Buying New Tires - Cadillac 2005 CTS Owner's Manual

Buying New Tires

To find out what kind and size of tires your vehicle
needs, look at the tire and loading information label.
For more information about this label and its location on
your vehicle, see Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-33 .
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, GM recommends that you get tires 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, load
range, traction, ride, tire pressure monitoring system
performance 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).
Whenever you 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.
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 snow tires with
a lower speed rating, never exceed the tire's maximum
speed capability.
5-70
If you replace your vehicle's tires with those not having
a TPC Spec number, the tire pressure monitoring
system may give an inaccurate low pressure warning.
Non-TPC Spec tires may give a low pressure warning
that is higher or lower than the proper warning level you
would get with TPC Spec numbered tires.
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CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes may also cause damage to your vehicle.
Be sure to use the same size and type tires on
all wheels. It's all right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily, it was developed
for use on your vehicle. See Compact Spare
Tire on page 5-87 .