tire type CHEVROLET OPTRA 5 2007 1.G Owners Manual

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 your
vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid,
your 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.A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are 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 will 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.
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Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger car tire and a compact spare tire
sidewall.(A) Tire Size:The tire size is a combination of
letters and numbers used to define 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) 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.
(C) Tire Identication Number (TIN):The letters
and numbers following DOT code are the Tire
Identification 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.
Passenger Car Tire Example
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(D) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under the tread.
(E) 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 320.
(F) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:
Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
For information on recommended tire pressure
seeInflation - Tire Pressure on page 311
andLoading Your Vehicle on page 236.
(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 flat.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on page 334andIf a
Tire Goes Flat on page 324.
Compact Spare Tire Example
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(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 Tire
Identification 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. SeeCompact Spare Tire on page 334
andLoading Your Vehicle on page 236.
(E) Tire Ination:The temporary use tire or
compact spare tire should be inflated to 60 psi
(420 kPa). For more information on tire pressure
and inflation seeInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 311.
(F) Tire Size:A combination of letters and
numbers define a tire’s width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type and service description.
The letter T as the first character in the tire size
means the tire is for temporary use only.Tire Size
The following illustration shows an example of a
typical passenger car tire size.
(A) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:The United States
version of a metric tire sizing system. The letter P
as the first 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.
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(C) Aspect Ratio:A two-digit number that
indicates the tire height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size aspect ratio is 70,
as shown in item C of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire’s sidewall is 70% 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 range and the speed rating
of a tire. The load range represents the load carry
capacity a tire is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a tire is certified 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/transaxle, 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.
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How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check
tire pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are
properly inflated simply by looking at them. Radial
tires may look properly inflated even when they
are under-inflated. Check the tire’s inflation
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 firmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement. If the cold tire
inflation pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and Loading Information
label, no further adjustment is necessary. If the
inflation pressure is low, add air until you reach
the recommended amount.
If you overfill 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.
Tire Pressure Monitor System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) uses
radio and sensor technology to check tire pressure
levels. If your vehicle has this feature, sensors
are mounted onto each tire and wheel assembly,
except for the spare tire. The TPMS sensors
monitor the air pressure in your vehicle’s tires and
transmit tire pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should
be checked monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of
a different size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
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Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need,
look at the tire and loading information label
attached to your vehicle. SeeLoading Your
Vehicle on page 236for a label example and
where it is attached to your vehicle.
Make sure the replacements 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, 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
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 334.
{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.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum selection width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the Unites 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.
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.
320

Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your 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
Notice:Use tire chains only where legal and
only when you must. Use only SAE Class
“S” 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.
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For prompt and efficient assistance when calling,
please provide the following to the Roadside
Assistance Representative:
•Your name, home address, and home
telephone number.
•Telephone number of your location.
•Location of the vehicle.
•Model, year, color, and license plate number.
•Odometer reading, Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN), and delivery date of the vehicle.
•Description of the problem.
While we hope you never have the occasion to
use our service, it is added security while traveling
for you and your family. Remember, we are
only a phone call away. U.S. customers call
Chevrolet Roadside Assistance:1-800-CHEV-USA
(1-800-243-8872), text telephone (TTY) users,
call1-888-889-2438, Canadian customers
call1-800-268-6800.Chevrolet and General Motors of Canada Limited
reserve the right to limit services or reimbursement
to an owner or driver when, in their sole discretion,
the claims become excessive in frequency or type
of occurrence.
Roadside Assistance is not part of or included in
the coverage provided by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty. Chevrolet and General Motors of
Canada Limited reserve the right to make any
changes or discontinue the Roadside Assistance
program at any time without notification.Towing and Road Service Exclusions
Specifically excluded from Roadside Assistance
coverage are towing or services for vehicles
operated on a non-public roadway or highway,
fines, impound towing caused by a violation
of local, Municipal, State, Provincial, or Federal
law, and mounting, dismounting or changing
of snow tires, chains, or other traction devices.
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