2012 Lancia Thema inflation pressure

8. Tire Pressure Monitoring
Telltale Light (for versions/
markets, where provided)Each tire, including the
spare (if provided), should
be checked monthly when
cold and inflated to the in-
flation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure la-
bel. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated
on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine
the proper tire inflation pressure for
those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your ve-
hicle has been equipped with a Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your tires
is significantly under-inflated. Ac-
cordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop
and check your tires as soon as pos-
sible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stop-
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire mainte-
nance, and it is the driver’s responsi-
bility to maintain correct tire pres-
sure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumina-
tion of the TPMS low tire pressure
telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped
with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not oper-
ating properly. The TPMS malfunc-
tion indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the tell-
tale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will con-
tinue upon subsequent vehicle start-
ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is il-
luminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pres-
sure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons,including the installation of replace-
ment or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction telltale
after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle, to ensure that
the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to
function properly.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for
the original equipment tires and
wheels. TPMS pressures and warn-
ing have been established for the tire
size equipped on your vehicle. Un-
desirable system operation or sensor
damage may result when using re-
placement equipment that is not of
the same size, type, and/or style.
Aftermarket wheels can cause sensor
damage. Do not use tire sealant from
a can or balance beads if your ve-
hicle is equipped with a TPMS, as
damage to the sensors may result.
155

 DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES . . . . . . . . . 204 ACCELERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
 TRACTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
 DRIVING THROUGH WATER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204  FLOWING/RISING WATER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
 SHALLOW STANDING WATER . . . . . . . . . . . 205
 POWER STEERING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
 PARKING BRAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
 ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
 ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . . 209  ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) . . . . . . . 209
 TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS) . . . . . . 209
 BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM (BAS) . . . . . . . . . . . 209
 ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) . . 210
 HILL START ASSIST (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
 READY ALERT BRAKING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
 RAIN BRAKE SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
 ESC ACTIVATION/MALFUNCTIONINDICATOR LIGHT AND ESC OFF
INDICATOR LIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
 SYNCHRONIZING ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
 TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . 214  TIRE PRESSURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
 TIRE INFLATION PRESSURES . . . . . . . . . . . 214
 TIRE PRESSURES FOR HIGH SPEEDOPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
188

engine running. If this should occur,
turn the steering wheel completely to
the left and then to the right. The “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” should go out. However, if the
light remains on, have the ESC and BAS
checked at your authorized dealer as
soon as possible.TIRES — GENERAL
INFORMATION
TIRE PRESSURE
Proper tire inflation pressure is essen-
tial to the safe and satisfactory opera-
tion of your vehicle. Three primary
areas are affected by improper tire
pressure:
SafetyWARNING!
 Improperly inflated tires are dan-gerous and can cause collisions.
 Under-inflation increases tire
flexing and can result in tire over-
heating and failure.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
 Over-inflation reduces a tir e's
ability to cushion shock. Objects
on the road and chuckholes can
cause damage that result in tire
failure.
 Over -inflated or under-inflated
tires can affect vehicle handling
and can fail suddenly, resulting in
loss of vehicle control.
 Unequal tire pressures can cause
steering problems. You could lose
control of your vehicle.
 Unequal tire pressures from one
side of the vehicle to the other can
cause the vehicle to drift to the
right or left.
 Always drive with each tire in-
flated to the recommended cold
tire inflation pressure.
Economy
Improper inflation pressures can
cause uneven wear patterns to de-
velop across the tire tread. These ab-
normal wear patterns will reduce
tread life resulting in a need for earlier
tire replacement. Under-inflation also
increases tire rolling resistance result-
ing in higher fuel consumption. Ride Comfort And Vehicle
Stability
Proper tire inflation contributes to a
comfortable ride. Over-inflation pro-
duces a jarring and uncomfortable
ride.
TIRE INFLATION
PRESSURES
The proper cold tire inflation pressure
is listed on the
driver's side “B” Pillar
or rear edge of the driver's side door.
Some vehicles may have Supplemen-
tal Tire Pressure Information for ve-
hicle loads that are less than the maxi-
mum loaded vehicle condition. These
pressure conditions will be found in
the “Supplemental Tire Pressure In-
formation” section of this manual.
The pressure should be checked and
adjusted as well as inspecting for signs
of tire wear or visible damage at least
once a month. Use a good quality
pocket-type gauge to check tire pres-
sure. Do not make a visual judgement
when determining proper inflation.
Radial tires may look properly in-
flated even when they are under-
inflated.
214

CAUTION!
After inspecting or adjusting the tire
pressure, always reinstall the valve
stem cap. This will prevent moisture
and dirt from entering the valve
stem, which could damage the valve
stem.
Inflation pressures specified on the
placard are always “cold tire inflation
pressure.” Cold tire inflation pressure
is defined as the tire pressure after the
vehicle has not been driven for at least
three hours, or driven less than
1.6 km after a three hour period. The
cold tire inflation pressure must not
exceed the maximum inflation pres-
sure molded into the tire sidewall.
Check tire pressures more often if
subject to a wide range of outdoor
temperatures, as tire pressures vary
with temperature changes.
Tire pressures change by approxi-
mately 0.07 BAR per 7°C of air tem-
perature change. Keep this in mind
when checking tire pressure inside a
garage, especially in the Winter. Example: If garage temperature =
20°C and the outside temperature =
0°C then the cold tire inflation pres-
sure should be increased by 0.21
BAR, which equals 0.07 kPa for every
7°C for this outside temperature con-
dition.
Tire pressure may increase from 0.13
to 0.4 BAR during operation. DO
NOT reduce this normal pressure
build up or your tire pressure will be
too low.
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 op-
eration. Refer to original equipment
or an authorized tire dealer for recom-
mended safe operating speeds, load-
ing and cold tire inflation pressures.
WARNING!
High speed driving with your vehicle
under 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 ve-
hicle loaded to the maximum capac-
ity at continuous speeds above
120 km/h.
RADIAL PLY TIRESWARNING!
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. Always use radial ply 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 be-
cause of sidewall flexing. Consult
your authorized tire dealer for radial
tire repairs.
215

COMPACT SPARE TIRE (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
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 Load-
ing 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 desig-
nation. Example: T145/80D18
103M.
T, S = Temporary Spare Tire
Since this tire has limited tread life the
original equipment tire should be re-
paired (or replaced) and reinstalled
on your vehicle at the first opportu-
nity.
Do not install a wheel cover or at-
tempt to mount a conventional tire on
the compact spare wheel, since the
wheel is designed specifically for the
compact spare tire. Do not install
more than one compact spare tire and
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.
LIMITED-USE SPARE (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
The limited-use spare tire is for tem-
porary 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 your original equip-
ment tire, replace (or repair) the origi- nal equipment tire and reinstall on the
vehicle at the first opportunity.
WARNING!
Limited-use spares are for emer-
gency use only. Installation 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 In-
formation Placard located on the
driver’s side door opening. Replace
(or repair) the original equipment
tire at the first opportunity and rein-
stall it on your vehicle. Failure to do
so could result in loss of vehicle con-
trol.
TIRE SPINNING
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice
conditions, do not spin your vehicle's
wheels faster than 48 km/h or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously
without stopping when you are stuck.
216

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 the spare tire should be
replaced 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. REPLACEMENT TIRES
The tires on your new vehicle provide
a balance of many characteristics.
They should be inspected regularly
for wear and correct cold tire inflation
pressure. The manufacturer strongly
recommends that you use tires
equivalent to the originals in size,
quality and performance when re-
placement is needed. (Refer to the
paragraph on “Tread Wear Indica-
tors”). Refer to the “Tire and Loading
Information” placard for the size des-
ignation of your tire. The Load Index
and Speed Symbol for your tire will be
found on the original equipment tire
sidewall. See the Tire Sizing Chart
example found in the Tire Safety In-
formation section of this manual for
more information relating to the Load
Index and Speed Symbol of a tire.
It is recommended to replace the two
front tires or two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can seriously
affect your vehicle’s handling. If you
ever replace a wheel, make sure that
the wheel’s specifications match those
of the original wheels.
1 — Worn Tire
2 — New Tire
217

CAUTION!(Continued)
 Observe the tire chain manufac-
tur er's instructions on the method
of installation, operating speed,
and conditions for use. Always use
the lower suggested operating
speed of the chain manufacturer if
different from the speed r ecom-
mended by the manufacture.
NOTE:
In order to avoid damage to tires,
chains, and your vehicle do not
drive for a prolonged period on dry
pavement. Observe the tire chain
manufacturer's instructions on
method of installation, operating
speed, and conditions for usage.
Always use the lower suggested oper-
ating speed if both the chain manu-
facturer and vehicle manufacturer
suggest a maximum speed. This no-
tice applies to all chain traction de-
vices, including link and cable (ra-
dial) chains. TIRE ROTATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
Tires on the front and rear axles of
vehicles operate at different loads and
perform different steering, driving,
and braking functions. For these rea-
sons, they wear at unequal rates.
These effects can be reduced by timely
rotation of tires. The benefits of rota-
tion are especially worthwhile with ag-
gressive tread designs such as those on
all season type tires. Rotation will in-
crease tread life, help to maintain mud,
snow and wet traction levels, and con-
tribute to a smooth, quiet ride.Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule”
for the proper maintenance intervals.
The reasons for any rapid or unusual
wear should be corrected prior to ro-
tation being performed.
TIRE PRESSURE
MONITOR SYSTEM
(TPMS)
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) will warn the driver of a low
tire pressure based on the vehicle rec-
ommended cold placard pressure.The tire pressure will vary with tem-
perature by about 0.069 BAR for ev-
ery 6.5°C. This means that when the
outside temperature decreases, the
tire pressure will decrease. Tire pres-
sure should always be set based on
cold inflation tire pressure. This is
defined as the tire pressure after the
vehicle has not been driven for at least
three hours, or driven less than
1.6 km after a three hour period. The
cold tire inflation pressure must not
exceed the maximum inflation pres-
sure molded into the tire sidewall. Re-
fer to “Tires – General Information”
in “Starting and Operating” for infor-
mation on how to properly inflate the
vehicle’s tires. The tire pressure will
also increase as the vehicle is driven -
this is normal and there should be no
adjustment for this increased pres-
sure.
The TPMS will warn the driver of a
low tire pressure if the tire pressure
falls below the low-pressure warning
limit for any reason, including low
temperature effects and natural pres-
sure loss through the tire.
219

The TPMS will continue to warn the
driver of low tire pressure as long as
the condition exists, and will not turn
off until the tire pressure is at or above
the recommended cold placard pres-
sure. Once the low tire pressure warn-
ing (Tire Pressure Monitoring [TPM]
Telltale Light) illuminates, you must
increase the tire pressure to the rec-
ommended cold placard pressure in
order for the TPM Telltale Light to
turn off. The system will automati-
cally update and the TPM Telltale
Light will turn off once the system
receives the updated tire pressures.
The vehicle may need to be driven for
up to 20 minutes above 24 km/h in
order for the TPMS to receive this
information.
For example, your vehicle may have a
recommended cold (parked for more
than three hours) placard pressure of
2.07 BAR. If the ambient temperature
is 20°C and the measured tire pres-
sure is 1.86 BAR, a temperature drop
to ­7°C will decrease the tire pressure
to approximately 1.58 BAR. This tire
pressure is sufficiently low enough to
turn ON the TPM Telltale Light. Driv-ing the vehicle may cause the tire
pressure to rise to approximately 1.86
BAR, but the TPM Telltale Light will
still be ON. In this situation, the TPM
Telltale Light will turn OFF only after
the tires are inflated to the vehicle’s
recommended cold placard pressure
value.
CAUTION!
 The TPMS has been optimized for
the original equipment tires and
wheels. TPMS pressures and
warning have been established for
the tire size equipped on your ve-
hicle. Undesirable system opera-
tion or sensor damage may result
when using replacement equip-
ment that is not of the same size,
type, and/or style. Aftermarket
wheels can cause sensor damage.
Do not use aftermarket tire seal-
ants or balance beads if your ve-
hicle is equipped with a TPMS, as
damage to the sensors may result.
(Continued)
CAUTION!(Continued)
 After inspecting or adjusting the
tire pressure, always reinstall the
valve stem cap. This will prevent
moisture and dirt from entering
the valve stem, which could dam-
age the TPM sensor.
NOTE:
 The TPMS is not intended to re- place normal tire care and
maintenance or to provide
warning of a tire failure or con-
dition.
 The TPMS should not be used as a tire pressure gauge while ad-
justing your tire pressure.
 Driving on a significantly under- inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also re-
duces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the ve-
hicle’s handling and stopping
ability.
 The TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it
is the driver’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure
220