tires Oldsmobile Achieva 1995 s Owner's Guide

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 the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire
in your tire
rotation.
After the tires
have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Infc~-mation label.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are.
properly tightened. See
“Wheel Nut Torque” in the
Index.
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 you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt
off. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
I
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 I /16 inch (I .6 mm) or
less
of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if:
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.

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 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).
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.
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.)
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Treadwear Temperature - A, B, C
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 based
on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction. 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
ninimum 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.
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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.
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
Oldsmobile retailer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your retailer 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
Oldsmobile model.
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Tire Chains
NOTICE:
If your Oldsmobile has P195/65R15 or
P205/55R16 size tires, don’t use tire chains; they
can damage your vehicle.
If you have other tires, 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.
Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some are toxic. Others can burst into flame if you strike a
match or get them on a hot
part of the vehicle. Some are
dangerous if you breathe their fumes in a closed space.
When you use anything from a container to clean your
Oldsmobile, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s warnings and instructions. And always open your doors
or windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
0 Gasoline
Benzene
Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
0 Acetone
0 Paint Thinner
Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover
They can
all be hazardous -- some more than others -- and
they can all damage your vehicle, too.
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Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, wexner
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period
of years. You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new by keeping your Oldsmobile garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)
Your aluminum wheels have a protective coating similar
to
the painted surface of your vehicle. Don’t use strong
soaps, chemicals, chrome polish, abrasive cleaners or
abrasive cleaning brushes
on them because you could
damage this coating. After rinsing thoroughly, a wax
may be applied.
NOTICE:
If you have aluminum wheels, don’t use an
automatic vehicle wash that has hard silicon
carbide cleaning brushes. These brushes can take
the protective coating
off your aluminum wheels.
Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
When applying a tire dressing always take care to wipe
off any overspray or splash from painted surfxes.
Petroleum-based products may danlage the paint finish.
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I Maintenance Schedule I I
6,000 Miles (10 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
0 Lubricate the suspension, steering linkage
and transaxle shift linkage (or every
6 months, whichever occurs first).
Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and
Rotati.on” in the Index for proper rotation
pattern and additional information.
9,000 Miles (15 000 km)
I 0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
DATE
SERVICED BY ACTUAL MILEAGE
7-7

I Maintenance Schedule I I
18,000 Miles (30 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
0 Lubricate the suspension, steering linkage
and transaxle shift linkage
(or every
6 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and
Rotation” in the Index for proper rotation
pattern and additional information.
DATE
SERVICED BY: ACTUAL MILEAGE
21,000 Miles (35 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
DATE
SERVICED BY: ACTUAL MILEAGE
7-9

Maintenance Schedule I
30,000 Miles (50 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
and transaxle shift linkage (or every
6 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Inspect engine accessory drive belt (or
every
24 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service
0 Drain, flush and refill cooling system (or
every
24 months, whichever occurs first).
See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for what
to use. Inspect hoses. Clean radiator,
condenser, pressure cap and neck. Pressure
test the cooling system and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Sewice.
0 Replace spark plugs (except 2.3L Code D
engine). An Emission Control Sewice.
17 Lubricate the suspension, steering linkage
0 Inspect spark plug wires (except 2.3L Code
D engine). An Emission Control Sewice.
0 Replace air cleaner filter. Replace filter
more often under dusty conditions.
An Emission Control Service.
0 Inspect fuel tank, cap and lines for damage
or leaks. Inspect
fuel cap gasket for any
damage. Replace parts as needed.
An Emission Control Service.?
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and
Rotation’’ in the Index for proper rotation
pattern and additional information.
DATE
SERVICED BY: ACTUAL MILEAGE
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