winter tires PONTIAC G6 2010 Owners Manual

Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow or ice between the
tires and the road, creating less traction or grip. Wet ice
can occur at about 32°F (0°C) when freezing rain begins
to fall, resulting in even less traction. Avoid driving on wet
ice or in freezing rain until roads can be treated with salt
or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the condition. Accelerate
gently so traction is not lost. Accelerating too quickly
causes the wheels to spin and makes the surface under
the tires slick, so there is even less traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.If the vehicle has theTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 5-6, it improves the ability to accelerate on
slippery roads, but slow down and adjust your driving to
the road conditions. When driving through deep snow,
turn off the traction control system to help maintain
vehicle motion at lower speeds.
TheAntilock Brake System (ABS) on page 5-4improves
vehicle stability during hard stops on a slippery roads,
but apply the brakes sooner than when on dry
pavement.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road
and watch for slippery spots. Icy patches can occur
on otherwise clear roads in shaded areas. The surface
of a curve or an overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped, on slippery surfaces.
5-15

Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) (Retractable Hardtop
and Coupe)..............................................6-50
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps (Sedan)........................6-50
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps (Coupe)........................6-51
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps (Retractable Hardtop)......6-53
License Plate Lamp......................................6-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................6-54
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............6-55
Tires..............................................................6-56
Winter Tires.................................................6-57
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................6-58
Tire Terminology and Definitions.....................6-61
Inflation - Tire Pressure.................................6-64
High-Speed Operation...................................6-66
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................6-66
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................6-67
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................6-73
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................6-74
Buying New Tires.........................................6-75Different Size Tires and Wheels......................6-77
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................6-78
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................6-79
Wheel Replacement......................................6-79
Tire Chains..................................................6-81
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................6-81
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit....................6-82
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit Storage.........6-89
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................6-90
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................6-91
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................6-93
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............6-99
Compact Spare Tire....................................6-106
Appearance Care..........................................6-107
Interior Cleaning.........................................6-107
Fabric/Carpet..............................................6-108
Leather......................................................6-109
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces.................................................6-109
Care of Safety Belts....................................6-110
Weatherstrips.............................................6-110
Washing Your Vehicle..................................6-110
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
6-2

Low-Prole Performance Tire
If your vehicle has P225/50R18 or P225/50R17 size
tires, they are classified as low-profile performance
tires. These tires are designed for very responsive
driving on wet or dry pavement. You may also
notice more road noise with low-profile performance
tires and that they tend to wear faster.
Notice:If the vehicle has low-prole tires,
they are more susceptible to damage from
road hazards or curb impact than standard
prole tires. Tire and/or wheel assembly
damage can occur when coming into contact
with road hazards like, potholes, or sharp edged
objects, or when sliding into a curb. The vehicle
warranty does not cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct ination pressure
and, when possible avoid contact with curbs,
potholes, and other road hazards.
Winter Tires
If your vehicle has P225/50R18 size tires, they are
classified as low-profile performance tires. These tires
are designed for very responsive driving on wet or dry
pavement. If you expect to drive on snow or ice covered
roads often, you may want to get winter tires for your
vehicle. The low-profile performance tires may not
offer the traction you would like or the same level of
performance as winter tires on snow or ice covered
roads.
Winter tires, in general, are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice covered roads. With winter
tires, there may be decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise and shorter tire tread life. After
switching to winter tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.
See your retailer for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection. Also, seeBuying
New Tires on page 6-75
6-57

If you choose to use winter tires:
•Use tires of the same brand and tread type on all
four wheel positions.
•Use only radial ply tires of the same size, load
range, and speed rating as your original equipment
tires.
Winter tires with the same speed rating as your original
equipment tires may not be available for H, V, W
and ZR speed rated tires. If you choose winter tires with
a lower speed rating, never exceed the tire’s maximum
speed capability.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a compact spare tire
sidewall.
(A) Tire Size
:The tire size 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.Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
6-58

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 (NHTSA),
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 (UTQG)
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 specified
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 significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices, and differences in road characteristics
and climate.
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 specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
6-78

C
Calibration.....................................................3-35
California
Perchlorate Materials Requirements................. 6-5
Warning....................................................... 6-5
California Fuel.................................................. 6-7
Call Waiting...................................................4-78
Calling for Assistance........................................ 8-7
Canada — Customer Assistance......................... 8-6
Canadian Owners............................................... iii
Canadian Owners (Propriétaires Canadiens)........... iii
Canceling a Remote Start.................................. 1-5
Capacities and Specifications..........................6-125
Carbon Monoxide
Engine Exhaust...........................................3-32
Trunk.........................................................3-11
Winter Driving.............................................5-15
Care of
Safety Belts..............................................6-110
Care of CDs ..................................................4-61
Care of the CD Player.....................................4-62
CD Messages................................................4-61
CD, MP3 .......................................................4-63
Cellular Phone Usage......................................4-83
Center Console Storage...................................3-37
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)....6-49, 6-50
Certification Label...........................................5-22
Chains, Tire...................................................6-81Changing a Tire When Trailer Towing................5-33
Charging System Light....................................4-30
Check
Engine Lamp..............................................4-34
Check Engine Light.........................................4-34
Checking Coolant............................................6-32
Checking Engine Oil........................................6-21
Checking Things Under the Hood......................6-14
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................6-114
Child Restraints
Infants and Young Children...........................2-39
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children..........2-46
Older Children.............................................2-36
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position...........................................2-54
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position...................................2-56
Systems.....................................................2-42
Where to Put the Restraint...........................2-44
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels......................................6-112
Exterior Lamps/Lenses................................6-111
Fabric/Carpet............................................6-108
Finish Care...............................................6-111
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces.....................................6-109
Interior.....................................................6-107
Leather....................................................6-109
Tires........................................................6-113
3

Tire and Loading Information Label....................5-19
Tire Sealant...................................................6-84
Tires.............................................................6-56
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning........................6-112
Buying New Tires........................................6-75
Chains.......................................................6-81
Changing a Flat Tire....................................6-90
Cleaning...................................................6-113
Compact Spare.........................................6-106
Different Size..............................................6-77
High-Speed Operation..................................6-66
If a Tire Goes Flat.......................................6-81
Inflation - Tire Pressure................................6-64
Inspection and Rotation................................6-73
Installing the Spare Tire................................6-93
Pressure Light.............................................4-33
Pressure Monitor Operation...........................6-67
Pressure Monitor System..............................6-66
Removing the Flat Tire.................................6-93
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools...............6-91
Sealant and Compressor Kit.................6-82, 6-89
Sidewall Labeling.........................................6-58
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............6-99
Terminology and Definitions...........................6-61
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................6-78
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance.................6-79
Wheel Replacement.....................................6-79
When It Is Time for New Tires......................6-74
Winter........................................................6-57To Use the Engine Coolant Heater....................3-23
Torque Lock...................................................3-31
Total Weight on the Vehicle’s Tires....................5-30
Towing
Recreational Vehicle.....................................5-23
Towing a Trailer
..........................................5-27
Your Vehicle...............................................5-23
TPMS Malfunction Light and Message...............6-69
TPMS Matching Process for Vehicles with
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)........................6-70
TPMS Matching Process for Vehicles without
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)........................6-71
TPMS Sensor Matching Process.......................6-70
Traction
Control System (TCS).................................... 5-6
Off Light.....................................................4-32
Traction – AA, A, B, C.....................................6-78
Trailer Brakes.................................................5-30
Transferring a Call..........................................4-79
Transmission
Fluid, Automatic..................................6-27, 6-28
Transmission Operation, Automatic....................3-24
Transportation Options.....................................8-10
Transportation Program, Courtesy......................8-10
Treadwear.....................................................6-78
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A.........6-78
Trip Odometer................................................4-26
Trunk............................................................3-11
Trunk Lamps..................................................4-14
16

W
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators...............4-24
Warnings
DIC Warnings and Messages........................4-42
Hazard Flashers............................................ 4-3
Safety and Symbols......................................... iv
Weight of the Trailer........................................5-28
Weight of the Trailer Tongue.............................5-29
What Kind of Engine Oil to Use........................6-23
What to Do with Used Oil ................................6-25
What to Use ..........................................6-32, 6-38
Wheels
Alignment and Tire Balance..........................6-79
Different Size..............................................6-77
Replacement...............................................6-79
When It Is Time for New Tires..........................6-74
When the Change Oil Soon Message Displays..... 7-3
When to Add Engine Oil..................................6-22
When to Change Engine Oil.............................6-24
When to Check..............................................6-65
When to Check and Change Automatic
Transmission Fluid.......................................6-28
When to Check Power Steering Fluid................6-37
When to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/Filter.....6-26
Where to Put the Child Restraint.......................2-44
Why Safety Belts Work....................................2-16Window Indexing (Coupe and Retractable
Hardtop).....................................................3-15
Window Lockout (Sedan Only)..........................3-16
Windows.......................................................3-13
Power ........................................................3-14
Windshield
Washer........................................................ 4-6
Washer Fluid..............................................6-38
Wiper Blade Replacement.............................6-55
Wiper Blades, Cleaning..............................6-112
Wiper Fuses.............................................6-115
Wipers......................................................... 4-5
Winter Driving................................................5-15
Winter Tires...................................................6-57
X
XM Radio Messages.......................................4-70
XM Satellite Radio Service...............................4-59
XM™ Satellite Radio
Antenna.....................................................4-84
XM™ Satellite Radio Service............................4-83
Y
Your Responsibility..........................................1-24
18