page 3 HUMMER H3 2006 Owners Manual

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, 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.
Bias Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in which the plies are
laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.Cold Ination Pressure:The amount of air pressure
in a tire, measured in pounds per square inch (psi)
or kilopascals (kPa) before a tire has built up heat from
driving. SeeInation - Tire Pressure on page 5-60.
Curb Weight:This means the weight of a motor vehicle
with standard and optional equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil and coolant, but without
passengers and cargo.
DOT Markings:A code molded into the sidewall of a
tire signifying that the tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) motor vehicle
safety standards. The DOT code includes the Tire
Identication Number (TIN), an alphanumeric designator
which can also identify the tire manufacturer, production
plant, brand and date of production.
GVWR:Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, seeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 4-52.
GAWR FRT:Gross Axle Weight Rating for the front
axle, seeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-52.
GAWR RR:Gross Axle Weight Rating for the rear axle,
seeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-52.
5-57

Intended Outboard Sidewall:The side of an
asymmetrical tire, that must always face outward when
mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa):The metric unit for air pressure.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire:A tire used on light duty
trucks and some multipurpose passenger vehicles.
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 4-52.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 5-60andLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-52.
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.
5-58

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.
SeeWhen It Is Time for New Tires on page 5-65.
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 5-68.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 4-52.
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 4-52.
5-59

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 hazardsA Tire and Loading Information label is attached to the
vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar), below the driver’s
door latch. This label shows your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct ination pressures for
your tires when they are cold. 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 4-52. How you load your vehicle affects
vehicle handling and ride comfort, never load your
vehicle with more weight than it was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also check
the tire pressure of the spare tire. If you have a
compact spare tire, it should be at 60 psi (420 kPa).
SeeSpare Tire on page 5-84for additional information.
5-60

When a low tire pressure condition is detected, the
TPMS will illuminate the low tire pressure warning
symbol on the instrument panel cluster, and at the same
time display the LOW TIRE message on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The message will appear at
each ignition cycle until the tires are inated to the
correct ination pressure. For additional information and
details about the DIC operation and displays seeDIC
Controls and Displays on page 3-41andDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-44.
A Tire and Loading Information label, attached to your
vehicle, shows the size of your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct ination pressure for
your vehicle’s tires when they are cold. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 4-52, for an example of the
tire information label and its location on your vehicle.
Also seeInation - Tire Pressure on page 5-60for
additional information.
Your vehicle’s TPMS can warn you about a low tire
pressure condition but it does not replace normal
tire maintenance. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-64,When It Is Time for New Tires on page 5-65,
andTires on page 5-53.Notice:Do not use a tire sealant if your vehicle is
equipped with Tire Pressure Monitors. The liquid
sealant can damage the tire pressure monitor
sensors.
The SERV (Service) TPM message is displayed when
the TPMS system is malfunctioning. One or more
missing or inoperable TPMS sensors will cause the
service tire monitor message to be displayed. See your
dealer for service,
TPMS Sensor Identication Codes
Each TPMS sensor has a unique identication code.
Any time you rotate your vehicle’s tires or replace one or
more of the TPM sensors, the identication codes will
need to be matched to the new tire/wheel position.
The sensors are matched to the tire/wheel positions in
the following order: left front (LF), right front (RF),
right rear (RR) and left rear (LR).
You will have one minute to match the rst tire/wheel
position, and ve minutes overall to match all four
tire/wheel positions. If it takes longer than one minute,
to match the rst tire and wheel, or more than ve
minutes to match all four tire and wheel positions the
matching process stops and you will need to start over.
5-62

Federal Communications Commission
and Industry and Science Canada
The TPMS operates on a radio frequency subject to
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules and
with Industry and Science Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules and
with RSS-210 of Industry and Science Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Changes or modications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
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.
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 vehicle’s tires, always use one of
the correct rotation patterns shown here.
5-64

After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear ination pressures as shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. For the location of the tire
and loading information label seeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-52. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened, see “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specications on page 5-102for the
proper wheel nut torque specication.
{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.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-73.
Any time you rotate the vehicle’s tires the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS) will need to be reset. The TPMS
identication codes will need to be matched to tire and
wheel position. See “TPMS Sensor Identication Codes”
underTire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-61.
When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it is
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
cannot be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
5-65

Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched specic tires for your
vehicle. The original equipment tires installed on
your vehicle, when it was new, were designed to meet
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria Specication
(TPC spec) system rating. If you need replacement
tires, GM strongly recommends that you get tires with
the same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehicle
will continue to have tires that are designed to give the
same performance and vehicle safety, during normal
use, as the original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over a
dozen critical specications that impact the overall
performance of your vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling, traction control,
and tire pressure monitoring performance. GM’s TPC
Spec number is molded onto the tire’s sidewall by
the tire manufacturer. If the tires have an all-season
tread design, the TPC spec number will be followed by
a MS, for mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labelling
on page 5-54for additional information.{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 size, brand, and type of tires on your
vehicle’s wheels.
{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.
5-66

If you must replace your vehicle’s tires with those that
do not have a TPC Spec number, make sure they
are the same size, load range, speed rating, and
construction type (radial and bias-belted tires) as your
vehicle’s original tires.
Vehicles equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system may give an inaccurate low-pressure warning
if non-TPC spec rated tires are installed on your vehicle.
Non-TPC Spec rated tires may give a low-pressure
warning that is higher or lower than the proper warning
level you would get with TPC Spec rated tires.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-61.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed on
the Tire and Loading Information Label. This label
is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar).
SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-52, for more
information about the Tire and Loading Information
Label.Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size than
your original equipment wheels and tires, this may
affect the way your vehicle performs, including its
braking, ride and handling characteristics, stability and
resistance to rollover. Additionally, if your vehicle
has electronic systems such as, antilock brakes; traction
control; and electronic stability control, the performance
of these systems can be affected.
{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your vehicle
may not provide an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are selected.
You may increase the chance that you will crash
and suffer serious injury. Only use GM specic
wheel and tire systems developed for your
vehicle, and have them properly installed by a
GM certied technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 5-66andAccessories
and Modications on page 5-3for additional information.
5-67

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 or tire chain
clearance to the body and chassis.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-73for more
information.
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.
5-70