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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. SeeVehicle Load
Limits 0176.
A message to check the pressure in
a specific tire displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). 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) 0123 andTire
Messages 0133.
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
needs to 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 0176, for an example of the
Tire and Loading Information label
and its location. Also see Tire
Pressure 0300.
The TPMS can warn about a low
tire pressure condition but it does
not replace normal tire
maintenance. See Tire Inspection
0 306, Tire Rotation 0306, and
Tires 0292.
Caution
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.
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 pressure 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 the 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.
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Tires are rotated to achieve a
uniform wear for all tires. The
first rotation is the most
important.
Anytime unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as soon
as possible, check for proper tire
inflation pressure, and check for
damaged tires or wheels. If the
unusual wear continues after the
rotation, check the wheel
alignment. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires 0309 andWheel
Replacement 0313.Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires if the vehicle
has single rear wheels.
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 mi) of driving.
For proper torque and wheel nut
tightening information, see
“Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire” under
Tire Changing 0316.
The outer tire on a dual wheel
setup generally wears faster
than the inner tire. Tires last
longer and wear more evenly if
they are rotated. See Tire
Inspection 0306 and Tire
Rotation 0306. Also see
Maintenance Schedule 0346.
{Warning
If the vehicle is operated with a
tire that is underinflated, the tire
can overheat. An overheated tire
can lose air suddenly or catch
fire. You or others could be
injured. Properly inflate all tires,
including the spare.
See Tire Pressure 0300, for
information on proper tire
inflation.
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Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires if the vehicle
has dual rear wheels (except
polished forged aluminum
wheels).
Vehicles with polished forged
aluminum dual wheels have
three unique wheels; a front, a
rear outer and a rear inner.
These wheels cannot be rotated
to another position, however,
they can be rotated from left to
right to the same position.Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires if the vehicle
has polished forged aluminum
dual rear wheels. The spare
wheel can be used in any
position in the event of a flat tire,
and can be rotated with the rear
inner wheels. After the flat tire is
repaired, if the spare is not on
one of the inner rear positions, it
must be replaced by the correct
wheel in the front or rear outer
positions.
When installing dual wheels,
check that the vent holes in the
inner and outer wheels on each
side are lined up.
Adjust the front and rear tires to
the recommended inflation
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label after
the tires have been rotated. See
Tire Pressure0300 and Vehicle
Load Limits 0176. Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See
“Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications 0360.
{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, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
Lightly coat the inner diameter of
the wheel hub opening 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.
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Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. When
replacement tires are needed,
GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring
performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's
sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by MS for mudand snow. See
Tire Sidewall
Labeling 0294 for additional
information.
GM recommends replacing worn
tires in complete sets of four (six
for dual rear wheels). Uniform
tread depth on all tires will help
to maintain the performance of
the vehicle. Braking and
handling performance may be
adversely affected if all the tires
are not replaced at the same
time. If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires (six for dual rear
wheels) should wear out at
about the same time. See Tire
Rotation 0306 for information
on proper tire rotation. However,
if it is necessary to replace only
one axle set of worn tires, place
the new tires on the rear axle
(two for single rear wheels, four
for dual rear wheels).{Warning
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{Warning
Mixing tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may cause
loss of control of the vehicle,
resulting in a crash or other
vehicle damage. Use the
correct size, brand, and type
of tires on all wheels.
This vehicle may have a
different size spare than the
road tires originally installed
on the vehicle. When new, the
vehicle included a spare tire
and wheel assembly with a
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Warning (Continued)
similar overall diameter as the
road tires and wheels, so it is
all right to drive on it. The
spare tire was developed for
use on this vehicle and will not
affect vehicle handling.
{Warning
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment
tires may not be available for H,
V, W, Y and ZR speed rated
tires. Never exceed the winter tires’
maximum speed capability
when using winter tires with a
lower speed rating.
If the vehicle tires must be
replaced with a tire that does not
have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating, and
construction (radial) as the
original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire
pressure monitoring system
could give an inaccurate
low-pressure warning if non-TPC
Spec rated tires are installed.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
System 0302.
The Tire and Loading
Information label indicates the
original equipment tires on the
vehicle. See Vehicle Load Limits
0 176 for the label location and
more information about the Tire
and Loading Information label.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, electronic stability control,
or All-Wheel Drive, the performance
of these systems can also be
affected.
{Warning
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
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Warning (Continued)
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires 0310 and
Accessories and Modifications
0 252.
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 and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
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
controlled conditions on
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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 allpassenger 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.
Some aluminum wheels can be
repaired. See your dealer if any of
these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of
wheel that is needed.
Each new wheel should have the
same load-carrying capacity,
diameter, width, offset and be
mounted the same way as the one it
replaces.
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Replace wheels, wheel bolts, wheel
nuts, or Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) sensors with new
GM original equipment parts.
{Warning
Using 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.
Caution
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.Whenever a wheel, wheel bolt,
or wheel nut is replaced on a dual
wheel setup, check the wheel nut
torque after 160, 1 600 and
10 000 km (100, 1,000 and 6,000 mi)
of driving. For proper torque, see
“Wheel Nut Torque”
under
Capacities and Specifications 0360.
See If a Tire Goes Flat 0315 for
more information.
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
{Warning
Do 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
slowly 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 rear tires.
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