What good is a tire rotation?
Rotating your tires helps them last longer and helps ensure safer driving by evening out tire wear. Not rotating tires may cause the tires on the drive wheels to wear out and have to be replaced prematurely. Tires on the drive wheels tend to get more wear than the other tires. Your vehicle Owner's Manual will tell you which rotational pattern to follow.

What's wheel balancing?
When a wheel is unbalanced, there is an unequal distribution of weight around the rim of the wheel and tire assembly. The tire may seem round and true when rotated slowly, but on the road centrifugal force acts on the heaviest part of the tire, making it wobble or vibrate (like an out-of-balance ceiling fan). This can cause flat spots on the tire treads and is damaging to ball joints, bearings, steering, and shock absorbers. With special equipment, technicians can measure a tire and wheel assembly, then add special wheel weights to restore balance. Hitting potholes and normal vehicle wear-and-tear can cause unbalanced wheels. Uneven tire wear can indicate unbalanced wheels, so it's wise to check and rotate your vehicle's tires regularly.

What's wheel alignment?
Aligning a vehicle's wheels involves setting the front and/or rear suspension and steering angles to manufacturer's specifications. Vehicle suspensions are designed to be at certain dimensions and angles when the vehicle is level and loaded to designated conditions. These settings affect the way the vehicle rides and handles when in motion. When you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle with independent rear suspension, four-wheel alignment is usually needed. In addition to aligning the front wheels, many other factors (like the suspension, steering, tires, shock absorbers, and passenger and cargo loading) must be taken into account. Because the technology in today's vehicles tends to mask the need for an alignment, drivers tend to overlook this need. Uneven tire wear, or even steering pulls or leads can indicate the need to have the wheel alignment checked or adjusted.

What's fuel injection?
Fuel injection delivers the right amount of fuel to the engine cylinders to allow smooth operation under all conditions. Fuel injection is computer-controlled and is more precise than older fuel delivery systems like carburetors. Fuel injectors are told by a computer to deliver more fuel for cold starting and heavy loads like hills or accelerating. On light loads, the fuel injector can be commanded to deliver less fuel or even shut completely off when coasting downhill. Fuel injected cars typically have an electric fuel pump, an inline fuel filter, and a fuel pressure regulator in the system to deliver and precisely control all the fuel that may be demanded. Maintenance can include cleaning the fuel injectors and replacing the fuel filters in the fuel line or in the fuel tank. Use GM Fuel System Treatment, part number 12345104.

What are the shock absorbers?
Shock absorbers cushion road vibration and bumps. Located in the suspension near each wheel, they are connected to the wheel and the car frame. They are filled with oil and sometimes air or nitrogen to soften the vertical jolts by dampening the up-and-down motion of the springs (which absorb the main jolts). A different kind of shock, called the McPherson Strut, takes up less room and improves handling by combining the springs and shocks into one unit. When shocks and struts are worn, they can leak oil. Shock and strut wear can cause the vehicle to bounce up and down for too long after you hit a bump and cause tire and suspension wear.

What's the difference between transmission and transaxle?
Both are terms for transmissions that transfer the power from the engine to the axles. Transmissions are found in rear-wheel-drive vehicles. A driveshaft transfers power from the transmission to a differential, which changes the direction of the power 90 degrees. The drive axles then transfer power to the rear wheels. Transaxles, which combine the transmission and differential, are found in front-wheel-drive vehicles. The differential is inside the transaxle, and the drive axles are connected through constant velocity joints (CV joints) to the wheels. Transmissions and transaxles both have fluids, which may require checking or changing during the life of the vehicle. Consult your Owner's Manual.

What are disc brakes?
Disc brakes are like the calipers on bicycle brakes -- they clamp down on part of the wheel to slow it down. In a car, when you step on the brake, hydraulic (brake fluid) pressure builds up, which causes the caliper's brake pads to push against the disc or rotor inside the wheel assembly, slowing it and stopping the vehicle. Pads and calipers should be checked during tire rotation to be sure they aren't worn and the caliper is properly lubricated and free to operate on both sides of the disc brake.

What are anti-lock brakes?
Anti-lock brakes are a computer control feature added to the braking system. When a car has anti-lock brakes, the driver applies firm but steady pressure to the brake pedal while the anti-lock brake system (ABS) computer rapidly and repeatedly applies and releases the brake. This helps stop a vehicle in a panic situation without lock-up, skidding and loss of steering control. Since the ABS is rapidly adjusting the braking force at each wheel when engaged, drivers may notice a vibration in the pedal or hear a noise.

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