Black plate (44,1)Chevrolet City Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707496) - 2015 - CRC - 11/26/14
10-44 Vehicle Care Warning (Continued)specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10-41 and Accessories and
Modifications on page 10-3 .
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements.
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades. Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet City Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707496) - 2015 - CRC - 11/26/14
Vehicle Care 10-45controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature
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 Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and
A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
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 were aligned
and balanced at the factory to
provide the longest tire life and best
overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing are not necessary on a regular
basis. Consider an alignment check
if there is unusual tire wear or the
vehicle is significantly pulling to one
side or the other. Some slight pull to
the left or right, depending on the
crown of the road and/or other road
surface variations such as troughs
or ruts, is normal. If the vehicle is
vibrating when driving on a smooth
road, the tires and wheels may 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.
Your dealer will know the kind of
wheel that is needed.
Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet City Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707496) - 2015 - CRC - 11/26/14
10-46 Vehicle Care Each new wheel should have the
same load-carrying capacity,
diameter, width, offset, and be
mounted the same way as the one it
replaces.
Replace wheels, wheel bolts, wheel
nuts, or Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) sensors with new
GM original equipment parts.
{ WarningUsing the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel
nuts can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of
the vehicle. Tires can lose air,
and cause loss of control, causing
a crash. Always use the correct
wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts for replacement. { CautionThe 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.
Used Replacement Wheels
{ Warning
Replacing a wheel with a used
one is dangerous. How it has
been used or how far it has been
driven may be unknown. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash.
When replacing wheels, use a
new GM original equipment
wheel. Tire Chains
{ WarningDo 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 loss of
control and a crash.
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for the vehicle's
tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that
manufacturer's instructions. To
avoid vehicle damage, drive slow
and readjust or remove the
traction device if it contacts the
vehicle. Do not spin the wheels.
If traction devices are used, install
them on the front tires.
Black plate (47,1)Chevrolet City Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707496) - 2015 - CRC - 11/26/14
Vehicle Care 10-47
If a Tire Goes Flat It is unusual for a tire to blow out
while driving, especially if the tires
are maintained properly. See Tires
on page 10-26 . If air goes out of a
tire, it is much more likely to leak
out slowly. But if there ever is a
blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction as
used in a skid. Stop pressing the
accelerator pedal and steer to
straighten the vehicle. It may be
very bumpy and noisy. Gently brake
to a stop, well off the road,
if possible. { WarningDriving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has been
driven on while severely
underinflated or flat may cause a
blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
that has been driven on while
severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.
{ Warning
Lifting a vehicle and getting under
it to do maintenance or repairs is
dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
(Continued) Warning (Continued) changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place, well off the road,
if possible. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. See Hazard
Warning Flashers on page 6-2 .
Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet City Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707496) - 2015 - CRC - 11/26/14
10-48 Vehicle Care
{ WarningChanging a tire can be
dangerous. The vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over or fall
causing injury or death. Find a
level place to change the tire. To
help prevent the vehicle from
moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic
transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in
1 (First) or R (Reverse).
3. Turn off the engine and do
not restart while the vehicle
is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to
remain in the vehicle.
5. Place wheel blocks,
if equipped, on both sides of
the tire at the opposite
corner of the tire being
changed. When the vehicle has a flat tire (2),
use the following example as a
guide to assist in the placement of
the wheel blocks (1), if equipped.
1. Wheel Block (If Equipped)
2. Flat Tire
The following information explains
how to repair or change a tire. Tire Changing Removing the Spare Tire and
Tools
The jack and tools are located
under the front passenger seat.
1. Move the passenger seat
rearward.
Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet City Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707496) - 2015 - CRC - 11/26/14
Vehicle Care 10-512. Turn the wheel wrench
counterclockwise to loosen all
the wheel nuts. Do not remove
the wheel nuts until the tire is off
the ground.
3. Position the jack under the
vehicle, as shown.
The jacking points are indicated
by stamped arrows on the side
of the frame. { WarningGetting under a vehicle when it is
jacked up is dangerous. If the
vehicle slips off the jack you could
be badly injured or killed. Never
get under a vehicle when it is
supported only by a jack.
{ WarningRaising the vehicle with the jack
improperly positioned can
damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help
avoid personal injury and vehicle
damage, be sure to fit the jack lift
head into the proper location
before raising the vehicle.
Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet City Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707496) - 2015 - CRC - 11/26/14
10-52 Vehicle Care
4. Install the assembled jack rod
into the jack, as shown.
5. Turn the jack lever and rod
clockwise to raise the vehicle.
Raise the vehicle until the tire is
off the ground.
6. Remove all the wheel nuts.
7. Remove the flat tire from the
mounting surface. { WarningRust 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, a cloth or a paper
(Continued) Warning (Continued) towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
8. Remove any rust or dirt from the
wheel bolts, mounting surfaces,
and spare wheel.
9. Place the spare tire on the
wheel-mounting surface.
Black plate (53,1)Chevrolet City Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707496) - 2015 - CRC - 11/26/14
Vehicle Care 10-53
{ WarningNever use oil or grease on bolts
or nuts because the nuts might
come loose. The vehicle's wheel
could fall off, causing a crash.
10. Put the wheel nuts back on.
Tighten each wheel nut by
hand until the wheel is held
against the hub.
11. Turn the jack lever and rod
counterclockwise to lower the
vehicle. Lower the jack
completely. { WarningWheel nuts that are not tight can
work loose. If all the nuts on a
wheel come off, the wheel can
come off the vehicle, causing a
crash. All wheel nuts must be
properly tightened. Follow the
rules in this section to be sure
they are.
{ WarningIf wheel studs are damaged, they
can break. If all the studs on a
wheel broke, the wheel could
come off and cause a crash.
If any stud is damaged because
of a loose-running wheel, it could
be that all of the studs are
damaged. To be sure, replace all
studs on the wheel. If the stud
holes in a wheel have become
larger, the wheel could collapse in
(Continued) Warning (Continued) operation. Replace any wheel if
its stud holes have become larger
or distorted in any way. Inspect
hubs and hub ‐ piloted wheels for
damage. Because of loose
running wheels, piloting pad
damage may occur and require
replacement of the entire hub, for
proper centering of the wheels.
When replacing studs, hubs,
wheel nuts or wheels, be sure to
use GM original equipment parts.
{ Warning
Wheel nuts that are improperly or
incorrectly tightened can cause
the wheels to become loose or
come off. The wheel nuts should
be tightened with a torque wrench
to the proper torque specification
after replacing. Follow the torque
(Continued)