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 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.
Service and Appearance Care 5-57
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Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION
Putting a used wheel on your
vehicle is dangerous. You cannot
know how it has been used or
how far it has been driven. It
could fail suddenly and cause a
crash. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new Saturn original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION
Do not use tire chains. There is
not enough clearance. Tire chains
used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes,
suspension or other vehicle parts.
The area damaged by the tire
chains could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle and you or
others may be injured in a crash.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for use on the
vehicle and tire size combination
and road conditions. Follow
that manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to the
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or
remove the device if it is contacting
the vehicle, and do not spin the
vehicle’s wheels. If you do nd
traction devices that will t, install
them on the front tires.
5-60 Service and Appearance Care
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