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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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8. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light — If Equipped
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and in-
flated 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 deter-
mine 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 illumi-
nates a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the
low tire pressure telltale illuminates, 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 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 or
alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the
318 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
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TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION .............441
▫ Tire Markings ....................... .441
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ...........445
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ..........447
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........448
TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION .........452
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... .452
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures .................453
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . .455
▫ Radial Ply Tires ..................... .455
▫ Tire Types .......................... .456
▫ Run Flat Tires ....................... .457
▫ Spare Tires ......................... .457▫
Tire Spinning ....................... .460
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ..................460
▫ Life Of Tire ........................ .461
▫ Replacement Tires .....................461
TIRE CHAINS ........................ .463
TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS .....465
TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS) . .466
▫ Base System ........................ .468
▫ Premium System – If Equipped ............471
▫ General Information ...................476
FUEL REQUIREMENTS ..................476
▫ 3.6L Engine – If Equipped ...............476
▫ 5.7L Engine – If Equipped ...............476
5
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EXAMPLE:
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
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Tire Terminology And Definitions
TermDefinition
B-Pillar The vehicle B-Pillar is the structural member of the body located behind
the front door.
Cold Tire Inflation Pressure Cold 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 Pressure The 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 Pressure Vehicle manufacturer’s recommended cold tire inflation pressure as
shown on the tire placard.
Tire Placard A 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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Tire Loading And Tire Pressure
Tire And Loading Information Placard Location
NOTE:The proper cold tire inflation pressure is listed on
the driver ’s side B-Pillar or the rear edge of the driver’s
side door.
Tire And Loading Information Placard
This placard tells you important information about the:
1) number of people that can be carried in the vehicle
2) total weight your vehicle can carry
B-Pillar Location for Tire And Loading Information Placard
Tire and Loading Information Placard
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3) tire size designed for your vehicle
4) cold tire inflation pressures for the front, rear, and
spare tires.
Loading
The vehicle maximum load on the tire must not exceed
the load carrying capacity of the tire on your vehicle. You
will not exceed the tire’s load carrying capacity if you
adhere to the loading conditions, tire size, and cold tire
inflation pressures specified on the Tire and Loading
Information placard and in the “Vehicle Loading” section
of this manual.
NOTE:Under a maximum loaded vehicle condition,
gross axle weight ratings (GAWRs) for the front and rear
axles must not be exceeded. For further information on
GAWRs, vehicle loading, and trailer towing, refer to
“Vehicle Loading” in this section. To determine the maximum loading conditions of your
vehicle, locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX lbs or
XXX kg” on the Tire and Loading Information placard.
The combined weight of occupants, cargo/luggage and
trailer tongue weight (if applicable) should never exceed
the weight referenced here.
Steps For Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never exceed XXX lbs or
XXX kg” on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and pas- sengers from XXX lbs or XXX kg.
5
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WARNING!
Overloading of your tires is dangerous. Overloading
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.
TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to the safe and
satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Three primary
areas are affected by improper tire pressure:
Safety
WARNING!
•Improperly inflated tires are dangerous and can
cause collisions.
• Under-inflation increases tire flexing and can re-
sult in over-heating and tire failure.
• Over-inflation reduces a tire’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 ve-
hicle handling and can fail suddenly, resulting in
loss of vehicle control.
• Unequal tire pressures can cause steering prob-
lems. You could lose control of your vehicle.
(Continued)
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