear for all tires on the vehicle.
This will ensure that the vehicle
continues to perform most like it
did when the tires were new.
5-48 Service and Appearance Care

Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate the 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 5-50andWheel
Replacement on page 5-54.
When rotating the vehicle’s tires,
always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
If the vehicle has a compact
spare tire, do not include it in
the tire rotation.After the tires have been rotated,
adjust the front and rear ination
pressures as shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
SeeInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-42andLoading the
Vehicle on page 4-16.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. SeeTire Pressure
Monitor Operation on page 5-45.
Make certain that all wheel
nuts are properly tightened.
See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specifications on
page 5-92.
{CAUTION
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or
on the parts to which it is
fastened, can make wheel
nuts become loose after time.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
The wheel could come off and
cause an accident. 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 needed, to get all the
rust or dirt off. SeeChanging
a Flat Tire on page 5-65.
Make sure the spare tire, if
the vehicle has one, is stored
securely. Push, pull, and then
try to rotate or turn the tire. If it
moves, tighten the cable. See
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and
Tools on page 5-74.
Service and Appearance Care 5-49

When It Is Time for New
Tires
Various factors, such as
maintenance, temperatures,
driving speeds, vehicle loading,
and road conditions inuence when
you need new tires.
One way to tell when it is time for
new tires is to check the treadwear
indicators, which will appear when
the tires have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of tread remaining.You need new tires 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.
The rubber in tires degrades over
time, even if they are not being used.
This is also true for the spare tire, if
the vehicle has one. Multiple
conditions affect how fast this aging
takes place, including temperatures,
loading conditions, and ination
pressure maintenance. With propercare and maintenance tires typically
wear out before they degrade due to
age. If you are unsure about the
need to replace the tires as they get
older, consult the tire manufacturer
for more information.
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.
5-50 Service and Appearance Care

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. See
Tire Sidewall Labeling on
page 5-37for 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 can
affect the braking and handling
performance of your vehicle.SeeTire Inspection and Rotation
on page 5-48for 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 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 all wheels. It is all right
to drive with your compact
spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your
vehicle. SeeCompact Spare
Tire on page 5-77.
{CAUTION
If you use bias-ply tires on the
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 the 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 could give
an inaccurate low-pressure
warning if non-TPC Spec rated
tires are installed on your vehicle.
Service and Appearance Care 5-51

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.Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades
are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance
to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specied indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to
a level of performance which
all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. It should
be noted that the temperature
grade for this tire is established
for a tire that is properly
inated and not overloaded.
Service and Appearance Care 5-53

If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout
while you are driving, especially if
you maintain the tires properly. See
Tires on page 5-36. If air goes out of
a tire, It is much more likely to leak
out slowly. But if you should ever
have a blowout, here are a few tips
about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the at tire will
create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel rmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop well out of
the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and may
require the same correction you
would use in a skid. In any rearblowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle
under control by steering the way
you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well
off the road if possible.
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place and stopping.
1. Turn on the hazard warning
ashers. SeeHazard Warning
Flashers on page 3-5.
2. Park the vehicle. Set the parking
brake rmly and put the shift
lever in P (Park).
3. Turn off the engine.
4. Inspect the at tire.{CAUTION
Lifting a vehicle and getting under
it to do maintenance or repairs is
dangerous without the appropriate
safety equipment and training. If a
jack is provided with the vehicle, it
is designed only for changing a
at tire. If it is used for anything
else, you or others could be badly
injured or killed if the vehicle slips
off the jack. If a jack is provided
with the vehicle, only use it for
changing a at tire.
This vehicle may come with a jack
and spare tire or a tire sealant and
compressor kit. To use the jack and
spare tire, seeChanging a Flat Tire
on page 5-65. To use the tire sealant
and compressor kit, seeTire Sealant
and Compressor Kit on page 5-57.
5-56 Service and Appearance Care

Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit
{CAUTION
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed
area with poor ventilation is
dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust
contains Carbon Monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. Never run the
engine in an enclosed area that
has no fresh air ventilation. For
more information, seeEngine
Exhaust on page 2-30.
{CAUTION
Over-inating a tire could cause
the tire to rupture and you or
others could be injured. Be sure to
read and follow the tire sealant and
compressor kit instructions and
inate the tire to its recommended
pressure. Do not exceed the
recommended pressure.
{CAUTION
Storing the tire sealant and
compressor kit or other equipment
in the passenger compartment
of the vehicle could cause injury.
In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone.
Store the tire sealant and
compressor kit in its original
location.If this vehicle has a tire sealant and
compressor kit, there may not be a
spare tire, tire changing equipment,
and on some vehicles there may not
be a place to store a tire.
The tire sealant and compressor
can be used to temporarily seal
punctures up to
14inch (6 mm) in the
tread area of the tire. It can also be
used to inate an under inated tire.
If the tire has been separated from
the wheel, has damaged sidewalls,
or has a large puncture, the tire
is too severely damaged for the tire
sealant and compressor kit to be
effective. SeeRoadside Assistance
Program on page 7-6.
Read and follow all of the tire
sealant and compressor kit
instructions.
Service and Appearance Care 5-57