
Black plate (19,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-19
above the door latch post. The
Tire and Loading Information
label shows the number of
occupant seating positions (A),
and the maximum vehicle
capacity weight (B) in kilograms
and pounds.
The Tire and Loading
Information label also shows the
size of the original equipment
tires (C) and the recommended
cold tire inflation pressures (D).
For more information on tires
and inflation seeTires on
page 10‑48 andTire Pressure
on page 10‑54.
There is also important
information on the Certification/
Tire label. It tells you the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
and the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axles. See
“Certification/
Tire Label” later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1.
Locate the statement
“The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs”on your vehicle's
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs and there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle,
the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400
−750
(5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, the load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo
and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.

Black plate (2,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
10-2 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62 Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Different Size Tires and
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-67
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Secondary Latch System . . . 10-82
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-85
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-86
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-100
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-102

Black plate (48,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
10-48 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer.
See the warranty manual for
information regarding the tire
warranty and where to get
service. For additional
information refer to the tire
manufacturer.
{WARNING
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can
cause overheating as a result
of too much flexing. There
could be a blowout and a
serious crash. SeeVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑18.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Underinflated tires pose the
same danger as overloaded
tires. The resulting crash
could cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure
should be checked when
the tires are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact—such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep tires at
the recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can cause a
crash. If the tread is badly
worn, replace them.
.Replace any tires that have
been damaged by impacts
with potholes, curbs, etc.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Improperly repaired tires can
cause a crash. Only the
dealer or an authorized tire
service center should repair,
replace, dismount, and
mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 55 km/h (35 mph)
on slippery surfaces such
as snow, mud, ice, etc.
Excessive spinning may
cause the tires to explode.

Black plate (49,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-49
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a
tire is molded into its sidewall.
The examples show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a
compact spare tire sidewall.
Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire Example
(A) Tire Size:The tire size is a
combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type, and service description. See the
“Tire Size”
illustration later in this
section for more detail.
(B) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department of
Transportation)
:The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that
the tire is in compliance with
the U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
(D) Tire Identification
Number (TIN)
:The letters and
numbers following the DOT
(Department of Transportation) code are the Tire Identification
Number (TIN). The TIN shows
the manufacturer and plant
code, tire size, and date the tire
was manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(E) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(F) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
see Uniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 10‑65.
(G) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load
that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.

Black plate (50,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
10-50 Vehicle Care
Compact Spare Tire Example
(A) Tire Ply Material:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(B) Temporary Use Only
:
The compact spare tire or
temporary use tire has a tread
life of approximately 5 000 km
(3,000 mi) and should not
be driven at speeds over
105 km/h (65 mph). The compact spare tire is for
emergency use when a regular
road tire has lost air and gone
flat. If the vehicle has a compact
spare tire, see
Compact Spare
Tire on page 10‑85 andIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 10‑69.
(C) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code are the
Tire Identification Number (TIN).
The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.
(D) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load. (E) Tire Inflation
:
The temporary use tire or
compact spare tire should be
inflated to 420 kPa (60 psi).
For more information on tire
pressure and inflation see
Tire
Pressure on page 10‑54.
(F) Tire Size
:A combination of
letters and numbers define a
tire's width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type, and service
description. The letter T as the
first character in the tire size
means the tire is for temporary
use only.
(G) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.

Black plate (51,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-51
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The following is an example of a
typical passenger vehicle
tire size.
(A) Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire:
The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The
letter P as the first character in
the tire size means a passenger
vehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association.
(B) Tire Width
:The three‐digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall. (C) Aspect Ratio
:A two‐digit
number that indicates the tire
height‐to‐width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 60, as shown in
item C of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire's sidewall is
60 percent as high as it is wide.
(D) Construction Code
:
A letter code is used to indicate
the type of ply construction in
the tire. The letter R means
radial ply construction; the
letter D means diagonal or bias
ply construction; and the letter B
means belted‐bias ply
construction.
(E) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
(F) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of
air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch
of the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch).
Accessory Weight
:The
combined weight of optional
accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are
automatic transmission, power
steering, power brakes, power
windows, power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship
of a tire's height to its width.

Black plate (52,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
10-52 Vehicle Care
Belt:A rubber coated layer of
cords that is located between
the plies and the tread. Cords
may be made from steel or other
reinforcing materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains
steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto
the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire
in which the plies are laid at
alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a tire,
measured in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch)
before a tire has built up heat
from driving. See Tire Pressure
on page 10‑54.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil,
and coolant, but without
passengers and cargo.
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 9‑18.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the front axle.
See Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑18. GAWR RR
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the rear axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑18.
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.

Black plate (53,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-53
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 9‑18.
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 10‑54 and
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑18.
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 10‑62.