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. Inspect the tread and sidewall for
cuts and cracks. Check the wheel nuts for tightness.
Check the tires (including spare) for proper 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.
100 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
▫Radial-Ply Tires ..................... 406
▫ Spare Tire Matching Original Equipped Tire
And Wheel – If Equipped .............. 406
▫ Compact Spare Tire – If Equipped ........ 407
▫ Full Size Spare – If Equipped ............ 408
▫ Limited-Use Spare – If Equipped ......... 408
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... 409
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ................. 410
▫ Life Of Tire ........................ 410
▫ Replacement Tires .................... 411
Tire Chains (Traction Devices) ............. 412
Snow Tires .......................... 413
Tire Rotation Recommendations ........... 414
Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) ....... 415
▫ Base System ........................ 417
▫ Premium System – If Equipped .......... 420
▫ General Information .................. 424
Fuel Requirements ..................... 424
▫ 3.6L Engine ........................ 424
▫ 5.7L Engine ........................ 424
▫ Reformulated Gasoline ................ 425
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ............. 425
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles ...... 426
▫ MMT In Gasoline .................... 427
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ............... 427
▫ Fuel System Cautions ................. 427
340 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 at or above
maximum 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 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 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
406 STARTING AND OPERATING
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.
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
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STARTING AND OPERATING 407
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
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 as
your 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
408 STARTING AND OPERATING
your original equipment tire, replace (or repair) the
original equipment tire and reinstall on the vehicle at the
first opportunity.
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 above 30 mph (48 km/h).
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) when you are stuck, and do not let
anyone near a spinning wheel no matter what the
speed.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 409
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 TPM sensors.
NOTE:There is no tire pressure monitoring sensor in
the spare tire. The TPMS will not be able to monitor the
tire pressure. If you install the spare tire, in place of a
road tire, that has a pressure below the low-pressure
warning limit, upon the next ignition switch cycle, a
chime will sound, a “TIRE LOW PRESSURE” message
will be displayed in the instrument cluster for 60 seconds,
and the Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light will turn
ON. After driving the vehicle for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h), the Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale
Light will flash on and off for 75 seconds and then remain
on solid. In addition, a “SERVICE TPM SYSTEM” mes-
sage will be displayed for 75 seconds. For each subse-
quent ignition switch cycle, a chime will sound, a “SER-
VICE TPM SYSTEM” message will be displayed for
75 seconds, and the Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale
Light will flash on and off for 75 seconds and then remain
on solid. Once you repair or replace the original road tire,
and reinstall it on the vehicle in place of the spare tire, the
TPMS will update automatically and the Tire Pressure
Monitoring Telltale Light will turn OFF, as long as no tire
pressure is below the low-pressure warning limit in any
of the four active road tires. 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.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 419
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flashers ................ 462
If Your Engine Overheats ................ 462
Jacking And Tire Changing ............... 463
▫ Jack Location ....................... 464
▫ Spare Tire Stowage ................... 464
▫ Preparations For Jacking ............... 465
▫ Jacking Instructions ................... 466
Jump-Starting ........................ 471
▫ Preparations For Jump-Start ............. 472
▫ Jump-Starting Procedure ............... 473
Emergency Tow Hooks — If Equipped ...... 475
Shift Lever Override ................... 476
Towing A Disabled Vehicle ............... 477
▫ Towing Without The Ignition Key FOB ..... 479
▫ Two-Wheel Drive Models .............. 479
▫ Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles .............. 480
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