2011 DODGE DAKOTA spare tire

Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the tread for cuts
and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.
Check the wheel nuts for tightness. Check the tires
(including spare) for proper cold inflation 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.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
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 if fuel, power steering fluid, or
brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause should be
located and corrected immediately.
80 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

22. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale LightEach 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 under-inflated.
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 under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that 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 the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS
low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the sys-
tem may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of replacement or
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 189

▫Spare Tire Matching Original Equipped Tire
And Wheel – If Equipped .............. 287
▫ Compact Spare Tire – If Equipped ........ 288
▫ Full Size Spare – If Equipped ............ 289
▫ Limited-Use Spare – If Equipped ......... 289
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... 290
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ................. 290
▫ Life Of Tire ........................ 291
▫ Replacement Tires .................... 292
 Tire Chains .......................... 293
 Snow Tires .......................... 295
 Tire Rotation Recommendations ........... 295
 Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) ....... 296
▫ Base System ........................ 299 ▫
General Information .................. 301
 Fuel Requirements ..................... 301
▫ Reformulated Gasoline ................ 302
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ............. 302
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles ...... 303
▫ MMT In Gasoline .................... 303
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ............... 304
▫ Fuel System Cautions ................. 304
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ............ 305
 Flexible Fuel (4.7L Engine Only) —
If Equipped .......................... 306
▫ E-85 General Information ............... 306
▫ Ethanol Fuel (E-85) ................... 307
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TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION
Tire MarkingsNOTE:
•P (Passenger) - Metric tire sizing is based on U.S.
design standards. P-Metric tires have the letter “P”
molded into the sidewall preceding the size designa-
tion. Example: P215/65R15 95H.
•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.
1 — U.S. DOT Safety Stan-
dards Code (TIN) 4 — Maximum Load
2 — Size Designation 5 — Maximum Pressure
3 — Service Description 6 — Treadwear, Traction and Temperature Grades
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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.
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
—R means radial construction
—D means diagonal or bias construction
15 = Rim diameter in inches (in)
276 STARTING AND OPERATING

This placard tells you important information about
the:
1) number of people that can be carried in the vehicle
2) total weight your vehicle can carry
3) tire size designed for your vehicle
4) cold tire inflation pressures for the front, rear, and
spare tires.
Loading
The vehicle maximum load on the tire must not exceed
the load carrying capacity of the tire on your vehicle. You
will not exceed the tire’s load carrying capacity if you
adhere to the loading conditions, tire size, and cold tire
inflation pressures specified on the Tire and Loading
Information placard and in the “Vehicle Loading” section
of this manual.
NOTE:Under a maximum loaded vehicle condition,
gross axle weight ratings (GAWRs) for the front and rear axles must not be exceeded. For further information on
GAWRs, vehicle loading, and trailer towing, refer to
“Vehicle Loading” in this section.
To determine the maximum loading conditions of your
vehicle, locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX lbs or
XXX kg” on the Tire and Loading Information placard.
The combined weight of occupants, cargo/luggage and
trailer tongue weight (if applicable) should never exceed
the weight referenced here.
Steps For Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never exceed XXX lbs or XXX kg”
on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 281

WARNING!
High speed driving with your vehicle under maxi-
mum load is dangerous. The added strain on your
tires could cause them to fail. You could have a
serious collision. Do not drive a vehicle loaded to the
maximum capacity at continuous speeds above
75 mph (120 km/h).
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 a collision. Al-
ways use radial ply tires in sets of four. 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.
Spare Tire Matching Original Equipped Tire and
Wheel – If Equipped
The spare tire of your vehicle is equivalent in look and
function as the original equipment tire and wheel found
on the front or rear axle of your vehicle. This spare tire
may be used in the tire rotation for your vehicle. If your
vehicle has an option for a spare tire matching original
equipment tire and wheel, refer to the recommended tire
rotation pattern in “Tire Rotation Recommendations” in
“Starting and Operating” for further information.
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If your vehicle is not equipped with an original equip-
ment tire and wheel as a spare, a non-matching tempo-
rary emergency use spare may be equipped with your
vehicle. Temporary use spares are engineered to be used
only with your vehicle. Your vehicle may be equipped
with one of the following types of non-matching tempo-
rary use spares; compact, full size, or limited-use.
Do not install more than one non-matching temporary
use 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 a
compact, full size or limited-use temporary spare
installed. Damage to the vehicle may result.
Compact Spare Tire – If Equipped
The compact spare is for temporary emergency use only.
You can identify if your vehicle is equipped with a
compact spare by looking at the spare tire description on
the Tire and Loading Information Placard located on the
driver ’s side door opening or on the sidewall of the tire.
Compact spare tire descriptions begin with the letter “T”
or “S” preceding the size designation. Example: T145/
80D18 103M.
T,S=Temporary Spare Tire
Since this tire has limited tread life the original equip-
ment tire should be repaired (or replaced) and reinstalled
on your vehicle at the first opportunity.
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
288 STARTING AND OPERATING