tires GMC SIERRA DENALI 2005 Owner's Guide

Load Index:An assigned number ranging from 1 to
279 that corresponds to the load carrying capacity of
a tire.
Maximum Ination Pressure:The maximum air
pressure to which a cold tire may be inated. The
maximum air pressure is molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating:The load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible ination pressure for that tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight:The sum of curb
weight; accessory weight; vehicle capacity weight;
and production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight:The number of occupants a
vehicle is designed to seat multiplied by 150 lbs (68 kg).
SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-42.
Occupant Distribution:Designated seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall:The side of an
asymmetrical tire that has a particular side that faces
outward when mounted on a vehicle. The side of the tire
that contains a whitewall, bears white lettering or
bears manufacturer, brand, and/or model name molding
that is higher or deeper than the same moldings on
the other sidewall of the tire.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:A tire used on passenger
cars and some light duty trucks and multipurpose
vehicles.Recommended Ination Pressure:Vehicle
manufacturer’s recommended tire ination pressure and
shown on the tire placard. SeeInation - Tire Pressure
on page 5-62andLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-42.
Radial Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords
that extend to the beads are laid at 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
Rim:A metal support for a tire and upon which the tire
beads are seated.
Sidewall:The portion of a tire between the tread and
the bead.
Speed Rating:An alphanumeric code assigned to a
tire indicating the maximum speed at which a tire
can operate.
Traction:The friction between the tire and the road
surface. The amount of grip provided.
Tread:The portion of a tire that comes into contact
with the road.
Treadwear Indicators:Narrow bands, sometimes
called “wear bars,” that show across the tread of a tire
when only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread remains. See
When It Is Time for New Tires on page 5-65.
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UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards):
A tire information system that provides consumers
with ratings for a tire’s traction, temperature, and
treadwear. Ratings are determined by tire manufacturers
using government testing procedures. The ratings are
molded into the sidewall of the tire. SeeUniform
Tire Quality Grading on page 5-67.
Vehicle Capacity Weight:The number of designated
seating positions multiplied by 150 lbs (68 kg) plus
the rated cargo load. SeeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-42.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire:Load on an
individual tire due to curb weight, accessory weight,
occupant weight, and cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard:A label permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle’s capacity weight and
the original equipment tire size and recommended
ination pressure. See “Tire and Loading Information
Label” underLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-42.Ination - Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air pressure to operate
effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell you that
under-ination or over-ination is all right. It is not.
If your tires do not have enough air (under-ination),
you can get the following:
Too much exing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Premature or irregular wear
Poor handling
Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (over-ination), you
can get the following:
Unusual wear
Poor handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards
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A Tire and Loading Information label is attached to the
vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar), below the driver’s door
lock post (striker). This label lists your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and their recommended cold tire ination
pressures. The recommended cold tire ination pressure,
shown on the label, is the minimum amount of air
pressure needed to support your vehicle’s maximum load
carrying capacity.
For additional information regarding how much weight
your vehicle can carry, and an example of the tire
and loading information label, seeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-42.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Do not forget to
check the spare tire. For additional information
regarding the spare tire, seeSpare Tire on page 5-91.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly inated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look properly
inated even when they’re underinated. Check the tire’s
ination 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 rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary. If
the ination pressure is low, add air until you reach
the recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Recheck 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 Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-65andWheel Replacement
on page 5-69for more information.
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If it moves,
use the ratchet/wheel wrench to tighten the cable. See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-72.
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The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The rst rotation
is the most important. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Do not include the spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear ination pressures as shown on the tire and loading
information label. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on
page 4-42andInation - Tire Pressure on page 5-62,
for more information. Make certain that all wheel
nuts are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque”
underCapacities and Specications on page 5-112.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become
loose after a time. The wheel could come off and
cause an accident. When you change a wheel,
remove any rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency,
you can use a cloth or a paper towel to do this;
but be sure to use a scraper or wire brush later,
if needed, to get all the rust or dirt off. See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-72.
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When It Is 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 mm) or less of tread
remaining. Some
commercial truck tires may
not have treadwear
indicators.You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
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Buying New Tires
To nd out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certication/Tire label. SeeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-42, for more information about this
Certication/Tire label and where it can be found on
your vehicle.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had a
Tire Performance Criteria Specications (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
GM recommends that you get tires 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, load range, 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 “MS” (for mud and snow).
Whenever you 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.
Your vehicle may be equipped with a different
size spare than the road tires (those originally
installed on your vehicle). When new, your
vehicle included a spare tire and wheel
assembly with a similar overall diameter as
your vehicle’s road tires and wheels, so it is all
right to drive on it. Because this spare was
developed for use on your vehicle, it will not
affect vehicle handling.
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{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.
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 specied government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) 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 signicantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
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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 specied 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.
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 specied 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 inated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underination, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
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.
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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Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.{CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
Notice:The wrong wheel can also cause problems
with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance and tire clearance to the
body and chassis.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-72for more
information.
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Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used
or how far it’s 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
{CAUTION:
Do not use tire chains. There is not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle without
the proper amount of clearance can cause
damage to the brakes, suspension or other
vehicle parts. The area damaged by the tire
chains could cause you to lose control of your
vehicle and you or others may be injured in a
crash. 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, re-adjust or remove the
device if it is contacting your vehicle, and do
not spin your wheels. If you do nd traction
devices that will t, install them on the
rear tires.
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