2011 DODGE NITRO spare wheel

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.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 91

▫Shifting Procedure – Electronically Shifted
Transfer Case ....................... 306
 On-Road Driving Tips .................. 307
 Power Steering ....................... 307
▫ Power Steering Fluid Check ............. 308
 Parking Brake ........................ 309
 Anti-Lock Brake System ................. 311
 Electronic Brake Control System ........... 313
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ........... 314
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ........... 314
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) .............. 315
▫ Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) ......... 316
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ......... 316▫
ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
And ESC Off Indicator Light ............ 319
 Tire Safety Information ................. 320
▫ Tire Markings ....................... 320
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ......... 323
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ......... 324
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure .......... 325
 Tires — General Information ............. 329
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... 329
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures ................ 330
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . 332
▫ Radial Ply Tires ..................... 332
▫ Spare Tire Matching Original Equipped Tire
And Wheel – If Equipped .............. 332
288 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 or an authorized tire
dealer for recommended safe operating speeds, loading
and cold tire inflation pressures.
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
Your vehicle may be equivalent with a spare tire and
wheel 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
332 STARTING AND OPERATING

vehicle. If your vehicle has this option refer to an
authorized tire dealer for the recommended tire rotation
pattern.
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 tire.
Do not install more than one compact spare tire and
wheel on the vehicle at any given time
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 333

WARNING!
Compact spares are for temporary emergency use
only. With these spares, do not drive more than
50 mph (80 km/h). Temporary use spares 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.
Full Size Spare – If Equipped
The full size spare is for temporary emergency use only.
This tire may look like the original equipped tire on the
front or rear axle of your vehicle, but it is not. This spare
tire may have limited tread life. When the tread is worn
to the tread wear indicators, the temporary use full size
spare tire needs to be replaced. Since it is not the same asyour original equipment tire, replace (or repair) the
original equipment tire and reinstall on the vehicle at the
first opportunity.
Limited-Use Spare – If Equipped
The limited-use spare tire is for temporary emergency
use only. This tire is identified by a label located on the
limited-use spare wheel. This label contains the driving
limitations for this spare. 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 as
your original equipment tire, replace (or repair) the
original equipment tire and reinstall on the vehicle at the
first opportunity.
334 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
Limited-use spares are for emergency use only. In-
stallation of this limited-use spare tire affects vehicle
handling. With this tire, do not drive more than the
speed listed on the limit-use spare wheel. Keep
inflated to the cold tire inflation pressure listed on
your Tire and Loading Information Placard located
on the driver ’s side door opening. Replace (or repair)
the original equipment 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 faster than 30 mph (48 km/h)
or for longer than 30 seconds continuously without
stopping when you are stuck.
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 some-
one. Do not spin your vehicle’s wheels faster than
30 mph (48 km/h) or for more than 30 seconds
continuously when you are stuck, and do not let
anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter what the
speed.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 335

The TPMS consists of the following components:
•Receiver Module
•Four Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors
•Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light
The matching full-size spare wheel and tire assembly (if
equipped) has a tire pressure monitoring sensor. The
matching full-size spare can be used in place of any of the
four road tires. The TPMS will only monitor the pressure
in the full-size spare when it is used in place of a road
tire. Otherwise, a spare with a pressure below the low-
pressure limit will not cause the “Tire Pressure Monitor-
ing Telltale Light” to illuminate or the chime to sound.
Tire Pressure Monitoring Low Pressure Warnings
The “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” will
illuminate in the instrument cluster and a chime
will sound when tire pressure is low in one or
more of the four active road tires. Should this occur, you
should stop as soon as possible, check the inflation
pressure of each tire on your vehicle, and inflate each tire
to the vehicle’s recommended cold placard pressure
value. Once the system receives the updated tire pres-
sures, the system will automatically update and the “Tire
Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” will turn off. The
vehicle may need to be driven for up to 20 minutes above
15 mph (24 km/h) in order for the TPMS to receive this
information.
344 STARTING AND OPERATING

Check TPMS Warning
When a system fault is detected, the “Tire Pressure
Monitoring Telltale Light” will flash on and off for
75 seconds and then remain on solid. The system fault
will also sound a chime. If the ignition key is cycled, this
sequence will repeat, providing the system fault still
exists. The “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” will
turn off when the fault condition no longer exists. A
system fault can occur due to any of the following:
1. Jamming due to electronic devices or driving next to
facilities emitting the same radio frequencies as the TPMS
sensors.
2. Installing some form of aftermarket window tinting
that affects radio wave signals.
3. Lots of snow or ice around the wheels or wheel
housings.
4. Using tire chains on the vehicle.5. Using wheels/tires not equipped with TPMS sensors.
Vehicles With Full-Size Spare
1. The matching full-size spare wheel and tire assembly
has a tire pressure monitoring sensor that can be moni-
tored by the TPMS.
2. If you install the full-size spare in place of a road tire
that has a pressure below the low-pressure warning limit,
a chime will sound and the “TPMS Telltale Light” will
turn on upon the next ignition key cycle.
3. Driving the vehicle for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph
(24 km/h) will turn off the “TPMS Telltale Light,” as long
as no tire pressure is below the low-pressure warning
limit in any of the four active road tires.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 345