tire type CADILLAC DEVILLE 2002 8.G Owners Manual

4-15

If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn't trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.

Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)

Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two
-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.

Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.

If you're being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let's review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don't have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don't give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by
not ªoverdrivingº those conditions. But skids are
always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle's
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren't rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.

4-37 Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires
Be sure your vehicle's tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You'll find these numbers on the
Tire
-Loading Information label at the rear edge of the
driver's side rear door or see ªLoading Your Vehicleº in
the Index. Then be sure you don't go over the GVW
limit for your vehicle, including the weight of the
trailer tongue.
Hitches
It's important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you'll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:

The rear bumper on your vehicle is not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper
-type hitches to it. Use only a frame-mounted
hitch that does not attach to the bumper.

Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don't seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle. See ªCarbon Monoxideº in the Index.
Dirt and water can, too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer's recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Because you have anti-lock brakes, don't try to tap into
your vehicle's hydraulic brake system. If you do, both
brake systems won't work well, or at all. If you tow
more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg), use trailer brakes. Be sure
to follow the instructions that come with the trailer or
from the brake manufacturer.
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so you'll be able to maintain them properly.

6-50
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don't forget your compact spare tire. It should be
at 60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket
-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can't tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) System
(If Equipped)
The Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) system uses radio and
sensor technology to check tire pressure levels. Sensors,
mounted on each road wheel, transmit tire pressure
readings to a receiver located in the trunk. Tire pressure
status and tire pressure warnings are shown on the
Driver Information Center (DIC) display. See ªDriver
Information Center (DIC)º in the Index, for details
regarding DIC controls and displays.
The system operates on a radio frequency subject to
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules and
with Industry and Science Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.
This device complies with RSS
-210 of Industry and
Science Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.

6-54 Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire
-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire's sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all
-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an ªMSº
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias
-belted or radial) as your original tires.
CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving. If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias
-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
It's all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges 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.

6-55 Uniform Tire Quality Grading
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
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, 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
system does not apply to deep tread, winter
-type snow
tires, space
-saver or temporary use 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.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 a
half (1 1/2) 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 driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
-- AA, A, B, C
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.

6-58 Tire Chains
CAUTION:
If your vehicle has P235/55R17 size tires, don't
use tire chains, there's not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the proper
amount of clearance can cause damage to the
brakes, suspension or other vehicle parts. The
area damaged by the tire chains could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and you or others
may be injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it's contacting your vehicle, and don't
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction devices that will fit, install
them on the front tires.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has a tire size other than
P235/55R17 size tires, use tire chains only where
legal and only when you must. Use only SAE
Class ªSº type chains that are the proper size for
your tires. Install them on the front tires and
tighten them as tightly as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the
chain manufacturer's instructions. If you can
hear the chains contacting your 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
your vehicle.