
Outward Facing Sidewall:The side of an
asymmetrical tire that has a particular side that
faces outward when mounted on a vehicle. The
side of the tire that contains a whitewall, bears
white lettering, or bears manufacturer, brand,
and/or model name molding that is higher or deeper
than the same moldings on the other sidewall of
the tire.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
:A tire used on
passenger cars and some light duty trucks and
multipurpose vehicles.
Recommended In ation Pressure
:Vehicle
manufacturer’s recommended tire inflation pressure
as shown on the tire placard. See In ation - Tire
Pressure on page 6-55 andLoading the Vehicle on
page 5-24.
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. See When It Is Time for New Tires on
page 6-64.
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 6-67.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The number of
designated seating positions multiplied by 150 lbs
(68 kg) plus the rated cargo load. See Loading
the Vehicle on page 5-24 .
Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire
:Load on an
individual tire due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and cargo weight.
6-54

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. If your vehicle has this
feature, TPMS sensors are mounted onto each tire and
wheel assembly, excluding the spare tire and wheel
assembly, if the vehicle has one. 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 turns on the low tire
pressure warning light
located on the instrument
panel cluster.
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 DIC Operation and
Displays on page 4-36 andDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4-38. 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 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
Loading the Vehicle on page 5-24 , for an
example of the Tire and Loading Information label and
its location on your vehicle. Also see In ation - Tire
Pressure on page 6-55 .
Your vehicle’s TPMS system can warn you about a low
tire pressure condition but it does not replace normal
tire maintenance. See Tire Inspection and Rotation
on page 6-62 andTires on page 6-48.
Notice: Using non-approved tire sealants could
damage the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
sensors. TPMS sensor damage caused by using
an incorrect tire sealant is not covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always use the GM approved tire
sealant available through your dealer/retailer.
Factory-installed Tire Inflator Kits use a GM approved
liquid tire sealant. Using non-approved tire sealants
could damage the TPMS sensors. See Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit on page 6-72 for information regarding
the inflator kit materials and instructions.
6-58

TPMS Malfunction Light and Message
The TPMS will not function properly if one or more of
the TPMS sensors are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the low tire warning light
flashes for about one minute and then stays on for the
remainder of the ignition cycle. A DIC warning message
is also displayed. The low tire warning light and DIC
warning message come on at each ignition cycle until the
problem is corrected. Some of the conditions that can
cause the malfunction light and DIC message to come
on are:
•One of the road tires has been replaced with the
spare tire, if the vehicle has one. The spare tire does
not have a TPMS sensor. The TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message should go off once you
re-install the road tire containing the TPMS sensor.
•The TPMS sensor matching process was started but
not completed or not completed successfully after
rotating the vehicle’s tires. The DIC message and
TPMS malfunction light should go off once the TPMS
sensor matching process is performed successfully.
See “TPMS Sensor Matching Process” later in this
section.
•One or more TPMS sensors are missing or
damaged. The DIC message and the TPMS
malfunction light should go off when the TPMS
sensors are installed and the sensor matching
process is performed successfully. See your dealer/
retailer for service.
•Replacement tires or wheels do not match your
vehicle’s original equipment tires or wheels. Tires
and wheels other than those recommended for your
vehicle could prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. SeeBuying New Tires on page 6-64 .
•Operating electronic devices or being near facilities
using radio wave frequencies similar to the TPMS
could cause the TPMS sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning it cannot detect or signal
a low tire condition. See your dealer/retailer for service if
the TPMS malfunction light and DIC message comes on
and stays on.
6-59

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 specified
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 significantly 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 specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
6-67

If the vehicle has an accessory power outlet, do not
use the cigarette lighter.
If the vehicle only has a cigarette lighter, use the
cigarette lighter.
Do not pinch the power plug cord in the door or
window.
7. Start the vehicle. The vehicle must be running while using the air compressor.
8. Press the on/off (D) button to turn the tire sealant and compressor kit on.
The compressor will inject sealant and air into
the tire.
The pressure gage (E) will initially show a high
pressure while the compressor pushes the sealant
into the tire. Once the sealant is completely
dispersed into the tire, the pressure will quickly drop
and start to rise again as the tire inflates with air only.
9. Inflate the tire to the recommended inflation pressure using the pressure gage (E). The
recommended inflation pressure can be found
on the Tire and Loading Information label. See
In ation - Tire Pressure on page 6-55 .
The pressure gage (E) may read higher than the
actual tire pressure while the compressor is on. Turn
the compressor off to get an accurate pressure
reading. The compressor may be turned on/off until
the correct pressure is reached. Notice:
If the recommended pressure cannot be
reached after approximately 25 minutes, the vehicle
should not be driven farther. The tire is too
severely damaged and the tire sealant and
compressor kit cannot in ate the tire. Remove the
power plug from the accessory power outlet
and unscrew the in ating hose from the tire valve.
See Roadside Assistance Program on page 8-7 .
10. Press the on/off button (D) to turn the tire sealant and compressor kit off.
The tire is not sealed and will continue to
leak air until the vehicle is driven and the
sealant is distributed in the tire, therefore,
Steps 11 through 17 must be done immediately
after Step 10.
Be careful while handling the tire sealant and
compressor kit as it could be warm after usage.
11. Unplug the power plug (C) from the accessory power outlet in the vehicle.
12. Turn the sealant/air hose (F) counterclockwise to remove it from the tire valve stem.
13. Replace the tire valve stem cap.
14. Replace the sealant/air hose (F), and the power plug (C) back in their original location.
6-75