Page 244 of 330

Timin
g Belt , Tire s
Timin g Bel t
The timing belt and balancer belt should normally be replaced at the
intervals shown in the maintenance
schedule.
Replace these belts at 60,000 miles (U.S.) or 100,000 km (Canada) if you
regularly drive your car in one or
more of these conditions:
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F,43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under —20°F, — 29°C). Tire
s
To safely operate your car, your tires must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread, and correctly inflated. The following
pages give more detailed information on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Inflatio
n
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread life and riding comfort. Underinflated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handling and fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated. Overinflated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to damage from road hazards, and wear
unevenly.
We recommend that you visually check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it immediately with a tire gauge.
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding tire inflation and maintenance.
Page 246 of 330

Tire
s
Tubeless tires have some ability to self-seal if they are punctured.
However, because leakage is often
very slow, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure. Inspectio
n
Every time you check inflation, you
should also examine the tires for
damage, foreign objects, and wear.
You should look for: Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
you find either of these conditions. Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see fabric or cord. Excessive tread wear.
Your car's tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When thetread wears down to that point, you
will see a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide
band running across the tread. This shows there is less than 1
/16 inch
(1.6 mm) of tread left on the tire. A
tire that is this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see the
tread wear indicator in three or more
places around the tire.
Maintenance
INDICATO
R LOCATIO N MARK S
TREA D WEA R INDICATOR S
Page 273 of 330

Compac
t Spar e Tir e
Your car has a compact spare tire that takes up less space. Use this spare tire as a temporary replace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put back on
your car as soon as you can.
Check the inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inflated to:6 0 ps i (42 0 kP a , 4. 2 kgf/cm 2)
Follow these precautions whenever
you are using the compact spare tire: Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
under any circumstances.
This tire gives a harsher ride and less traction on some road sur-
faces than the regular tire. Use
greater caution while driving on
this tire. Do not mount snow chains on the
compact spare.
The wheel of the compact spare
tire is designed especially to fit
your car. Do not use your spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is
the same make and model.
Turn off the VSA system (see page 190).Driving with the compact spare
tire may activate the VSA system.
The compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular tire. Replace
it when you can see the tread wear
indicator bars. The replacementshould be the same size and design
tire, mounted on the same wheel.
The compact spare tire is not designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the compact wheel is not designed for mounting a regular tire.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d INDICATO
R LOCATIO N MAR K
TREA D WEA R INDICATO R BA R
Page 328 of 330

Inde
x
Steering Wheel
Adjustments................................. 71
Anti-theft Column Lock.............. 80
Position Memory....................... 100
Stereo Sound System.................... 134
Storing Your Car............................ 259
Sun Visor......................................... 113
Sunglasses Holder......................... 110
Supplemental Restraint
System............................. 9
,
43, 4
6
Service Precautions..................... 48
Servicing....................................... 48
SRS Indicator.......................... 45, 55
System Components.................... 43
Tensioners, Seat Belts................ 41
Synthetic Oil................................... 216
Tachometer...................................... 58
Taillights, Changing Bulbs in....... 254
Taking Care of the Unexpected .. 269
Tape Player ........................... 139, 154
Technical Descriptions
DOT Tire Quality Grading....... 301
Driving in Foreign Countries... 304 Emissions Control Systems...... 305
Oxygenated Fuels...................... 303
Three Way Catalytic Converter................................ 307
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System..................................... 300
Temperature Gauge........................ 60
Tensioners, Seat Belts .................... 41
Tether Anchorage Points............... 39
Theft Deterrent System................ 163
Theft Protection............................. 162
Three Way Catalytic Converter... 307
Time, Setting the........................... 108
Timing Belt..................................... 241
Tire Chains..................................... 247
Tire, How to Change a Flat.......... 271
Tires................................................ 241 Air Pressure............................... 242Balancing.................................... 244
Checking Wear.......................... 243
Compact Spare........................... 270
DOT Tire Quality Grading....... 301
Inflation....................................... 241
Inspection................................... 243
Maintenance............................... 244
Replacing.................................... 245
Rotating....................................... 244
Snow............................................ 247
Specifications............................. 299
Tools, Tire Changing.................... 271
Torn Seat Belts................................ 42
Towing
A Trailer...................................... 194
By Emergency Wrecker........... 292
Transmission
Checkin g
Fluid Level,
Automatic............................... 226
Fluid Selection............................ 226
Identification Number............... 297
Shifting the Automatic.............. 180
Treadwear...................................... 301
Trip Meter........................................ 59
Trunk................................................. 86
Opening the.................................. 86
Open Monitor Light.................... 57
Turn Signals..................................... 66
CONTINUED