You need new tires if any of the following statementsare true:• You can see the indicators at three or more placesaround the tire.• You can see cord or fabric showing through thetire’s rubber.• The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut, or snaggeddeep enough to show cord or fabric.• The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.• The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage thatcannot be repaired well because of the size orlocation of the damage.The rubber in tires degrades over time, even if they arenot being used. This is also true for the spare tire, ifyour vehicle has one. Multiple conditions affect how fastthis aging takes place, including temperatures, loadingconditions, and inflation pressure maintenance. Withproper care and maintenance tires will typically wear outbefore they degrade due to age. If you are unsureabout the need to replace your tires as they get older,consult the tire manufacturer for more information.Buying New TiresGM has developed and matched specific tires for yourvehicle. The original equipment tires installed onyour vehicle, when it was new, were designed to meetGeneral Motors Tire Performance Criteria Specification(TPC spec) system rating. If you need replacementtires, GM strongly recommends that you get tires withthe same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehiclewill continue to have tires that are designed to give thesame performance and vehicle safety, during normaluse, as the original tires.GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over adozen critical specifications that impact the overallperformance of your vehicle, including brake systemperformance, ride and handling, traction control, and tirepressure monitoring performance. GM’s TPC Specnumber is molded onto the tire’s sidewall near the tiresize. If the tires have an all-season tread design,the TPC spec number will be followed by an MS formud and snow. See Tire Sidewall Labeling on page 6-55for additional information.6-69
