Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision. Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after
a collision if they have been damaged (bent retractor, torn
webbing, etc. If there is any question regarding belt or
retractor condition, replace the belt.
Airbag Light
The light should come on and remain on for 6 to 8
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first
turned ON. If the LED is not lit during starting, have it
checked. If the light stays on or comes on while driving,
have the system checked by an authorized dealer.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield.
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.
74 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Four Wheel Drive System — If Equipped......243
Parking Brake.........................244
Brake System..........................246
▫Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) —
If Equipped.........................247
Power Steering........................250
Tire Safety Information...................251
▫Tire Markings........................251
▫Tire Identification Number (TIN)..........254
▫Tire Loading And Tire Pressure...........255
Tires — General Information...............259
▫Tire Pressure.........................259
▫Tire Inflation Pressures.................260
▫Radial-Ply Tires......................263▫Compact Spare Tire — If Equipped.........263
▫Limited Use Spare — If Equipped.........264
▫Tire Spinning........................265
▫Tread Wear Indicators..................266
▫LifeOfTire .........................266
▫Replacement Tires.....................267
▫Alignment And Balance.................268
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) — If
Equipped............................269
▫Base Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Operation – If Equipped................269
▫Premium System – If Equipped...........270
▫General Information...................275
Tire Chains...........................275
230 STARTING AND OPERATING
Radial-Ply Tires
WARNING!
Combining radial ply tires with other types of tires
on your vehicle will cause your vehicle to handle
poorly. The instability could cause an accident. Al-
ways use radial ply tires in sets of four (or 6, in case
of trucks with dual rear wheels). Never combine
them with other types of tires.
Cuts and punctures in radial tires are repairable only in
the tread area because of sidewall flexing. Consult your
authorized tire dealer for radial tire repairs.
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.
STARTING AND OPERATING 263
5
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.
Limited Use Spare — If Equipped
The limited use spare tire is for temporary emergency use
on your vehicle. This tire is identified by a limited use
spare tire warning label located on the limited use spare
tire and wheel assembly. This tire may look like the
original equipped tire on the front or rear axle of your
vehicle, but it is not. Installation of this limited use spare
tire affects vehicle handling. Since it is not the same tire,
replace (or repair) the original tire and reinstall on the
vehicle at the first opportunity.
264 STARTING AND OPERATING
WARNING!
The limited use spare tires are for emergency use
only. Installation of this limited use spare tire affects
vehicle handling. With this tire, do not drive more
than 60 mph (100 km/h). Keep inflated to the cold
tire inflation pressure listed on either your tire
placard or limited use spare tire and wheel assembly.
Replace (or repair) the original tire at the first
opportunity and reinstall it on your vehicle. Failure
to do so could result in loss of vehicle control.
Tire Spinning
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice conditions, do not
spin your vehicle’s wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h).
Refer to the paragraph on “Freeing A Stuck Vehicle” in
Section 6 of this manual.
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 30 mph (48 km/h) for more than 30 seconds
continuously when you are stuck, and don’t let
anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter what the
speed.
STARTING AND OPERATING 265
5
If the ignition key is cycled, this sequence will repeat,
providing the system fault still exists. If the system fault
no longer exists, the Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale
Light will no longer flash, and theCHECK TPM SYS-
TEMtext message will no longer display.
NOTE:Your system can be set to display pressure units
in PSI, kPa, or BAR.
NOTE:If your vehicle is equipped with a compact spare
wheel and tire assembly that does not have a tire pressure
monitoring sensor. Therefore, it will not be monitored by
the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS). In the event
that the compact spare tire is swapped with a low
pressure road tire, the next ignition key cycle will still
show the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Lamp” to be ON, a
chime to sound, and the Electronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC) will still show the low tire pressure value
flashing on the graphic display. However, driving the
vehicle for up to 10 minutes above 15 mph (25 km/h) willdisplay a “CHECK TPM SYSTEM” text message on the
EVIC. This text message will then be followed by a
graphic, with “- -“ in place of the flashing low pressure
value. For every subsequent key cycle, the “Tire Pressure
Monitoring Lamp” will be ON, a chime will sound, a
“CHECK TPM SYSTEM” text message will be display in
the EVIC, and the graphic display will have “- -“ in place
of the pressure value of the spare tire location. Once the
original road tire has been properly repaired, and put
back onto the vehicle in place of the compact spare tire.
The TPMS will update the graphic display on the EVIC
with a new tire pressure value instead of “- -“, and the
“Tire Pressure Monitoring Lamp” will be OFF as long as
none of the road tire(s) are below the low pressure
warning threshold. The vehicle may need to be driven for
up to 10 minutes above 15 mph (25 km/h) to receive this
information.
STARTING AND OPERATING 273
5
Spare Tire Stowage
The compact spare tire is stowed under the rear load floor
in the cargo area.
Spare Tire Removal
Lift up the load floor cover and remove the hold down.
Preparations For Jacking
Park the vehicle on a firm level surface, avoid ice or
slippery areas,set the parking brakeand place the gear
selector in PARK (automatic transaxle) or REVERSE
(manual transaxle). Turn OFF the ignition.
WARNING!
Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off
the road to avoid the danger of being hit when
operating the jack or changing the wheel.
•Turn on the Hazard Warning Flasher.
•Block both the front and rear
of the wheel diagonally oppo-
site the jacking position. For
example, if changing the right
front tire, block the left rear
wheel.
•Passengers should not remain in the vehicle while the
vehicle is being jacked.
Jacking Instructions
1. Remove the scissors jack and lug wrench from the
spare wheel as an assembly. Turn the jack screw to the left
to loosen the lug wrench, and remove the wrench from
the jack assembly.
302 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
4. Turn the jack screw to the left until the jack can be
placed under the jacking location. Once the jack is
positioned, turn the jack screw to the right until the jack
head is properly engaged with the lift area closest to the
wheel to be changed. Do not raise the vehicle until you
are sure the jack is securely engaged.
WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make
the vehicle less stable. It could slip off the jack and
hurt someone near it. Raise the vehicle only enough
to remove the tire.
5. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack screw to the right,
using the swivel wrench. Raise the vehicle only until the
tire just clears the surface and enough clearance is
obtained to install the spare tire. Minimum tire lift
provides maximum stability.6. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the wheel off the hub.
Install the spare wheel and wheel nuts with the cone
shaped end of the nuts toward the wheel. Lightly tighten
the nuts. To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the
jack, do not tighten the nuts fully until the vehicle has
been lowered.
7. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack screw to the left.
8. Finish tightening the nuts. Push down on the wrench
while tightening the wheel nuts. Alternate nuts until each
nut has been tightened twice. Correct wheel nut torque is
100 ft. lbs (135 N·m). If you doubt that you have
tightened the nuts correctly, have them checked with a
torque wrench by your dealer or at a service station.
9. Remove the wheel blocks and lower the jack until it is
free. Reassemble the lug wrench to the jack assembly and
stow it in the spare tire area. Secure the assembly using
the means provided.
304 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES