2013 CHRYSLER 200 CONVERTIBLE flat tire

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. Inspect 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 pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
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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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 95

NOTE:
The “ESC Off Indicator Light” and the “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” come on momentarily each
time the ignition switch is turned to ON/RUN.
Each time the ignition is turned to ON/RUN, the ESC
system will be ON, even if it was turned off previously.
The ESC system will make buzzing or clicking sounds
when it is active. This is normal; the sounds will stop
when ESC becomes inactive following the maneuver that
caused the ESC activation.25. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (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 vehicle 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.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, 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
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 231

reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumination 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
operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the sys-
tem may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of replacement oralternate 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
warning have been established for the tire size
equipped on your vehicle. Undesirable system opera-
tion 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 vehicle is equipped with a
TPMS, as damage to the sensors may result.
232 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

DRIVING THROUGH WATER.............324
▫Flowing/Rising Water..................325
▫Shallow Standing Water.................325
POWER STEERING.....................327
▫Power Steering Fluid Check..............327
PARKING BRAKE......................328
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS).........331
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM. . . .333
▫Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)............334
▫Traction Control System (TCS)............334
▫Brake Assist System (BAS)...............335
▫Electronic Stability Control (ESC)..........336
▫ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light And
ESC OFF Indicator Light................338TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION.............340
▫Tire Markings........................340
▫Tire Identification Number (TIN)...........343
▫Tire Terminology And Definitions..........344
▫Tire Loading And Tire Pressure...........345
TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION.........350
▫Tire Pressure........................350
▫Tire Inflation Pressures.................351
▫Radial Ply Tires......................353
▫All Season Tires – If Equipped............353
▫Summer Or Three Season Tires –
If Equipped..........................354
▫Snow Tires..........................354
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WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous.
Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the
front wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle
and possibly have a collision. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping ability. To
reduce this possibility, the following precautions should
be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads are
slushy.2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when tread wear indicators first
become visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a
sudden stop.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Driving through water more than a few inches/
centimeters deep will require extra caution to ensure
safety and prevent damage to your vehicle.
324 STARTING AND OPERATING

ABS is activated during braking under certain road or
stopping conditions. ABS-inducing conditions can in-
clude ice, snow, gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, loose
debris, or panic stops.
You also may experience the following when the brake
system goes into anti-lock:
•The ABS motor running (it may continue to run for a
short time after the stop),
•the clicking sound of solenoid valves,
•brake pedal pulsations,
•and a slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the
end of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of ABS.WARNING!
The Anti-Lock Brake System contains sophisticated
electronic equipment that may be susceptible to
interference caused by improperly installed or high
output radio transmitting equipment. This interfer-
ence can cause possible loss of anti-lock braking
capability. Installation of such equipment should be
performed by qualified professionals.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be the same size and
type, and tires must be properly inflated to produce
accurate signals for the computer.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle may be equipped with an optional ad-
vanced electronic brake control system that includes
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), Traction Control System
(TCS), Brake Assist System (BAS), and Electronic Stability
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STARTING AND OPERATING 333

EXAMPLE:
15= Rim diameter in inches (in)
Service Description:
95= Load Index
— A numerical code associated with the maximum load a tire can carry
H= Speed 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 limits)
Load Identification:
....blank....= Absence of any text on the sidewall of the tire indicates a Standard Load (SL) tire
Extra Load (XL)= Extra load (or reinforced) tire
Light Load (LL)= Light load tire
C, D, E, F, G= Load range associated with the maximum load a tire can carry at a specified pressure
Maximum Load— Maximum load indicates the maximum load this tire is designed to carry
Maximum Pressure— Maximum pressure indicates the maximum permissible cold tire inflation pressure for
this tire
342 STARTING AND OPERATING

Tire Terminology And Definitions
Term Definition
B-PillarThe vehicle B-Pillar is the structural member of the body located
behind the front door.
Cold Tire Inflation PressureCold tire inflation pressure is defined as the tire pressure after
the vehicle has not been driven for at least 3 hours, or driven less
than 1 mile (1.6 km) after sitting for a three hour period. Inflation
pressure is measured in units of PSI (pounds per square inch) or
kPa (kilopascals).
Maximum Inflation PressureThe maximum inflation pressure is the maximum permissible
cold tire inflation pressure for this tire. The maximum inflation
pressure is molded into the sidewall.
Recommended Cold Tire Inflation
PressureVehicle manufacturer’s recommended cold tire inflation pressure
as shown on the tire placard.
Tire PlacardA paper label permanently attached to the vehicle describing the
vehicle’s loading capacity, the original equipment tire sizes and
the recommended cold tire inflation pressures.
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