Black plate (55,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-55
DOT Markings:A code
molded into the sidewall of
a tire signifying that the tire
is in compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
(DOT) motor vehicle safety
standards. The DOT code
includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric
designator which can also
identify the tire manufacturer,
production plant, brand, and
date of production.
GVWR
:Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑24.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle
Weight Rating for the front axle.
See Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑24.
GAWR RR
:Gross Axle
Weight Rating for the rear axle.
See Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑24. Intended Outboard Sidewall
:
The side of an asymmetrical tire,
that must always face outward
when mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa)
:The metric
unit for air pressure.
Light Truck (LT‐Metric) Tire
:
A tire used on light duty trucks
and some multipurpose
passenger vehicles.
Load Index
:An assigned
number ranging from 1 to 279
that corresponds to the load
carrying capacity of a tire.
Maximum Inflation Pressure
:
The maximum air pressure to
which a cold tire can be inflated.
The maximum air pressure is
molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating
:
The load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible inflation
pressure for that tire. Maximum Loaded Vehicle
Weight
:The sum of curb
weight, accessory weight,
vehicle capacity weight, and
production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight
:The
number of occupants a vehicle
is designed to seat multiplied by
68 kg (150 lbs). See Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑24.
Occupant Distribution
:
Designated seating positions.
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.
Black plate (56,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-56 Vehicle Care
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:
A tire used on passenger cars
and some light duty trucks and
multipurpose vehicles.
Recommended Inflation
Pressure
:Vehicle
manufacturer's recommended
tire inflation pressure as
shown on the tire placard.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑57 andVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑24.
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 1.6 mm
(1/16 inch) of tread remains.
See When It Is Time for New
Tires on page 10‑65. 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 10‑69.
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 9‑24.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight.
Black plate (57,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-57
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 9‑24.
Tire Pressure
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
Tires need the correct amount
of air pressure to operate
effectively. Notice:
Do not let anyone tell
you that under‐inflation or
over‐inflation is all right. It is
not. If your tires do not have
enough air (under‐inflation),
you can get the following:
.Tire overloading and
over-heating which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air
(over‐inflation), you can get
the following:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards. A vehicle specific Tire and
Loading Information label
is attached to your vehicle.
This label shows your vehicle's
original equipment tires and the
correct inflation pressures for
your tires when they are cold.
The recommended cold tire
inflation pressure, shown on the
label, is the minimum amount of
air pressure needed to support
your vehicle's maximum load
carrying capacity.
For additional information
regarding how much weight
your vehicle can carry, and an
example of the Tire and Loading
Information label, see
Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑24.
How you load your vehicle
affects vehicle handling and
ride comfort. Never load your
vehicle with more weight than
it was designed to carry.
Black plate (71,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-71
required by law. Warning: 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 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 if any of these
conditions exist.
Your dealer 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.
If you need to replace any of the
wheels, wheel bolts, wheel nuts,
or Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) sensors, replace them only
with new GM original equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts,
wheel nuts, and TPMS sensors for
the 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 10‑73 for more information.
