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 the valve stem.
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 3 hours, or driven less than 1mile
(1 km) after a 3 hour period. The cold tire inflation
pressure must not exceed the maximum inflation pres-
sure molded into the tire side wall.
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.
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.
STARTING AND OPERATING 219
5
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 (see the paragraph on tread
wear indicators). Refer to the Tire and Loading Informa-
tion placard for the size designation of your tire. 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, han-
dling, and ride of your vehicle. We recommend that you
contact your original equipment or an authorized tire
dealer with any questions you may have on tire specifi-
cations or capability.WARNING!
•Do not use a tire, wheel size or rating other than
that specified for your vehicle. Some combina-
tions of unapproved tires and wheels may change
suspension dimensions and performance charac-
teristics, resulting in changes to steering, han-
dling, 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, other 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
adequate speed capability can result in sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
222 STARTING AND OPERATING
Modules mounted in three of the four wheel wells,
various Tire Pressure Monitoring System Display Mes-
sages in the EVIC, and Telltale Lamp.
NOTE:For vehicles with optional wheel/tire sizes and
significantly different tire placard pressures, the placard
pressure value and the low-pressure threshold value is
re-programmable at your authorized dealer to accommo-
date the customer selected wheel/tire combinations rec-
ommended by DaimlerChrysler.
The followingwarningswill cause a text message to be
displayed, an audible chime to sound and the tire pres-
sure Telltale Lamp to illuminate. The audible chime will
occur once every ignition cycle for eachwarningde-
tected. The tire pressure Telltale Lamp will illuminate
continuously (solid) and will remain illuminated until
the warning condition is removed/reset.
When the appropriate conditions exist, the Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) displays the following
messages.
LEFT FRONT, LEFT REAR, RIGHT FRONT,
RIGHT REAR LOW PRESSURE
One or more of these messages will be displayed in the
EVIC if a low tire pressure condition exists in one or more
tires.
Inspect all tires for proper inflation pressure, once the
proper tire pressure has been set, the TPMS warning will
reset automatically when the vehicle has been driven for
at least 2 minutes at or above 15 mph (24 km/h).
CHECK TPM SYSTEM
See your authorized dealer when this message appears in
the EVIC. This message indicates that a system fault
condition has been detected.
226 STARTING AND OPERATING
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flasher.................242
If Your Engine Overheats................242
TIREFIT Tire Repair....................243
Jump-Starting Procedures If Battery Is Low...247
Driving On Slippery Surfaces.............249
▫Acceleration.........................249
▫Traction............................250
Freeing A Stuck Vehicle.................250
Towing A Disabled Vehicle...............251
▫With Ignition Key.....................251
▫Without The Ignition Key...............252
▫Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground)............................252
▫Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
With A Tow Dolley....................252
6
WARNING!
•Do not attempt to repair a tire on the side of the vehicle
close to traffic. Pull far enough off the road to avoid
the danger of being hit when operating the jack or
repairing a tire.
•Cuts or punctures larger than approximately 0.16 in. (4
mm), tire damage caused by driving with extremely
low tire pressure or on a flat tire, or a damaged wheel
can pose a hazard while driving. TIREFIT should not
be used in such circumstances. Do not drive the
vehicle under such circumstances. Contact your near-
est authorized dealer for assistance.
•Take care not to allow the contents of TIREFIT to come
in contact with hair, eyes or clothing. TIREFIT is
harmful if inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through the
skin: It causes skin, eye and respiratory irritation. Any
contact with eyes or skin should be flushed immedi-
ately with plenty of water. If clothing comes in contact
with TIREFIT, change clothing as soon as possible.
•In case of allergic reaction or rash, consult a physician
immediately. Keep TIREFIT out of reach of children. If
swallowed, rinse mouth immediately with plenty of
water and drink plenty of water. Do not induce vom-
iting! Consult a physician immediately.
Keep away from open flame or heat source.
Sealing tire with TIREFIT
1. Set the parking brake and turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
2. Move the transmission selector lever to the PARK
position and turn off the engine.
3. Remove the TIREFIT kit from the rear compartment.
4. Pull the power plug (2) and TIREFIT sealant hose (6)
out from the TIREFIT kit.
Hazard Flasher Switch
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 245
6
5. Unscrew the valve cap from the valve on the deflated
tire.
6. Screw the filler hose (6) from the sealant bottle (5) on
the tire valve.
7. Insert the power plug (2) into the power point on the
instrument panel.
8. Turn the ignition key to the ON/RUN position.
9. Press the switch (3) on the air pump to I (ON). The air
pump should start to inflate the tire.
10. After five minutes, the tire should be inflated to at
least 26 psi (1.8 bar) on the pressure gauge (4).
11. If the tire doesn’t inflate to this level, press the air
pump switch (3) to 0, disconnect the TIREFIT system
from the tire, and drive the vehicle back and forth
approximately 30 feet (9.1 m) to distribute the sealant
more evenly within the tire.
12. Attach the air pump hose (1) directly to the tire, press
the switch (3) to I (ON), and inflate the tire again.NOTE:
If a tire pressure of 26 psi (1.8 bar) is not reached after fiveminutes, the tire is too badly damaged. Do not attempt to
drive the vehicle further, and call for assistance.
13. If a tire pressure of 26 psi (1.8 bar) is obtained, press
the air pump switch (3) to 0, turn the ignition switch to
the OFF/LOCK position, and disconnect the TIREFIT
system.
14. Drive the vehicle for about 10 minutes to ensure
optimum distribution of the tire sealant within the tire.
15. Check the pressure in the tire. If the pressure is above
19 psi (1.3 bar), inflate the tire to the pressure indicated
on the tire pressure label on the driver side latch pillar.
16. Have the tire inspected at the earliest opportunity at
an authorized dealer or tire service center.
NOTE:
•
If a pressure of at least 19 psi (1.3 bar) cannot be
maintained in the tire, the tire is too badly damaged.
Do not attempt to drive the vehicle further, and call for
assistance.
246 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is danger-
ous. Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of
the rear wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle
and possibly have an accident. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is known as hydroplaning and may cause
partial or complete loss of vehicle control and stopping
ability. To reduce this possibility, the following precau-
tions should be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when roads are
slushy.
2. Slow down if road has standing water or puddles.3. Replace tires when tread wear indicators first become
visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front to avoid a collision in a sudden stop.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved by a rocking motion. Turn your
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between Reverse
and Drive. Usually the least accelerator pedal pressure to
maintain the rocking motion without spinning the
wheels is most effective.
NOTE:Turn off the Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
— if equipped, or Traction Control System (TCS) — if
equipped before rocking the vehicle. Refer to Electronic
Stability Program, or Traction Control System in your
Owner’s Manual for Details.
250 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
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
someone. Do not spin your vehicle’s wheels faster
than 35 mph (55 km/h) when you are stuck. And
don’t let anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter
what the speed.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission overheating and failure. It
can also damage the tires. Do not spin the wheels
above 35 mph (55 km/h).
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
With Ignition Key
Your vehicle may be towed under the following condi-
tions: The gear selector must be in NEUTRAL, the
distance to be traveled must not exceed 30 miles (48 km),
and the towing speed must not exceed 30 mph (48
km/h). Exceeding these towing limits may cause a trans-
mission geartrain failure. If the transmission is not op-
erative, or if the vehicle is to be towed more than 30 miles
(48 km), the vehicle must be transported using a flat bed
or the drive shaft disconnected at the rear axle drive
flange.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 251
6