Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Four little wheel sensors in a growing number of vehicles can help save lives by alerting motorists to low tyre pressure, a potentially dangerous driving situation. General Motors (GM) is encouraging motorists to take a few minutes this fall to learn how to use a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) as well as check tyres and tyre pressure, which helps ensure optimal vehicle performance in steering, cornering, braking, ride comfort, noise, fuel efficiency, and most importantly safety.
The GM TPMS utilizes separate sensors mounted in each wheel. These sensors use real-time monitoring to determine the pressure in each tyre. A warning light on the instrument panel or a message displayed on the driver information centre, along with an audible warning, alerts drivers to check the air pressure in their tyres.
"Tyre pressure monitoring is a wonderful technology that has the potential to help make our roads safer," said Joe Elenz, Aftersales Director General Motors Middle East. "But it's no substitute for being conscientious about tyre maintenance. All vehicle owners should familiarize themselves with TPMS, how it works and what it can tell them about basic tyre maintenance.
"In addition to extending tyre life, general tyre maintenance and correct tyre pressure maintenance in particular are extremely vital to daily on-road vehicle safety, especially in extreme hot climate regions like the Middle East where vehicles are often driven over long distances at sustained high speeds."
The increasing use of tyre pressure monitoring systems, which are being phased in across the entire GM fleet, also means that vehicle owners need to be more mindful when they rotate or replace tyres, so that the system isn't damaged and that the sensors are properly matched to the tyres. GM utilizes its industry-leading methodology, Tyre Performance Criteria (TPC), to ensure tyre performance, handling and durability under a variety of load and driving conditions and allows the customer to obtain the same tyre from a GM dealer when replacement is necessary.
General Motors is a leader in installing tyre pressure monitors and has more vehicles equipped with the devices than any other automotive manufacturer, with over 4 million installed on cars and trucks to date.
GM has the TMPS as standard or optional on 2006 and 2007 Cadillac BLS, CTS, SRX, STS, XLR and Escalade; 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban; 2006 and 2007 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, and their Denali variants; 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, the all-new Captiva and GMC Envoy; 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet Caprice and Lumina; 1995-2007 Chevrolet Corvette; Saab 9-3, 9-5 and 9-7X;, and some 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet and GMC light duty pickup trucks.
Tyre safety studies have shown that maintaining proper tyre pressure, observing tyre and vehicle load limits and inspecting tyres for cuts, slashes and irregularities are the most important things a motorist can do to avoid tyre failure.
These actions, along with other care and maintenance can also:
Improve vehicle handling
Help avoid vehicle breakdowns and crashes
Improve fuel efficiency
Save money by increasing tyre life
Tyre pressure what's proper?
To check your tyre pressure, you need to know what the vehicle's manufacturer recommends. Tyre pressure is expressed in pounds per square inch, or psi. Depending on the make of the vehicle, the information can be on the tyre placard located on the vehicle door edge, door post, glove-box door or inside the trunk lid.
"Tyres that are either under or over inflated will adversely affect vehicle handling and stability, especially at high speeds," added Elenz. "A mix of both over and underinflated tyres on the same vehicle is particularly dangerous and can be avoided by using a known good tyre pressure gauge or calibrated service station air pump when inflating tyres to the recommended pressure."
Rising temperatures and tyre durability
Both over and underinflating tyres can greatly reduce the life of a tyre and will contribute to uneven tyre wear. However, it is tyre underiflation that poses the greatest danger in this region as the extra heat generated by driving on underinflated tyres in extreme hot climates at sustained high speeds can result in tyre tread separation and subsequent high speed tyre 'blow-out' and possible loss of vehicle control.
Customers that use their cars off-road and deflate their tyres once in the desert, should always be aware to re-inflate their tyres to the recommended measurement once on the road to avoid damage and possible accidents.
-Ends-
About GM
General Motors, the world's largest automaker, has been the global automotive sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM operates one of the world's leading finance companies, GMAC Financial Services, which offers automotive, residential and commercial financing and insurance.
GM has been operating in the Middle East since the 1920s. GM's vehicle brands sold in the region are Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, HUMMER, Opel and Saab supported by a unique set of customer-focused services. GM parts and accessories are sold under the GM Parts and ACDelco brands. The regional office in Dubai covers the company's operations in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE and Yemen.
In 2005, GM sold over 113,500 vehicles in the Middle East, representing a 28 percent increase over figures recorded in 2004, and the company continues to introduce pioneering programs in the region.
For more information please contact:
Saada Hammad
Communications and Public Relations Manager
General Motors Middle East
Tel (+9714) 3143350
E-mail saada.hammad@gm.com
© Press Release 2007
