height SATURN ASTRA 2008 User Guide

See your dealer/retailer for details
regarding winter tire availability
and proper tire selection. Also, see
Buying New Tires on page 9-54.
If you choose to use 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 your 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 you choose winter tires with a
lower speed rating, never exceed
the tire’s maximum speed capability.
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.Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
Example
9-40 Vehicle Service and Care
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(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 seeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 9-46.
(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.
(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.
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(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, 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.Bead
:The tire bead contains
steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto
the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire
in which the plies are laid at
alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a
tire, measured in pounds
per square inch (psi) or
kilopascals (kPa) before a tire
has built up heat from driving.
SeeInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 9-46.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard
and optional equipment including
the maximum capacity of fuel,
oil, and coolant, but without
passengers and cargo.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-43
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Notice: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.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on
page 9-60for more information.
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
Do not use tire chains. There is
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 the vehicle and you or others
may be injured in a crash.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for use on
the vehicle and tire size
combination and road
conditions. Follow that
manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to the
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust
or remove the device if it is
contacting the vehicle, and do
not spin the vehicle’s wheels.
If you do nd traction devices
that will t, install them on the
front tires.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-59
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F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner............9-11
Finish Damage....................9-79
Fixed Mast Antenna.............6-25
Flashers, Hazard Warning....... 4-4
Flash-to-Pass........................ 4-8
Flat Tire..............................9-60
Flat Tire, Changing...............9-60
Flat Tire, Storing..................9-66
Fluid..................................9-12
Automatic Transmission.....9-12
Power Steering.................9-20
Windshield Washer...........9-20
Fog Lamp
Fog .................................. 5-2
Fog Lamp Light...................4-23
Fuel...................................8-35
Additives.........................8-36
California Fuel..................8-35
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container.....................8-38
Filling the Tank.................8-37
Fuels in Foreign
Countries.....................8-36Fuel (cont.)
Gage ..............................4-25
Gasoline Octane...............8-35
Gasoline Specications......8-35
Low Warning Light............4-25
Fuses.................................9-34
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block...................9-34
Rear Compartment
Fuse Block...................9-36
Windshield Wiper..............9-34
G
Gage
Fuel................................4-25
Speedometer...................4-13
Tachometer......................4-13
Gasoline
Octane............................8-35
Specications...................8-35
Glove Box............................ 3-1
GM Mobility
Reimbursement
Program..........................11-5
H
Hazard Warning Flashers........ 4-4
Head Restraints..................... 1-5
Headlamp
Aiming ............................9-26
Headlamp Wiring.................9-33
Headlamps
Bulb Replacement.............9-28
Daytime Running Lamps..... 5-2
Delayed............................ 5-2
Exterior Lamps................... 5-1
Flash-to-Pass..................... 4-8
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . 9-28
Halogen Bulbs..................9-28
High/Low Beam Changer..... 4-8
Heater................................. 7-1
Engine.............................. 8-4
Height Adjuster, Seat.............. 1-2
Highbeam On Light..............4-24
High-Speed Operation,
Tires...............................9-47
Highway Hypnosis................8-26
Hill and Mountain Roads.......8-26
i-4 INDEX
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S
Safety Belts.......................... 1-8
Care of ...........................1-22
Check.............................1-22
How to Wear Safety
Belts Properly...............1-12
Lap-Shoulder Belt.............1-17
Reminder Light.................4-14
Replacing Parts After
a Crash.......................1-23
Safety Belt Extender.........1-22
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy....................1-21
Seats
Head Restraints................. 1-5
Heated Seats - Rear........... 1-6
Height Adjuster.................. 1-2
Lumbar Adjustment............. 1-3
Rear Seat Operation........... 1-7
Reclining Seatbacks............ 1-3
Securing Child
Restraints................1-50, 1-53Service................................ 9-2
Accessories and
Modications.................. 9-3
Adding Equipment to the
Outside of the Vehicle..... 9-4
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements.... 9-3
California Proposition 65
Warning......................... 9-3
Doing Your Own Work........ 9-4
Engine Soon Light............4-20
Owner Checks................... 9-5
Publications Ordering
Information.................11-14
Vehicle Soon Light............4-24
Service, Scheduling
Appointments...................12-8
Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle....1-34
Sheet Metal Damage............9-78
Shifting Into Park.................8-11
Shifting Out of Park..............8-13
Signals, Turn and
Lane-Change..................... 4-8Spare Tire
Compact.........................9-67
Installing..........................9-62
Removing
........................9-61
Storing............................9-66
Specications, Capacities......10-2
Speedometer.......................4-13
StabiliTrak
®Indicator Light.....4-19
Stabilitrak®System...............8-19
Starting the Engine................ 8-3
Steering..............................8-20
Steering Wheel Controls,
Audio..............................6-24
Steering Wheel, Tilt Wheel...... 4-4
Storage Areas
Cupholders........................ 3-1
Glove Box......................... 3-1
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow..........................8-29
Sun Visors..........................2-11
Sunroof..............................2-13
i-8 INDEX
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