2008 TESLA ROADSTER Owners Manual

Wheels and tires
11-7
Technical specifications
Tire placard/labelThe tire information label on the pillar behind
the driver’s door contains the following
information:
• The maximum number of occupants for
the vehicle.
• The vehicle capacity weight, which
includes the weight of the driver,
passengers and cargo.
• The size of the tires with which the
vehicle was originally equipped.
• Cold inflation pressures for the front and
rear tires.
Note: The label must not be changed, even if
different wheels are fitted at a later stage.Steps for determining correct load
limit
WARNING: Do not exceed the vehicle
capacity weight (the total weight of
driver, passenger and cargo) given.
S
WARNING: Overloading the vehicle will
have an adverse affect on braking and
handling characteristics, which could
compromise your safety.
S
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should
neve r exce e d 2 50 kg or 5 51 l bs ” as s h ow n
on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from 250 kg or 551
lbs (weight given on placard).
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if there will be two
150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 251 lbs: (551 - 300 (2 x
150) = 251 lbs).
TR0091
TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATIONSEATING CAPACITY TOTAL 2 FRONT2 REAR 0
SEE OWNERSMANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed 250 kg or 551lbs
ORIGINAL TIRE SIZE
COLD TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE
175/55R16
225/45R17 FRONT
REAR
207kPa, 30PSI
275kPa, 40PSI
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. Your vehicle should never be used to tow a trailer.
The number and weight of passengers will
affect the cargo and luggage load capacity. In
the example above, the cargo and luggage
load capacity is 251 lbs. However, if only one
occupant is in the vehicle, the luggage load
capacity will increase. If the vehicle carries
one 150 lb person, the luggage load capacity
will increase to 401 lbs (551 - 150 = 401 lbs).
Note: If the passengers weigh more, the
luggage load capacity will decrease.Uniform tire quality gradingThe following information relates to the tire
grading system developed by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) which will grade tires by tread wear,
traction and temperature performance.
Note: Tires that have deep tread, and winter
tires, are exempt from these marking
requirements.
Quality grades, where applicable, can be
found on the tire sidewall between the tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:TREADWEAR 180
TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE A
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Wheels and tires11-8Technical specificationsIn addition to the marking requirements,
passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements.
Note: Your vehicle is equipped with
directional tires. Therefore, you can see the
tire markings only on the outside of the
passenger tires. TreadwearThe treadwear grade is a comparative rating
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 times as well on a government
test course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends on 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.Tra c t i o n
WARNING: The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based on straight-ahead
braking tests, and does not include;
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning or peak
traction characteristics.
S
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are; AA, A, B, and C. These grades represent
a tire’s ability to stop on a wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.
Te m p e r a t u r e
WARNING: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, under-inflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire
failure.S
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire's resistance 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 temperature 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 Safety
Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.Tire care
WARNING: Defective tires are
dangerous. Do not drive if any tire is
damaged, is excessively worn, or is inflated to
an incorrect pressure.
S
Always consider tire conditions when driving,
and regularly inspect the tread and side walls
for any sign of distorti on (bulges), cuts or
wear.
The way you drive has a significant influence
on your safety and on the life of your tires.
Cultivate good habits for your own benefit:
• Observe posted speed limits.
• Avoid fast starts, stops and turns.
• Avoid potholes and objects in the road.
• Do not run over curbs or hit the tire
against the curb when parking.
Caution: Avoid contaminating tires with
vehicle fluids that can cause damage.Tire pressure information
WARNING: If the vehicle has been
parked in strong sunlight or used in high
ambient temperatures, do not reduce the tire
pressures. Move the vehicle into the shade and
allow the tires to cool before checking.
S
Correctly inflated tires will ensure that you
enjoy the best combination of vehicle range,
tire life, ride comfort and road handling.
Tire pressure should be checked when the
tires are cold. Inflate each tire to the pressure
recommended by Tesla Motors on the vehicle
placard, or tire inflation pressure label.
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that
illuminates a tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly
under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
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Wheels and tires
11-9
Technical specifications
pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop
and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure.
Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces
Battery range and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability.
The TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached a level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS tire pressure telltale.Checking tire pressures
WARNING: Tire pressures should be
checked using an accurate pressure
gauge when cold. Under-inflation is the most
common cause of tire failures and may result
in severe tire cracking, tread separation or
“blowout”, with unexpected loss of vehicle
control and increased risk of injury.
S
Check the pressures when the tires are cold.
Be aware that it only takes 1 mile (1.5 km) of
driving to warm up the tires sufficiently to
affect the tire pressures. If it is necessary to
check the tires when they are warm, you
should expect the pressures to have
increased. Do not let air out of warm tires in
an attempt to match the recommended cold
tire pressures.
Note: When adjusting tire pressures, you can
display tire pressure values on the Touch
Screen’s tire pressure screen. However, the values displayed by the Touch Screen will not
be updated until you place the car in drive
long enough for the tire pressure monitoring
sensors to take new readings. For details,
refer to the Touch Screen Users Manual
provided in your owners package.
Always inflate your tires to the Tesla Motors
recommended inflation pressure even if it is
different from the maximum inflation
pressure information found on the tire itself.
For the correct tire pressures, refer to
Specifications and tire pressures, page 11-4
.
The following procedure should be used to
check and adjust tire pressures: 1. Remove the cap from the valve, then firmly press the tire gauge onto the valve
and measure the pressure.
2. If required add air to reach the required pressure.
3. Check the pressure by removing the tire gauge and then re-attaching it.
Note: Failure to remove and re-attach the
gauge to the valve could cause the gauge
to show an incorrect reading.
4. If too much air is added, air can be released by pushing on the metal stem in
the center of the valve.
5. Recheck the pressure with the tire gauge and adjust if necessary.
6. Refit the valve cap.
Va l ve sFit the valve caps securely to prevent dirt
from entering the valve. Periodically check
the valve for damage and leaks.
Tire wear
WARNING: The tires should be
regularly checked for wear and to make
sure that there are no cuts, bulges or
exposure of the ply/cord structure. Do not
drive with tires which are worn or damaged.
The safety of the vehicle and occupants will
be adversely affected.p
Tires fitted as original equipment have wear
indicators moulded into the tread pattern.
When the tread has been worn down to 1/16”
(inch). the indicators start appearing at the
surface of the tread pattern, producing the
effect of a continuous band of rubber across
the width of the tire.
A tire must be replaced as soon as an
indicator band becomes visible or the tread
depth reaches the minimum permitted by
legislation.
TR0080
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Wheels and tires11-10
Technical specifications
Note: If tire wear is uneven (on one side of the
tire only) or becomes abnormally excessive,
the wheel alignment should be checked.Age degradationTires degrade over time due to the effects of
ultraviolet light, extreme temperatures, high
loads, and environmental conditions. It is
recommended that tires are replaced every
six years, or sooner if required.Punctured tiresYour vehicle is fitted with tubeless tires,
which may not leak when penetrated,
provided the object remains in the tire.
If, however, you feel a sudden vibration or ride
disturbance while driving, reduce your speed
and when safe to do so, stop and check for
the cause of the vibration.
A puncture will eventually cause the tire to
lose pressure, which is why frequent checking
of tire pressures is important. Punctured or
damaged tires must be permanently repaired
or replaced as soon as possible.
Directional tires
WARNING: Road holding will be
seriously impaired if directional tires
are incorrectly installed.
S
Your vehicle is fitted with directional tires. An
arrow on the tire wall shows the direction of
rotation. These tires must be fitted to rotate
in the direction of the arrow when the vehicle
is moving forward.
For this reason, wheels must not be swapped
from one side of the vehicle to the other, and
replacements must be fitted with regard for
axle/wheel rotation.Replacement wheels and tires
WARNING: For your safety, it is
recommended that only wheels and
tires that match the original specification are
used on the vehicle.
S
Wheel rims and tires are matched to suit
handling characteristics of the vehicle.
Always check that replacement tires comply
with the original specification. If tires other
than those specified are used, ensure that the
load and speed ratings (shown on the tire
side wall) equal or exceed those of the
original specification.
For the specification of the original wheels
and tires installed on the vehicle, refer to
Specifications and tire pressures, page 11-4.
Note: Different sizes are specified for front
and rear tires. Therefore, wheels must not be
swapped from front to rear or vice versa.Winter tires and chains
WARNING: For your safety, it is
recommended that if winter tires or
chains are needed, you use only those that
are recommended by Tesla Motors.
S
Tesla recommends the following winter tires
and tire pressure settings:
• Front: Pirelli 210 Snowsport 195/50/R16
84H at 25 PSI
• Rear: Pirelli 240 Snowsport 215/45/R17
91H at 36 PSI
If snow chains are necessary, Tesla
recommends PEWAG Neon x3 Montage.
ED RADIAL TUBELESS
G6
D
175/55R16 8OW ROTATION

ED RADIAL TUBELESS
G6
D
175/55R16 8OW ROTATION

ED RADIAL TUBELESS
G6
D
TR0081
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Wheels and tires
11-11
Technical specifications
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System
WARNING: The TPMS is not a substitute
for manually checking tire pressures.
The TPMS only provides a tire pressure
warning and does not re-inflate the tires.
S
WARNING: The TPMS cannot register
damage to a tire. Regularly check the
condition of your tires.
S
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
monitors the pressure of the tires using
sensors located in each wheel and receivers
located within the vehicle. The sensors
communicate with the receiver using Radio
Frequency (RF) signals.
Note: Installing accessories that are not
approved by Tesla Motors may interfere with
the TPMS system. Tire pressure warnings are displayed
on the instrument panel using an
amber warning indicator (telltale). A warning
is also displayed on the Touch Screen.
If the tire pressure warning light illuminates,
stop and check your tires as soon as possible
and inflate them to the correct pressure. If the
low pressure warning occurs frequently, the
cause must be determined and rectified.
The tire pressure warning indicator will
extinguish when all tires have been inflated to
the correct pressure.
TPMS malfunctionYour vehicle has been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined
with the tire pressure indicator. When the
system detects a malfunction, the indicator
will flash. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the
malfunction exists.
When a malfunction occurs, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions can
occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires
or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction indicator after
replacing one or more tires or wheels to
ensure that the replacement or alternate tires
and wheels allow the TPMS to function
properly. Note:
If a tire has been replaced or repaired
after using the tire sealant, and a low tire
pressure is detected, it is possible that the
wheel sensor has been damaged. The aerosol
sealant can damage the wheel sensor that
measures tire pressure. Therefore, whenever
tire sealant has been used, the wheel sensor
must be replaced.
Setting the tire pressuresYour vehicle allows you to use two sets of tire
pressures, refer to Specifications and tire
pressures, page 11-4 .Replacing a tire sensorIf you are experiencing frequent low tire
pressure warnings or the Touch Screen
reports a “Tire Pressure Hardware Fault”, the
system should be checked by Tesla Motors to
determine if a tire sensor requires
replacement.Type approvalThe TPMS devices comply with Part 15 of the
FCC rules and RSS-210. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
TR0305
44.00 psi 18 Co33.00 psi18 Co
28.31 psi
18 Co44.00 psi
18 Co
Tires
EXIT
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Wheels and tires11-12
Technical specifications
Dynamic tire pressure
monitoringThe Touch Screen can display the pressure
and temperature for each tire.Touch the information icon on the main
parked screen to display the ‘Info’
screen.
Touch the Tires option to display the data
being received by the sensors adjacent to the
respective wheel. A blue wheel indicates an acceptable
operating pressure for the tire.
A red wheel indicates that the pressure is
below the recommended operating pressure,
and that action must be taken to rectify the
issue.
Note:
If the vehicle has been driven, the
temperature of the tires will have increased
and hence the pressure of the air in the tire
will also have increased. Tire pressures should
only be checked when the tires are cold. See
Checking tire pressures, page 11-9 .
Touch EXIT icon to return to the previous
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Wheels and tires
11-13
Technical specifications
Wheels and tires glossaryAccessory weightThe combined weight (in excess of those
items replaced) of items available as factory
installed equipment.BeadThe inner edge of a tire that is shaped to fit to
the rim and form an air tight seal. The bead is
constructed of steel wires which are
wrapped, or reinforced, by the ply cords.Cold tire pressureThe air pressure in a tire which has been
standing in excess of three hours, or driven
for less than one mile.Curb weightThe weight of a standard vehicle, including
any optional equipment fitted, and with the
correct fluid levels.Gross vehicle weightThe maximum permissible weight of a vehicle
with driver, passengers, load, luggage, and
equipment.kPa (kilo pascal)A metric unit used to measure pressure. One
kilo pascal equals approximately .145 psi.Maximum inflation pressureThe maximum pressure to which the tire
should be inflated. This pressure is given on
the tire side wall in lbf/in
2. Note: This pressure is the maximum allowed
by the tire manufacturer. It is not the pressure
recommended for use.
Maximum loaded vehicle weightThe sum of curb weight, accessory weight,
vehicle capacity weight, and production
options weight.Production options weightThe combined weight of options installed
which weigh in excess of 3 lb more than the
standard items that they replaced, and are
not already considered in curb or accessory
weights. PSI (lbf/in
2)
Pounds per square inch, unit of measure for
pressure.RimThe metal support for a tire, or tire and tube,
upon which the tire beads are seated.Vehicle capacity weightThe number of seats multiplied by 150 lb plus
the rated amount of load/luggage.
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Approved fluids and capacities11-14
Technical specifications
Approved fluids and capacitiesFluid specificationsBattery Coolant50% mix of water and Havoline Extended Life
antifreeze Coolant-PG (Havoline XLC-PG).
Note: The cooling system for your vehicle
contains a propylene glycol (PG) based
antifreeze.
Brake fluidAny proprietary brand of brake fluid (or brake
and clutch fluid) meeting DOT 4
specification.
Only use new fluid from sealed containers.
Transmission fluidDexron VI ATFAir conditioningThe air conditioning system is filled with
R134a refrigerant. If oil needs to be added to
the system, only use Daphne Hermetic Oil FV
Series.
Battery cooling system* 7.4 quarts (US)7.0 liters
Brake fluid* 1.6 quarts (US)1.5 liters
Transmission fluid 1.4 quarts (US)1.325 liters
Washer reservoir 2.3 quarts (US)2.2 liters
Air conditioning refrigerant 1.6 lbs725 g
*For instructions on topping up batt ery coolant and brake fluid, refer to Fluid reservoirs,
page 9-4 .
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