tire type CHEVROLET COLORADO 2009 1.G Owners Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: CHEVROLET, Model Year: 2009, Model line: COLORADO, Model: CHEVROLET COLORADO 2009 1.GPages: 420, PDF Size: 2.49 MB
Page 206 of 420
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 your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels are
not 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.
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
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance is 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 might 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 mirrored surface — and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Vehicles with four-wheel drive can be used for off-road
driving. Vehicles without four-wheel drive should not
be driven off-road except on a level, solid surface.
The airbag system is designed to work properly under a
wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Always wear your safety belt and observe safe driving
speeds, especially on rough terrain.
4-12
Page 220 of 420
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 5-56.
Turn off cruise control.
4-26
Page 309 of 420
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 de ne 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
Speci cation)
:Original equipment tires designed
to GM’s speci c tire performance criteria have a
TPC speci cation code molded onto the sidewall.
GM’s TPC speci cations 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 Identi cation Number (TIN)
:The letters
and numbers following DOT code are the Tire
Identi cation 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.
Passenger Vehicle Tire Example
5-57
Page 310 of 420
(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 5-75.
(G) Maximum Cold In ation Load Limit
:Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.(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.
See “Compact Spare Tire” underSpare Tire
on page 5-100for additional information.
(B) Tire Ply Material
:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under
the tread.
(C) Tire Identi cation Number (TIN)
:The Tire
Identi cation 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 In ation Load Limit
:Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
(E) Tire In ation
:The temporary use tire or
compact spare tire should be in ated to 60 psi
(420 kPa). For more information on tire pressure
and in ation seeInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-63.
Compact Spare Tire Example
5-58