Chevrolet 1998 Prizm Owner's Manual page 266

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 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less
of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0
You
can
see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire's rubber.
0
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
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.
Make sure the replacements are the same size, load
range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
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,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
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