Vehicle Care 9-51
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 1.6 mm
(1/16 inch) of tread remains.
See When It Is Time for New
Tires
on page 9‑59.
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. See Uniform
Tire Quality Grading
on
page 9‑62
. Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The
number of designated seating
positions multiplied by 68 kg
(150 lbs) plus the rated cargo
load. See Vehicle Load Limits
on
page 8‑22
.
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 inflation pressure.
See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits
on page 8‑22.
Vehicle Care 9-53
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
You cannot tell if your tires are
properly inflated simply by
looking at them. Radial tires may
look properly inflated even when
they are under‐inflated. Check
the tire's inflation pressure when
the tires are cold. Cold means
your vehicle has been sitting for
at least three hours or driven no
more than 1.6 km (1 mile).
Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gauge firmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement.If the cold tire inflation pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label, no
further adjustment is necessary.
If the inflation pressure is low,
add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
If you overfill 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 gauge.
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 inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires.)
Vehicle Care 9-55
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and wheel
assembly, excluding the spare tire
and wheel assembly. The TPMS
sensors monitor the air pressure in
the vehicle's tires and transmit the
tire pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS illuminates
the low tire pressure warning light
located on the instrument panel
cluster. If the warning light comes
on, stop as soon as possible andinflate the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the tire loading
information label. See
Vehicle Load
Limits on page 8‑22.
At the same time a message to
check the pressure in a specific tire
appears on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) display. The low tire
pressure warning light and the DIC
warning message come on at each
ignition cycle until the tires are
inflated to the correct inflation
pressure. Using the DIC, tire
pressure levels can be viewed by
the driver. For additional information
and details about the DIC operation
and displays see Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 4‑25.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as you start to drive. This
could be an early indicator that the
air pressure in the tire(s) are getting
low and need to be inflated to the
proper pressure. A Tire and Loading Information
label, attached to your vehicle,
shows the size of your vehicle's
original equipment tires and the
correct inflation pressure for your
vehicle's tires when they are cold.
See
Vehicle Load Limits
on
page 8‑22, for an example of the
Tire and Loading Information label
and its location on your vehicle.
Also see Tire Pressure
on
page 9‑52.
Your vehicle's TPMS can warn you
about a low tire pressure condition
but it does not replace normal tire
maintenance. See Tire Inspection
on page 9‑58,Tire Rotationon
page 9‑58and Tires on page 9‑45.
Notice: Liquid tire sealants could
damage the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) sensors. Sensor
damage caused by using a tire
sealant is not covered by your
warranty. Do not use liquid tire
sealants.
9-60 Vehicle Care
The vehicle needs 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. This is also true for the spare
tire, if the vehicle has one, even
if it is not being used. Multiple
conditions affect how fast this aging
takes place, including temperatures,
loading conditions, and inflation
pressure maintenance. With proper
care 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
specific 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
Specification (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.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications 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 9‑46
for 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.
Vehicle Care 9-61
SeeTire Inspectionon page 9‑58
andTire Rotationon page 9‑58
for information on proper tire
rotation.
{WARNING
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. See Compact
Spare Tire
on page 9‑76.
{WARNING
If you use bias-ply tires on the
vehicle, the wheel rim flanges
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. Non‐TPC
Spec rated tires may give a
low‐pressure warning that is
higher or lower than the proper
warning level you would get with
TPC Spec rated tires. See
Tire
Pressure Monitor System
on
page 9‑53
.
Your vehicle's original
equipment tires are listed on the
Tire and Loading Information
Label. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 8‑22, for more
information about the Tire and
Loading Information Label and
its location on your vehicle.
9-62 Vehicle Care
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a
different size than your original
equipment wheels and tires, this
could affect the way your vehicle
performs, including its braking, ride
and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover.
Additionally, if your vehicle has
electronic systems such as anti‐lock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, and electronic stability
control, the performance of these
systems can be affected.
{WARNING
If you add different sized wheels,
your vehicle may not provide an
acceptable level of performance
and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels
are selected. You may increase
the chance that you will crash and
suffer serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for your vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires
on
page 9‑60and Accessories and
Modificationson page 9‑3for
additional information.
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.
9-66 Vehicle Care
Used Replacement Wheels
{WARNING
Putting a used wheel on the
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 GM original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{WARNING
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)
WARNING (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 find
traction devices that will fit, install
them on the front tires.
9-74 Vehicle Care
16. Reinstall the wheel nuts.Tighten each nut by hand until
the wheel is held against
the hub.
17. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise.
{WARNING
Wheel nuts that are improperly or
incorrectly tightened can cause
the wheels to become loose or
come off. The wheel nuts should
be tightened with a torque wrench
to the proper torque specification
after replacing. Follow the torque
specification supplied by the
aftermarket manufacturer when
using accessory locking wheel
nuts. See Capacities and
Specifications
on page 11‑2for
original equipment wheel nut
torque specifications. Notice:
Improperly tightened
wheel nuts can lead to brake
pulsation and rotor damage. To
avoid expensive brake repairs,
evenly tighten the wheel nuts in
the proper sequence and to the
proper torque specification. See
Capacities and Specifications
on
page 11‑2for the wheel nut
torque specification.
18. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a crisscross sequence, as
shown. 19. Lower the jack all the way and
remove the jack from under the
vehicle.
20. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly with the wheel wrench.
When reinstalling the wheel cover
or center cap on the full-size tire,
tighten all five plastic caps hand
snug with the aid of the wheel
wrench and tighten them with
the wheel wrench an additional
one‐quarter of a turn.
Notice: Wheel covers will not fit
on your vehicle's compact spare.
If you try to put a wheel cover on
the compact spare, the cover or
the spare could be damaged.