Saturn 2009 VUE Automobile User Manual


 
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific 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
Specification (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 specifications 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 near the
tire size. If the tires have an
all-season tread design, the TPC
Spec number will be followed by
an MS for mud and snow. See
Tire Sidewall Labeling on
page 5-44 for additional
information.
GM recommends replacing tires
in sets of four. This is because
uniform tread depth on all tires
will help keep your vehicle
performing most like it did when
the tires were new. Replacing
less than a full set of tires can
affect the braking and handling
performance of your vehicle. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-56 for information on
proper tire rotation.
{ 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 all
wheels. It is all right to drive
with your compact spare
temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your
vehicle. See Compact Spare
Tire on page 5-71.
5-58 Service and Appearance Care