Vehicle care and maintenance
7-27
7
EXAMPLE: DOT MA L9 ABCD 1504
Treadwear, Traction and Temperature GradesTr e a d w e a r
The 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 one-half (1
1/2) times as
well on the government course as a tire graded 100. The rel-
ative performance of tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions 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.Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B
and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on
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
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, repre-
senting the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degen-
erate 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 Vehicle Safety Standard No.
109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law. DOTDepartment of Transportation
This symbol certifies that the tire is in compli-
ance with the U.S. Department of Transporta-
tion tire safety standards, and is approved for
highway use.
MACode representing the tire manufacturing loca-
tion. (2 digits)
L9
ABCDCode representing the tire size. (2 digits)
Code used by tire manufacturer. (1 to 4 digits)
15Number representing the week in which the tire
was manufactured. (2 digits)
04Number representing the year in which the tire
was manufactured. (2 digits)
BK0122500US.book 27 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
7-28 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
Tire inflation pressures
N00939300815
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential for the safe and satis-
factory operation of your vehicle. The wrong tire pressure will
cause problems in three major areas:
Safety
Too little pressure increases flexing in the tire and can
cause tire failure. Too much pressure can cause a tire to
lose its ability to cushion shock. Objects on the road and
potholes could then cause tire damage that may result in
tire failure.
Economy
The wrong tire pressure can cause uneven wear patterns in
the tire tread. These abnormal wear patterns will reduce
the tread life, and the tire will have to be replaced sooner.
Too little pressure also makes it harder for the tire to roll,
and this uses up more fuel.
Ride comfort and vehicle stability
The superior riding experience built into your vehicle
partly depends on the correct tire pressure. Too much
pressure gives an uncomfortable and jarring ride. Too lit-
tle pressure feels as if your vehicle is slow to respond.
Unequal tire pressures can make steering your vehicle
uneven and unpredictable.
The tire pressure for your vehicle under normal driving condi-
tions is listed on the placard attached to the driver’s door sill.
(Refer to “Tire and loading information placard” on page 9-4.)The recommended inflation pressures under normal driving
conditions should be used for the tires listed below.
Tire pressures should be checked, and adjusted if necessary, at
least once a month.
Pressures should be checked more often whenever weather
temperatures change severely, because tire pressures change
with outdoor temperatures. The pressures listed are always
“cold inflation pressure”.
Cold inflation pressure is measured after the vehicle has been
parked for at least three hours or is driven less than 1 mile (1.6
km) after having been parked for three hours.
Cold inflation pressure must not go above the maximum values
molded into the tire sidewall. After driving several miles, your
tire inflation pressure may increase 2 to 6 psi (14 to 41 kPa)
from the cold inflation pressure. Do not let air out of the tires to
get back to the specified cold pressure, or your tires will be too
low.
Item
Tire size
Front
Rear
Normal tireP215/70R16
P225/55R18240 KPA,
35 PSI240 KPA,
35 PSI
Compact spare
wheelT155/90D16 420 KPA, 60 PSI
BK0122500US.book 28 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
Vehicle care and maintenance
7-35
7 Wiper blades
N00940700138
Check the wiper blades occasionally. Clean them regularly to
remove deposits of salt and road film. Use a sponge or cloth
and a mild detergent or non-abrasive cleaner to clean the blades
and glass areas.
Replace the blades if they continue to streak or smear.NOTEDo not run the wipers on dry glass for a long time. This
wears out the rubber and can scratch the glass.During cold weatherIf the blades are frozen to the windshield or rear window, do
not operate the wipers until the ice has melted and the blades
are freed, otherwise the wiper motor may be damaged.
Emission-control system maintenance
N00940800328
Your vehicle is equipped with an emission-control system that
meets all the requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protec-
tion Agency and Environment Canada. The emission-control
system is made of:
a positive crankcase ventilation system
an evaporative emission-control system
an exhaust emission-control system
To be sure the emission-control system works properly, have
your vehicle inspected and maintained by an authorized Mit-
subishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your choice. This
should be done at the time or mileage specified in the “WAR-
RANTY AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL”.
These, and all the other “general” maintenance services listed
in this manual, need to be performed to keep your vehicle run-
ning properly and reliably.
You should also have an inspection and service any time you
suspect a malfunction.NOTETo meet government regulations and promote cleaner air,
your vehicle is equipped with an onboard diagnostic sys-
tem (OBD). The engine electronic control module that
controls OBD functions stores various data (especially
about the exhaust emissions). This data will be erased if
the battery cable is disconnected, which could make a
rapid diagnosis difficult. Do not disconnect the battery
cable when the engine malfunction indicator (“SERVICE
ENGINE SOON” or “Check engine light”) is ON.
BK0122500US.book 35 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
7-46 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
*: Fusible link
Some fuses may not be installed on your vehicle, depend-
ing on the vehicle model or specifications.
The table above shows the main equipment corresponding
to each fuse.
Engine compartment fuse location table
18 Back-up lights 7.5 A
19 Accessory socket 15 A
20 Power window control 30 A*
21 Defogger 30 A*
22 Heated door mirror 7.5 A
23 115V Power Outlet 15 A
24 Power seats 25 (20) A
25 Heated seats 30 ANo.
Symbol
Electrical system
Capacity
Engine compartment fuse location
Behind the fuse block cover
BK0122500US.book 46 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
7-48 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
*: Fusible link
Some fuses may not be installed on your vehicle, depend-
ing on the vehicle model or specifications.
The table above shows the main equipment corresponding
to each fuse.
There are no 7.5 A, 25 A or 30 A spare fuses. If a fuse of one of
these capacities blows, replace it temporarily by borrowing one
of the fuses indicated below.
7.5 A: 10 A spare fuse
25 A: 20 A spare fuse
30 A: 30 A audio amplifier fuse
Replace the borrowed fuse with a fuse that has the correct
capacity as soon as possible.
Identification of fuse
32 Diesel 30 A
33 — Spare fuse 10 A
34 — Spare fuse 15 A
35 — Spare fuse 20 ANo.
Symbol
Electrical system
Capacity
Capacity
Color
7.5 A Brown
10 A Red
15 A Blue
20 A Yellow
25 A Natural (white)
30 A Green (fuse type) /Pink (fusible link type)
40 A Green (fusible link type)
BK0122500US.book 48 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分
8-2 Customer assistance/Reporting Safety Defects
8Consumer information (For vehicles sold in
U.S.A.)
N01047100171
This information is provided in compliance with the require-
ments of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
Department of Transportation. It provides the purchasers
and/or prospective purchasers with information on reporting
safety defects. Uniform tire quality gradingDOT quality grades - All passenger vehicle tires must conform
to Federal Safety Requirements in addition to these grades. The
specific grade rating in each grade category is shown on the
side wall of the tires on your vehicle. Treadwear The 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 one-half (1
1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative perfor-
mance of tires depends upon 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.
Traction AA, A, B, C The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B and
C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pave-
ment as measured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance.
Temperature A, B, CThe temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, represent-
ing 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 tempera-
ture can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which
all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehi-
cle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
WA R N I N G
!The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or
peak traction characteristics.
WA R N I N G
!The temperature grade for this tire is established for
a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive load-
ing, either separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.
BK0122500US.book 2 ページ 2010年5月12日 水曜日 午前11時11分