
Vehicle Care 10-45
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.)
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 significantly
under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tiretread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is
not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been
equipped with a TPMS malfunction
indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as
long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation
of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function
properly.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
on page 10‑46for
additional information.
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) and
Industry and Science Canada
See Radio Frequency Statementon
page 13‑16for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
Rules and RSS-210/211 of Industry
and Science Canada.
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10-46 Vehicle Care
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, if the vehicle
has one. The TPMS sensors
monitor the air pressure in the
vehicle's tires and transmits 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.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) (With DIC Buttons)
on
page 5‑24or Driver Information
Center (DIC) (Without DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑30and Tire Messageson page 5‑39.
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 9‑10, for an example of the
Tire and Loading Information label
and its location on your vehicle.
Also see Tire Pressure
on
page 10‑43.
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 10‑49,Tire Rotationon
page 10‑49and Tires on
page 10‑37.
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Vehicle Care 10-47
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 10‑59for
information regarding the inflator kit
materials and instructions.
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 your 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.
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10-48 Vehicle Care
.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 10‑51.
.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.
TPMS Sensor Matching
Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. Any time you
rotate your vehicle's tires or replace
one or more of the TPMS sensors,
the identification codes will need to
be matched to the new tire/wheel
position. The sensors are matched
to the tire/wheel positions in the
following order: driver side front tire,
passenger side front tire, passenger
side rear tire, and driver side rear
tire using a TPMS diagnostic tool.
See your dealer/retailer for service.
The TPMS sensors can also be
matched to each tire/wheel position
by increasing or decreasing the
tire's air pressure. If increasing the
tire's air pressure, do not exceed
the maximum inflation pressure
indicated on the tire's sidewall.
To decrease air-pressure out of a
tire you can use the pointed end of
the valve cap, a pencil-style air
pressure gage, or a key. You have two minutes to match the
first tire/wheel position, and
five minutes overall to match all four
tire/wheel positions. If it takes longer
than two minutes, to match the first
tire and wheel, or more than
five minutes to match all four tire
and wheel positions the matching
process stops and you need to
start over.
The TPMS sensor matching process
is outlined below:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition switch to
ON/RUN with the engine off.
3. Press the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter's LOCK and
UNLOCK buttons at the same
time for approximately
five seconds. The horn sounds
twice to signal the receiver is
in relearn mode and TIRE
LEARNING ACTIVE message
displays on the DIC screen.
4. Start with the driver side front tire.
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10-50 Vehicle Care
When rotating the vehicle's tires,
always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
If the vehicle has a compact
spare tire, do not include it in the
tire rotation.After the tires have been
rotated, adjust the front and rear
inflation pressures as shown on
the Tire and Loading Information
label. See
Tire Pressure
on
page 10‑43
and Vehicle Load
Limits
on page 9‑10.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation
on page 10‑46.
Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See
“Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specifications
on
page 12‑2
.
{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, use a cloth or a
paper towel to do this; but be sure
to use a scraper or wire brush
later, if needed, to get all the rust
or dirt off. See If a Tire Goes Flat
on page 10‑57.
Make sure the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, is stored
securely. Push, pull, and then try
to rotate or turn the tire. If it
moves, tighten the cable. See
Tire Changing
on page 10‑67.
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Vehicle Care 10-51
When It Is Time for New
Tires
Various factors, such as
maintenance, temperatures, driving
speeds, vehicle loading, and road
conditions influence when you need
new tires.
One way to tell when it is time for
new tires is to check the treadwear
indicators, which appear when the
tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) or
less of tread remaining.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.
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Vehicle Care 10-55
Temperature–A, B, C
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
It should be noted that the temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels on the vehicle
were aligned and balanced carefully
at the factory to give the longest tire
life and best overall performance.
Adjustments to wheel alignment and
tire balancing will not be necessary
on a regular basis. However, if there
is unusual tire wear or the vehicle
pulls to one side or the other, the
alignment should be checked. If the
vehicle vibrates when driving on a
smooth road, the tires and wheels
might need to be rebalanced. See
your dealer/retailer for proper
diagnosis.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent,
cracked or badly rusted or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose,
the wheel, wheel bolts and wheel
nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except
some aluminum wheels, which can
sometimes be repaired). See your
dealer/retailer if any of these
conditions exist.
Your dealer/retailer will know the
kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the
same load-carrying capacity,
diameter, width, offset and be
mounted the same way as the
one it replaces.
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10-56 Vehicle Care
If you need to replace any of your
wheels, wheel bolts or wheel nuts,
replace them only with new Saturn
original equipment parts. This way,
you will be sure to have the right
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.
{WARNING
Using the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel
nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the
braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air
and make you lose control. You
could have a collision in which
you or others could be injured.
Always use the correct wheel,
wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for
replacement.Notice:
The wrong wheel can
also cause problems with bearing
life, brake cooling, speedometer
or odometer calibration,
headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance, and tire
or tire chain clearance to the
body and chassis.
See If a Tire Goes Flat
on
page 10‑57for more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{WARNING
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
{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.
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.
(Continued)
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