2009 GMC SIERRA 1500 winter tires

Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow or ice between the
tires and the road, creating less traction or grip. Wet ice
can occur at about 32°F (0°C) when freezing rain
begins to fall, resulting in even less traction. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the condition. Accelerate
gently so traction is not lost. Accelerating too quickly
causes the wheels to spin and makes the surface under
the tires slick, so there is even less traction.
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.
TheStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-6improves the
ability to accelerate on slippery roads, but slow down
and adjust your driving to the road conditions. When
driving through deep snow, turn off the traction control
part of the StabiliTrak
®System to help maintain
vehicle motion at lower speeds.TheAntilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-5improves
vehicle stability during hard stops on a slippery roads,
but apply the brakes sooner than when on dry
pavement.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road
and watch for slippery spots. Icy patches can occur on
otherwise clear roads in shaded areas. The surface
of a curve or an overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped, on slippery surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be in a serious situation. Stay
with the vehicle unless there is help nearby. If possible,
use theRoadside Assistance Program on page 7-7.
To get help and keep everyone in the vehicle safe:
Turn on theHazard Warning Flashers on page 3-8.
Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
4-30

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.
5-89

Bulb Replacement (cont.)
License Plate Lamps....................................5-65
Pickup Box Identication and Fender Marker
Lamps ....................................................5-63
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps........................................5-63
Buying New Tires...........................................5-86
C
Calibration.....................................................3-63
California
Perchlorate Materials Requirements................. 5-5
California Fuel.................................................. 5-7
California Proposition 65 Warning....................... 5-5
Camera, Rear Vision.......................................2-64
Canadian Owners............................................... iii
Capacities and Specications..........................5-131
Carbon Monoxide
Engine Exhaust...........................................2-55
Tailgate......................................................2-13
Winter Driving.............................................4-30
Care of
Safety Belts..............................................5-118
Cargo
Lamp .........................................................3-21Cargo Management System.............................2-83
CD, MP3 ............................................3-106, 3-111
Center Console Storage...................................2-81
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp...............................................5-62
Center Seat...................................................1-13
Chains, Tire...................................................5-92
Charging System Light....................................3-41
Check
Engine Lamp..............................................3-45
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-14
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-122
Child Restraints
Infants and Young Children...........................1-41
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children..........1-49
Older Children.............................................1-38
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat
Position..................................................1-58
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Front Seat Position...................................1-61
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position..................1-62, 1-66, 1-70
Systems.....................................................1-45
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-48
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-23
Circuit Breakers............................................5-124
3

Vehicle Customization, DIC..............................3-75
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy..................7-17
Vehicle Data Recording, Radio
Frequency (RFID)........................................7-19
Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN)............................................5-122
Service Parts Identication Label..................5-123
Vehicle, Remote Start....................................... 2-7
Ventilation Adjustment......................................3-33
Visors...........................................................2-18
Voltmeter Gage..............................................3-41
W
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators...............3-33
Warnings
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-66
Hazard Warning Flashers............................... 3-8
Safety and Symbols......................................... iv
Wheels
Alignment and Tire Balance..........................5-90
Different Size..............................................5-88
Replacement...............................................5-90
When It Is Time for New Tires..........................5-86Where to Put the Child Restraint.......................1-48
Windows.......................................................2-15
Manual......................................................2-16
Power ........................................................2-16
Sliding Rear................................................2-17
Windshield
Rainsense™ II Wipers..................................3-11
Washer......................................................3-12
Washer Fluid..............................................5-40
Wiper Blade Replacement.............................5-66
Wiper Blades, Cleaning..............................5-120
Wiper Fuses.............................................5-123
Wipers.......................................................3-10
Winter Driving................................................4-30
X
XM Radio Messages.....................................3-117
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System..............3-142
Y
Your Vehicle and the Environment....................... 6-2
16