2015 FIAT 500E Owners Manual

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
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.
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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.
Tire Spinning
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice conditions, do not
spin your vehicle’s wheels above 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stopping.
Refer to “Freeing A Stuck Vehicle” in “What To Do In
Emergencies” for further information.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause tire dam-
age or failure. A tire could explode and injure some-
one. Do not spin your vehicle’s wheels faster than
30 mph (48 km/h) for more than 30 seconds continu-
ously when you are stuck, and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
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Tread Wear Indicators
Tread wear indicators are in the original equipment tires
to help you in determining when your tires should be
replaced.
These indicators are molded into the bottom of the tread
grooves. They will appear as bands when the tread depth
becomes a 1/16 of an inch (2 mm). When the tread is
worn to the tread wear indicators, the tire should be
replaced. Refer to “Replacement Tires” in this section for
further information.
Life Of Tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon varying
factors including, but not limited to:
•Driving style.
•Tire pressure - Improper cold tire inflation pressures
can cause uneven wear patterns to develop across the
tire tread. These abnormal wear patterns will reduce
tread life, resulting in the need for earlier tire replace-
ment.
•Distance driven.1—WornTire2—NewTire
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•Performance tires, tires with a speed rating of V or
higher, and summer tires typically have a reduced
tread life. Rotation of these tires per the vehicle main-
tenance schedule is highly recommended.
WARNING!
Tires and the spare tire should be replaced after six
years, regardless of the remaining tread. Failure to
follow this warning can result in sudden tire failure.
You could lose control and have a collision resulting
in serious injury or death.
Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little
exposure to light as possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease, and gasoline.
Replacement Tires
The tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of many
characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for
wear and correct cold tire inflation pressures. The manu-
facturer strongly recommends that you use tires equiva-
lent to the originals in size, quality and performance
when replacement is needed. Refer to the paragraph on
“Tread Wear Indicator.” Refer to the Tire and Loading
Information placard or the Vehicle Certification Label for
the size designation of your tire. The Load Index and
Speed Symbol for your tire will be found on the original
equipment tire sidewall. See the Tire Sizing Chart ex-
ample found in the Tire Safety Information section of this
manual for more information relating to the Load Index
and Speed Symbol of a tire.
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It is recommended to replace the two front tires or two
rear tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire can seriously
affect your vehicle’s handling. If you ever replace a
wheel, make sure that the wheel’s specifications match
those of the original wheels.
It is recommended you contact your authorized tire
dealer or original equipment dealer with any questions
you may have on tire specifications or capability. Failure
to use equivalent replacement tires may adversely affect
the safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle.
WARNING!
•Do not use a tire, wheel size or rating other than
that specified for your vehicle. Some combinations
of unapproved tires and wheels may change sus-
pension dimensions and performance characteris-
tics, resulting in changes to steering, handling, and
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
braking of your vehicle. This can cause unpredict-
able handling and stress to steering and suspen-
sion components. You could lose control and have
a collision resulting in serious injury or death. Use
only the tire and wheel sizes with load ratings
approved for your vehicle.
•Never use a tire with a smaller load index or
capacity, other than what was originally equipped
on your vehicle. Using a tire with a smaller load
index could result in tire overloading and failure.
You could lose control and have a collision.
•Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having
adequate speed capability can result in sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle control.
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CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a different size may
result in false speedometer and odometer readings.
TIRE CHAINS (TRACTION DEVICES)
Use of traction devices require sufficient tire-to-body
clearance. Follow these recommendations to guard
against damage.
•Traction device must be of proper size for the tire, as
recommended by the traction device manufacturer
•Install on Front Tires
•Due to limited clearance, a 185/55R15 tire with a
Security Chain Company (SCC) Super Z6 low profile
traction device or equivalent is recommended
WARNING!
Using tires of different size and type (M+S, Snow)
between front and rear axles can cause unpredictable
handling. You could lose control and have a collision.
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to your vehicle or tires, observe the
following precautions:
•Because of restricted chain clearance between tires
and other suspension components, it is important
that only chains in good condition are used. Broken
chains can cause serious damage. Stop the vehicle
immediately if noise occurs that could indicate
chain breakage. Remove the damaged parts of the
chain before further use.
(Continued)
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CAUTION!(Continued)
•Install chains on the front wheels as tightly as
possible and then retighten after driving about
½mile (0.8 km).
•Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h).
•Drive cautiously and avoid severe turns and large
bumps, especially with a loaded vehicle.
•Do not drive for prolonged period on dry pave-
ment.
•Observe the tire chain manufacturer ’s instructions
on the method of installation, operating speed, and
conditions for use. Always use the lower suggested
operating speed of the chain manufacturer if dif-
ferent from the speed recommended by the manu-
facture.
•Do not use traction devices on a compact spare tire.
TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS
The tires on the front and rear of your vehicle operate at
different loads and perform different steering, driving,
and braking functions. For these reasons, they wear at
unequal rates.
These effects can be reduced by timely rotation of tires.
The benefits of rotation are especially worthwhile with
aggressive tread designs such as those on all season type
tires. Rotation will increase tread life, help to maintain
mud, snow and wet traction levels, and contribute to a
smooth, quiet ride.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals. The reasons for any rapid or
unusual wear should be corrected prior to rotation being
performed.
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The front and rear wheels are different sizes and cannot
be used in place of each other. Rotate the wheels “side-
to-side” as shown in the diagram.
PREMIUM TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) will warn the
driver of a low tire pressure based on the vehicle recom-
mended cold placard pressure.
The tire pressure will vary with temperature by about 1psi
(7 kPa) for every 12°F (6.5°C). This means that when the
outside temperature decreases, the tire pressure will de-
crease. Tire pressure should always be set based on cold
inflation tire pressure. This 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 a three hour
period. The cold tire inflation pressure must not exceed the
maximum inflation pressure molded into the tire sidewall.
Refer to “Tires – General Information” in “Starting and
Operating” for information on how to properly inflate the
vehicle’s tires. The tire pressure will also increase as the
vehicle is driven. This is normal and there should be no
adjustment for this increased pressure.
Tire Rotation
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