tires CHEVROLET TRACKER 1995 Owner's Manual

Towing Your Vehicle
I
I
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Geo. The usual towing equipment is
a
sling-type (A) or a wheel-lift (B) or car carrier (C) tow
truck.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items
like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
0 A dolly must be used when towing from the front.
That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever for the
transmission and transfer case, if you have
one.
the four-wheel-drive option.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want
to
see them.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out’‘ while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your
tires properly. If air goes
out of
a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what
to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip
the steering wheel firmly.
Steer
to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to
go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop, well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly
to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
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If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin
your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
I NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see
‘“Tire Chains” in the Index.
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Brake Wear
Your Geo has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come
and go or be heard all the time your velvcle is moving
(except when you are pushing on the brake pedal
firmly).
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates rSray C2iQSg si brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected. Also, the rear brake drums
should be removed and inspected each time the tires are
removed for rotation or changing. When you have the
front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected,
too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or
if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign
of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
If your brake pedal goes down farther than normal, your
rear drum brakes
may need adjustment. Adjust them by
backing up and firmly applying the brakes a few times.
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Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new vehicle comes with
high-quality tires made by a leading tire manufacturer.
These tires are warranted by the tire manufacturers, and
their warranties are delivered with every new Geo.
If
your spare tire is a different brand than your road tires,
you will have a tire warranty folder from each of these
manufacturers.
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Inflation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label which is on the
driver’s door shows the correct inflation pressures for
your tires, when they’re cold.
“Cold” means your
vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours or driven
no more than
a mile.
I
’ NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underidation or
~ overinflation is all right. It’s not. If your tires don’t
~ have enough air (underinflation) you can get:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get:
Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards. When to Check
Check your
tires once a month or more. Also, check the
tire pressure of
the spare tire.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. Simply looking at the tires will
not tell you the
pressure, especially if you have radial tires
-- which
may look properly inflated even
if they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to put them back on.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km) for any signs of unusual wear. If
unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as
soon as
possible and check wheel alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See “When It’s Time for New
Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information.
The purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in
the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
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When rotating your tires, always use one of the correct
rotation patterns shown here.
,
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ri . e1
After the tires have Deen rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” in the
Index.
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When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 rnm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire
if
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
around the tire.
rubber.
enough to show cord
or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
0 The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
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 norrnal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will
be followed by an “MS”
(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.
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Treadwear
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
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
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 - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B,
and C. They 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 basea
on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire
that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure. These
grades are molded
on the sidewalls of passenger
car tires.
While the tires available as standard or optional
equipment on General Motors vehicles may vary with
respect to these grades, all such tires meet General
Motors performance standards and have been approved
for use on General Motors vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric) tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements
in addition to these grades.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will
not need to have your wheels
aligned again. However, if you notice unusual tire wear
or your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset.
If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving on
a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
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