tire size BUICK TERRAZA 2007 Owner's Manual

Tire and Loading Information Label
A vehicle specic Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the center pillar (B-pillar) of your
vehicle. With the driver’s door open, you will nd the
label attached below the door lock post (striker).
The tire and loading information label shows the
number of occupant seating positions (A), and the
maximum vehicle capacity weight (B) in kilograms
and pounds.The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the size of the original equipment tires (C) and
the recommended cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and ination see
Tires on page 449andInation - Tire Pressure on
page 456.
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certication/Tire label. It tells you the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the
front and rear axle. See “Certication/Tire Label”
later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your
vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.Example Label
379

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 447
Tires............................................................ 449
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 450
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 453
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 456
High-Speed Operation............................... 458
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 459
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 461
Buying New Tires...................................... 461
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 463
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 464
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 465
Wheel Replacement.................................. 465
Tire Chains............................................... 467
Accessory Inator...................................... 468
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 470
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 470
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 472
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire............................................. 474
Secondary Latch System........................... 481
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 483
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 486Appearance Care........................................ 487
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 487
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 488
Leather...................................................... 489
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces................................................ 490
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 490
Weatherstrips............................................ 490
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 491
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 491
Finish Care............................................... 491
Windshield, Backglass, and
Wiper Blades......................................... 492
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels......... 492
Tires......................................................... 493
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 493
Finish Damage.......................................... 494
Underbody Maintenance............................ 494
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 494
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 495
Vehicle Identication.................................. 496
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)........... 496
Service Parts Identication Label............... 496
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
398

Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a compact spare tire
sidewall.(A) Tire Size:The tire size is a combination of
letters and numbers used to dene a particular
tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the “Tire Size”
illustration later in this section for more detail.
(B) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specication):Original equipment tires designed
to GM’s specic tire performance criteria have
a TPC specication code molded onto the sidewall.
GM’s TPC specications meet or exceed all
federal safety guidelines.
(C) 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.
(D) Tire Identication Number (TIN):The letters
and numbers following DOT (Department of
Transportation) code is the Tire Identication
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.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
450

(B) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under the
tread.
(C) Tire Identication Number (TIN):The letters
and numbers following the DOT (Department of
Transportation) code is the Tire Identication
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.
(D) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:
Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
(E) Tire Ination:The temporary use tire or
compact spare tire should be inated to 60 psi
(420 kPa). For more information on tire pressure
and ination seeInation - Tire Pressure on
page 456.
(F) Tire Size:A combination of letters and
numbers dene a tire’s width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type, and service description. The
letter T as the rst character in the tire size means
the tire is for temporary use only.(G) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specication):Original equipment tires designed
to GM’s specic tire performance criteria have
a TPC specication code molded onto the sidewall.
GM’s TPC specications meet or exceed all
federal safety guidelines.
Tire Size
The following illustration shows an example of a
typical passenger vehicle tire size.
(A) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:The United States
version of a metric tire sizing system. The letter P
as the rst character in the tire size means a
passenger vehicle tire engineered to standards set
by the U.S. Tire and Rim Association.
(B) Tire Width:The three-digit number indicates
the tire section width in millimeters from sidewall
to sidewall.
452

(C) 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 C of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire’s sidewall is 60 percent as
high as it is wide.
(D) 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; and the letter B means belted-bias
ply construction.
(E) Rim Diameter:Diameter of the wheel in
inches.
(F) Service Description:These characters
represent the load range and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents the load carry
capacity a tire is certied to carry. The load index
can range from 1 to 279. The speed rating is
the maximum speed a tire is certied to carry a
load. Speed ratings range from A to Z.Tire Terminology and Denitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air inside the tire
pressing outward on each square inch of the
tire. Air pressure is expressed in pounds
per square inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight:This means the combined
weight of optional accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are, automatic
transmission/transaxle, power steering, power
brakes, 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 that is
located between the plies and the tread. Cords
may be made from steel or other reinforcing
materials.
453

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 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread
remains. SeeWhen It Is Time for New Tires on
page 461.
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. SeeUniform
Tire Quality Grading on page 464.
Vehicle Capacity Weight:The number of
designated seating positions multiplied by 150 lbs
(68 kg) plus the rated cargo load. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 378.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire:Load on an
individual tire due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and cargo weight.Vehicle Placard:A label permanently attached to
a vehicle showing the vehicle’s capacity weight
and the original equipment tire size and
recommended ination pressure. See “Tire and
Loading Information Label” underLoading
Your Vehicle on page 378.
Ination - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air pressure to
operate effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell you that
under-ination or over-ination is all right. It is
not. If your tires do not have enough air
(under-ination), you can get the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Premature or irregular wear
Poor handling
Reduced fuel economy
456

If your vehicle has P225/60R17 size tires, they will
require ination pressure adjustment when
driving your vehicle at speeds of 100 mph
(160 km/h) or higher. Set the cold ination
pressure to the maximum ination pressure shown
on the tire sidewall, or 38 psi (262 kPa),
whichever is lower. See the example following.
When you end this high-speed driving, return the
tires to the cold tire ination pressure shown
on the Tire and Loading Information label. See
Loading Your Vehicle on page 378and
Ination - Tire Pressure on page 456.
Example:
You will nd the maximum load and ination
pressure molded on the tire’s sidewall, in small
letters, near the rim ange. It will read something
like this: Maximum load 690 kg (1521 lbs)
300 kPa (44 psi) Max. Press.
For this example, you would set the ination
pressure for high-speed driving at
38 psi (262 kPa).Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your
tires as soon as possible and check wheel
alignment. Also check for damaged tires or wheels.
SeeWhen It Is Time for New Tires on page 461
andWheel Replacement on page 465for
more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The
rst rotation is the most important. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 509.
459

When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it
is time for new tires is
to check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following
statements are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more
places around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through
the tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut, or
snagged deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage
that cannot be repaired well because of the
size or location of the damage.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched specic tires for
your vehicle. The original equipment tires
installed on your vehicle, when it was new, were
designed to meet General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria Specication (TPC spec)
system rating. If you need replacement tires, GM
strongly recommends that you get tires with
the same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehicle
will continue to have tires that are designed to
give the same performance and vehicle safety,
during normal use, as the original tires.
461

GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over
a dozen critical specications that impact the
overall performance of your 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 by the tire manufacturer.
If the tires have an all-season tread design,
the TPC spec number will be followed by an MS
for mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling
on page 450for additional information.
{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose
control while driving. If you mix tires of
different sizes, brands, or types (radial
and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have a
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
crash. Using tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may also cause damage
to your vehicle. Be sure to use the correct
size, brand, and type of tires on all
wheels. It is all right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your vehicle. See
Compact Spare Tire on page 486.
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle,
the wheel rim anges could develop
cracks after many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail suddenly, causing
a crash. Use only radial-ply tires with the
wheels on your vehicle.
462

If you must replace your vehicle’s tires with those
that do not have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size, load range, speed
rating, and construction type (radial and
bias-belted tires) as your vehicle’s original tires.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed on
the Tire and Loading Information Label. This
label is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar
(B-pillar). SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 378,
for more information about the Tire and Loading
Information Label and its location on your vehicle.
Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size
than your original equipment wheels and tires,
this may affect the way your vehicle performs,
including its braking, ride and handling
characteristics, stability, and resistance to rollover.
Additionally, if your vehicle has electronic
systems such as, anti-lock brakes, traction control,
and electronic stability control, the performance
of these systems can be affected.
{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your
vehicle may not provide an acceptable
level of performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are
selected. You may increase the chance
that you will crash and suffer serious
injury. Only use GM specic wheel and
tire systems developed for your vehicle,
and have them properly installed by a GM
certied technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 461and
Accessories and Modications on page 400for
additional information.
463