When It Is Time For New; Tires; Buying New Tires - Cadillac XT5 2017 Owner's Manual

290 VEHICLE CARE

WHEN IT IS TIME FOR NEW

TIRES

Factors such as maintenance,
temperatures, driving speeds, vehicle
loading, and road conditions affect the
wear rate of the tires.
Treadwear indicators are one way to
tell when it is time for new tires.
Treadwear indicators appear when the
tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in) or less
of tread remaining. See Tire Inspection
0 288 and Tire Rotation 0 289.
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This also applies to the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
never used. Multiple factors including
temperatures, loading conditions, and
inflation pressure maintenance affect
how fast aging takes place. GM
recommends that tires, including the
spare if equipped, be replaced after six
years, regardless of tread wear. The tire
manufacture date is the last four digits
of the DOT Tire Identification Number
(TIN) which is molded into one side of
the tire sidewall. The first two digits
represent the week (01 52) and the
last two digits, the year. For example,
the third week of the year 2010 would
have a four-digit DOT date of 0310.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park a
vehicle that will be stored for at least a
month in a cool, dry, clean area away
from direct sunlight to slow aging.
This area should be free of grease,
gasoline, or other substances that can
deteriorate rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that may
result in vibrations while driving.
When storing a vehicle for at least a
month, remove the tires or raise the
vehicle to reduce the weight from the
tires.

BUYING NEW TIRES

GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec) system
rating. When replacement tires are
needed, GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec system
considers over a dozen critical
specifications that impact the
overall performance of the 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