traction control GMC SIERRA 2009 Owner's Guide

You need new tires 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.
The rubber in tires degrades over time, even if they are
not being used. This is also true for the spare tire, if
your vehicle has one. Multiple conditions affect how fast
this aging takes place, including temperatures, loading
conditions, and ination pressure maintenance. With
proper care and maintenance tires will typically wear out
before they degrade due to age. If you are unsure
about the need to replace your tires as they get older,
consult the tire manufacturer for more information.
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.
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 near the tire
size. If the tires have an all-season tread design,
the TPC spec number will be followed by a MS, for mud
and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling on page 5-66
for additional information.
GM recommends replacing tires in sets of four (or six if
your vehicle has dual rear wheels). This is because
uniform tread depth on all tires will help keep your vehicle
performing most like it did when the tires were new.
Replacing less than a full set of tires can affect the
braking and handling performance of your vehicle. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on page 5-81for information
on proper tire rotation.
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Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size than
your original equipment wheels and tires, this could
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, rollover
airbags, 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 5-84andAccessories
and Modifications on page 5-4for additional information.
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 (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-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.
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Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire when tested under
controlled conditions on a specied government
test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and a half (1.5) 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 signicantly 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 specied 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.
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Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on the vehicle is dangerous.
You cannot know how it has been used or how far
it has been driven. It could fail suddenly and
cause a crash. If you have to replace a wheel, use
a new GM original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has dual wheels or P265/65R18,
P275/55R20 or LT265/70R17 size tires, do not
use tire chains. They can damage your vehicle
because there is not enough clearance. Tire
chains used on a vehicle without the proper
amount of clearance can cause damage to the
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 is
contacting your vehicle, and do not spin your
vehicle’s wheels.
If you do nd traction devices that will t, install
them on the rear tires.
Notice:If your vehicle does not have dual wheels
and has a tire size other than P265/65R18,
P275/55R20 or LT265/70R17, use tire chains only
where legal and only when you must. Use chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install them
on the tires of the rear axle. Do not use chains
on the tires of the front axle. Tighten them as tightly
as possible with the ends securely fastened.
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