2007 SUZUKI XL7 tire type

4-8 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
78J00-03E
into the right lane again. A simple maneu-
ver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle
on a two-lane highway is a potentially dan-
gerous move, since the passing vehicle
occupies the same lane as oncoming traf-
fic for several seconds. A miscalculation,
an error in judgment, or a brief surrender to
frustration or anger can suddenly put the
passing driver face to face with the worst of
all traffic accidents – the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
 Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the
sides, and to crossroads for situations
that might affect your passing patterns. If
you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass, wait for a bet-
ter time.
 Watch for traffic signs, pavement mark-
ings, and lines. If you can see a sign up
ahead that might indicate a turn or an
intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it is all right
to pass, providing the road ahead is
clear. Never cross a solid line on your
side of the lane or a double solid line,
even if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
 Do not get too close to the vehicle you
want to pass while you are awaiting an
opportunity. For one thing, following too
closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you are following a larger
vehicle. Also, you will not have adequatespace if the vehicle ahead suddenly
slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable
distance.
 When it looks like a chance to pass is
coming up, start to accelerate but stay in
the right lane and do not get too close.
Time your move so you will be increas-
ing speed as the time comes to move
into the other lane. If the way is clear to
pass, you will have a running start that
more than makes up for the distance you
would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to can-
cel your pass, you need only slow down
and drop back again and wait for another
opportunity.
 If other vehicles are lined up to pass a
slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take
care that someone is not trying to pass
you as you pull out to pass the slow vehi-
cle. Remember to glance over your
shoulder and check the blind spot.
 Check your vehicle’s mirrors, glance
over your shoulder, and start your left
lane change signal before moving out of
the right lane to pass. When you are far
enough ahead of the passed vehicle to
see its front in your vehicle’s inside mir-
ror, activate the right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane.
Remember that your vehicle’s passen-
ger side outside mirror is convex. The
vehicle you just passed may seem to be
farther away from you than it really is. Try not to pass more than one vehicle at
a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider
before passing the next vehicle.
 Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle
too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps
are not flashing, it may be slowing down
or starting to turn.
 If you are being passed, make it easy for
the following driver to get ahead of you.
Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
Loss of ControlLet us review what driving experts say
about what happens when the three con-
trol systems – brakes, steering, and accel-
eration – do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what
the driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep
trying to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the
vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to exist-
ing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always pos-
sible.
The three types of skids correspond to
your vehicle’s three control systems. In the
braking skid, your wheels are not rolling. In
the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to
slip and lose cornering force. And in the

5-26 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
TiresYour new vehicle comes with high-quality
tires made by a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions about your tire
warranty and where to obtain service, see
your Suzuki Warranty booklet for details.
For additional information refer to the tire
manufacturer’s booklet included with your
vehicle.
Tire Sidewall LabelingUseful information about a tire is molded
into its sidewall. The examples below show
a typical passenger vehicle tire and a com-
pact spare tire sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
1376078
A. Tire Size:
The tire size is a combination of let-ters and numbers used to define a
particular tire’s width, height, aspect
ratio, construction type, and service
description. See the “Tire Size” illus-
tration later in this section for more
detail.
B. TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specification):
Original equipment tires designed to
SUZUKI’s specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification code
molded onto the sidewall. SUZUKI’s
TPC specifications meet or exceed all
federal safety guidelines.
C. DOT (Department of Transportation):
The Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that the tire is in
compliance with the U.S. Department
of Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
D. Tire Identification Number (TIN):
The letters and numbers following
DOT (Department of Transportation)
code is the Tire Identification Number
(TIN). The TIN shows the manufac-
turer and plant code, tire size, and
date the tire was manufactured. The
TIN is molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may have
the date of manufacture.
E. Tire Ply Material:
The type of cord and number of plies
in the sidewall and under the tread.
F. Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG):
Tire manufacturers are required to
WARNING
 Poorly maintained and improperly
used tires are dangerous.
 Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much
friction. You could have an air-out
and a serious accident. Refer to
“Loading Your Vehicle” in “Your
Driving, the Road, and Your Vehi-
cle” in the “Driving Your Vehicle”
section.
 Underinflated tires pose the same
danger as overloaded tires. The
resulting accident could cause
serious injury. Check all tires fre-
quently to maintain the recom-
mended pressure. Tire pressure
should be checked when your tires
are cold.
 Overinflated tires are more likely to
be cut, punctured, or broken by a
sudden impact – such as when you
hit a pothole. Keep tires at the rec-
ommended pressure.
(Continued)
WARNING
(Continued)
 Worn, old tires can cause acci-
dents. If your tread is badly worn,
or if your tires have been damaged,
replace them.
Refer to “Inflation – Tire Pressure” in
this section for inflation pressure
adjustment for high speed driving.

5-27 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
grade tires based on three perfor-
mance factors: treadwear, traction,
and temperature resistance. For more
information refer to “Uniform Tire
Quality Grading” in this section.
G. Maximum Cold Inflation Load Limit:
Maximum load that can be carried
and the maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
Compact Spare Tire Example
1376093
A. Temporary Use Only:
The compact spare tire or temporary
use tire has a tread life of approxi-
mately 3000 miles (5000 km) and
should not be driven at speeds over
65 mph (105 km/h). The compact
spare tire is for emergency use when
a regular road tire has lost air and
gone flat. If your vehicle has a com-
pact spare tire, refer to “CompactSpare Tire” and “If a Tire Goes Flat”
in this section.
B. Tire Ply Material:
The type of cord and number of plies
in the sidewall and under the tread.
C. Tire Identification Number (TIN):
The letters and numbers following the
DOT (Department of Transportation)
code is the Tire Identification Number
(TIN). The TIN shows the manufac-
turer and plant code, tire size, and
date the tire was manufactured. The
TIN is molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may have
the date of manufacture.
D. Maximum Cold Inflation Load Limit:
Maximum load that can be carried
and the maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
E. Tire Inflation:
The temporary use tire or compact
spare tire should be inflated to 60 psi
(420 kPa). For more information on
tire pressure and inflation refer to
“Inflation – Tire Pressure” in this sec-
tion.
F. Tire Size:
A combination of letters and numbers
define a tire’s width, height, aspect
ratio, construction type, and service
description. The letter T as the first
character in the tire size means the
tire is for temporary use only.
G. TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Specification):
Original equipment tires designed toSUZUKI’s specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification code
molded onto the sidewall. SUZUKI’s
TPC specifications meet or exceed all
federal safety guidelines.
Tire SizeThe following illustration shows an exam-
ple of a typical passenger vehicle tire size.
1376101
A. Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:
The United States version of a metric
tire sizing system. The letter P as the
first character in the tire size means a
passenger vehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire and
Rim Association.
B. Tire Width:
The three-digit number indicates the
tire section width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.

5-28 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
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C. Aspect Ratio:
A two-digit number that indicates the
tire height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size aspect
ratio is 60, as shown in item C of the
illustration, it would mean that the
tire’s sidewall is 60 percent as high as
it is wide.
D. Construction Code:
A letter code is used to indicate the
type of ply construction in the tire. The
letter R means radial ply construction;
the letter D means diagonal or bias
ply construction; and the letter B
means belted-bias ply construction.
E. Rim Diameter:
Diameter of the wheel in inches.
F. Service Description:
These characters represent the load
range and speed rating of the tire.
The load index represents the load
carry capacity a tire is certified to
carry. The load index can range from
1 to 279. The speed rating is the max-
imum speed a tire is certified to carry
a load. Speed ratings range from A to
Z.
Tire Terminology and DefinitionsAir Pressure:
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air
pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight:
This means the combined weight of
optional accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are, automatic trans-
mission/transaxle, power steering, power
brakes, power windows, power seats, and
air conditioning.
Aspect Ratio:
The relationship of a tire’s height to its
width.
Belt:
A rubber coated layer of cords that is
located between the plies and the tread.
Cords may be made from steel or other
reinforcing materials.
Bead:
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Bias Ply Tire:
A pneumatic tire in which the plies are laid
at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to
the centerline of the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure:
The amount of air pressure in a tire, mea-
sured in pounds per square inch (psi) orkilopascals (kPa) before a tire has built up
heat from driving. Refer to “Inflation – Tire
Pressure” in this section.
Curb Weight:
This means the weight of a motor vehicle
with standard and optional equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil,
and coolant, but without passengers and
cargo.
DOT Markings:
A code molded into the sidewall of a tire
signifying that the tire is in compliance with
the U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT) motor vehicle safety standards. The
DOT code includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric designator
which can also identify the tire manufac-
turer, production plant, brand, and date of
production.
GVWR:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Refer to
“Loading Your Vehicle” in “Your Driving,
the Road, and Your Vehicle” in the “Driving
Your Vehicle” section.
GAWR FRT:
Gross Axle Weight Rating for the front
axle. Refer to “Loading Your Vehicle” in
“Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle”
in the “Driving Your Vehicle” section.
GAWR RR:
Gross Axle Weight Rating for the rear axle.
Refer to “Loading Your Vehicle” in “Your

5-30 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
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Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire:
Load on an individual tire due to curb
weight, accessory weight, occupant
weight, and cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard:
A label permanently attached to a vehicle
showing the vehicle’s capacity weight and
the original equipment tire size and recom-
mended inflation pressure. Refer to “Tire
and Loading Information Label” under
“Loading Your Vehicle” in “Your Driving,
the Road, and Your Vehicle” in the “Driving
Your Vehicle” section.Inflation – Tire PressureTires need the correct amount of air pres-
sure to operate effectively.
A Tire and Loading Information label is
attached to the vehicle’s center pillar (B-
pillar). This label shows your vehicle’s orig-
inal equipment tires and the correct infla-
tion pressures for your tires when they are
cold. The recommended cold tire inflation
pressure, shown on the label, is the mini-
mum amount of air pressure needed to
support your vehicle’s maximum load car-
rying capacity.
For additional information regarding how
much weight your vehicle can carry, and
an example of the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation label, refer to “Loading Your Vehi-cle” in “Your Driving, the Road, and Your
Vehicle” in the “Driving Your Vehicle” sec-
tion. How you load your vehicle affects
vehicle handling and ride comfort. Never
load your vehicle with more weight than it
was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Do
not forget to check the compact spare tire,
it should be at 60 psi (420 kPa). For addi-
tional information regarding the compact
spare tire, refer to “Compact Spare Tire” in
this section.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to
check tire pressure. You cannot tell if your
tires are properly inflated simply by looking
at them. Radial tires may look properly
inflated even when they are under-inflated.
Check the tire’s inflation pressure when
the tires are cold. Cold means your vehicle
has been sitting for at least three hours or
driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve
stem. Press the tire gage firmly onto the
valve to get a pressure measurement. If
the cold tire inflation pressure matches the
recommended pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label, no further
adjustment is necessary. If the inflation
pressure is low, add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
CAUTION
Do not let anyone tell you that under-
inflation or over-inflation is all right. It
is not. If your tires do not have
enough air (under-inflation), you can
get the following:
 Too much flexing
 Too much heat
 Tire overloading
 Premature or irregular wear
 Poor handling
 Reduced fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (over-
inflation), you can get the following:
 Unusual wear
 Poor handling
 Rough ride
 Needless damage from road haz-
ards

5-35 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
If you must replace your vehicle’s tires with
those that do not have a TPC Spec num-
ber, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating, and construction
type (radial and bias-belted tires) as your
vehicle’s original tires.Vehicles that have a tire pressure monitor-
ing system may give an inaccurate low-
pressure warning if Non-TPC Spec rated
tires are installed on your vehicle. Non-
TPC Spec rated tires may give a low-pres-
sure warning that is higher or lower than
the proper warning level you would get
with TPC Spec rated tires. Refer to “Tire
Pressure Monitor System” in this section.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are
listed on the Tire and Loading Information
Label. This label is attached to the vehi-
cle’s center pillar (B-pillar). Refer to “Load-
ing Your Vehicle” in “Your Driving, the
Road, and Your Vehicle” in the “Driving
Your Vehicle” section, for more information
about the Tire and Loading Information
Label.
Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a differ-
ent size than your original equipment
wheels and tires, this may affect the way
your vehicle performs, including its brak-
ing, ride and handling characteristics, sta-
bility and resistance to rollover.
Additionally, if your vehicle has electronic
systems such as, anti-lock brakes, traction
control, and electronic stability control, the
performance of these systems can be
affected.Refer to “Buying New Tires” and “Accesso-
ries and Modifications” in this section for
additional information.
Uniform Tire Quality GradingQuality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Tempera-
ture A
The following information relates to the
system developed by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration (NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and temperature per-
formance. This applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passen-
ger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG) system does not apply to
WARNING
Mixing tires could cause you to lose
control while driving. If you mix tires
of different sizes, brands, or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and
you could have a crash. Using tires
of different sizes, brands, or types
may also cause damage to your vehi-
cle. Be sure to use the correct size,
brand, and type of tires on all wheels.
It is all right to drive with your com-
pact spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your vehicle.
Refer to “Compact Spare Tire” in this
section.
WARNING
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehi-
cle, the wheel rim flanges could
develop cracks after many miles of
driving. A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on
your vehicle.
WARNING
If you add different sized wheels,
your vehicle may not provide an
acceptable level of performance and
safety if tires not recommended for
those wheels are selected. You may
increase the chance that you will
crash and suffer serious injury. Only
use Suzuki specific wheel and tire
systems developed for your vehicle,
and have them properly installed by a
Suzuki certified technician.

5-36 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-
saver, or temporary use spare tires, tires
with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12
inches (25 to 30 cm), or, to some limited-
production tires.
While the tires available may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also
conform to federal safety requirements.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and a half (1.5) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices, and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades
represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Wheel Alignment and Tire BalanceThe tires and wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the fac-
tory to give you the longest tire life and
best overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing will not
be necessary on a regular basis. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear or your vehi-
cle pulling to one side or the other, the
alignment may need to be checked. If you
notice your vehicle vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, your tires and wheels
may need to be rebalanced. See your
dealer for proper diagnosis.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead brak-
ing traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Exces-
sive speed, underinflation, or exces-
sive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.

5-37 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
Wheel ReplacementReplace any wheel that is bent, cracked,
or badly rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts
keep coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes
be repaired). See your dealer if any of
these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you
need.
Each new wheel should have the same
load-carrying capacity, diameter, width,
offset, and be mounted the same way as
the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels,
wheel bolts or wheel nuts, replace them
only with new original equipment parts.
This way, you will be sure to have the right
wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for
your vehicle.Refer to “Changing a Flat Tire” in this sec-
tion for more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
Tire Chains
If a Tire Goes FlatIt is unusual for a tire to blowout while you
are driving, especially if you maintain your
vehicle’s tires properly. If air goes out of a
tire, it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have a blow-
out, here are a few tips about what to
expect and what to do:
WARNING
Using the wrong replacement wheels,
wheel bolts, or wheel nuts on your
vehicle can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of
your vehicle, make your tires lose air
and make you lose control. You
could have a collision in which you
or others could be injured. Always
use the correct wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts for replacement.
CAUTION
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer or odometer
calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance, and
tire or tire chain clearance to the
body and chassis.
WARNING
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle
is dangerous. You cannot know how
it has been used or how far it has
been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause a crash. If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new original
equipment wheel.
WARNING
Do not use tire chains. There is not
enough clearance. Tire chains used
on a vehicle without the proper
amount of clearance can cause dam-
age to the brakes, suspension or
other vehicle parts. The area dam-
aged by the tire chains could cause
you to lose control of your vehicle
and you or others may be injured in a
crash.
Use another type of traction device
only if its manufacturer recommends
it for use on your vehicle and tire size
combination and road conditions.
Follow that manufacturer’s instruc-
tions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or
remove the device if it is contacting
your vehicle, and do not spin your
vehicle’s wheels. If you do find trac-
tion devices that will fit, install them
on the front tires.