2021 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE tires

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
Driving and Operating 251
To reinstall hitch cover:1. Hold cover at a 45 degree angle to the vehicle and push the upper tabs into the
slots in the bumper.
2. Push the bottom of the cover forward until the lower tabs line up with the
lower slots.
3. Snap the hitch cover into place by pushing the upper corners forward.
4. Reinstall the two fasteners on the lower tabs.
Consider using mechanical sway controls
with any trailer. Ask a trailering professional
about sway controls or refer to the trailer
manufacturer's recommendations and
instructions.
Weight-Distributing Hitch Adjustment
A weight-distributing hitch may be useful
with some trailers.
1. Front of Vehicle
2. Body to Ground Distance
When using a weight-distributing hitch,
measure the front fender height above the
front axle distance (2) before and after
connecting the trailer. Adjust the spring bars
until the front fender height distance (2) is
approximately half way between the first
and second measurements.
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 Tires
0 284 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 minimums that can vary from state
to state.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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254 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
unrestrained cargo, improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly inflated or
incorrect vehicle or trailer tires. See
Towing Equipment0250 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).
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is used for
vehicle service and Emission Inspection/
Maintenance testing. See
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0104
. A device connected to the DLC —such
as an aftermarket fleet or driver-behavior
tracking device —may interfere with
vehicle systems. This could affect vehicle (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
operation and cause a crash. Such devices
may also access information stored in the
vehicle’s systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can damage
the vehicle or cause components to not
work and would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check with your
dealer before adding electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the vehicle's
12-volt battery, even if the vehicle is not
operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to add anything electrical to the
vehicle, see Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 064 and
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 064.

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Vehicle Care 255
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . 256
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 256
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 257
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 259
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 262
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . 263
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and Sidemarker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . 275
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 277
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 280
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 282
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 288
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 292 Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . 293
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 297
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 299
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . 299
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 301
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 309
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320

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Vehicle Care 269
new linings are needed. The sound can come
and go or can be heard all the time when
the vehicle is moving, except when applying
the brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound means
that soon the brakes will not work well.
That could lead to a crash. When the
brake wear warning sound is heard, have
the vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
linings could result in costly brake
repairs.
Some driving conditions or climates can
cause a brake squeal when the brakes are
first applied, clearing up following several
applications. This does not mean something
is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary
to help prevent brake pulsation. When tires
are rotated, inspect brake linings for wear
and evenly tighten wheel nuts in the proper
sequence to torque specifications. See
Capacities and Specifications 0335. Brake pads should be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not
return to normal height, or if there is a
rapid increase in pedal travel. This could be
a sign that brake service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system parts with
new, approved replacement parts. If this is
not done, the brakes may not work
properly. The braking performance can
change in many ways if the wrong brake
parts are installed or if parts are improperly
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir is filled
with GM approved DOT 3 brake fluid as
indicated on the reservoir cap. See
Engine
Compartment Overview 0259 for the
location of the reservoir.
Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a level
surface, the brake fluid level should be
between the minimum and maximum marks
on the brake fluid reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake
fluid level in the reservoir may go down:
.Normal brake lining wear. When new
linings are installed, the fluid level goes
back up.
.A fluid leak in the brake hydraulic system.
Have the brake hydraulic system fixed.
With a leak, the brakes will not
work well.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap
and the area around the cap before
removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid. Adding fluid
does not correct a leak. If fluid is added
when the linings are worn, there will be too
much fluid when new brake linings are

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284 Vehicle Care
FusesUsage
F56 Universal remote system/Overhead
console
F57 Hands free closure release
Circuit Breakers Usage CB1 –
CB2 –
CB3 Rear auxiliary power outlet
Relays Usage
K1 –
K2 –
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 Limits
0198.
.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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.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.
.Improperly repaired tires can cause
a crash. Only your 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 0291 for inflation pressure
adjustment for high-speed driving.

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Vehicle Care 285
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with all-season tires.
These tires are designed to provide good
overall performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original equipment
tires designed to GM's specific tire
performance criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can be identified
by the last two characters of this TPC code,
which will be“MS.”
Consider installing winter tires on the
vehicle if frequent driving on snow or
ice-covered roads is expected. All-season tires
provide adequate performance for most
winter driving conditions, but they may not
offer the same level of traction or
performance as winter tires on snow or
ice-covered roads. See Winter Tires0285.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not originally equipped
with winter tires. Winter tires are designed
for increased traction on snow and
ice-covered roads. Consider installing winter
tires on the vehicle if frequent driving on ice
or snow covered roads is expected. See your
dealer for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection. Also,
see Buying New Tires 0298.
With winter tires, there may be decreased
dry road traction, increased road noise, and
shorter tread life. After changing to winter
tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.
If using winter tires:
.Use tires of the same brand and tread
type on all four wheel positions.
.Use only radial ply tires of the same size,
load range, and speed rating as the
original equipment tires.
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. If winter tires with a lower speed
rating are chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
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
(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 in this section.

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286 Vehicle Care
(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 and the last two
digits, the year. For example, the third
week of the year 2020 would have a
4-digit DOT date of 0320. Week 01 is
the first full week (Sunday through
Saturday) of each year. (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: tread wear,
traction, and temperature resistance.
For more information see Uniform Tire
Quality Grading 0299. (7) Maximum Cold Inflation 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.

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Vehicle Care 287
(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 0308 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 Inflation Load
Limit
:Maximum load that can be
carried and the maximum pressure
needed to support that load. (5) 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 0290.
(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.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
(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 3-digit number
indicates the tire section width in
millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.
(3) Aspect Ratio
:A 2-digit number that
indicates the tire height-to-width
measurements. For example, if the tire
size aspect ratio is 75, as shown in
item (3) of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire's sidewall is
75 percent as high as it is wide.