Buying New Tires - Pontiac Wave 2009 Owner's Manual

You need new tires if any of the following statements
are true:
•
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
•
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire's rubber.
•
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
•
The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.
•
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that
cannot be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
The rubber in tires degrades over time, even if they are
not being used. This is also true for the spare tire, if
your vehicle has one. Multiple conditions affect how fast
this aging takes place, including temperatures, loading
conditions, and inflation pressure maintenance. With
proper care and maintenance tires will typically wear out
before they degrade due to age. If you are unsure
about the need to replace your tires as they get older,
consult the tire manufacturer for more information.
5-60

Buying New Tires

GM has developed and matched specific tires for your
vehicle. If you need replacement tires, GM strongly
recommends that you get tires that are the same size,
brand, load range, speed rating, and construction type
(radial and bias-belted tires) as your vehicle's original
tires. 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.
See Tire Sidewall Labeling on page 5-50 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 5-58.