Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
318 VEHICLE CARE
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(3) 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.
DOT Tire Date of Manufacture
:
The last four digits of the TIN
indicate the tire manufactured
date. The first two digits represent
the week (01–52) and the last two
digits, the year. For example, the
third week of the year 2010 would
have a four-digit DOT date
of 0310.
(4) 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.
(5) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in the
sidewall and under the tread.
(6) 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
0 333.
(7) Maximum Cold Inf lation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the maximum
pressure needed to support
that load.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
VEHICLE CARE 319
Compact Spare Tire Example
(1) Tire Ply Material:The type
of cord and number of plies in the
sidewall and under the tread.
(2) Temporary Use Only
:The
compact spare tire or temporary
use tire should not be driven at
speeds over 80 km/h (50 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 0342 and
If a Tire Goes Flat 0336. (3) 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.
(4) Maximum Cold Inf lation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the maximum
pressure needed to support
that load.
(5) Tire Inf lation
: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 0322.
(6) 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.
(7) 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.
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The example shows a typical
passenger vehicle tire size.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
320 VEHICLE CARE
(1) 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.
(2) Tire Width
:The three-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from sidewall
to sidewall.
(3) 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 (3) of
the illustration, it would mean
that the tire's sidewall is
60 percent as high as it is wide.
(4) 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. (5) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
(6) 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 windows,
power seats, and air conditioning. Aspect Ratio
:The relationship of
a tire's height to its width.
Belt
:A rubber coated layer of
cords 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 0322.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including the
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
VEHICLE CARE 333
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 developed for the
vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a GM certified
technician.See
Buying New Tires 0331 and
Accessories and Modifications 0272.
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
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
VEHICLE CARE 335
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.
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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
be unknown. It could fail suddenly
and cause a crash. When replacing
wheels, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
Caution
Use tire chains only where legal and
only when necessary. Use low
profile chains that add no more
than 10 mm thickness to the tire
tread and inner sidewall. Use chains
that are the proper size for the tires.
Install them on the tires of the rear
axle. Do not use chains on the tires
of the front axle. Tighten them as
tightly as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and
follow the chain manufacturer's
instructions. If the chains contact
the vehicle, stop and retighten
them. If the contact continues, slow(Continued)