Tires
Vehicle care and maintenance 9-15
9
Recommended inflation pressure: the inflation pressure for optimum tire perfor-mance. Intended outboard sidewall: • The sidewall that c
ontains a whitewall,
bears white letteri
ng or bears manufac-
turer, brand, and/or model name molding that is higher or deeper than the samemolding on the other sidewall of the tire, or • The outward facing si
dewall of an asym-
metrical tire that has a particular side that must always face outward whenmounted on a vehicle.
Passenger car tire: a
tire intended for use
on passenger cars, multipurpose passen-ger vehicles, and trucks that have a gross vehicle weight rati
ng (GVWR) of 10,000
pounds or less. Light truck (LT) tire: a tire designated by its manufacturer as primarily intended for use on lightweight truc
ks or multipurpose
passenger vehicles. Tread: portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road. Tread rib: a tread se
ction running circum-
ferentially around a tire. Tread separation: pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass. Carcass: the tire structure, except tread and sidewall rubber which, when inflated,bears the load.
Sidewall: portion of a tire between the tread and bead. Section width: the line
ar distance between
the exteriors of the sidewalls of an inflated tire, excluding elevations due tolabeling, decoration, or protective bands. 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. Ply: a layer of rubber-coated parallel cords. Cord: the strands forming the plies in the tire. Rim: a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon which the tire beads are seated. Rim diameter: nominal diameter of the bead seat. Groove: the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
EXAMPLE: P215/65R15Tire Markings Size Designation P
Passenger car tire size based on U.S.A. design standards
215
Section width in millimeters (mm)
65
Aspect ratio in percent (%) Ratio of section height to sec- tion width of tire.
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Tires 9-16 Vehicle care and maintenance
9
EXAMPLE: 95H
Maximum load indicates the maxi- mum load this tire is designed to carry.
R
Construction code •“R” means radial construc- tion. •“D” means diagonal or bias construction.
15 Rim diameter in inches (in)
NOTE
European/Japanese metric tire sizing is based on European/Jap- anese design standards. Tires designed to these standards havethe tire size molded into the sidewall beginning with the sec- tion width. The letter “P” isabsent from this tire size desig- nation. Example: 215/65R15 96H.
LT (Light Truck) -metric tiresizing is based on U.S.A. design standards. The size designation for LT-metric tires is the same asfor P-metric tires except for the letters “LT” that are molded into the sidewall preceding the sizedesignation. Example: LT235/85R16.Temporary spare tires are highpressure compact spares designed for temporary emer-gency use only. Tires designed to this standard have the letter “T” molded into the sidewallpreceding the si
ze designation.
Example: T145/80D18 103M.
Service Description 95
Load index A numerical code associated with the maximum load a tire can carry.NOTE
H
Speed symbol A symbol indicating the range of speeds at which a tire can carry a load corre- sponding to its load index under certain operating con- ditions. The maximum speed corre-sponding to the speed symbol should only be achieved under specified operating conditions. (i.e. tire pressure, vehicle loading, road condi- tions and posted speed limits)
Maximum Load
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Tires
Vehicle care and maintenance 9-17
9
Maximum Pressure indicates the maximum permissible cold tire infla- tion pressure for this tire. The TIN may be found on one or both sides of the tire but the datecode may only be on one side. Look for the TIN on the outboard side of tires as mounted on the vehicle. If theTIN is not found on the outboard side then you will find it on the inboard side of the tire.
EXAMPLE: DOT MA L9 ABCD 1504
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire when testedunder controlled conditions on a specified government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half (11/2) times as well on th
e government course
as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance
of tires depends upon th
e actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart signifi-cantly from the norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differ-
ences in road characteristics and climate. The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions onspecified government te
st surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
WA R N I N GOverloading of your tire is dangerous. Overloading can cause tire failure, affect vehi- cle handling, and increaseyour stopping distance. Use tires of the recommended load capacity for your vehicle.Never overload them.
Maximum Pressure Tire Identification Number (TIN)
DOT
Department of Transporta- tion This symbol certifies that the tire is in compliance with the U.S. Department of Trans- portation tire safety stan- dards, and is approved for highway use.
MA
Code representing the tire manufacturing location. (2 digits)
L9 ABC D
Code representing the tire size. (2 digits) Code used by tire manufac-turer. (1 to 4 digits)
15
Number representing the week in which the tire was manufactured. (2 digits)
04
Number representing the year in which the tire was manufactured. (2 digits)
Treadwear, Traction and Temper-ature Grades Treadwear Traction
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Tires 9-18 Vehicle care and maintenance
9
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, representing the tire’s resistance to thegeneration of heat and
its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor la
boratory test wheel.
Sustained high temper
ature can cause the
material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can leadto sudden tire failure. The grade C corre- sponds to a level of performance which all passenger car tires must meet under the Fed- eral Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels ofperformance on the labora
tory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
N00939300815
Proper tire inflation pres
sure is essential for
the safe and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. The wrong tire
pressure will cause
problems in three major areas: Safety Too little pressure increases flexing in the tire and can cause tire failure. Too muchpressure can cause a tire to lose its ability to cushion shock. Objects on the road and potholes could then cause tire damage thatmay result in tire failure.
Economy The wrong tire pressu
re can cause uneven
wear patterns in the tire tread. These abnormal wear patter
ns will reduce the
tread life, and the tire will have to bereplaced sooner. Too little pressure also
makes it harder for
the tire to roll, and this uses up more fuel. Ride comfort and vehicle stability The superior riding e
xperience built into
your vehicle partly depends on the correct tire pressure. Too much pressure gives an uncomfortable and ja
rring ride. Too little
pressure feels as if
your vehicle is slow to
respond. Unequal tire pressure
s can make steering
your vehicle uneven and unpredictable.
The tire pressure for your vehicle under nor- mal driving conditions is listed on the placard attached to the driver’s door sill.(Refer to “Tire and loading information plac- ard” on page 11-3.) The recommended infl
ation pressures under
normal driving conditions should be used for the tires listed below.
Tire pressures should be checked, and adjusted if necessary, at least once a month.Pressures should be checked more often whenever weather temperatures change severely, becaus
e tire pressures change with
outdoor temperatures. The pressures listed are always “cold in
flation pressure”.
Cold inflation pressure is measured after thevehicle has been parked
for at least three
hours or is driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) after having been parked for three hours. Cold inflation pressure must not go above the maximum values molded into the tire side-wall. After driving seve
ral miles, your tire
inflation pressure may increase 2 to 6 psi (14 to 41 kPa) from the cold inflation pressure.Do not let air out of the tires to get back to the specified cold pressure, or your tires will be too low.Check your tires each time you refuel. If one tire looks lower than the others, check the pressure for all of them.You should also take the following safety pre- cautions:
TemperatureTire inflation pressures
Item
Tire size
Front
Rear
Normal tire
P215/70R16 P225/55R18
240 KPA, 35 PSI
240 KPA, 35 PSI
Compact spare wheel
T155/90D16
420 KPA, 60
PSI
Item
Tire size
Front
Rear
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Tires
Vehicle care and maintenance 9-19
9
Keep your tires inflated to the recom- mended pressures. (See the tire and load-ing information placard attached to the driver’s door sill.) Stay within the recommended load limits. Make sure that the weight of any load in your vehicle is evenly distributed. Drive at safe speeds. After filling your tires to the correct pres- sure, check them for damage and air leaks. Be sure to reinstall the caps on the valve stems.
N00939600241
N00939700141
The following maintenance steps are recom- mended: Check tire pressures regularly. Have regular maintenance done on the wheel balance and front
and rear suspen-
sion alignment. Rotate your tires regularly as described in the “Tire rotation” se
ction on page 9-20.
N00939800184
Tread wear indicators ar
e built into the origi-
nal equipment tires on
your vehicle to help
you know when your tires should be replaced. Many states have la
ws requiring that you
replace your tires at this point.These indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread grooves and will appear when the tire tread is worn down to 1/16 inch (1.6mm). When the bands appear next to one another in two or more places
, replace your tires.
Replacing tires and wheels
CAUTIONAvoid using different size tires from the one listed and the combined use of different types of tires, as this can affect driving safety.Refer to “Tires and wheels” on page 11-7. On all-wheel drive vehi
cles, always use tires
of the same size, same
type, and same brand,
and which have no wear differences. Using tires that differ in si
ze, type, brand or the
degree of wear, will increase the differential oil temperature, resulting in possible damage to the driving system. Further, the drive trainwill be subjected to ex
cessive loading, possi-
bly leading to oil leakage, component sei- zure, or other serious problems.
Only Mitsubishi Motors Authorized wheels should be used, beca
use your vehicle is
equipped with a tire pr
essure monitoring sys-
tem. Use of another type of
wheel risks air leaks
and sensor damage, as
it will not be possible
to install the tire pressure sensor properly.
Tire maintenance
CAUTION
Tread wear indicator 1- Location of the tread wear indicator 2- Tread wear indicator
NOTE
Tire wear indicators ca
n have different marks
and locations dependi
ng on the tire manufac-
turer.
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Tires 9-20 Vehicle care and maintenance
9
N00939901528
To even out the wear on your tires and make them last longer, Mitsubishi Motors Corpora- tion recommends that y
ou rotate your tires at
the mileage listed in the “WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL”. However, the timing for tire rotation mayvary according to your vehicle condition, road surface conditions, and your own per- sonal driving habits. Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as soon as pos- sible. When rotating tires, check for uneven wear, damage, and wheel alignment. Abnormal wear is usually caused by a wrong tire pres- sure, wheels that ar
e not aligned properly,
wheels that are out-of-balance, or severe braking. Check with an author
ized Mitsubishi Motors
dealer or a repair facility of your choice to find out the reason for uneven tread wear. The first tire rotation is the most important one. It will allow all your
tires to wear evenly.
N00940000320
In some areas of the country, snow tires are required for winter driving. If snow tires are required in your area, you must choose snowtires of the same size
and type as the original
tires provided with your vehicle. Snow tires should also be installe
d on all four wheels.
Otherwise your safety and vehicle handling can be reduced. Even where laws may permit it, snow tiresshould not be operated
at sustained speeds
over 75 mph (120 km/h).
Tire rotation
CAUTION A compact spare tire can be installed tempo- rarily in place of a tire
that has been removed
during the tire rotation. However, it must notbe included in the regular tire rotation sequence. If the tires have arrows (A) indicating the correct direction of ro
tation, swap the front
and rear tires on the le
ft-hand side of the
vehicle and the front
and rear tires on the
right-hand side of th
e vehicle separately.
Keep each tire on its original side of the vehicle. When installing the tires, make surethe arrows point in the
direction in which the
wheels will turn when the vehicle moves for- ward. Any tire whose arrow points in thewrong direction will not
perform to its full
potential.
Tires that do not have arrows showing rotation direction Tires that have arrows s
howing rotation direction
Front Front
CAUTION Avoid the combined use of different types of tires. Using different t
ypes of tires can affect
vehicle performance and safety.
Snow tires
Front
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Brake pedal free play
Vehicle care and maintenance 9-21
9
N00940101139 N00940300293
To check the brake pedal free play (A), turn off the engine and press the brake pedal sev- eral times with your
foot. Then press the
pedal down with your fingers until you first feel resistance. Brake pedal free play: .1 to .3 inch (3 to 8 mm) If the free play is not within these limits, take your vehicle to an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your choice for adjustment.
N00940401259
Check the parking brake lever travel occa- sionally. To check this, pull the lever up
slowly and count the number of clicks of the ratchet. Parking br
ake lever stroke:
6 to 7 notches (clicks) (Psrking brake adjustment when pulled with the force of 200 N)Also check to see if the lever stays gripped by the ratchet after pulling.
N00940700138
Check the wiper blades occasionally. Clean them regularly to rem
ove deposits of salt and
road film. Use a sponge or cloth and a mild
CAUTION Only Mitsubishi Motors Authorized wheels should be used, beca
use your vehicle is
equipped with a tire pr
essure monitoring sys-
tem. Use of another type of wheel risks air leaks and sensor damage, as it
will not be possible
to install the tire pressure sensor properly.
Tire chains
CAUTION Tire chains cannot be used on your vehicle. The clearance between the chains and the body is not sufficient
to allow proper clear-
ance, and the vehicle body might be dam- aged.
Brake pedal free play
Parking brake Parking brake lever stroke
WA R N I N G Continued operation
of the vehicle with
the parking brake leve
r out of adjustment
may result in the vehicle moving when unattended.
Wiper blades
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Emission-control system maintenance 9-22 Vehicle care and maintenance
9
detergent or non-abrasive
cleaner to clean the
blades and glass areas.Replace the blades if th
ey continue to streak
or smear. If the blades are frozen to the windshield or rear window, do not operate the wipers until the ice has melted and the blades are freed,otherwise the wiper mo
tor may be damaged.
N00940800328
Your vehicle is equi
pped with an emission-
control system that me
ets all the requirements
of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Cana
da. The emission-con-
trol system is made of: a positive crankcase ventilation system an evaporative emission-control system an exhaust emission-control system
To be sure the emissi
on-control system works
properly, have your ve
hicle inspected and
maintained by an authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealer or a repair facility of your choice. This should be done at the time ormileage specified in the “WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL”. These, and all the other “general” mainte-nance services listed in this manual, need to be performed to keep
your vehicle running
properly and reliably. You should also have
an inspection and ser-
vice any time you suspect a malfunction.
N00940900231
Spark plugs must fire properly to ensure proper engine perfo
rmance and emission-
control.Do not reuse spark plugs by cleaning or regapping. Spark plugs sh
ould be replaced at
the mileage specified in the “WARRANTYAND MAINTENANCE MANUAL”.
N00941000040
Check the hose surfaces for any heat and mechanical damage, ha
rd and brittle rubber,
cracking, tears, cuts and abrasions. Pay spe-cial attention to the hos
es closest to high heat
sources such as the exhaust manifold. Check all the hose connections, such as clamps andcouplings, to make sure they are secure and that there are no leaks. If you see any wear or damage, replace the hoses immediately.
NOTE
Do not run the wipers on dry glass for a long time. This wears out
the rubber and can
scratch the glass.
During cold weather Emission-control system maintenance
NOTE
To meet government
regulations and pro-
mote cleaner air, your
vehicle is equipped
with an onboard diagnostic system (OBD).The engine electroni
c control module that
controls OBD functions
stores various data
(especially about th
e exhaust emissions).
This data will be erased if the battery cable is disconnected, which c
ould make a rapid
diagnosis difficult.
Do not disconnect the
battery cable when the engine malfunction indicator (“SERVIC
E ENGINE SOON” or
“Check engine light”) is ON.
Spark plugs
NOTE
Use the recommended or
equivalent spark
plugs listed under “Engine specifications” onpage 11-6. Use of other plugs could cause engine damage, loss of
performance or radio
noise.
Fuel hoses
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