Tires — general information
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to the safe and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Three primary areas are affected by improper tire pressure:
Safety
WARNING!
• Improperly inflated tires are dangerous and can cause accidents.
• Underinflation increases tire flexing and can result in tire failure.
• Overinflation reduces a tire’s ability to cushion shock. Objects on the road and chuckholes can cause damage that result in tire failure.
• Unequal tire pressures can cause steering problems. You could lose control of your vehicle.
• Overinflated or underinflated tires can affect vehicle handling and can fail suddenly, resulting in loss of vehicle control.
• Unequal tire pressures from one side of the vehicle to the other can cause the vehicle to drift to the right or left.
• Always drive with each tire inflated to the recom- mended cold tire inflation pressure.
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Economy
Improper inflation pressures can cause uneven wear patterns to develop across the tire tread. These abnormal wear patterns will reduce tread life resulting in a need for earlier tire replacement. Underinflation also increases tire rolling resistance and results in higher fuel consumption.
Ride Comfort and Vehicle Stability
Proper tire inflation contributes to a comfortable ride. Overinflation produces a jarring and uncomfortable ride. Both underinflation and overinflation affect the stability of the vehicle and can produce a feeling of sluggish response or over responsiveness in the steering. Unequal tire pressures can cause erratic and unpredict- able steering response. Unequal tire pressure from side to side may cause the vehicle to drift left or right.
Tire Inflation Pressures
The proper cold tire inflation pressure is listed on either the face of the driver’s door or the driver’s side B-pillar.
The pressure should be checked and adjusted, as well as inspected for signs of tire wear or visible damage, at least once a month. Use a good quality pocket-type gauge to
Tire Placard Location
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check tire pressure. Do not make a visual judgement when determining proper inflation. Radial tires may look properly inflated even when they are underinflated.
CAUTION! After inspecting or adjusting the tire pressure, al- ways reinstall the valve stem cap (if equipped). This will prevent moisture and dirt from entering the valve stem, which could damage it.
Inflation pressures specified on the placard are always cold tire inflation pressure. Cold tire inflation pressure is defined as the tire pressure after the vehicle has not been driven for at least three hours, or driven less than 1 mi (1.6 km) after a three-hour period. The cold tire inflation pressure must not exceed the maximum inflation pres- sure molded into the tire sidewall.
Check tire pressures more often if subject to a wide range of outdoor temperatures, as tire pressures vary with temperature changes. Tire pressures change by approximately 1 psi (7 kPa) per 12°F (7°C) of air temperature change. Keep this in mind when checking tire pressure inside a garage, especially in the winter. Example: If garage temperature = 68°F (20°C) and the outside temperature = 32°F (0°C) then the cold tire inflation pressure should be increased by 3 psi (21 kPa), which equals 1 psi (7 kPa) for every 12°F (7°C) for this outside temperature condition. Tire pressure may increase from 2 to 6 psi (13 to 40 kPa) during operation. DO NOT reduce this normal pressure build-up, or your tire pressure will be too low.
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Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation
The manufacturer advocates driving at safe speeds within posted speed limits. Where speed limits or condi- tions are such that the vehicle can be driven at high speeds, maintaining correct tire inflation pressure is very important. Increased tire pressure and reduced vehicle loading may be required for high-speed vehicle opera- tion. Refer to original equipment or an authorized tire dealer for recommended safe operating speeds, loading and cold tire inflation pressures.
WARNING! High speed driving with your vehicle at or above maximum load is dangerous. The added strain on your tires could cause them to fail. You could have a serious accident. Don’t drive a vehicle loaded to the maximum capacity at continuous speeds above 75 mph (120 km/h).
Radial-Ply Tires
WARNING! Combining radial ply tires with other types of tires on your vehicle will cause your vehicle to handle poorly. The instability could cause an accident. Al- ways use radial tires in sets of four. Never combine them with other types of tires.
Cuts and punctures in radial tires are repairable only in the tread area because of sidewall flexing. Consult your authorized dealer for radial tire repairs.
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Tire Spinning
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice conditions, do not spin your vehicle’s wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h).
WARNING! Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener- ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause tire dam- age or failure. A tire could explode and injure some- one. Do not spin your vehicle’s wheels faster than 35 mph (55 km/h) when you are stuck, and do not let anyone near a spinning wheel no matter what the speed.
Tread Wear Indicators
Tread wear indicators are in the original equipment tires to help you in determining when your tires should be replaced.
These indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread grooves. They will appear as bands when the tread depth becomes 1/16 in (2 mm). When the indicators appear in two or more adjacent grooves, the tire should be re- placed. Many states have laws requiring tire replacement at this point.
Life Of Tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon various factors including but not limited to: • Driving style • Tire pressure • Distance driven
WARNING! Tires and the spare tire should be replaced after six years, regardless of the remaining tread. Failure to follow this warning can result in sudden tire failure. You could lose control and have an accident resulting in serious injury or death.
Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little exposure to light as possible. Protect tires from contact with oil, grease, and gasoline.
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Replacement Tires
The tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of many characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for wear and correct cold tire inflation pressure. The manu- facturer strongly recommends that you use tires equiva- lent to the originals in size, quality and performance when replacement is needed. (Refer to the paragraph on “Tread Wear Indicators”). Refer to the “Tire and Loading Information” placard for the size designation of your tires. The service description and load identification will be found on the original equipment tire. Failure to use equivalent replacement tires may adversely affect the safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle. We recommend that you contact your original equipment or an autho- rized tire dealer with any questions you may have on tire specifications or capability.
WARNING!
• Do not use a tire, wheel size or rating other than that
specified for your vehicle. Some combinations of unapproved tires and wheels may change suspension dimensions and performance characteristics, result- ing in changes to steering, handling, and braking of your vehicle. This can cause unpredictable handling and stress to steering and suspension components. You could lose control and have an accident resulting in serious injury or death. Use only the tire and wheel sizes with load ratings approved for your vehicle.
• Never use a tire with a smaller load index or capacity than what was originally equipped on your vehicle. Using a tire with a smaller load index could result in tire overloading and failure. You could lose control and have an accident.
• Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having ad- equate speed capability can result in sudden tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
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CAUTION! Replacing original tires with tires of a different size may result in false speedometer and odometer readings.
Alignment And Balance
Poor suspension alignment may result in: • Fast tire wear • Uneven tire wear, such as feathering and one-sided
wear • Vehicle pull to the left or right Tires may also cause the vehicle to pull left or right. Alignment will not correct this problem. See your autho- rized dealer for proper diagnosis.
Improper alignment will not cause vehicle vibration. Vibration may be a result of tire and wheel out-of- balance. Proper balancing will reduce vibration and avoid tire cupping and spotty wear.
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