CAUTION (Continued)
Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument panel.
Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
Climate Control System in the
Index.
For more information about carbon
monoxide, seeEngine Exhaust on
page 8-14.
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 exhaustRun the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm,
but be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat
this until help arrives but only when
you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. Moving about to keep
warm also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine
runs faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to
restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do
this as little as possible to save fuel.
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 9-65.
Driving and Operating 8-29
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 ofmost 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
speci ed 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 signi cantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices, and differences
in road characteristics and
climate.
9-62 Vehicle Service and Care
Do a safety check before
proceeding. SeeIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 9-66.
Inspect the damaged tire.
The sealant cannot seal sidewall
damage, large punctures, or a
tire that has unseated from
the wheel. SeeRoadside Assistance
Program on page 12-6.
Do not remove any objects that
have penetrated the tire.
1. Place the tire sealant and
compressor kit on the ground and
unwrap the sealant/air hose (E)
from the side of the compressor.
2. Remove the air compressor
accessory plug (B) from the unit.
Do not plug the plug in yet.3. Turn the tire valve stem cap
counterclockwise to remove.
4. Attach the sealant/air hose (E)
onto the tire valve stem.
Turn it clockwise until tight.
5. Make sure the sealant and
compressor kit on/off switch (A)
is in the O (off) position.
Plug the air compressor
accessory plug (B) into an
accessory power outlet in the
vehicle. SeeAccessory Power
Outlet(s) on page 4-9for
more information.
Do not slam door or close
window on the compressor
accessory plug cord.
{CAUTION
Idling the engine in a closed-in
place or with the climate control
system off can cause deadly
carbon monoxide (CO). See
Engine Exhaust on page 8-14.6. Start the vehicle. The vehicle
must be running while using
the air compressor.
{CAUTION
Overin ation could cause the tire
to rupture, and you or others
could be injured. Be sure to read
the in ator instructions, and in ate
the tire to its recommended
pressure. Do not exceed 36 psi
(248 kPa).
7. Push the On/Off switch (A) to the
I (on) position.
The kit will begin to inject sealant
into the tire. Sealant could leak
from the puncture hole until
the vehicle is driven and the hole
has sealed.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-69
{CAUTION
Idling the engine in a closed-in
place or with the climate control
system off can cause deadly
carbon monoxide (CO). See
Engine Exhaust on page 8-14.
5. Start the vehicle. The vehicle
must be running while using
the air compressor.
{CAUTION
Overin ation could cause the tire
to rupture, and you or others could
be injured. Be sure to read the
in ator instructions, and in ate the
tire to its recommended pressure.
Do not exceed 36 psi (248 kPa).
6. Push the On/Off switch (G) to
the I (on) position.
Check the pressure gage (F).
If there is not a pressure reading
while the compressor isrunning, check for leaks at the
connection between the
hose and the tire valve stem.
7. In ate the tire up to the
recommended in ation pressure
using the air pressure gage (F)
on the top of the unit. See
Inflation - Tire Pressure on
page 9-49.
The pressure gage (F) reads
slightly high while the compressor
is on. Turn the compressor off to
get an accurate reading. The
compressor may be turned on
and off until the correct pressure
is reached.
8. Push the On/Off switch (G) to
the O (off) position.
Be careful while handling the tire
sealant and compressor kit as
they could be hot after usage.
9. Unplug the air compressor
accessory plug (A) from the
accessory power outlet in
the vehicle and stow it in its
original location.10. Disconnect the air-only hose (E)
from the tire valve stem and
stow it back in its original
location.
11. Replace the tire valve
stem cap.
{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.
12. Place the equipment in the
original location in the trunk
of your vehicle.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-73