tire type SATURN VUE 2009 Owners Manual

For vehicles with the remote start
feature, the rear defogger will
automatically turn on when remote
start is activated.
Notice:Do not use anything
sharp on the inside of the rear
window. If you do, you could cut
or damage the warming grid, and
the repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
attach a temporary vehicle
license, tape, a decal or anything
similar to the defogger grid.
Remote Start Climate Control
Operation
For vehicles with the remote start
feature and if it is activated, the
climate control system heats and
cools the inside of the vehicle using
the modes that were set before the
vehicle was turned off.Outlet Adjustment
Use the louvers located on the air
outlets to change the direction of the
airow.
Operation Tips
Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from the air inlets
at the base of the vehicle that
may block the ow of air into
the vehicle.
Do not use any non-GM
approved hood deectors
that could adversely affect the
performance of the system.
Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of
the vehicle more effectively.
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The lter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The lter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 6-3for replacement intervals.
To nd out what type of lter to use,
seeMaintenance Replacement Parts
on page 6-15.
The passenger compartment air
lter can be accessed by removing
the entire glove box.
1. Remove the six screws from
around the glove box and
detach the three inner clips
from the glove box.
3-24 Instrument Panel
ProCarManuals.com

Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts
say about what happens when the
three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not
have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not 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 overdriving those conditions.
But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to the vehicle’s three control
systems. In the braking skid, the
wheels are not rolling. In the steeringor 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.
Remember: Any traction control
system helps avoid only the
acceleration skid. If the traction
control system is off, then an
acceleration skid is best handled by
easing your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal
and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering
quickly enough, the vehicle may
straighten out. Always be ready for
a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced
when water, snow, ice, gravel,
or other material is on the road.
For safety, slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions.It is important to slow down on
slippery surfaces because stopping
distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with
reduced traction, try your best to
avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle
speed by shifting to a lower gear.
Any sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide. You may not realize
the surface is slippery until the
vehicle is skidding. Learn to
recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow
on the road to make a mirrored
surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Antilock Brake
System (ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid.
4-12 Driving Your Vehicle
ProCarManuals.com

Avoid staring directly into
approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all glass
on your vehicle clean — inside
and out.
Keep your eyes moving,
especially during turns or curves.
No one can see as well at night as
in the daytime. But, as we get
older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need
at least twice as much light to
see the same thing at night as
a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on
Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or owing water.
{CAUTION
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
owing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through owing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under your vehicle’s
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is
to slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
Allow extra following distance.
Pass with caution.
Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
Keep the windshield washer uid
reservoir lled.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. SeeTires on page 5-43.
Turn off cruise control.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-23
ProCarManuals.com

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.
(E) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in the
sidewall and under the tread.
(F) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
seeUniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 5-60.
(G) Maximum Cold Ination
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the maximum
pressure needed to support
that load. Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
Example
5-44 Service and Appearance Care
ProCarManuals.com

(A) Temporary Use Only:The
compact spare tire or temporary
use tire has a tread life of
approximately 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) and should not be
driven at speeds over 65 mph
(105 km/h). The compact spare
tire is for emergency use when a
regular road tire has lost air and
gone at. If your vehicle has a
compact spare tire, seeCompact
Spare Tire on page 5-71andIf a
Tire Goes Flat on page 5-63.(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 seeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-49.(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. Compact Spare Tire Example
Service and Appearance Care 5-45
ProCarManuals.com

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.
(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
index and speed rating of the tire.
The load index represents the
load carry capacity a tire is
certied to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certied to carry a load.
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.
5-46 Service and Appearance Care
ProCarManuals.com

When to Check
Check your tires once a month
or more. Do not forget to check
the compact spare tire, it should
be at 60 psi (420 kPa). For
additional information regarding
the compact spare tire, see
Compact Spare Tire on
page 5-71.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gage to check tire pressure.
You cannot tell if your tires
are properly inated simply by
looking at them. Radial tires may
look properly inated even when
they are under-inated. Check
the tire’s ination pressure when
the tires are cold. Cold means
your vehicle has been sitting for
at least three hours or driven no
more than 1 mile (1.6 km).Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gage rmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement.
If the cold tire ination pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further
adjustment is necessary. If the
ination pressure is low, add air
until you reach the recommended
amount.
If you overll the tire, release air
by pushing on the metal stem
in the center of the tire valve.
Re-check the tire pressure with
the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps
back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by
keeping out dirt and moisture.High-Speed Operation
{CAUTION
Driving at high speeds, 100 mph
(160 km/h) or higher, puts an
additional strain on tires. Sustained
high-speed driving causes
excessive heat build up and can
cause sudden tire failure. You
could have a crash and you or
others could be killed. Some
high-speed rated tires require
ination pressure adjustment for
high speed operation. When speed
limits and road conditions are such
that a vehicle can be driven at high
speeds, make sure the tires are
rated for high speed operation, in
excellent condition, and set to the
correct cold tire ination pressure
for the vehicle load.
5-50 Service and Appearance Care
ProCarManuals.com

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 pressuremonitoring 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
an MS for mud and snow. See
Tire Sidewall Labeling on
page 5-44for additional
information.
GM recommends replacing tires
in sets of four. 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 5-56for information on
proper tire rotation.{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 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. SeeCompact Spare
Tire on page 5-71.
5-58 Service and Appearance Care
ProCarManuals.com

{CAUTION
If you use bias-ply tires on the
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 the vehicle.
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.
Vehicles that have a tire pressure
monitoring system could give an
inaccurate low-pressure warning
if non-TPC Spec rated tires
are installed on your vehicle.Non-TPC Spec rated tires may
give a low-pressure warning that
is higher or lower than the proper
warning level you would get with
TPC Spec rated tires. SeeTire
Pressure Monitor System on
page 5-51.
Your vehicle’s original equipment
tires are listed on the Tire and
Loading Information Label.
SeeLoading the Vehicle on
page 4-28, 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, rollover airbags, traction
control, and 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
Saturn specic wheel and tire
systems developed for your
vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a Saturn certied
technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 5-58
andAccessories and Modifications
on page 5-3for additional
information.
Service and Appearance Care 5-59
ProCarManuals.com

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 temporaryuse 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 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.
5-60 Service and Appearance Care
ProCarManuals.com