2004 DODGE STRATUS COUPE tire pressure

Amount of belt deflection
in (mm)
Standard value Used belt New belt
A .26 to .35
(6.7 to 9.0).28 to .33
(7.2 to 8.4).17 to .21
(4.4 to 5.3)
B .46 to .60
(11.7 to 15.3).49 to .56
(12.5 to 14.3).34 to .43
(8.8 to 11.0)
C .43 to .56
(11.0 to 14.3).46 to .52
(11.7 to 13.3).33 to .41
(8.4 to 10.4)
D .33 to .43
(8.5 to 10.9).35 to .40
(9.0 to 10.1).24 to .30
(6.2 to 7.6)
WARNING!
Do not check or touch the drive belt with the engine
running, or serious injury may result.
TIMING BELT
The timing belt should be replaced with a new one at the
mileage specified on the scheduled maintenance chart.
TIRES
WARNING!
Driving with tires that are worn or improperly inflated
can result in a collision, and serious or fatal injury.
Tire inflation pressures
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to the safe and
satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Three primary
areas are affected by improper tire pressure:
1. Safety
Under-inflation increases tire flexing and can result in tire
failure. Over-inflation results in a tire losing its ability to
cushion shock. Objects on the road and potholes could
cause tire damage that may result in tire failure.
2. 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.
Under-inflation also increases tire rolling resistance and
results in higher fuel consumption.
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3. Ride comfort and vehicle stability
Proper tire inflation pressures contribute to the excellent
ride quality built into your vehicle. Over-inflation pro-
duces an uncomfortable and jarring ride.
Under-inflation can produce a feeling of sluggish re-
sponse.
Unequal inflation pressures can produce erratic and
unpredictable vehicle response to steering maneuvers.
The proper tire pressure for your vehicle is listed on a
placard attached near the door sill striker on the driver's
side ``B''-Pillar.
The recommended inflation pressures should be followed
when the specified tires are installed.
Item Tire size Front Rear
Normal tire P205/60R16 91H 32 psi (220 kpa)
P215/50R17 90H 32 psi (220 kpa)
Compact spare tire T125/70D16 60 psi (420 kpa)
The pressures should be checked and adjusted, if neces-
sary, at least once a month.
Tire pressures should be checked more often when weather
temperatures vary widely, because tire pressures vary withoutdoor temperatures. Inflation pressures specified on the
placard are always ªcold inflation pressureº.
Cold inflation pressure can be measured after the vehicle
has been stationary for at least three hours or driven less
than one mile (1.6 km) after being stationary for three
hours.
Cold inflation pressure must not exceed the maximum
values molded into the tire sidewall. After driving sev-
eral miles, tire inflation pressure may increase 2 to 6 psi
(14 to 41 kPa) over the cold inflation pressure; do NOT let
air out of the tires to match the specified cold pressure, or
your tires will be underinflated.
Check your tires each time you refuel. If one tire looks
lower than the others, check the tire inflation pressure for
all of them. The following precautions also should be
observed:
1. Keep your tires inflated to the pressures that are
recommended. (See the tire and loading information
placard attached the driver's side ``B''-Pillar.)
2. Stay within the load limits that are recommended.
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9

3. Make sure that the weight of your vehicle load is
evenly distributed.
4. Drive at safe speeds.
5. After the tire inflation pressure has been adjusted,
check the tires for damage and air leaks. Be sure to
replace the rubber caps on the valve stems.
Radial ply tires
Radial ply tires provide improved tread life, road hazard
resistance and smoother high speed ride. The radial ply
factory-installed tires on this vehicle are of belted con-
struction and are selected to complement the ride and
handling characteristics of your vehicle.
Radial ply tires have the same load carrying capacity as
bias or bias-belted tires of the same letter size, and use the
same recommended inflation pressures.
Mixing of radial ply tires with bias or bias-belted tires is
not recommended. Combining radial ply and bias or
bias-belted tires on one vehicle will negatively affect
vehicle handling. It is recommended that radial ply tires
should always be used as a set of four.As longer wearing tires can be more susceptible to
irregular tread wear, it is very important to follow the tire
rotation interval shown in the section ªTire rotationº to
achieve full tread life potential in these tires.
Cuts and punctures in radial ply tires are repairable only
in the tread area, because of sidewall flexing. Consult
your tire dealer for radial ply tire repairs.
Tire pressure for sustained high-speed driving
For sustained high-speed driving, increase inflation pres-
sure 4 psi (28 kPa) above the recommended pressure but
do not exceed the maximum cold inflation pressure
molded into the tire sidewall.
Oversize tires
The use of tire sizes other than those listed may cause
interference with vehicle components under extremes of
suspension and steering travel, and may result in tire and
vehicle damage.
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Tire maintenance
The following maintenance steps are recommended:
1. Check pressure regularly.
2. Maintain wheel balance and front suspension align-
ment.
3. Rotate tires regularly in accordance with the recom-
mendation in the section ªTire rotationº on page 336.
Cargo loads
The load-carrying capacity of your vehicle is shown on
the tire and loading information placard.
DO NOT USE the weight rating data provided on the
safety certification label for determining vehicle passen-
ger and/or cargo load capacity.
For determining the combined weight of occupants and
cargo, use the specifications provided on the tire and
loading information placard.
Tread wear indicators
Tread wear indicators are built into the original equip-
ment tires on your vehicle to assist you in determining
when your tires have been worn to the point of needing
replacement. Many states have laws making tire replace-
ment mandatory at this point.
These indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread
grooves and will appear as 1/2 in (13 mm) wide bands
when tire tread depth becomes 1/16 in (1.6 mm).
M32A0010
Location of tread wear indicator
Tread wear indicator
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When the indicators appear in two or more adjacent
grooves, tire replacement is recommended.
NOTE: The mark and the location of the tire wear
indicator are different depending on tire manufacturers.
Tire rotation
To equalize wear and help extend tire life, the manufacturer
recommends that you rotate your tires approximately every
7, 500 miles (12, 000 km) under normal driving conditions
and every 6,000 miles (9,600km) in severe driving conditions.However, the timing for tire rotation may vary according to
your vehicle condition, road surface conditions and each
individual driver's driving habits. Any time you notice
unusual wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible.
When rotating tires, check for uneven wear, damage and
wheel alignment. Abnormal wear is usually caused by incor-
rect tire pressure, improper wheel alignment, out-of-balance
wheel or severe braking. Consult an authorized dealer to
determine the cause of irregular tread wear.
M40A0270
Type 1
M40A0490
Type 2
338 MAINTENANCE

The first rotation is the most important to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle.
CAUTION!
Do not use the compact spare tire for tire rotation.
Tire chains
CAUTION!
Tire chains are not recommended for your vehicle.
The clearance between the chains and the body is
small, and the body might be damaged.
Snow tires
Some areas of the country require the use of snow tires
during winter. Standard tires are of the all season type
and satisfy this requirement as indicated by the M+S
designation on the tire side wall.
If you need snow tires, select tires equivalent in size and
type to the original equipment tires. Failure to do so may
adversely affect the safety and handling of your vehicle.Snow tires should be inflated 4 psi (28 kPa) higher than
the inflation pressure shown on the vehicle's tire placard.
Never inflate over the maximum pressure shown on the
tire sidewall.
Snow tires should not be operated at sustained speeds
over 75 mph (120 km/h).
NOTE: As flange nuts are used on your vehicle, change
to tapered nuts when snow tires (steel wheels) are used.
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6 - Tire and loading information placard
The tire inflation pressure label is located on the inside
sill of the driver 's door.
7 - Certification label
The certification label is located on the inside sill of the
driver's door.
BATTERY
BCI Group NO.86
Battery is 12 volts.
NOTE: There are various size of the batteries in the BCI
Group No.86.
When you replace a battery, check the size of the battery
to prevent interfering with other parts in the engine
compartment.
B02E0180
B02F0060X
6
7
366 SPECIFICATIONS

Mopar Parts........................315,375
Odometer..........................106,110
Oil pressure gauge...................... 106
Oil pressure warning light.............107,114
Oil
Engine oil........................... 318
Onboard Diagnostic System............... 314
Opener, Garage Door.................... 132
Operation during cold weather............. 202
Operation under adverse driving conditions . . . 263
Overdrive indicator..................... 107
Oversize tires.......................... 336
Owner 's Manual....................... 377
Parking brake
Operating method.................... 169
Parking brake lever stroke.............. 332
Polishing............................. 258
Power brakes.......................... 172
Power door locks........................ 34
Power windows......................... 43
Proper shift points...................... 167Puncture (tire changing).................. 274
Radial ply tires........................ 336
Radiator cap..................... 311,322,323
Radio................................ 219
General information................... 216
Reading lamps......................... 131
Reading light.......................... 131
Rear seats............................. 66
Rear window defroster................... 125
Replacement of light bulbs................ 292
Reporting Safety Defects................. 375
Safe driving techniques.................. 200
Scheduled maintenance.................. 340
Seat belt extender....................... 75
Seat Belts
Adjustable seat belt anchor.............73,80
And Pregnant Women.................. 87
Child restraint........................ 76
Maintenance and inspection.............. 88
Seat belt extender...................... 75
Seat belt reminder/warning light......... 107
386 INDEX