tires HUMMER H3 2010 Owner's Guide

10-44 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. If you
ever have questions about your
tire warranty and where to
obtain service, see your vehicle
Warranty booklet for details. For
additional information refer to
the tire manufacturer.
{WARNING
Poorly maintained and improperly
used tires are dangerous.
.Overloading your tires can
cause overheating as a result
of too much flexing. You
could have an air-out and a
serious accident. SeeVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑27.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Underinflated tires pose the
same danger as overloaded
tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure
should be checked when your
tires are cold. See Tire
Pressure on page 10‑51.
.Overinflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured
or broken by a sudden
impact —such as when you
hit a pothole. Keep tires at
the recommended pressure.
.Worn, old tires can cause
accidents. If your tread is
badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged,
replace them.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire
is molded into the sidewall.
The following illustrations are
examples of a typical P‐Metric
and a LT‐Metric tire sidewall.
Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire
(A) Tire Size:The tire size
code is a combination of letters
and numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,

Vehicle Care 10-45
and service description. See the
“Tire Size”illustration later in this
section for more detail.
(B) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications 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 Identification 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.
(E) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(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, see
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
on
page 10‑61
.
(G) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load
that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed
to support that load. For information on
recommended tire pressure
see
Tire Pressure
on page 10‑51
and Vehicle Load Limitson
page 9‑27
.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
(A) Tire Size:The tire size
code 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.

10-46 Vehicle Care
(B) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet
or exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(C) Dual Tire Maximum Load
:
Maximum load that can be
carried and the maximum
pressure needed to support
that load when used in a
dual configuration. For
information on recommended
tire pressure see Tire Pressure
on page 10‑51andVehicle Load
Limits
on page 9‑27.
(D) 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.
(E) Tire Identification 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.
(F) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(G) Single Tire Maximum
Load
:Maximum load that can
be carried and the maximum
pressure needed to support that
load when used as a single. For
information on recommended tire pressure see
Tire Pressure
on page 10‑51andVehicle Load
Limits
on page 9‑27.
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The following examples show
the different parts of a tire size.
Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire
(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.

10-50 Vehicle Care
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:
A tire used on passenger cars
and some light duty trucks and
multipurpose vehicles.
Recommended Inflation
Pressure
:Vehicle
manufacturer's recommended
tire inflation pressure as shown
on the tire placard. See Tire
Pressure
on page 10‑51and
Vehicle Load Limits
on
page 9‑27
.
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 1.6 mm
(1/16 inch) of tread remains.
See When It Is Time for New
Tires
on page 10‑58. 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. See
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
on
page 10‑61
.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:
The number of designated
seating positions multiplied by
68 kg (150 lbs) plus the rated
cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits
on page 9‑27.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight.

Vehicle Care 10-51
Vehicle Placard:A label
permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle's
capacity weight and the
original equipment tire size
and recommended inflation
pressure. See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits
on page 9‑27.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount
of air pressure to operate
effectively.
Notice:Do not let anyone tell
you that under‐inflation or
over‐inflation is all right. It is
not. If your tires do not have
enough air (under‐inflation),
you can get the following:
.Too much flexing
.Too much heat
.Tire overloading
.Premature or
irregular wear
.Poor handling
.Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air
(over‐inflation), you can get
the following:
.Unusual wear
.Poor handling
.Rough ride
.Needless damage from
road hazards
A vehicle specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to your vehicle. This
label shows your vehicle's
original equipment tires and the
correct inflation pressures for
your tires when they are cold.
The recommended cold tire
inflation 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, see
Vehicle
Load Limits
on page 9‑27.
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 your
vehicle has a compact spare
tire, it should be at 60 psi
(420 kPa). See Full-Size Spare
Tire
on page 10‑85for additional
information.

10-52 Vehicle Care
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge 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 underinflated. 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
gauge 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.
Recheck the tire pressure with
the tire gauge.
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. 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.)
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly
under‐inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on
a significantly under‐inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Under‐inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and
tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping
ability.

Vehicle Care 10-53
Please note that the TPMS is
not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under‐inflation
has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been
equipped with a TPMS malfunction
indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start‐ups as
long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator
is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended.TPMS malfunctions may occur for
a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or
alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
on page 10‑53for
additional information.
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) and
Industry Canada
See Radio Frequency Statementon
page 13‑16for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
Rules and RSS-210/211 of Industry
Canada.
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and wheel
assembly on the vehicle, excluding
the spare tire. The TPMS sensors
monitor the air pressure in the
vehicle's tires and transmit the tire
pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure
condition is detected, the TPMS
illuminates the low tire pressure
warning light located on the
instrument panel cluster.

10-54 Vehicle Care
If the warning light comes on,
stop as soon as possible and
inflate the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the tire loading
information label. SeeVehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑27.
At the same time, a Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
is displayed on the DIC display
screen. The low tire pressure
warning light and the DIC warning
message come on at each ignition
cycle until the tires are inflated to
the correct inflation pressure. For
additional information and details
about the DIC operation and
displays see Tire Messages
on
page 5‑25.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as you start to drive. This
could be an early indicator that the
air pressure in the tire(s) are getting
low and need to be inflated to the
proper pressure. A Tire and Loading Information
label, attached to the vehicle, shows
the size of the vehicle's original
equipment tires and the correct
inflation pressure for the vehicle's
tires when they are cold. See
Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑27,
for an example of the Tire and
Loading Information label and its
location on the vehicle. Also see
Tire Pressure on page 10‑51.
The vehicle's TPMS can warn you
about a low tire pressure condition
but it does not replace normal tire
maintenance. See Tire Inspection
on page 10‑57,Tire Rotationon
page 10‑57and Tires on
page 10‑44.
Notice: Liquid tire sealants could
damage the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) sensors. Sensor
damage caused by using a tire
sealant is not covered by your
warranty. Do not use liquid tire
sealants.
TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire warning light flashes for
about one minute and then stays on
for the remainder of the ignition
cycle. A DIC warning message is
also displayed. The low tire warning
light and DIC warning message
come on at each ignition cycle until
the problem is corrected. Some of
the conditions that can cause the
malfunction light and DIC message
to come on are:
.One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire.
The spare tire does not have
a TPMS sensor. The TPMS
malfunction light and DIC
message should go off once you
re‐install the road tire containing
the TPMS sensor.

Vehicle Care 10-55
.The TPMS sensor matching
process was started but not
completed or not completed
successfully after rotating the
vehicle's tires. The DIC message
and TPMS malfunction light
should go off once the TPMS
sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See
“TPMS Sensor Matching
Process”later in this section.
.One or more TPMS sensors
are missing or damaged. The
DIC message and the TPMS
malfunction light should go
off when the TPMS sensors
are installed and the sensor
matching process is performed
successfully. See your
dealer/retailer for service.
.Replacement tires or wheels do
not match the vehicle's original
equipment tires or wheels. Tires
and wheels other than those
recommended for the vehicle
could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. See Buying
New Tires on page 10‑59.
.Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning it
cannot detect or signal a low tire
condition. See your dealer/retailer
for service if the TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message comes on
and stays on.
TPMS Sensor Matching
Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. Any time you
replace one or more of the TPMS
sensors or rotate the vehicle's tires,
the identification codes need to
be matched to the new tire/wheel
position. The sensors are matched
to the tire/wheel positions in the
following order: driver side front tire,
passenger side front tire, passenger
side rear tire, and driver side rear
tire using a TPMS diagnostic tool.
See your dealer/retailer for service.
The TPMS sensors can also be
matched to each tire/wheel position
by increasing or decreasing the
tire's air pressure. If increasing the
tire's air pressure, do not exceed
the maximum inflation pressure
indicated on the tire's sidewall.
To let air-pressure out of a tire you
can use the pointed end of the valve
cap, a pencil-style air pressure
gauge, or a key.

Vehicle Care 10-57
10. Set all four tires to therecommended air pressure
level as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
11. Put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
Tire Inspection
We recommend that you
regularly inspect your vehicle's
tires, including the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, for
signs of wear or damage. See
When It Is Time for New Tires
on
page 10‑58
for more information.
Tire Rotation
Tires should be rotated every
5,000 to 8,000 miles (8 000 to
13 000 km). See Scheduled
Maintenance
on page 11‑2. The purpose of a regular tire
rotation is to achieve a uniform
wear for all tires on the vehicle.
This will ensure that the vehicle
continues to perform most like it
did when the tires were new.
The first rotation is the most
important. See
Scheduled
Maintenance
on page 11‑2.
Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate the tires as soon
as possible and check wheel
alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels.
See When It Is Time for New
Tires
on page 10‑58and Wheel
Replacement
on page 10‑63.
Make sure the spare tire is
stored securely. Push, pull and
then try to rotate or turn the tire.
If it moves, use the wheel
wrench/hoist shaft to tighten the
cable. See If a Tire Goes Flat
on
page 10‑64
.
When rotating the vehicle's tires,
always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here. Do not
include the spare tire in the tire
rotation.
After the tires have been
rotated, adjust the front and rear
inflation pressures as shown on
the Tire and Loading Information
label. See Tire Pressure
on
page 10‑51
and Vehicle Load
Limits
on page 9‑27.