tire type CHEVROLET CAVALIER 2001 3.G Owners Manual

4-15
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.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Enhanced Traction System, remember:
It helps avoid only the acceleration skid.If you do not have the Enhanced Traction System, or if
the transaxle shift lever is not in the OVERDRIVE (
)
position, then an acceleration skid is also best handled
by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your 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, your
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, you'll
want to 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 engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.

4-38
If you're using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue (A) should weigh 10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight (B). If you have a weight
-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh 12 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you've loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren't, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
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 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.

6-43 Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on
the rear edge of the driver's door, shows the correct
inflation pressures for your tires when they're cold.
ªColdº means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
NOTICE:
Don't let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It's not. If your tires
don't have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:

Too much flexing

Too much heat

Tire overloading

Bad wear

Bad handling

Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued)
NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:

Unusual wear

Bad handling

Rough ride

Needless damage from road hazards.
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.

6-46 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.

6-47 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.

6-50 Tire Chains
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has P195/65R15 or P205/55R16
size tires, don't use tire chains. They can
damage your vehicle because there's not
enough clearance.
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.
NOTICE: (Continued)
NOTICE: (Continued)
If you do find traction devices that will fit,
install them on the front tires.
If you have other 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.

6-65
Capacities and Specifications
The following approximate capacities are given in
English and metric conversions. Please refer to
ªRecommended Fluids and Lubricantsº in the Index
for more information.
Engine Crankcase4.0 quarts (3.8 L) . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic Transaxle (3
-Speed)
Complete Overhaul 7.0 quarts (6.6 L). . . . . . . . . . .
When draining or replacing torque converter, more fluid
may be needed.
Automatic Transaxle (4
-Speed)
Complete Overhaul 9.5 quarts (9.0 L). . . . . . . . . . .
Manual Transaxle
Complete Drain and Refill 1.8 quarts (1.7 L). . . . .
Cooling System
2.2L 10.2 quarts (9.6 L). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.4L 10.2 quarts (9.6 L). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Refrigerant
Air ConditioningSee refrigerant charge . . . . . . . .
label under hood.Fuel Tank14.3 U.S. gallons (54.1 L) . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tire Pressures, SizesSee Tire
-Loading . . . . . . . . . . .
Information label on driver's door.
Wheel Nut Torque100 lb
-ft (140 N´m) . . . . . . . . . .
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to fill
to the appropriate level, as recommended in this manual.
2.2L Engine Specifications
VIN Engine Code 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Type L4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Horsepower 115 @ 5,000 rpm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Firing Order 1
-3-4-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thermostat Temperature 180
F (82
C) . . . . . . . . . . .
2.4L Engine Specifications
VIN Engine Code T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Type L4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Horsepower 150 @ 5,600 rpm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Firing Order 1
-3-4-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thermostat Temperature 180
F (82
C) . . . . . . . . . . .