GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Irregular or Premature Wear

Irregular or premature tire wear has many causes.


Object Number: 143350  Size: SH
    • Incorrect inflation pressure may cause irregular or premature tire wear.
    • Lack of regular rotation may cause irregular or premature tire wear.

Object Number: 143354  Size: SH
    • Driving habits may cause irregular or premature tire wear.

Object Number: 143359  Size: SH
    • Improper wheel alignment may cause irregular or premature tire wear.

Inspection Procedure

  1. Inspect the front tires for irregular or premature wear.
  2. Inspect the rear tires for irregular or premature wear.
  3. Rotate the tire if any of the following conditions are evident:
  4. • Uneven wear exists across the tread of any tire.
    • The left side tire wear and the right side tire wear is unequal.
    • A scheduled maintenance interval.
  5. Perform a wheel alignment if the following conditions exist:
  6. • The left side and/or the right side front tire wear is unequal.
    • The wear is uneven across the tread of the tire.
    • The tire treads have a scuffed appearance with feather like edges on 1 side of the tread ribs or the blocks.

Tread Wear Indicators


Object Number: 143383  Size: SH

The original equipment tires have built in tread wear indicators to show when you should replace the tires.

The location of these indicators are at 72 degree intervals around the outer diameter of the tire. The indicators appear as a 6 mm (0.25 in) wide band when the tire tread depth becomes 1.6 mm (2/32 in).