637
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Tire ply composition and materials
Plies are layers of rubber-coated
parallel cords. Cords are the
strands which form the plies in a tire.
Radial tires or bias-ply tires
A radial tire has “RADIAL” on the sidewall. A tire not marked
“RADIAL” is a bias-ply tire.
TUBELESS or TUBE TYPE
A tubeless tire does not have a tube and air is directly filled in the
tire. A tube type tire has a tube inside the tire and the tube main-
tains the air pressure.
Load limit at maximum cold tire inflation pressure ( P. 525)
Maximum cold tire in flation pressure ( P. 630)
This means the pressure to which a tire may be inflated.
Summer tire or all season tire ( P. 526)
An all season tire has “M+S” on the sidewall. A tire not marked
“M+S” is a summer tire.
642 6-1. Specifications
Warning: The temperature grades for this tire are established for a
tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either sepa-
rately or in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire fail-
ure.
Glossary of tire terminology
Tire related termMeaning
Cold tire inflation pres-
sure Tire pressure when the vehicle has been
parked for three hours or more, or has not
been driven more than 1 mile or 1.5 km under
that condition
Maximum inflation
pressure The maximum cold inflated
pressure to which a
tire may be inflated, s hown on the sidewall of
the tire
Recommended infla-
tion pressure Cold tire inflation pressure recommended by a
manufacturer
Accessory weight The combined weight (in excess of those stan-
dard items which may be replaced) of auto-
matic transmission, power steering, power
brakes, power windows, power seats, radio
and heater, to the extent that these items are
available as factory-installed equipment
(whether installed or not)
Curb weight The weight of a motor vehicle with standard
equipment, including the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil and coolant, and if so equipped, air
conditioning and additional weight optional
engine
Maximum loaded vehi-
cle weight The sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight
(d) Production options weight
644 6-1. Specifications
Tire related termMeaning
Weather side The surface area of the rim not covered by the
inflated tire
Bead The part of the tire that is made of steel wires,
wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim
Bead separation A breakdown of the bond between components
in the bead
Bias ply tire A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at alternate angles
substantially less than 90 degrees to the cen-
terline of the tread
Carcass The tire structure, except tread and sidewall
rubber which, when inflated, bears the load
Chunking The breaking away of pieces of the tread or
sidewall
Cord The strands forming the plies in the tire
Cord separation The parting of cords from adjacent rubber com-
pounds
Cracking Any parting within the tread, sidewall, or inner-
liner of the tire ext
ending to cord material
CT A pneumatic tire with an inverted flange tire
and rim system in which the rim is designed
with rim flanges pointed radially inward and the
tire is designed to fit on the underside of the
rim in a manner that encloses the rim flanges
inside the air cavity of the tire
Extra load tire A tire designed to operate at higher loads and
at higher inflation pressures than the corre-
sponding standard tire
Groove The space between two adjacent tread ribs
Innerliner The layer(s) forming the inside surface of a
tubeless tire that contains the inflating medium
within the tire
645
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Tire related termMeaning
Innerliner separation The parting of the innerliner from cord material
in the carcass
Intended outboard
sidewall (a) The sidewall that contains a whitewall,
bears white lettering, or bears manufac-
turer, brand, and/or model name molding
that is higher or deeper than the same
molding on the other sidewall of the tire, or
(b) The outward facing sidewall of an asym- metrical tire that has a particular side that
must always face outward when mounted
on a vehicle
Light truck (LT) tire A tire designated by its manufacturer as prima-
rily intended for use on lightweight trucks or
multipurpose passenger vehicles
Load rating The maximum load that a tire is rated to carry
for a given inflation pressure
Maximum load rating The load rating for a tire at the maximum per-
missible inflation pressure for that tire
Maximum permissible
inflation pressure The maximum cold inflation pressure to which
a tire may be inflated
Measuring rim The rim on which a tire is fitted for physical
dimension requirements
Open splice Any parting at any junction of tread, sidewall, or
innerliner that extends to cord material
Outer diameter The overall diameter of an inflated new tire
Overall width The linear distance between the exteriors of
the sidewalls of an inflated tire, including eleva-
tions due to labeling, decorations, or protective
bands or ribs
Passenger car tire A tire intended for use on passenger cars, mul-
tipurpose passenger vehicles, and trucks, that
have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of
10000 lb. or less.
646 6-1. Specifications
Tire related termMeaning
Ply A layer of rubber-coated parallel cords
Ply separation A parting of rubber compound between adja-
cent plies
Pneumatic tire A mechanical device made of rubber, chemi-
cals, fabric and steel or
other materials, that,
when mounted on an automotive wheel, pro-
vides the traction and contains the gas or fluid
that sustains the load
Radial ply tire A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at substantially 90
degrees to the centerline of the tread
Reinforced tire A tire designed to operate at higher loads and
at higher inflation pressures than the corre-
sponding standard tire
Section width The linear distance between the exteriors of
the sidewalls of an inflated tire, excluding ele-
vations due to labeling, decoration, or protec-
tive bands
Sidewall That portion of a tire between the tread and
bead
Sidewall separation The parting of the rubber compound from the
cord material in the sidewall
Snow tire A tire that attains a traction index equal to or
greater than 110, compared to the ASTM
E-1136 Standard Reference Test Tire, when
using the snow traction test as described in
ASTM F-1805-00, Standard Test Method for
Single Wheel Driving Traction in a Straight Line
on Snow-and Ice-Covered Surfaces, and which
is marked with an Alpine Symbol ( ) on at
least one sidewall
Te s t r i m The rim on which a tire is fitted for testing, and
may be any rim listed as appropriate for use
with that tire
652
6-3. Initialization
Items to initialize
ItemWhen to initializeReference
Power back door • After reconnecting or changing the
battery
• After changing a fuse P. 6 0
Maintenance data
(U.S.A. only) After the maintenance is performed P. 489
Tire pressure warning
system When changing the tire inflation
pressure by changing traveling
speed or towing trailer, etc.
P. 521
The following items must be initia
lized for normal system operation
in cases such as after the battery is reconnected, or maintenance is
performed on the vehicle.
678 Alphabetical index
Service reminder indicators .............................. 188
Shift lever Automatic transmission ......... 178
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P................. 602
Shift lock system ..................... 602
Shopping bag hooks ............... 465
Side airbags.............................. 124
Side marker lights Replacing .............................. 553
Switch.................................... 203
Wattage ................................. 632
Side mirrors
Adjusting and folding ...............98
Side table .................................. 450
Smart key system Entry function ..........................35
Starting the engine ................171
Spare tire
Inflation pressure................... 630
Storage location .................... 586
Spark plug ................................ 627
Specifications........................... 618
Speech command switch ........ 378
Speedometer ............................ 186
Steering
Column lock release...... 173, 176 Steering wheel
Adjustment .............................. 94
Audio switches ...................... 351
Climate remote control switches .............................. 298
Stop lights Replacing light bulbs ............. 553
Wattage................................. 632
Storage feature ........................ 439
Storage precautions ................ 245
Stuck If your vehicle becomes stuck ................................... 613
Sun visors ................................ 452
Switch
Emergency flasher switch ..... 562
Engine switch ................ 171, 175
Fog light switch ..................... 210
Hazard light switch ................ 562
Ignition switch ............... 171, 175
Light switches ....................... 203
Power door lock switch ........... 55
Power window switch ............ 101
SNOW switch ........................ 179
Window lock switch ............... 101
Wiper and washer switch.......................... 212, 216
679
Alphabetical index
Tachometer .............................. 186
Tail lights
Replacing light bulbs ............ 553
Switch ................................... 203
Wattage ................................ 632
Talk switch ............................... 378
Telephone switch .................... 378
Theft deterrent system Alarm .................................... 117
Engine immobilizer system... 113
Theft prevention labels ........... 121
Tire inflation pressure ............ 530
Tire information Glossary ............................... 642
Size ...................................... 639
Tire identification number ..... 638
Uniform tire quality
grading ............................... 640
Tires Chains .................................. 248
Checking .............................. 521
If you have a flat tire ............. 586
Inflation pressure .................. 530
Information ........................... 636
Replacing ............................. 586
Rotating tires ........................ 521
Size ...................................... 630
Snow tires............................. 248
Tire pressure warning
system........................ 521, 576 Tools .........................................586
Total load capacity...................247
Towing
Dinghy towing........................270
Emergency towing.................565
Trailer towing.........................252
Traction control........................227
TRAC .........................................227
Trip information .......................193
Trip meter .................................186
Turn signal lights Replacing light bulbs .............553
Switch....................................183
Wattage .................................632
Valet key .....................................32
Vanity lights Vanity lights ...........................453
Wattage .................................632
Vanity mirrors...........................453
Vehicle data recordings ............26
Vehicle identification number ...................................619
Vehicle stability control...........227
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