
Black plate (63,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-63
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.
SeeUniform Tire Quality
Grading
on page 10‑78.
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 9‑23.
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 9‑23.
Tire Pressure
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.

Black plate (64,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
10-64 Vehicle Care
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,
seeVehicle Load Limits
on
page 9‑23
. How you load your
vehicle affects vehicle handling
and ride comfort. Never load
your vehicle with more weight
than it was designed to carry. When to Check
Check your tires once a month
or more.
Do not forget to check the
pressure of the spare tire, if your
vehicle has one. See
Full-Size
Spare Tire
on page 10‑95for
additional information.
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 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.
Recheck 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.

Black plate (65,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-65
Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation
{WARNING
Driving at high speeds, 160 km/h
(100 mph) or higher, puts an
additional strain on tires.
Sustained high-speed driving
causes excessive heat build up
and can cause sudden tire failure.
You could have a crash and you
or others could be killed. Some
high-speed rated tires require
inflation pressure adjustment
for high speed operation. When
speed limits and road conditions
are such that a vehicle can be
driven at high speeds, make sure
the tires are rated for high speed
operation, in excellent condition,
and set to the correct cold tire
inflation pressure for the
vehicle load.Vehicles with P265/70R17 or
P275/55R20 size tires require
inflation pressure adjustment
when driving the vehicle at speeds
of 160 km/h (100 mph) or higher.
Set the cold tire inflation pressure
to 20 kPa (3 psi) above the
recommended cold tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label.
When you end this high‐speed
driving, return the tires to the cold
inflation pressure shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label.
See
Vehicle Load Limits
on
page 9‑23and Tire Pressureon
page 10‑63.
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 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.)

Black plate (66,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
10-66 Vehicle Care
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
tire tread 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 10‑67for
additional information.

Black plate (67,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-67
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) and
Industry Canada
SeeRadio Frequency Statementon
page 13‑18for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission
(FCC) rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-210/220/310.
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 transmits the
tire pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure
condition is detected, the TPMS
will illuminate the low tire pressure
warning symbol located on the
instrument panel cluster. If the
warning light comes on, stop
as soon as possible and inflate
the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the tire loading
information label. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑23.
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. If your vehicle has DIC
buttons, 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 5‑34and Tire Messageson
page 5‑51.
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.

Black plate (69,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-69
.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 10‑75.
.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 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 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.

Black plate (72,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
10-72 Vehicle Care
If your vehicle has dual rear
wheels and the tread design for
the front tires is the same as the
rear tires, always use one of the
correct rotation patterns shown
here when rotating the tires.If your vehicle has dual rear
wheels and the tread design
for the front tires is different
from the dual rear tires, always
use the correct rotation pattern
shown here when rotating the
tires.The dual tires are rotated as a
pair, and the inside rear tires
become the outside rear tires.
When you install dual wheels,
be sure the vent holes in the
inner and outer wheels on each
side are lined up.
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 10‑63and
Vehicle Load Limits
on
page 9‑23
.
Make certain that all wheel
nuts are properly tightened.
See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specifications
on
page 12‑2
.

Black plate (73,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-73
{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. SeeIf a Tire Goes Flat
on page 10‑81.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on
the wheel nuts or bolts.
If your vehicle has a Tire
Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), reset the TPMS
sensors after rotating the tires.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
on page 10‑67.
Make sure the spare tire,
if your vehicle has one, is stored
securely. Push, pull, and then
try to rotate or turn the tire.
If it moves, tighten the cable.
See “Storing a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools” underTire Changing
on page 10‑83.
Dual Tire Rotation
When the vehicle is new,
or whenever a wheel, wheel
bolt or wheel nut is replaced,
check the wheel nut torque
after 160, 1 600 and 10 000 km
(100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles) of
driving. For proper torque and wheel
nut tightening information, see
“Removing the Spare Tire and
Tools” underTire Changing
on
page 10‑83.