Chevrolet 2002 Impala, Owner'S Manual

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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,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
CAUTION:
If you use bias
-
ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel could
fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial
-
ply
tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires
by treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter
-
type snow
tires, space
-
saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited
-
production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.