1997 Pontiac Sunfire Owner's Manual - Page 289

Temperature -- A, B, C The temperature grades areA (the highest), B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature cause the can material of thetire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature canlead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor VehicleSafety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levelsof performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law. Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heatbuildup and possible tire failure. Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wearor your vehicle pullingone way or the other, the alignment may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels may need to be rebalanced. Wheel Replacement Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted or corroded. If wheelnuts keep coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should replaced. If the be wheel leaks air, replaceit (except some aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your Pontiac dealer if any of these conditions exist. Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need. Each new wheel shouldhave the same load-carrying capacity, diameter, width, offset and mounted the be same way as the one it replaces. If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts or wheel nuts, replace them only with newGM original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your Pontiac model. Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced carefully at thefactory to give you the longest tire life and best overall performance. 6-45