DRIVING AND OPERATING 243
Tires
.Do not tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire on the vehicle.
. Tires must be properly inflated to
support loads while towing a
trailer. See Tires0282 for
instructions on proper tire
inflation.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer, and attach the
chains to the holes on the trailer hitch
platform. Instructions about safety
chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent
the tongue from contacting the road if
it becomes separated from the hitch.
Always leave just enough slack so the
combination can turn. Never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 450 kg (1,000 lb)
must be equipped with brake systems
and with brakes for each axle. Trailer braking equipment conforming to
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
requirement CAN3-D313, or its
equivalent, is recommended.
State or local regulations may require
trailers to have their own braking
system if the loaded weight of the
trailer exceeds certain requirements
that can vary from state to state.
Read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes so they are installed,
adjusted, and maintained properly.
Never attempt to tap into your
vehicle's hydraulic brake system.
If you do, both the vehicle anti-lock
brakes and the trailer brakes may not
function and could result in a crash.
Trailer Wiring
The trailer wiring harness (if
equipped), with a seven-pin connector
is located at the rear of the vehicle,
and it is tied to the vehicle's frame.
If the vehicle is not equipped with a
seven-pin trailer connector, the body
harness has provisions to connect a
trailer harness and a seven-pin trailer
connector which is available through
your dealer.
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications for
proper electrical connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains the
following trailer circuits:
Stop/Turn
Signal Left Yellow/Blue
Stop/Turn Signal
Right Green/Brown
DRIVING AND OPERATING 245
If TSC is enabled, the Traction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak/ESC warning
light will flash on the instrument
cluster. Reduce vehicle speed by
gradually removing your foot from the
accelerator. If trailer sway continues,
StabiliTrak/ESC can reduce engine
torque to help slow the vehicle. TSC
will not function if StabiliTrak/ESC is
turned off. SeeTraction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0193.
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a crash
and in serious injury or death, even
if the vehicle is equipped with TSC.
If the trailer begins to sway, reduce
vehicle speed by gradually removing
your foot from the accelerator. Then
pull over to check the trailer and
vehicle to help correct possible
causes, including an improperly or
overloaded trailer, unrestrained
cargo, improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle or
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
trailer tires. SeeTowing Equipment
0 241 for trailer ratings and hitch
setup recommendations.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from
vehicle tires. Trailer tires are designed
with stiff sidewalls to help prevent
sway and to support heavy loads.
These features can make it difficult to
determine if the trailer tire pressures
are low only based on a visual
inspection.
Always check all trailer tire pressures
before each trip when the tires are
cool. Low trailer tire pressure is a
leading cause of trailer tire blow-outs.
Trailer tires deteriorate over time. The
trailer tire sidewall will show the week
and year the tire was manufactured.
Many trailer tire manufacturers
recommend replacing tires more than
six years old. Overloading is another leading cause
of trailer tire blow-outs. Never load
your trailer with more weight than the
tires are designed to support. The load
rating is located on the trailer tire
sidewall.
Always know the maximum speed
rating for the trailer tires before
driving. This may be significantly
lower than the vehicle tire speed
rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed
rating is not shown, the default trailer
tire speed rating is 105 km/h
(65 mph).
VEHICLE CARE 247
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 259
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 259
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 268 All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 270
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 271
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . 272
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 273
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 274
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 277
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286 Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 291
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 299
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
280 VEHICLE CARE
panel. To open, turn the latch with a
flat-bladed tool and pull the trim
panel from the edges to fold it down.
The label for this fuse block is in the
spare tire area, on the foam under the
cargo floor.
The vehicle may not be equipped with
all of the fuses, relays, and features
shown.
FusesUsage
F1 –
F2 Trailer battery 1 Fuses
Usage
F3 Driver seat belt motor
F4 Rear blower
F5 Rear drive control
F6 Passenger seat belt motor
F7 Right window
F8 Rear window defogger
F9 Left window
F10 –
F11 Trailer reverse
F12 –
F13 –
F14 –
F15 –
F16 –
F17 Camera/Spare
F18 Trailer module
F19 Ventilated seats
F20 –
F21 Trailer connector
282 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. See
Vehicle Load Limits0170.
(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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Replace any tires that have
been damaged by impacts
with potholes, curbs, etc.
.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 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.
See Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation 0290 for inflation
pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.
VEHICLE CARE 285
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
0 299.
(7) Maximum Cold Inf lation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the maximum
pressure needed to support
that load.
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 0315
and
If a Tire Goes Flat 0302. (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 0289.
(6) Tire Size
:A combination of
letters and numbers define a tire's
width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type, and service
VEHICLE CARE 287
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 0289.
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
0 170.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the front axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0170.
GAWR RR
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the rear axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0170. 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 Inf lation Pressure
:
The maximum air pressure to
which a cold tire can be inflated.
The maximum air pressure is
molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating
:The load
rating for a tire at the maximum
permissible inflation pressure for
that tire.
288 VEHICLE CARE
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 lb). See Vehicle Load
Limits 0170.
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 Inf lation
Pressure
:Vehicle manufacturer's
recommended tire inflation
pressure as shown on the tire
placard. See Tire Pressure 0289
and
Vehicle Load Limits 0170.
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 0297.
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 0299.