Maintenance
48
7
4. Tyre ply composition and material
The number of layers or plies of rub-
ber-coated fabric in the tyre. Tyre
manufacturers also must indicate the
materials in the tyre, which include
steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
The letter "R" means radial ply con-
struction; the letter "D" means diago-
nal or bias ply construction; and theletter "B" means belted-bias ply con-
struction.
5. Maximum permissible inflation
pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should be put in
the tyre. Do not exceed the maximum
permissible inflation pressure. Refer
to the Tyre and Loading Information
label for recommended inflation
pressure.
6. Maximum load rating
This number indicates the maximum
load in kilograms and pounds that
can be carried by the tyre. When
replacing the tyres on the vehicle,
always use a tyre that has the same
load rating as the factory installed
tyre.
7. Uniform tyre quality grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tyre sidewall
between tread shoulder and maxi-
mum section width.
For example:
TREADWEAR 400
TRACTION A
TEMPERATURE A Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate ofthe tyre when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified govern-
ment test course. For example, a tyre
graded 150 would wear one-and-a-
half times (1½) as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tyre graded100.
The relative performance of tyres 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.
These grades are molded on the
side-walls of passenger vehicle
tyres. The tyres available as standard
or optional equipment on your vehi-
cle may vary with respect to grade.
749
Maintenance
Traction - AA, A, B & C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tyre’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measuredunder controlled conditions on spec-
ified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tyre marked
C may have poor traction perform-
ance.Temperature - A, B & C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tyre’s resistance to the generation ofheat and its ability to dissipate heatwhen tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratorytest wheel.
Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tyre to
degenerate and reduce tyre life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tyre failure. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of perform-
ance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
WARNING
- Tyre
temperature
The temperature grade for this
tyre is established for a tyre that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
build-up and possible sudden
tyre failure. This can cause loss
of vehicle control and serious
injury or death.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tyre is based on straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include accelera-
tion, cornering, hydroplaning,
or peak traction characteristics.
Index
8
I
Special driving conditions ..............................................5-39
Driving at night ........................................................5-40
Driving in flooded areas............................................5-42
Driving in the rain ....................................................5-41
Hazardous driving conditions ..................................5-39
Highway driving ........................................................5-42
Rocking the vehicle ..................................................5-39
Smooth cornering ......................................................5-40
Speedometer....................................................................4-42
Starting difficulties, see engine will not start ..................6-4
Starting the engine ............................................................5-9
Steering wheel ................................................................4-34 Electric power steering..............................................4-34
Heated steering wheel ..............................................4-35
Horn ..........................................................................4-36
Tilt steering ..............................................................4-34
Steering wheel audio control ........................................4-108
Storage compartment ....................................................4-100 Glove box ................................................................4-100
Sunglass holder ......................................................4-100
Sunglass holder ............................................................4-100
Sunroof............................................................................4-30
Sunvisor ........................................................................4-103 Tachometer ......................................................................4-42
Tailgate ............................................................................4-18
Tilt steering ....................................................................4-34
Towing ............................................................................6-21
Emergency towing ....................................................6-22
Transaxle Automatic transaxle ..................................................5-19
Manual transaxle ......................................................5-16
Tripmeter ........................................................................4-44
Trip computer..................................................................4-43
Tyre specification and pressure label................................8-7
Tyres and wheels ....................................................7-40, 8-2 Checking tyre inflation pressure ..............................7-41
Recommended cold tyre inflation pressures ............7-40
Tyre care ....................................................................7-40
Tyre maintenance ......................................................7-45
Tyre replacement ......................................................7-44
Tyre rotation ..............................................................7-42
Tyre sidewall labeling ..............................................7-46
Tyre traction ..............................................................7-45
Wheel alignment and tyre balance ............................7-43
Wheel replacement ....................................................7-45T
