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Vehicle Care 395
GM recommends that tires,
including the spare if
equipped, be replaced after six
years, regardless of tread
wear. To identify the age of a
tire, use the tire manufacture
date, which is the last four
digits of the DOT Tire
Identification Number (TIN)
molded into one side of the
tire sidewall. 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.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored
normally mounted on a parked
vehicle. Park a vehicle that will
be stored for at least a month
in a cool, dry, clean area away
from direct sunlight to slow
aging. This area should be freeof grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can
deteriorate rubber.
Parking for an extended
period can cause flat spots on
the tires that may result in
vibrations while driving. When
storing a vehicle for at least a
month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
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 mud
and snow. See Tire
Sidewall Labeling
0378 for
additional information.
GM recommends replacing
worn tires in complete sets
of four. Uniform tread
depth on all tires will help
to maintain the
performance of the vehicle.
Braking and handling
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396 Vehicle Care
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 should wear out at
about the same time.
However, if it is necessary
to replace only one axle set
of worn tires, place the
new tires on the rear axle.
See Tire Rotation0393.
{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 (other than those
originally installed on the
vehicle), brands, tread
patterns, or types may
cause loss of vehicle
control, resulting in a
crash or other vehicle
damage. Use the correct
size, brand, and type of
tire on all wheels.
{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.
The Tire and Loading
Information label indicates
the original equipment tires
on the vehicle. See Vehicle
Load Limits
0247.
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Vehicle Care 397
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.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 0395
and Accessories and
Modifications 0338.
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:
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398 Vehicle Care
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 drivinghabits, 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
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
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Vehicle Care 399
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 theroad 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.
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,
resulting in a crash. Always
use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts, and wheel nuts for
replacement.
{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.
(Continued)
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400 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
When replacing wheels, use
a new GM original
equipment wheel.
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.
Tire Chains
{Warning
If the vehicle has 235/
55R20h size tires, do not
use tire chains. There is not
enough clearance. Tire
chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
Caution
If the vehicle is equipped
with a tire size other than
235/55R20, use tire chains
only where legal and only
when necessary. Use low
profile chains that add no
more than 12 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 front axle. Do not use
chains on the tires of the
rear 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
down until it stops. Driving
too fast or spinning the
wheels with chains on will
damage the vehicle.
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Vehicle Care 401
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow
out while driving, especially if
the tires are maintained
properly. See Tires0376. If air
goes out of a tire, it is much
more likely to leak out slowly.
But if there is ever 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.{Warning
Driving 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 changing a
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 0155.
If your vehicle is loaded at or
near maximum cargo capacity,
it may be difficult to fit the jack
under the vehicle due to the
environment (shoulder slope,
road debris, etc.). Removal of
some weight may improve the
ability to fit the jack under the
vehicle at the correct jacking
location.
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Vehicle Care 409
the tread of the spare tire,
have the standard tire
repaired or replaced as soon
as convenient and return the
spare tire to the storage area.
When using a compact spare
tire, the AWD (if equipped),
ABS, and Traction Control
systems may engage until the
spare tire is recognized by the
vehicle, especially on slippery
roads. Adjust driving to reduce
possible wheel slip.
Caution
When the compact spare is
installed, do not take the
vehicle through an
automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact
spare can get caught on the
rails which can damage the
tire, wheel, and other parts
of the vehicle.
Do not use the compact spare
on other vehicles. Do not mix the compact spare
tire or wheel with other
wheels or tires. They will not
fit. Keep the spare tire and its
wheel together.
Caution
Tire chains will not fit the
compact spare. Using them
can damage the vehicle and
the chains. Do not use tire
chains on the compact
spare.
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North
America
For more information about
the vehicle battery, see
Battery - North America
0
360.
If the battery has run down,
try to use another vehicle and
some jumper cables to start
your vehicle. Be sure to use
the following steps to do it
safely.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts,
terminals and related
accessories can expose you
to chemicals including lead
and lead compounds, which
are known to the State of
California to cause cancer
and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Wash
hands after handling. For
more information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
See California Proposition
65 Warning 01.
{Warning
Batteries can hurt you. They
can be dangerous because:
.They contain acid that can
burn you.
.They contain gas that can
explode or ignite.
.They contain enough
electricity to burn you.
(Continued)