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. In-
spect 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 pres-
sure.Lights
Have someone observe the operation
of exterior lights while you work the
controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instru-
ment panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching,
and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after over-
night parking for fuel, engine coolant,
oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gaso-
line fumes are detected or if fuel,
power steering fluid, or brake fluid
leaks are suspected, the cause should
be located and corrected immediately.
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Cuts and punctures in radial tires are
repairable only in the tread area be-
cause of sidewall flexing. Consult
your authorized tire dealer for radial
tire repairs.
TIRE SPINNING
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or icy
conditions, do not spin yourvehicle's
wheels faster than 48 km/h or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously
without stopping.
Refer to “Freeing A Stuck Vehicle” in
“What To Do In Emergencies” for fur -
ther information.WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be danger-
ous. Forces generated by excessive
wheel speeds may cause tire damage
or failure. A tire could explode and
injure someone. Do not spin your
vehicle's wheels faster than 48 km/h
or for more than 30 seconds con-
tinuously when you are stuck, and
do not let anyone near a spinning
wheel, no matter what the speed. TREAD WEAR
INDICATORS
Tread wear indicators are in the origi-
nal equipment tires to help you in
determining when your tires should
be replaced.
These indicators are molded into the
bottom of the tread grooves. They will
appear as bands when the tread depth
becomes 2 mm. When the tread is
worn to the tread wear indicators, the
tire should be replaced.
LIFE OF TIRE
The service life of a tire is dependent
upon varying factors including but
not limited to:
Driving style
Tire pressure
Distance driven
WARNING!
Tires and spare tire should be re-
placed after six years, regardless of
the remaining tread. Failure to fol-
low this warning can result in sud-
den tire failure. You could lose con-
trol and have a collision resulting in
serious injury or death.
Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as
possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease, and gasoline.
1 — Worn Tire
2 — New Tire
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