
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 (if
equipped), or brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause
should be located and corrected immediately.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 131 

!PARKING BRAKE......................501
!BRAKE SYSTEM.......................503
!ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . .504
▫Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)............504
▫Traction Control System (TCS)............506
▫Brake Assist System (BAS)...............508
▫Electronic Stability Control (ESC)..........509
▫Trailer Sway Control (TSC)..............512
▫Hill Start Assist (HSA).................513
!TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION.............516
▫Tire Markings........................516
▫Tire Identification Number (TIN)...........520
▫Tire Terminology And Definitions..........522
▫Tire Loading And Tire Pressure...........523
!TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION........528
▫Tire Pressure........................528
▫Tire Inflation Pressures.................529
▫Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . .531
▫Radial Ply Tires......................531
▫All Season Tires — If Equipped............532
▫Summer Or Three Season Tires — If Equipped . .532
▫Snow Tires..........................533
▫Spare Tire Matching Original Equipped Tire And
Wheel — If Equipped..................533
▫Compact Spare Tire — If Equipped........533
▫Full Size Spare — If Equipped............534
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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 origi-
nal 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 75 mph
(120 km/h). For speeds above 75 mph (120 km/h) refer to
original equipment or an authorized tire dealer for
recommended safe operating speeds, loading and cold
tire inflation pressures.
While studded tires improve performance on ice, skid
and traction capability on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded tires. Some states pro-
hibit studded tires; therefore, local laws should be
checked before using these tire types.
Spare Tire Matching Original Equipped Tire And
Wheel — If Equipped
Your vehicle may be equipped with a spare tire and
wheel equivalent in look and function to the original
equipment tire and wheel found on the front or rear axle
of your vehicle. This spare tire may be used in the tire
rotation for your vehicle. If your vehicle has this option,
refer to an authorized tire dealer for the recommended
tire rotation pattern.
Compact Spare Tire — If Equipped
The compact spare is for temporary emergency use only.
You can identify if your vehicle is equipped with a
compact spare by looking at the spare tire description on
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the Tire and Loading Information Placard located on the
driver ’s side door opening or on the sidewall of the tire.
Compact spare tire descriptions begin with the letter “T”
or “S” preceding the size designation. Example: T145/
80D18 103M.
T, S = Temporary Spare Tire
Since this tire has limited tread life, the original equip-
ment tire should be repaired (or replaced) and reinstalled
on your vehicle at the first opportunity.
Do not install a wheel cover or attempt to mount a
conventional tire on the compact spare wheel, since the
wheel is designed specifically for the compact spare tire.
Do not install more than one compact spare tire and
wheel on the vehicle at any given time.
WARNING!
Compact spares are for temporary emergency use
only. With these spares, do not drive more than
50 mph (80 km/h). Temporary use spares have limited
tread life. When the tread is worn to the tread wear
indicators, the temporary use spare tire needs to be
replaced. Be sure to follow the warnings, which
apply to your spare. Failure to do so could result in
spare tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
Full Size Spare — If Equipped
The full size spare is for temporary emergency use only.
This tire may look like the originally equipped tire on the
front or rear axle of your vehicle, but it is not. This spare
tire may have limited tread life. When the tread is worn
to the tread wear indicators, the temporary use full size
spare tire needs to be replaced. Since it is not the same as
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your original equipment tire, replace (or repair) the
original equipment tire and reinstall on the vehicle at the
first opportunity.
Limited-Use Spare — If Equipped
The limited-use spare tire is for temporary emergency
use only. This tire is identified by a label located on the
limited-use spare wheel. This label contains the driving
limitations for this spare. This tire may look like the
original equipped tire on the front or rear axle of your
vehicle, but it is not. Installation of this limited-use spare
tire affects vehicle handling. Since it is not the same as
your original equipment tire, replace (or repair) the
original equipment tire and reinstall on the vehicle at the
first opportunity.
WARNING!
Limited-use spares are for emergency use only. In-
stallation of this limited-use spare tire affects vehicle
handling. With this tire, do not drive more than the
speed listed on the limit-use spare wheel. Keep
inflated to the cold tire inflation pressures listed on
your Tire and Loading Information Placard located
on the driver ’s side B-Pillar or the rear edge of the
driver ’s side door. Replace (or repair) the original
equipment tire at the first opportunity and reinstall it
on your vehicle. Failure to do so could result in loss
of vehicle control.
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repeat, providing the system fault still exists. The “Tire
Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” will turn off when
the fault condition no longer exists. A system fault can
occur with any of the following scenarios:
•Jamming due to electronic devices or driving next to
facilities emitting the same radio frequencies as the
TPMS sensors.
•Installing some form of aftermarket window tinting
that affects radio wave signals.
•Accumulation of excessive snow and/or ice around
the wheels or wheel housings.
•Using tire chains on the vehicle.
•Using wheels/tires not equipped with TPMS sensors.
Vehicles With Compact Spare
•The compact spare tire (if equipped) does not have a
TPMS sensor. Therefore the TPMS will not monitor the
pressure in the compact spare tire.
•If you install the compact spare tire in place of a road
tire that has a pressure below the low-pressure warn-
ing limit, upon the next ignition switch cycle, a chime
will sound, a “LOW TIRE PRESSURE” message will be
displayed and the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale
Light” will turn on.
•After driving for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph
(24 km/h), the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale
Light” will flash on and off for 75 seconds and then
remain on solid.
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•For each subsequent ignition switch cycle, a chime will
sound, the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light”
will flash on and off for 75 seconds and then remain on
solid.
•Once you repair or replace the original road tire and
reinstall it on the vehicle in place of the compact spare
tire, the TPMS will automatically update, and the “Tire
Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” will turn off as
long as no tire pressure is below the low-pressure
warning limit in any of the four active road tires.
NOTE:The vehicle may need to be driven for up to 20
minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h) for the TPMS to receive
this information.
Premium System — If Equipped
The TPMS uses wireless technology with wheel rim-
mounted electronic sensors to monitor tire pressure lev-
els. Sensors mounted to each wheel as part of the valve
stem transmit tire pressure readings to the Receiver
Module.
NOTE:It is particularly important to regularly check
and maintain proper tire pressure in all the tires.
The Premium TPMS consists of the following compo-
nents:
•Receiver Module
•Four TPMS Sensors
•Various TPMS messages, which display in the Elec-
tronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC), and graphics
displaying tire pressures
•TPMS Telltale Warning Light
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If the ignition switch is cycled, this sequence will repeat,
providing the system fault still exists. If the system fault
no longer exists, the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale
Light” will no longer flash, the “SERVICE TPM SYSTEM”
message will not be present, and a pressure value will be
displayed instead of dashes. A system fault can occur by
any of the following scenarios:
•Jamming due to electronic devices or driving next to
facilities emitting the same radio frequencies as the
TPMS sensors.
•Installing some form of aftermarket window tinting
that affects radio wave signals.
•Accumulation of excessive snow and/or ice around
the wheels or wheel housings.
•Using tire chains on the vehicle.
•Using wheels/tires not equipped with TPMS sensors.
The EVIC will also display a “SERVICE TPM SYSTEM”
message for a minimum of five seconds when a system
fault possibly related to an incorrect sensor location fault
is present. In this case, the “SERVICE TPM SYSTEM”
message is then followed by a graphic display with
pressure values still shown. This indicates that the pres-
sure values are still being received from the TPM sensors
but they may not be in the correct vehicle position. The
system still needs to be serviced as long as the “SERVICE
TPM SYSTEM” message exists.
Vehicles With Compact Spare
•The compact spare tire (if equipped) does not have a
TPMS. Therefore, the TPMS will not monitor the
pressure in the compact spare tire.
•If you install the compact spare tire in place of a road
tire that has a pressure below the low-pressure warn-
ing limit, upon the next ignition switch cycle, the “Tire
Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” will remain on, the
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