Page 81 of 464
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear or uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread. Inspect tread and sidewall for cuts or
cracks. Check wheel nuts for tightness, and tires (includ-
ing spare) for proper pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or fuel, power steering fluid, trans-
mission fluid or brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause
should be located and corrected immediately.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 81
2
Page 187 of 464

21. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Lamp — If
Equipped
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle
has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when
one or more of your tires is significantly underinflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly underinflated tire causes the tire tooverheat and can lead to tire failure. Underinflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
NOTE:The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is
not a substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the
driver ’s responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if underinflation has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System low
tire pressure telltale.
The Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Lamp will illumi-
nate in the instrument cluster and an audible chime will
be activated when one or more tire pressures is low. The
Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Lamp will flash one and
off for 60 seconds when a system fault is detected. The
flash cycle will repeat every ten minutes or until the fault
conditions is removed and reset.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 187
4
Page 262 of 464

Parking Brake.........................276
Brake System..........................278
▫Anti-Lock Brake System................279
Electronic Stability Program (ESP)...........281
▫ESP Has The Following Operating Modes....283
▫ESP/BAS Warning Lamp And
ESP/TCS Indicator Light................283
▫Brake Assist System (BAS)...............284
Traction Control........................285
Power Steering........................286
Driving On Slippery Surfaces..............287
▫Acceleration.........................287
▫Traction............................288Tire Safety Information...................288
▫Tire Markings........................288
▫Tire Identification Number (TIN)..........292
▫Tire Loading And Tire Pressure...........293
Tires — General Information...............297
▫Tire Pressure.........................297
▫Tire Inflation Pressures.................298
▫Radial-Ply Tires......................300
▫Compact Spare Tire — If Equipped.........301
▫Limited Use Spare — If Equipped.........302
▫Tire Spinning........................302
▫Tread Wear Indicators..................303
▫Life Of Tire.........................304
262 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 263 of 464

▫Replacement Tires.....................304
▫Alignment And Balance.................305
Tire Chains...........................306
Snow Tires...........................307
Tire Rotation..........................307
Tire Pressure Monitor System — If Equipped . . . 308
▫Tire Pressure Monitoring Base System Without
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) —
If Equipped.........................309
▫Tire Pressure Monitoring Low Pressure
Warnings...........................310
▫Base Tire Pressure Monitoring System With
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) —
If Equipped.........................310
▫Service Tire System Soon................312▫Using Your Compact Spare —
Basic Tire Pressure Monitoring System Only . . 313
▫Tire Pressure Monitoring Premium System –
If Equipped.........................314
▫Tire Pressure Monitoring Low Pressure
Warnings...........................314
▫Service Tire System Soon................315
▫General Information...................317
Fuel Requirements......................318
▫Reformulated Gasoline.................318
▫Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends..............319
▫MMT In Gasoline.....................319
▫Materials Added To Fuel................320
▫Fuel System Cautions..................320
STARTING AND OPERATING 263
5
Page 289 of 464
•European Metric tire sizing is based on European
design standards. Tires designed to this standard have
the tire size molded into the sidewall beginning with
the section width. The letterPis absent from this tire
size designation. Example: 215/65R15 96H
•LT (Light Truck)-Metric tire sizing is based on U.S.
design standards. The size designation for LT-Metric
tires is the same as for P-Metric tires except for the
letters “LT” that are molded into the sidewall preced-
ing the size designation. Example: LT235/85R16.
•Temporary Spare tires are high-pressure compact
spares designed for temporary emergency use only.
Tires designed to this standard have the letter “T”
molded into the sidewall preceding the size designa-
tion. Example: T145/80D18 103M.
•High Flotation tire sizing is based on U.S. design
standards and it begins with the tire diameter molded
into the sidewall. Example: 31x10.5 R15 LT.
STARTING AND OPERATING 289
5
Page 290 of 464
Tire Sizing Chart
EXAMPLE:
Size Designation:
P= Passenger car tire size based on U.S. design standards
....blank....= Passenger car tire based on European design standards
LT= Light Truck tire based on U.S. design standards
T= Temporary Spare tire
31= Overall Diameter in Inches (in)
215= Section Width in Millimeters (mm)
65= Aspect Ratio in Percent (%)
—Ratio of section height to section width of tire.
10.5= Section Width in Inches (in)
R= Construction Code
—Rmeans Radial Construction.
—Dmeans Diagonal or Bias Construction.
15= Rim Diameter in Inches (in)
290 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 293 of 464
Tire Loading and Tire Pressure
Tire Placard Location
NOTE:The proper cold tire inflation pressure is listed
on either the face of the driver’s door or the driver’s side
“B” pillar.
Tire and Loading Information Placard
This placard tells you important information about the:
1) number of people that can be carried in the vehicle
2) the total weight your vehicle can carry
3) the tire size designed for your vehicle
4) the cold tire inflation pressures for the front, rear
and spare tires.
Tire Placard Location
Tire and Loading Information
STARTING AND OPERATING 293
5
Page 301 of 464

Compact Spare Tire — If Equipped
The compact spare is for temporary emergency use with
radial tires. It is engineered to be used on your style
vehicle only. Since this tire has limited tread life, the
original tire should be repaired (or replaced) and rein-
stalled at the first opportunity.
WARNING!
Temporary use spare tires are for emergency use
only. With these tires, do not drive more than 50 mph
(80 km/h). Temporary-use spare tires have limited
tread life. When the tread is worn to the tread wear
indicators, the temporary use spare tire needs to be
replaced. Be sure to follow the warnings, which
apply to your spare. Failure to do so could result in
spare tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
Do not install a wheel cover or attempt to mount a
conventional tire on the compact spare wheel, since the
wheel is designed specifically for the compact spare.
Do not install more than one compact spare tire/wheel
on the vehicle at any given time.
CAUTION!
Because of the reduced ground clearance, do not take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with the
compact spare installed. Damage to the vehicle may
result.
STARTING AND OPERATING 301
5