2013 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - Page 321

Vehicle Care 10-55 { WARNING Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose after time. The wheel could come off and cause an accident. When changing a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from places where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, a cloth or a paper towel can be used; however, use a scraper or wire brush later to remove all rust or dirt. When It Is Time for New Tires Factors such as maintenance, temperatures, driving speeds, vehicle loading, and road conditions affect the wear rate of the tires. Lightly coat the center of the wheel hub with wheel bearing grease after a wheel change or tire rotation to prevent corrosion or rust build-up. Do not get grease on the flat wheel mounting surface or on the wheel nuts or bolts. Treadwear indicators are one way to tell when it is time for new tires. Treadwear indicators appear when the tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in) or less of tread remaining. See Tire Inspection on page 10‑53 and Tire Rotation on page 10‑54. The rubber in tires ages over time. This also applies to the spare tire, if the vehicle has one, even if it is never used. Multiple factors including temperatures, loading conditions, and inflation pressure maintenance affect how fast aging takes place. GM recommends that tires, including the spare if equipped, be replaced after six years, regardless of tread wear. The tire manufacturer date is the last four digits of the DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) which is molded into one side of the tire sidewall. The first two digits represent the week (01-52) and the last two digits, the year. For example, the third week of the year 2010 would have a four-digit DOT date of 0310.