WARNING!
If TSC activates while driving, slow
the vehicle down, stop at the near-
est safe location, and adjust the
trailer load to eliminate trailer
sway.
HILL START ASSIST (HSA)
The HSA system is designed to assist
the driver when starting a vehicle
from a stop on a hill. HSA will main-
tain the level of brake pressure the
driver applied for a short period of
time after the driver takes their foot
off of the brake pedal. If the driver
does not apply the throttle during this
short period of time, the system will
release brake pressure and the vehicle
will roll down the hill. The system will
release brake pressure in proportion
to the amount of throttle applied as
the vehicle starts to move in the in-
tended direction of travel.
TIRE SAFETY
INFORMATION
Tire Markings
NOTE:
P (Passenger) - Metric tire sizing
is based on U.S. design standards.
P-Metric tires have the letter “P”
molded into the sidewall preced-
ing the size designation. Ex-
ample: P215/65R15 95H.
European-Metric tire sizing isbased on European design stan-
dards. Tires designed to this
standard have the tire size
molded into the sidewall begin-
ning with the section width. The
letter "P" is absent from this tire
size designation.
Example: 215/65R15 96H.
LT (Light Truck) - Metric tire siz-
ing is based on U.S. design stan-
dards. The size designation for
LT-Metric tires is the same as for
P-Metric tires except for the let-
ters “LT” that are molded into the
sidewall preceding the size desig-
nation. Example: LT235/85R16.
1—U.S.DOT
Safety Standards
Code (TIN) 4 — Maximum
Load
2—
Size Designa-
tion5 — Maximum
Pressure
3 — Service De-
scription 6 — Treadwear,
Traction and Tem-
perature Grades
252
Temporary spare tires are de-signed for temporary emergency
use only. Temporary high pres-
sure compact spare tires have
the letter “T” or “S” molded into
the sidewall preceding the size
designation.
Example: T145/80D18 103M. High flotation tire sizing is
based on U.S. design standards
and it begins with the tire diam-
eter molded into the sidewall.
Example: 31x10.5 R15 LT.
Tire Sizing Chart
EXAMPLE:
Size Designation: P= Passenger car tire size based on U.S. design standards
"....blank...." = Passenger car tire based on European design standards
LT = Light truck tire based on U.S. design standards
TorS= Temporary spare tire
31 = Overall diameter in inches (in)
215 = Section width in millimeters (mm)
65 = Aspect ratio in percent (%)
— Ratio of section height to section width of tire
10.5 = Section width in inches (in)
R = Construction code
— "R" means radial construction
— "D" means diagonal or bias construction
15 = Rim diameter in inches (in)
253
Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
The TIN may be found on one or both
sides of the tire, however, the datecode may only be on one side. Tires
with white sidewalls will have the full
TIN, including the date code, located
on the white sidewall side of the tire.
Look for the TIN on the outboard sideof black sidewall 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 0301
DOT = Department of Transportation
— This symbol certifies that the tire is in compliance with the U.S. Department of Transportation tire safety
standards and is approved for highway use
MA = Code representing the tire manufacturing location (two digits)
L9 = Code representing the tire size (two digits)
ABCD = Code used by the tire manufacturer (one to four digits)
03 = Number representing the week in which the tire was manufactured (two digits)
— 03 means the 3rd week
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
255
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 ca-
pacity 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 in-
flation 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 ex-
ceed 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 com-
bined weight of occupants 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 passengers from
XXX lbs or XXX kg.
4.
The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity. For example, if “XXX”
amount equals 1,400 lbs (635 kg) and
there will be five 150 lb (68 kg) passen-
gers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capac-
ity is 650 lbs (295 kg) (since 5 x 150 lbs (68 kg) = 750 lbs (340 kg), and
1400 lbs (635 kg) – 750 lbs (340 kg) =
650 lbs [295 kg]).
5.Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
NOTE:
If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your ve-
hicle. The following table shows
examples on how to calculate to-
tal load, cargo/luggage, and
towing capacities of your vehicle
with varying seating configura-
tions and number and size of
occupants. This table is for il-
lustration purposes only and
may not be accurate for the seat-
ing and load carry capacity of
your vehicle.
For the following example, the combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
865 lbs (392 kg).
257
WARNING!
Overloading of your tires is danger-
ous. 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 essen-
tial to the safe and satisfactory opera-
tion of your vehicle. Three primary
areas are affected by improper tire
pressure:Safety
WARNING!
Improperly inflated tires are dan-
gerous and can cause collisions.
Under-inflation increases tire flexing and can result in over-
heating and tire failure.
(Continued)
258
WARNING!(Continued)
Over-inflation reduces a tire'sability 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 vehicle handling
and can fail suddenly, resulting in
loss of vehicle control.
Unequal tire pressures can cause steering problems. You could lose
control of your vehicle.
Unequal tire pressures from one side of the vehicle to the other can
cause the vehicle to drift to the
right or left.
Always drive with each tire in- flated to the recommended cold
tire inflation pressure.
Economy
Improper inflation pressures can
cause uneven wear patterns to de-
velop across the tire tread. These ab-
normal wear patterns will reduce
tread life resulting in a need for earlier
tire replacement. Under-inflation also increases tire rolling resistance result-
ing in higher fuel consumption.
Ride Comfort And Vehicle
Stability
Proper tire inflation contributes to a
comfortable ride. Over-inflation pro-
duces a jarring and uncomfortable
ride. Both under-inflation and over-
inflation affect the stability of the ve-
hicle and can produce a feeling of
sluggish response or over responsive-
ness in the steering.
NOTE:
Unequal tire pressures from side
to side may cause erratic and
unpredictable steering re-
sponse.
Unequal tire pressure from side to side may cause the vehicle to
drift left or right.
Tire Inflation Pressures
The proper cold tire inflation pressure
is listed on the driver's side “B” Pillar
or rear edge of the driver's side door. At least once a month:
Check and adjust tire pressure with
a good quality pocket-type pressure
gauge. Do not make a visual judge-
ment when determining proper in-
flation. Tires may look properly in-
flated even when they are under-
inflated.
Inspect tires for signs of tire wear or visible damage.
CAUTION!
After inspecting or adjusting the
tire pressure, always reinstall the
valve stem cap. This will prevent
moisture and dirt from entering the
valve stem, which could damage
the valve stem.
Inflation pressures specified on the
placard are always “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
1.6 km after a three hour period. The
cold tire inflation pressure must not
259
exceed the maximum inflation pres-
sure molded into the tire sidewall.
Check tire pressures more often if
subject to a wide range of outdoor
temperatures, as tire pressures vary
with temperature changes.
Tire pressures change by approxi-
mately 7 kPa per 7°C of air tempera-
ture change. Keep this in mind when
checking tire pressure inside a garage,
especially in the winter.
Example: If garage temperature =
20°C and the outside temperature =
0°C then the cold tire inflation pres-
sure should be increased by 21 kPa,
which equals 7 kPa for every 7°C for
this outside temperature condition.
Tire pressure may increase from 13 to
40 kPa during operation. DO NOT
reduce this normal pressure build up
or your tire pressure will be too low.Tire Pressures For High
Speed Operation
The manufacturer advocates driving
at safe speeds and within posted speed
limits. Where speed limits or condi-
tions are such that the vehicle can be
driven at high speeds, maintaining
correct tire inflation pressure is very
important. Increased tire pressure
and reduced vehicle loading may be
required for high-speed vehicle op-
eration. Refer to your authorized tire
dealer or original equipment vehicle
dealer for recommended safe operat-
ing speeds, loading and cold tire infla-
tion pressures.
WARNING!
High speed driving with your ve-
hicle under maximum load is dan-
gerous. The added strain on your
tires could cause them to fail. You
could have a serious collision. Do
not drive a vehicle loaded to the
maximum capacity at continuous
speeds above 120 km/h.
Radial Ply Tires
WARNING!
Combining radial ply tires with
other types of tires on your vehicle
will cause your vehicle to handle
poorly. The instability could cause
a collision. Always use radial ply
tires in sets of four. Never combine
them with other types of tires.
Tire Repair
If your tire becomes damaged, it may
be repaired if it meets the following
criteria:
The tire has not been driven on when flat.
The damage is only on the tread section of your tire (sidewall dam-
age is not repairable).
The puncture is no greater than 6 mm.
Consult an authorized tire dealer for
tire repairs and additional informa-
tion.
260
Damaged Run Flat tires, or Run Flat
tires that have experienced a loss of
pressure should be replaced immedi-
ately with another Run Flat tire of
identical size and service description
(Load Index and Speed Code).
Tire Types
All Season Tires (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
All Season tires provide traction for
all seasons (spring, summer, fall and
winter). Traction levels may vary be-
tween different all season tires. All
season tires can be identified by the
M+S, M&S, M/S or MS designation on
the tire sidewall. Use all season tires
only in sets of four; failure to do so
may adversely affect the safety and
handling of your vehicle.
Summer Or Three Season Tires
(for versions/markets, where
provided)
Summer tires provide traction in both
wet and dry conditions, and are not
intended to be driven in snow or on
ice. If your vehicle is equipped withsummer tires, be aware these tires are
not designed for winter or cold driving
conditions. For more information,
contact a authorized dealer. Summer
tires do not contain the all season
designation or mountain/snowflake
symbol on the tire sidewall.
Use summer tires only in sets of four;
failure to do so may adversely affect
the safety and handling of your ve-
hicle.
Snow Tires
Some areas of the country require the
use of snow tires during the winter.
Snow tires can be identified by a
mountain/snowflake symbol on the
tire sidewall.
If you need snow tires, select tires
equivalent in size and type to the
original equipment tires. Use snow
tires only in sets of four; failure to do
so may adversely affect the safety and
handling of your vehicle.
Snow tires generally have lower speed
ratings than what was originally
equipped with your vehicle and
should not be operated at sustained
speeds over 120 km/h. For speeds
above 120 km/h refer to original
equipment or an authorized tire
dealer for recommended safe operat-
ing speeds, loading and cold tire infla-
tion pressures.
While studded tires improve perfor-
mance on ice, skid and traction capa-
bility on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded tires.
Some states prohibit studded tires;
therefore, local laws should be
checked before using these tire types.
Run Flat Tires (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
Run Flat tires allow you the capability
to drive 80 km at 80 km/h after a
rapid loss of inflation pressure. This
rapid loss of inflation is referred to as
the Run Flat mode. A Run Flat mode
occurs when the tire inflation pressure
is of/or below 96 kPa. Once a Run
Flat tire reaches the run flat mode it
has limited driving capabilities and
needs to be replaced immediately. A
Run Flat tire is not repairable.
261