2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE tires

Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
10-48 Vehicle Care
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 9‑10.
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.
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 10‑49
andVehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑10.
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 in) of tread
remains. See When It Is Time
for New Tires on page 10‑57.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-49
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 10‑59.
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 9‑10.
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
capacity weight and the original
equipment tire size and
recommended inflation pressure.
See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑10.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of
air pressure to operate
effectively.
Notice: Neither tire
underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires
that do not have enough air,
can result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires that
have too much air, can
result in:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards.
The Tire and Loading
Information label on the vehicle
indicates the original equipment
tires and the correct cold tire
inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the
minimum air pressure needed to
support the vehicle's maximum
load carrying capacity.

Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
10-50 Vehicle Care
For additional information
regarding how much weight the
vehicle can carry, and an
example of the Tire and Loading
Information label, seeVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑10. How
the vehicle is loaded affects
vehicle handling and ride
comfort. Never load the vehicle
with more weight than it was
designed to carry.
When to Check
Check the tires once a month or
more. Do not forget the compact
spare tire, if the vehicle has one.
The compact spare should be at
420 kPa (60 psi). For additional
information regarding the
compact spare tire, see
Compact Spare Tire on
page 10‑80. How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
Proper tire inflation cannot be
determined by looking at the tire.
Check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold, meaning
the vehicle has not been driven
for at least three hours or no
more than 1.6 km (1 mi).
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 the recommended
pressure is reached. If the
inflation pressure is high, press
on the metal stem in the center
of the tire valve to release air.Re‐check the tire pressure with
the tire gauge.
Return the valve caps on the
valve stems to prevent leaks
and keep 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 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

Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-51
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
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 10‑52 for
additional information.

Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
10-52 Vehicle Care
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and
with Industry Canada
Standards
SeeRadio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑16 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
Rules and with Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/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 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 cluster.
If the warning light comes on, stop
as soon as possible and inflate the
tires to the recommended pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑10.
A message to check the pressure in
a specific tire displays in 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.
For additional information and details about the DIC operation and
displays see
Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑23.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
could be an early indicator that the
air pressure is getting low and must
be inflated to the proper pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information label
shows the size of the original
equipment tires and the correct
inflation pressure for the 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. Also see Tire
Pressure on page 10‑49.
The TPMS can warn about a low
tire pressure condition but it does
not replace normal tire
maintenance. See Tire Inspection
on page 10‑55, Tire Rotation on
page 10‑55 andTires on
page 10‑42.

Black plate (53,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-53
Notice:Tire sealant materials are
not all the same. A non-approved
tire sealant could damage the
TPMS sensors. TPMS sensor
damage caused by using an
incorrect tire sealant is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use only the
GM-approved tire sealant
available through your dealer or
included in the vehicle.
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 10‑65 for
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 also
displays. The malfunction light and
DIC warning message come on at
each ignition cycle until the problem
is corrected. Some of the conditions
that can cause these to come
on are:
.One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire.
The spare tire does not have a
TPMS sensor. The malfunction
light and DIC message should
go off after the road tire is
replaced and the sensor
matching process is performed
successfully. See "TPMS Sensor
Matching Process" later in this
section.
.The TPMS sensor matching
process was not done or
not completed successfully
after rotating the tires. The
malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off after
successfully completing the
sensor matching process.
See "TPMS Sensor Matching
Process" later in this section.
.One or more TPMS sensors are
missing or damaged. The DIC
message and the malfunction
light should go off when the
TPMS sensors are installed and
the sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See
your dealer for service.
.Replacement tires or wheels do
not match the original equipment
tires or wheels. Tires and wheels
other than those recommended
could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. See
Buying
New Tires on page 10‑57.
.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
properly, it cannot detect or signal a
low tire condition.

Black plate (54,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
10-54 Vehicle Care
See your dealer for service if the
TPMS malfunction light and DIC
message come on and stay on.
TPMS Sensor Matching
Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. The identification
code needs to be matched to a new
tire/wheel position after rotating the
tires or replacing one or more of the
TPMS sensors. The TPMS sensor
matching process should also be
performed after replacing a spare
tire with a road tire containing the
TPMS sensor. The malfunction light
and the DIC message should go off
at the next ignition cycle. The
sensors are matched to the tire/
wheel positions, using a TPMS
relearn tool, in the following order:
driver side front tire, passenger side
front tire, passenger side rear tire,
and driver side rear. See your
dealer for service or to purchase a
relearn tool.There are two minutes to match
the first tire/wheel position, and
five minutes overall to match all
four tire/wheel positions. If it takes
longer, the matching process stops
and must be restarted.
The TPMS sensor matching
process is:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with
the engine off.
3. Use the MENU button to select the Vehicle Information menu in
the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
4. Use the thumbwheel to scroll to the Tire Pressure menu item
screen.
5. Press the SET/CLR button to begin the sensor matching
process.
A message requesting
acceptance of the process
should display. 6. Press the SET/CLR button again
to confirm the selection.
The horn sounds twice to signal
the receiver is in relearn mode
and the TIRE LEARNING
ACTIVE message displays on
the DIC screen.
7. Start with the driver side front tire.
8. Place the relearn tool against the tire sidewall, near the valve
stem. Then press the button to
activate the TPMS sensor.
A horn chirp confirms that the
sensor identification code has
been matched to this tire and
wheel position.
9. Proceed to the passenger side front tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 8.
10. Proceed to the passenger side rear tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 8.

Black plate (55,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-55
11. Proceed to the driver side reartire, and repeat the procedure
in Step 8. The horn sounds
two times to indicate the
sensor identification code has
been matched to the driver
side rear tire, and the TPMS
sensor matching process is no
longer active. The TIRE
LEARNING ACTIVE message
on the DIC display screen
goes off.
12. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
13. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressure
level as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information label.Tire Inspection
We recommend that the tires,
including the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, be inspected
for signs of wear or damage at
least once a month.
Replace the tire if:
.The indicators at three or
more places around the tire
can be seen.
.There is 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.
Tire Rotation
Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km (7,500 mi). See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3.
Tires are rotated to achieve
a uniform wear for all tires.
The first rotation is the most
important.
Any time unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as soon
as possible and check the wheel
alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels.