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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, or brake fluid leaks are
suspected, the cause should be located and corrected
immediately.
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9. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) OFF Indicator
Light — If EquippedThis light indicates the Electronic Stability Con-
trol (ESC) is off.
10. Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed.
11. Seat Belt Reminder Light When the ignition switch is first turned to the
ON/RUN position, this light will turn on for four
to eight seconds as a bulb check. During the bulb
check, if the driver’s seat belt is unbuckled, a chime will
sound. After the bulb check or when driving, if the driver
or front passenger seat belt remains unbuckled, the Seat
Belt Indicator Light will flash or remain on continuously.
Refer to “Occupant Restraints” in “Things To Know
Before Starting Your Vehicle” for further information. 12. Turn Signal Indicator
The arrows will flash with the exterior turn sig-
nals when the turn signal lever is operated. A tone
will chime, and an EVIC message will appear if either
turn signal is left on for more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
NOTE: If either indicator flashes at a rapid rate, check
for a defective outside light bulb.
13. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light
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.)
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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
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
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.
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▫Selec Speed Control (SSC) — If Equipped . . . .470
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ..........474
▫ ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
And ESC OFF Indicator Light ............478
▫ Trailer Sway Control (TSC) ...............479
▫ Ready Alert Braking (RAB) ...............480
▫ Rain Brake Support (RBS) ................480
▫ Dynamic Steering Torque (DST) ...........480
TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION .............481
▫ Tire Markings ....................... .481
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ...........485
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ..........486
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........488
TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION ........492
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... .492
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures .................494
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . .495
▫ Radial Ply Tires ..................... .495
▫ Tire Types .......................... .496
▫ Run Flat Tires — If Equipped .............497
▫ Spare Tires — If Equipped ...............498
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... .500
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ..................501
▫ Life Of Tire ........................ .501
▫ Replacement Tires .....................502
TIRE CHAINS (TRACTION DEVICES) .......504
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EXAMPLE:
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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EXAMPLE:
DOT MA L9 ABCD 0301
01 = Number representing the year in which the tire was manufactured (two digits)
— 01 means the year 2001
— Prior to July 2000, tire manufacturers were only required to have one number to represent the
year in which the tire was manufactured. Example: 031 could represent the 3rd week of 1981 or 1991
Tire Terminology And Definitions
Term Definition
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 three 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).
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TermDefinition
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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