2012 MITSUBISHI LANCER tires

Vehicle care and maintenance
7-31
7
Service DescriptionEXAMPLE: 95H
Maximum LoadMaximum load indicates the maximum load this tire is
designed to carry.Maximum PressureMaximum Pressure indicates the maximum permissible
cold tire inflation pressure for this tire.
Tire Identification Number (TIN)The TIN may be found on one or both sides of the tire but
the date code may only be on one side. Look for the TIN on
the outboard side of tires as mounted on the vehicle. If the
TIN is not found on the outboard side then you will find it
on the inboard side of the tire.
EXAMPLE: DOT MA L9 ABCD 1504
95Load index
A numerical code associated with the maximum
load a tire can carry.
HSpeed symbol
A symbol indicating the range of speeds at
which a tire can carry a load corresponding to its
load index under certain operating conditions.
The maximum speed corresponding to the speed
symbol should only be achieved under specified
operating conditions. (i.e. tire pressure, vehicle
loading, road conditions and posted speed lim-
its)
WA R N I N G
!
Overloading of your tire is dangerous. Overload-
ing can cause tire failure, affect vehicle handling,
and increase your stopping distance. Use tires of
the recommended load capacity for your vehicle.
Never overload them.
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)
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7-32 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
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.
Tire inflation pressures
N00939300844
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 correct tire pressure for your vehicle is listed on the plac-
ard attached to the sill of the driver’s door.
(Refer to “Tire and loading information placard” on page 9-4.)
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-33
7
The recommended inflation pressures should be used for the
tires listed below.Except for vehicles with turbocharger
Vehicles with turbochargerTire 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 on the placard
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, yourtire inflation pressure may increase 14 to 41 KPA, 2 to 6 PSI
from the cold inflation pressure. Do not let air out of the tires to
get back to the specified cold pressure, or your tire pressure
will be too low.
Check your tires each time you refuel. If one tire looks lower
than the others, check the pressure for all of them.
You should also take the following safety precautions:

Keep your tires inflated to the recommended pressures.
(See the tire and loading information placard attached to
the sill of the driver’s door.)

Stay within the recommended load limits.

Make sure that the weight of any load in your vehicle is
evenly distributed.

Drive at safe speeds.

After filling your tires to the correct pressure, check them
for damage and air leaks. Be sure to reinstall the caps on
the valve stems.
Item
Tire size
Front
Rear
Normal tireP205/60R16250 KPA,
36 PSI250 KPA,
36 PSI
P215/45R18240 KPA,
35 PSI240 KPA,
35 PSI
Compact spare tire T125/70D16
T125/90D16420 KPA, 60 PSI
Item
Tire size
Front
Rear
Normal tireP215/45R18
215/45R18240 KPA,
35 PSI240 KPA,
35 PSI
Compact spare tire T125/90D16 420 KPA, 60 PSI
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7-34 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
Replacing tires and wheels
N00939600368
Tire maintenance
N00939700154
The following maintenance steps are recommended:

Check tire pressures regularly.

Have regular maintenance done on the wheel balance and
front and rear suspension alignment.

Rotate your tires regularly as described in the “Tire rota-
tion” section on page 7-35.
CAUTION
!
Avoid using different size tires and wheels from the
ones listed, and avoid the combined use of different
types of tires and wheels. Using different size or type
tires and wheels may affect driving safety.
Refer to “Tires and wheels” on page 9-9.
For All-wheel drive vehicles, always use tires of the
same size, same type, and same brand, and which
have no wear differences. Using tires that differ in
size, type, brand or the degree of wear, will increase
the differential oil temperature, resulting in possible
damage to the driving system. Further, the drive
train will be subjected to excessive loading, possibly
leading to oil leakage, component seizure, or other
serious problems.
Even if a wheel has the same rim size and offset as
the specified type of wheel, its shape may prevent it
from being fitted correctly. Consult an authorized
Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your
choice before using wheels that you have.
Only Mitsubishi Motors genuine wheels should be
used, because your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system.
Use of another type of wheel risks air leaks and sen-
sor damage, as it will not be possible to install the
tire pressure sensor properly.
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-35
7
Tread wear indicators
N00939800214
Tread wear indicators are built into the original equipment tires
on your vehicle to help you know when your tires should be
replaced. Many states have laws requiring that you replace
your tires at this point.
These indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread
grooves and will appear when the tire tread is worn down to
1/16 inch (1.6 mm).
When the bands appear next to one another in two or more
places, replace your tires. NOTE
Tire wear indicators can have different marks and loca-
tions depending on the tire manufacturer.
Tire rotation
N00939900390
To even out the wear on your tires and make them last longer,
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation recommends that you rotate
your tires at the mileage listed in the “WARRANTY AND
MAINTENANCE MANUAL”.
However, the timing for tire rotation may vary according to
your vehicle condition, road surface conditions, and your own
personal driving habits. Any time you notice unusual wear,
rotate your tires as soon as possible.
When rotating tires, check for uneven wear, damage, and wheel
alignment. Abnormal wear is usually caused by a wrong tire
pressure, wheels that are not aligned properly, wheels that are
out-of-balance, or severe braking.
Check with an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair
facility of your choice to find out the reason for uneven tread
wear.
The first tire rotation is the most important one. It will allow all
your tires to wear evenly.
1- Location of the tread wear indicator
2- Tread wear indicator
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7-36 Vehicle care and maintenance
7
CAUTION
!
A compact spare tire can be installed temporarily in
place of a tire that has been removed during the tire
rotation. However, it must not be included in the
regular tire rotation sequence.Tires that do not have arrows showing rotation direction
Tires that have arrows showing rotation directionFront
Front
CAUTION
!
If the tires have arrows (A) indicating the correct
direction of rotation, swap the front and rear tires
on the left-hand side of the vehicle and the front and
rear tires on the right-hand side of the vehicle sepa-
rately. Keep each tire on its original side of the vehi-
cle. When installing the tires, make sure the arrows
point in the direction in which the wheels will turn
when the vehicle moves forward. Any tire whose
arrow points in the wrong direction will not perform
to its full potential.
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-37
7
Snow tires
N00940000359
In some areas of the country, snow tires are required for winter
driving. If snow tires are required in your area, you must
choose snow tires of the same size and type as the original tires
provided with your vehicle. Snow tires should also be installed
on all four wheels. Otherwise your safety and vehicle handling
can be reduced.
Even where laws may permit it, snow tires should not be oper-
ated at sustained speeds over 75 mph (120 km/h).Tire chains
N00940100129
CAUTION
!
Avoid the combined use of different types of tires.
Using different types of tires can affect vehicle per-
formance and safety.
Front
CAUTION
!
If flange nuts are used on your vehicle, change to
tapered nuts when using snow tires with steel
wheels.
Only Mitsubishi Motors genuine wheels should be
used, because your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system.
Use of another type of wheel risks air leaks and sen-
sor damage, as it will not be possible to install the
tire pressure sensor properly.
CAUTION
!
Tire chains cannot be used on your vehicle. The
clearance between the chains and the body is not
sufficient to allow proper clearance, and the vehicle
body might be damaged.
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Vehicle care and maintenance
7-93
7
Polishing
N00946100059
If painted surfaces have been severely damaged and lost their
original luster and color tone, polish the surface lightly with a
fine polishing compound. Avoid limiting your polishing to the
damaged surface only; polish a somewhat wider area, moving
the polishing cloth in one direction. After polishing, flush the
compound from the surface and apply a coat of wax to regain a
beautiful luster.Damaged paint
N00946200063
Small cracks and scratches in the paint coat should be touched
up as soon as possible with touch-up paint to prevent corrosion.
Check body areas facing the road or the tires carefully for dam-
age to the paint caused by flying stones, etc. The paint code
number for your vehicle can be found on the vehicle informa-
tion code plate in the engine compartment.
Cleaning plastic parts
N00946300178
Use a sponge or chamois to clean these parts.
If a vehicle wax sticks to a gray or black rough surface of the
bumper, molding or lights, the surface may appear white in
color. In this case, wipe it off using lukewarm water and a soft
cloth or chamois. Chrome parts
N00946400065
To prevent spots and corrosion of chrome parts, wash with
water, dry thoroughly, and apply a nonabrasive automotive
wax. If the chrome is severely damaged or pitted, use a com-
mercially available chrome polish.

Do not put wax on the areas having black matte
coating because it can cause uneven discoloration,
patches, blurs, etc. If these get wax on them, wipe
the wax off right away with a soft cloth and warm
water.
On vehicles with sunroof, be careful not to apply any
wax on the weatherstrip (black rubber) when wax-
ing the area around the sunroof opening.
If stained with wax, the weatherstrip cannot main-
tain a weatherproof seal with the sunroof.
CAUTION
!
CAUTION
!
Do not use a scrubbing brush or other rough scrub-
ber as these may damage the plastic surface.
Do not use wax containing compounds (polishing
powder) which may damage the plastic surface.
Do not let the plastic parts get soiled with gasoline,
oil, brake fluids, engine oils, greases, paint thinner,
and sulfuric acid (battery electrolyte). These fluids,
etc., may crack, stain or discolor the plastic parts.
If any of these get on the plastic parts, wipe them up
with a soft cloth or chamois and a mild solution of
soap and water. Then rinse them immediately with
water.
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