2008 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN flat tire

2WARNING!
Overloading of your tires is dangerous. Overloading
can cause tire failure, affect vehicle handling, and
increase your stopping distance. Use tires of the
recommended load capacity for your vehicle. Never
overload them.
TIRES Ð GENERAL INFORMATION
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to the safe and
satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Three primary
areas are affected by improper tire pressure:1. SafetyÐ
WARNING!
²Improperly inflated tires are dangerous and can
cause accidents.
²Under-inflation increases tire flexing and can result
in tire failure.
WARNING!
²Over-inflation reduces a tire's ability to cushion
shock. Objects on the road and chuckholes can cause
damage that result in tire failure.
²Over-inflated or under-inflated tires can affect ve-
hicle handling and can fail suddenly, resulting in
loss of vehicle control.
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WARNING!
²Unequal tire pressures can cause steering problems.
You could lose control of your vehicle.
²Unequal tire pressures from one side of the vehicle
to the other can cause the vehicle to drift to the right
or left.
²Always drive with each tire inflated to the recom-
mended cold tire inflation pressure.2. EconomyÐ
Improper inflation pressures can cause uneven wear
patterns to develop across the tire tread. These abnormal
wear patterns will reduce tread life resulting in a need for
earlier tire replacement. Under-inflation, also increases
tire rolling resistance and results in higher fuel consump-
tion.
3. Ride Comfort and Vehicle StabilityÐ
Proper tire inflation contributes to a comfortable ride.
Over-inflation produces a jarring and uncomfortable
ride.
Tire Inflation Pressures
The proper cold tire inflation pressure is listed either on
the face of the driver's door or on the driver's side ªBº
pillar.
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The pressure should be checked and adjusted as well as
inspecting for signs of tire wear or visible damage at least
once a month. Use a good quality pocket-type gauge to
check tire pressure. DO NOT make a visual judgement
when determining proper inflation. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they are under inflated.
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
ªcold tire inflation pressure.º Cold tire inflation pressure
is defined as the tire pressure after the vehicle has not
been driven for at least three hours, or driven less than 1
mi (1.6 km) after a three hour period. The cold tire
inflation pressure must not exceed the maximum infla-
tion pressure molded into the tire sidewall.
Check tire pressures more often if subject to a wide range
of outdoor temperatures, as tire pressures vary with
temperature changes.
Tire Placard Location
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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 = 68ÉF (20ÉC) and the
outside temperature = 32ÉF (0ÉC) 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
buildup 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 information or an
authorized tire dealer for recommended safe operating
speeds, loading and cold tire inflation pressures.
WARNING!
High-speed driving with your vehicle at or above
maximum load is dangerous. The added strain on
your tires could cause them to fail. You could have a
serious accident. Don't drive a vehicle loaded to the
maximum capacity at continuous speeds above 75
mph (120 km/h).
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WARNING!
²Keep the limited use spare tire inflated to the cold
tire inflation pressure listed on either your tire
placard or limited use spare tire and wheel assem-
bly.
²Replace (or repair) the original tire at the first
opportunity and reinstall it on your vehicle. Fail-
ure 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 faster than 30 mph (48
km/h) or continuously for longer than 30 seconds with-
out stopping when you are stuck.Refer to ªFreeing A Stuck Vehicleº in Section 6 of this
manual for additional information.
WARNING!
²Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gen-
erated by excessive wheel speeds may cause tire
damage or failure. A tire could explode and injure
someone.
²DO NOT spin your vehicle's wheels faster than 30
mph (48 km/h) or for more than 30 seconds con-
tinuously when you are stuck, and don't let any-
one near a spinning wheel, no matter what the
speed.
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Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little
exposure to light as possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease, and gasoline.
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. Please see ªTread Wear
Indicatorsº and ªTire and Loading Informationº placard
for the size designation of your tire in this section. 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 manufacturer or an
authorized tire dealer with any questions you may have
on tire specifications or capability.
WARNING!
DO NOT use a tire, wheel size or rating other than
that specified for your vehicle. Some combinations of
unapproved tires and wheels may change suspension
dimensions and performance characteristics, result-
ing in changes to steering, handling, 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.
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The suggested rotation method is the ªforward-crossº
shown in the following diagram.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS)
The TPMS will warn the driver of a low tire pressure
based on the cold inflation tire pressure requirements
found on the tire placard located on the driver's-side
B-pillar.
The tire pressure will vary with temperature by about 1
psi (6.9 kPa) for every 12ÉF (6.5ÉC). This means that when
the outside temperature decreases, the tire pressure willdecrease. Tire pressure should always be set based on
cold inflation tire pressure. This is defined as the tire
pressure after a vehicle has not been driven for more than
three hours - and in outside ambient temperature.Refer
to the ªTires ± General Informationº in this section for
information on how to properly inflate the vehicle's
tires.The tire pressure will also increase as the vehicle is
driven - this is normal and there should be no adjustment
for this increased pressure.
The TPMS will warn the driver of a low tire pressure if
the tire pressure falls below the low pressure warning
threshold for any reason, including low temperature
effects, or natural air pressure loss through the tire.
The TPMS will continue to warn the driver of low tire
pressure as long as the condition exists, and will not turn
off until the tire pressure is at or above recommended
cold tire placard pressure. Once the low tire pressure
warning has been illuminated, the tire pressure must be
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increased to the recommended cold tire placard pressure
in order for the TPMS warning lamp to be turned off. The
system will automatically update and the TPMS warning
lamp will extinguish once the updated tire pressures
have been received. The vehicle may need to be driven
for up to 10 minutes above 15 mph (25 km/h) to receive
this information.
For example, your vehicle may have a recommended
cold (parked for more than three hours) tire pressure of
35 psi (241 kPa). If the ambient temperature is 68ÉF (20ÉC)
and the measured tire pressure is 30 psi (207 kPa), a
temperature drop to 20ÉF (-7ÉC) will decrease the tire
pressure to approximately 26 psi (179 kPa). This tire
pressure is sufficiently low enough to turn on the TPMS
Warning Light. Driving the vehicle may cause the tire
pressure to rise to approximately 30 psi (207 kPa), but the
TPMS Warning Light will still be on. In this situation, theTPMS Warning Light will turn off only after the tires
have been inflated to the vehicle's recommended cold tire
pressure value.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures have
been established for the tire size equipped on your
vehicle. Undesirable system operation or sensor
damage may result when using replacement equip-
ment that is not of the same size, type, and/or style.
Aftermarket wheels can cause sensor damage. Do not
use aftermarket sealants or balance beads if your
vehicle is equipped with a TPMS, as damage to the
sensors may result.
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