Tire Inspection
Every time you check inflation, you
should also examine the tires for
damage, foreign objects, and wear.
You should look for: Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
you find either of these conditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side of
the tire. Replace the tire if you can
see fabric or cord.
Excessive tread wear.
Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a 1/2
inch (12.7 mm) wide band across the
tread. This shows there is less than
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread left on
the tire.
A tire this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see three
or more tread wear indicators. Tire Service Life
The service life of your tires is
dependent on many factors,
including, but not limited to, driving
habits, road conditions, vehicle
loading, inflation pressure,
maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even
when the tires are not in use).
In addition to your regular
inspections and inflation pressure
maintenance, it is recommended that
you have annual inspections
performed once the tires reach five
years old. It is also recommended
that all tires, including the spare, be
removed from service after 10 years
from the date of manufacture,
regardless of their condition or state
of wear.
The last four digits of the TIN (tire
identification number) are found on
the sidewall of the tire and indicate
the date of manufacture (See
Tire
Labeling on page 325).
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR
CONTINUED
Tires
277
Maintenance
Main MenuTable of Contents
This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If
not, you will also find instructions on
getting your vehicle towed.Compact Spare Tire
....................286
Changing a Flat Tire ...................287
Temporarily Repairing a Flat Tire ......................................... 293
If the Engine Won't Start .............299
Jump Starting .............................. 301
If the Engine Overheats ..............303
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .........305
Charging System Indicator .........305
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ........306
Brake System Indicator ...............307
Fuses .......................................... 308
Fuse Locations ............................ 311
Emergency Towing .....................313
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck ..........314
Taking Care of the Unexpected
285
Taking Care of the Unexpected
Main MenuTable of Contents
Except all Canadian models withautomatic transmission
Use the compact spare tire as a
temporary replacement only. Get
your regular tire repaired or
replaced, and put it back on your
vehicle as soon as you can.
Check the inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inflated to:
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kgf/cm
2) Follow these precautions:
Never exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road
surfaces. Use greater caution while driving.
Do not mount tire chains on the
compact spare tire.
Do not use your compact spare tire
on another vehicle unless it is the
same make and model.
On vehicles with the TPMS
system, the low tire pressure
indicator comes on and stays on
after you replace the flat tire with
the compact spare tire. After
several miles (kilometers) driving
with the compact spare tire, the
TPMS indicator comes on and the
low tire pressure indicator goesoff.Replace the tire when you can see
the tread wear indicator bars. The
replacement should be the same size
and design tire, mounted on the
same wheel. The spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the spare wheel is not
designed for mounting a regular tire.
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
Compact Spare Tire
286
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