35
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS (WEAR BARS): Tires
contain Tread Wear Indicators (Wear Bars) in the grooves
of the tire tread which show up when only
2/32nds of an inch (1.6mm) of tread is remaining.
At this stage, your tires must be replaced. Tires
worn beyond this stage are dangerous.
HAZARDSObjects in the road that threaten a tire should be safely
avoided. These objects are potholes, glass, metal, rocks,
wood debris and the like. Unavoidable contact should
prompt a thorough tire inspection.
You may not always recall hitting an object that can
damage or injure your tires. If while driving your vehicle
experiences any unusual vibrations, ride disturbance or
noise and/or you suspect that possible damage to the tires
or vehicle has occurred. DO NOT JAM OR LOCK YOUR
BRAKES! Rather reduce your speed and drive with
caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires. If the tire is underinflated or damaged,
deflate, remove the tire and rim assembly and replace it
with your spare. If you cannot detect a cause, have the
vehicle towed to the nearest vehicle or tire dealer to have
the vehicle inspected.
REPAIRING, MOUNTING AND
DEMOUNTING OF TIRES
Do not attempt to repair, mount or demount a tire
yourself. Tire changing can be dangerous and must be
done by professionally trained persons using proper tools
and procedures as specified by the Rubber Manufacturers
Association (RMA). Follow these mounting recom-
mendations. Your tires should be mounted on wheels of
correct size and type and which are in good, clean condi- tion. Bent, chipped or rusted wheels may cause tire dam-
age. The inside of the tire must be free from foreign
materials.
Have your dealer check the wheels before
mounting new tires. Mismatched tires and rims can
explode during mounting. Also, mismatched tires and rims
can result in dangerous tire failure on the road. If a tire is
mounted by error on the wrong-sized rim, do not remount
it on the proper rim - scrap it. It may be damaged internally
(which is not externally visible) by being dangerously
stretched and could fail on the highway.
Old valves may leak. When new tubeless tires are
mounted, have new valves of the correct type installed.
Tubeless tires must be mounted only on wheels de-
signed for tubeless tires, i.e., wheels which have safety
humps or ledges.
Never perform a temporary repair, use an innertube or
inject sealant as a permanent substitute for a proper
repair. Only qualified persons should repair tires.
Be sure that all your valves have suitable valve caps. This
will keep valve cores clean and clear and guard against
leakage.
REPAIRS - WHENEVER POSSIBLE, SEE A TIRE
DEALER AT ONCE. Some tire manufacturers do not
warrant any inspection or repair process. The repair is
entirely the responsibility of the repairer. Punctures in the
tread of a passenger tire which do not exceed 1/4 of an
inch (6mm) in diameter can usually be repaired by following
the Rubber Manufacturer's Association (RMA) Passenger
and Light Truck Repair procedures. Contact the manufac-
turer of your tires for its position and assistance as to the
acceptable location for a proper repair and the repair of
speed rated tires. Do not use plug repairs. They may
cause further damage to the tire. They are not always air tight and the plug may fail.
Do not exceed
posted speed limits on any repaired tire. Certain tire
manufacturers speed ratings are voided if the tire is
repaired.
Although a tire was properly repaired, internal structural
damage resulting from the puncture may have occurred.
Sometime later the damage may cause the tire to be
removed from service.
If the tire has a puncture in the tread which exceeds 1/4
inch (6mm), the tire must be replaced. If any tire has
sustained a puncture, have the tire inspected internally by
a tire dealer for possible damage that may have occurred.
Improper mounting and inflation procedures can cause an
explosion of the tire/rim assembly. Only specially trained
persons should perform these tasks. Contact your tire
store or dealer for assistance.
CAUTION - Never, under any circumstance, intro-
duce a flammable substance into a tire.
WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND BALANCINGWheel alignment and balancing are important for safety
and maximum mileage from your tires. Check how your tires
are wearing at least once a month. If your tires are wearing
unevenly, such as the inside shoulder of the tire wearing
faster than the rest of the tread, or if you detect excessive
vibration, your vehicle may be out of alignment or balance.
These conditions not only shorten the life of your tires, but
adversely affect the handling characteristics of your vehicle
which could be dangerous. If you detect irregular wear or
vibration, have your alignment and balance checked imme-
diately. Tires which have been run underinflated will show
more wear on the shoulders than in the center of the tread.
* Provided by and published at the request of the tire manufacturers/warrantors.
IMPORTANT TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION*
(Continued on page 36)
36
HARD BRAKINGYou must inspect your tires after any hard braking circum-
stances or after tires have slid on the pavement. This can
cause a flat spot in a section of the tire tread.
TIRE SPINNINGNever spin your tires above a speedometer reading of 35
mph (55 km/h) if your vehicle becomes stuck. The centrifu-
gal force generated by the free spinning tire/wheel assem-
bly may cause a sudden tire explosion, resulting in vehicle
damage and/or serious personal injury or death. Never
allow anyone to stand near or behind a tire spinning at high
speed while attempting to push a vehicle that is stuck.
When in mud, sand, snow, ice or other slippery conditions,
do not indulge in excessive wheel spin. In such conditions,
with automatic transmission vehicles, by accelerating the
engine excessively, it is possible to spin one of the drive
tires beyond its speed capability. This is also true when
balancing a drive tire/wheel assembly using the engine of
the vehicle to spin the wheel.
TIRE TREADTires must be replaced when the depth of the tread
reaches 2/32 inch (1.6 mm). Tires are manufactured with
tread wear indicators molded into the tire grooves which
indicate tread wearout. As tires approximate 2/32 inch (1.6
mm) wearout, the tread gauge becomes thinner and more
vulnerable to the effects of road hazards. Also, worn tires
are more subject to hydroplaning, which can cause loss of
control. Therefore, visual tire inspection becomes more
crucial as the tires wear out.
WORN TIRESNever drive on worn tires. Tires should be replaced by
trained personnel when 2/32nds of an inch tread depth
remains, as indicated by the tread wear indicators molded
into the tread grooves. In most states, it is illegal to drive
with less than 2/32nds of an inch of tread remaining.
TIRE MIXINGFor best performance select tires similar in size and load
rating to the original equipment tires. It is recommended
that the same size and type of tire be used on all four wheel
positions. In certain tires, casing ply material and ply
construction may vary as indicated on the sidewall of the
tire. When changing or replacing tires, it is preferred that
all four tires are the same construction type (i.e., High
Performance, All Season, Mud & Snow) and construction
(Radial or Bias Ply). Before mixing tires of different types on
a vehicle in any configuration, be sure to check the vehicle
owner’s manual for its recommendations.
Tires which meet the Rubber Manufacturer's Association
(RMA) definition of mud and snow tires are marked M/S,
M+S, M&S. On such tires, this designation is molded into
the sidewall. Tires without this notation are not recom-
mended for mud and/or snow driving.
If snow tires are needed, it is necessary to select tires
equivalent in size and load rating to the original equipment
tires. Always fit performance snow tires in sets of four (4)
for optimum mud & snow traction and maintenance of
vehicle handling characteristics. If you do not, it may
adversely affect the safety and handling of your vehicle. It
is also important to check the vehicle owner’s manual
before mixing or matching tires on 4-wheel drive vehicles
as this may require special precautions. Please refer to your Owner’s Manual for more information
on tire replacement precautions.
TIRE ROTATION
Tires on your Nissan vehicle should be rotated every
7,500 miles or as irregular wear develops. If irregular
wear becomes apparent or if the wear rate on the tires
is perceptibly uneven, the tires should be rotated in
such a way to alleviate the problem. Check your vehicle
for any mechanical problems and correct if necessary.
Any rotation pattern or procedure may be followed
including those indicated in the Owner’s Manual. Some
tires have arrows on the sidewall showing the direction
in which the tire should turn. When rotating this type of
tire, care must be taken to maintain the proper turning
direction as indicated by the arrows.
Some vehicles
have different tire sizes specified for front and rear
axles. Tires on these vehicles should not be rotated
side to side (unless they are directional). Where a
temporary type spare tire is available, it should not be
included in the tire rotation schedule. Such tires are
intended for temporary use only. Whenever only two
tires are replaced, the new tires should be put on the
rear axle of vehicles equipped with the same size tire
on all four wheel positions .
* Provided by and published at the request of the tire manufacturers/warrantors.
IMPORTANT TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION*
(Continued on page 37)
37
TRAILER TOWINGIf you anticipate towing a trailer, you should see a tire dealer
for advice concerning the correct size of tire and pressure.
Tire size and pressure will depend on the type and size of
the trailer and hitch utilized, but in no case must the
maximum cold inflation pressure or the tire load rating be
exceeded. Check the tire decal and your Owner’s Manual
for further recommendations on trailer towing.
TIRE ALTERATIONSDo not perform any alterations on your tires. Alterations
may prevent proper performance, leading to tire damage,
which can result in an accident. Tires which become
unserviceable due to alterations such as truing, whitewall
inlays, addition of balancing or sealant liquids, may be
excluded from warranty coverage. Consult your tire war-
ranty.
HIGH PRESSURE TEMPORARY SPARE
TIRES
1) The high-pressure spare tire in your Nissan vehicle is designed for temporary use only and must not be
used continually as a regular tire. The standard tire
should be repaired and/or replaced as soon as
possible.
2) Avoid driving over obstacles that may damage the tire through impact or cutting, such as potholes, glass,
metal, etc. 3) Speed must not exceed 50MPH (80km/h) for non-
speed-rated temporary spare tires.
4) Temporary spare tires have a limited treadlife which can vary depending on road conditions and your
driving habits. The spare tire should be returned to the
trunk as soon as the standard tire can be repaired or
replaced.
5) Because the high-pressure spare tire was specifically designed for your car, it should not be used on any
other vehicle.
6) Do not use snow chains on your high-pressure spare. This could cause damage to your vehicle.
7) Check the tire’s cold inflation pressure monthly and
maintain at 60psi (4.2kg/cm
2) even when not in use.
8) The high-pressure spare tire should not be used with any other rim nor should standard tires, wheel covers,
or trim rings be used on the high-pressure spare tire
rim which was originally installed.
9) When the tread wear indicator appears on the tire,
replace it only with the same type spare tire.
10) Do not enter an automatic carwash with a temporary spare tire fitted.
11) Do not make a sharp turn or apply the brakes suddenly when driving on a high-pressure tempo-
rary spare.
Note: When using any temporary type spare tire, be
sure to follow the vehicle Owner’s Manual
instructions.
TIRE STORAGEAll tires should be stored in a cool dry place indoors so that
there is no danger of water collecting inside them.
When tires are stored they should be stored in a cool place
away from sources of heat and ozone such as hot pipes and
electric generators. Be sure that surfaces on which tires
are stored are clean and free from grease, gasoline or other
substances which could deteriorate the rubber. (Tires
exposed to these materials during storage or driving could
be subject to sudden failure.)
To Avoid Damage to your Tires and
Possible Accident:
• Check tire pressure at least once a month when
tires are cold and before long trips.
• Do not underinflate/overinflate.
• Do not overload.
• Drive at moderate speeds, observe legal limits.
• Avoid driving over potholes, obstacles, curbs or
edges of pavement.
• Avoid excessive wheel spinning.
• If you see any damage to a tire, replace with spare
and see the tire manufacturer’s dealer or your
Nissan dealership.
For further information, the Consumer Tire Guide on
passenger tire care, safety and mileage performance is
available in the United States by writing the Tire Industry
Safety Council, Box 1801, Washington, D.C. 20013.
* Provided by and published at the request of the tire manufacturers/warrantors.
IMPORTANT TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION*
45
In order to help protect your vehicle against corrosion,
it is important that you care for your vehicle regularly,
following these suggestions:
■ Wash your vehicle regularly using cold clean water and
a mild vehicle wash soap.
■ If insects, tar or other similar deposits have accumu-
lated on your vehicle, wash it as soon as
possible.
■ If you drive on salted or dust controlled roads, or if you
drive near the ocean, hose off the under carriage at
least once a month.
■ It is important that the drain holes in the lower edges of
the doors and rocker panels be kept clear. ■
If you detect any stone chips or scratches in the paint,
touch them up immediately.
■ If you do much driving on gravel roads, consider install-
ing mud or stone shields behind each wheel.
■ If your Nissan is damaged due to an accident or similar
cause which destroys the paint and protective coating,
have your vehicle repaired as soon as possible. The
cost of such repairs is considered the responsibility of
the owner.
■ This corrosion warranty does not cover non-genuine
sheet metal parts or damage caused by the installation
of such non-genuine sheet metal parts.
SEE YOUR OWNER’S MANUAL FOR FURTHER
DETAILS.
CORROSION PROTECTION GUIDELINES