winter tires CADILLAC CTS V 2006 1.G Owners Manual

Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies
in your trunk.
Also seeTires on page 5-57.Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer uid, a rag, some winter
outer clothing, a small shovel, a ashlight, a red
cloth, and a couple of reective warning triangles.
And, if you will be driving under severe conditions,
include a small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet,
or a couple of burlap bags to help provide traction.
Be sure you properly secure these items in your vehicle.
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Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires meet
the road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires
and the road, you can have a very slippery situation.
You will have a lot less traction, or grip, and will need
to be very careful.What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold snow
or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice
can be even more trouble because it may offer the least
traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is about
freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing,
or loose snow — drive with caution.
Traction control improves your ability to accelerate
when driving on a slippery road. Even though your
vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS), you
will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
the road conditions. Under certain conditions, you
may want to turn the TCS off, such as when driving
through deep snow and loose gravel, to help maintain
vehicle motion at lower speeds. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) (CTS) on page 4-9orTraction Control
System (TCS) (CTS-V) on page 4-10. Also see
StabiliTrak
®System on page 4-12,If Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 4-31
and “Winter Tires” underTires on page 5-57.
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Winter Tires
If you expect to drive on snow or ice covered roads
often, you may want to get winter tires for your vehicle.
All season tires provide good overall performance on
most surfaces but they may not offer the traction
you would like or the same level of performance as
winter tires on snow or ice covered roads.
See your dealer for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection. Also, see
Buying New Tires on page 5-73.
If you choose to use snow 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 the original equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed rating as your original
equipment tires may not be available for H, V, W
and ZR speed rated tires. If you choose snow 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.Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
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Winter tires with the same speed rating as your vehicle’s
original equipment tires may not be available for H, V, W,
and ZR speed rated tires. If you choose snow tires with
a lower speed rating, never exceed the tire’s maximum
speed capability.
{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle 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.
Your vehicle may have a compact spare tire
and wheel assembly. It is all right to drive with
your vehicle’s compact spare tire temporarily.
It was developed for use on your vehicle. See
Compact Spare Tire (CTS Only) on page 5-94.
{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.
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
may 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 5-68.
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 4-32, for more
information about the Tire and Loading Information
Label and its location on your vehicle.
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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
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 5-73andAccessories
and Modications on page 5-3for 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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