2009 PONTIAC G3 tire size

Your Driving, the Road, and
the Vehicle
Driving for Better Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here are some
driving tips to get the best fuel economy possible.
Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
Avoid idling the engine for long periods of time.
When road and weather conditions are appropriate,
use cruise control, if equipped.
Always follow posted speed limits or drive more
slowly when conditions require.
Keep vehicle tires properly inated.
Combine several trips into a single trip.
Replace the vehicle’s tires with the same TPC Spec
number molded into the tire’s sidewall near the size.
Follow recommended scheduled maintenance.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always expect the
unexpected.” The rst step in driving defensively is
to wear your safety belt — SeeSafety Belts: They Are
for Everyone on page 1-14.
{CAUTION:
Assume that other road users (pedestrians,
bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they
might do and be ready. In addition:
Allow enough following distance between you
and the driver in front of you.
Focus on the task of driving.
Driver distraction can cause collisions resulting in
injury or possible death. These simple defensive
driving techniques could save your life.
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Tire and Loading Information
Label - United States
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 (striker).The Tire and 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 5-50andInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-57.
There is also important loading information on the
Certication label. See “Certication Label”
later in this section.
Label Example
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Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-58
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................5-60
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-62
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-63
Buying New Tires.........................................5-64
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-66
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-66
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-68
Wheel Replacement......................................5-68
Tire Chains..................................................5-69
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-70
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-70
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-72
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-73
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-78
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-78
Appearance Care............................................5-79
Interior Cleaning...........................................5-79
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-80
Leather.......................................................5-81
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces........................................5-81
Interior Plastic Components............................5-81
Glass Surfaces.............................................5-82Care of Safety Belts......................................5-82
Weatherstrips...............................................5-82
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-82
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-83
Finish Care..................................................5-83
Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-84
Aluminum Wheels.........................................5-84
Tires...........................................................5-85
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-85
Finish Damage.............................................5-85
Underbody Maintenance................................5-86
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-86
Vehicle Identication......................................5-86
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN).................5-86
Service Parts Identication Label.....................5-87
Electrical System............................................5-87
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-87
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-87
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-88
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-88
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-88
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..........................5-89
Engine Compartment Fuse Block....................5-90
Capacities and Specications..........................5-93
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into
its sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger car 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) 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.
(C) 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.
(D) Tire Ply Material
:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under the tread.
(E) 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 5-66.
Passenger Car Tire Example
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(F) 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 5-57
andLoading the Vehicle on page 4-18.(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.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on page 5-78andIf a
Tire Goes Flat on page 5-70.
(B) Tire Ply Material
:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under the tread.
(C) Tire Identication Number (TIN)
: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.
(D) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit
:Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on page 5-78and
Loading the Vehicle on page 4-18.
Compact Spare Tire Example
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(E) Tire Ination:The temporary use tire or
compact spare tire should be inated to 60 psi
(420 kPa). For more information on tire pressure
and ination seeInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-57.
(F) Tire Size
:A combination of letters and
numbers dene a tire’s width, height, aspect
ratio, construction type and service description.
The letter T as the rst character in the tire size
means the tire is for temporary use only.
Tire Size
The following illustration shows an example of a
typical passenger car 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 70, as
shown in item C of the illustration, it would mean
that the tire’s sidewall is 70% 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
:These characters
represent the load index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents the load carry
capacity a tire is certied to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a tire is certied
to carry a load.
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Radial Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in which
the ply cords that extend to the beads are laid
at 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread.
Rim
:A metal support for a tire and upon which
the tire beads are seated.
Sidewall
:The portion of a tire between the tread
and the bead.
Speed Rating
:An alphanumeric code assigned to
a tire indicating the maximum speed at which a
tire can operate.
Traction
:The friction between the tire and the
road surface. The amount of grip provided.
Tread
:The portion of a tire that comes into
contact with the road.
Treadwear Indicators
:Narrow bands, sometimes
called wear bars, that show across the tread of a
tire when only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread remains.
SeeWhen It Is Time for New Tires on page 5-63.UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards)
:A tire information system that
provides consumers with ratings for a tire’s
traction, temperature, and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers using government
testing procedures. The ratings are molded into
the sidewall of the tire. SeeUniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 5-66.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The number of
designated seating positions multiplied by 150 lbs
(68 kg) plus the rated cargo load. SeeLoading
the Vehicle on page 4-18.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire
:Load on
an individual tire due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard
:A label permanently attached
to a vehicle showing the vehicle’s capacity
weight and the original equipment tire size and
recommended ination pressure. See “Tire and
Loading Information Label” underLoading the
Vehicle on page 4-18.
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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
under-inated. 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
ination 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.
Re-check 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.
Tire Pressure Monitor System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) uses radio
and sensor technology to check tire pressure levels.
The TPMS sensors monitor the air pressure in your
vehicle’s tires and transmit tire pressure readings to a
receiver located in the vehicle.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be
checked monthly when cold and inated to the ination
pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
on the vehicle placard or tire ination pressure label.
(If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire ination
pressure label, you should determine the proper
tire ination pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when one
or more of your tires is signicantly under-inated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale
illuminates, you should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a signicantly under-inated
tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-ination also reduces fuel efficiency and
tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling
and stopping ability.
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