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 103
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
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
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WARNING!(Continued)
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.
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
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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.
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.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 509
Base TPM System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) uses wireless
technology with wheel rim-mounted electronic sensors to
monitor tire pressure levels. Sensors, mounted to each
wheel as part of the valve stem, transmit tire pressure
readings to the Receiver Module.
NOTE:It is particularly important for you to check the
tire pressure in all of your tires regularly and to maintain
the proper pressure.
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) consists of the
following components:
•Receiver Module
•Four Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors
•Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light
A tire pressure monitoring sensor is located in the spare
wheel if the vehicle is equipped with a matching full size
spare wheel and tire assembly. The matching full size
spare tire can be used in place of any of the four road
tires. A low spare tire will not cause the “Tire Pressure
Monitoring Telltale Light” to illuminate or the chime to
sound while stowed in the spare location.
The “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” will
illuminate in the instrument cluster, a “LOW TIRE
PRESSURE” message will display in the EVIC, and an
audible chime will be activated when one or more of the
four active road tire pressures are low. Should this occur,
you should stop as soon as possible, check the inflation
pressure of each tire on your vehicle, and inflate each tire
to the vehicle’s recommended cold placard pressure
value. The system will automatically update and the
“Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” will extinguish
once the updated tire pressures have been received. The
vehicle may need to be driven for up to 20 minutes above
15 mph (24 km/h) to receive this information.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 517
NOTE:
•If your vehicle is equipped with a matching full-size
spare wheel and tire assembly, it has a tire pressure
monitoring sensor, and can be monitored by the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). In the event that
the matching full-size spare tire is swapped with a low
pressure road tire, the next ignition key cycle will still
show the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” to
be ON, and a chime to sound. Driving the vehicle for
up to 20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h) will turn
OFF the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” as
long as none of the road tires are below the low
pressure warning threshold.
•If your vehicle is not equipped with a matching
full-size spare wheel and tire assembly, it does not
have a tire pressure monitoring sensor in the spare tire.
The TPMS will not be able to monitor the tire pressure.
If you install the spare tire in place of a road tire that
has a pressure below the low-pressure warning limit,
upon the next ignition key cycle, a chime will sound
and the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” will
turn ON. After driving the vehicle for up to 20 minutes
above 15 mph (24 km/h), the “Tire Pressure Monitor-
ing Telltale Light” will flash on and off for 75 seconds
and then remain on solid. For each subsequent ignition
key cycle, a chime will sound and 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 spare tire, the TPMS will update
automatically and the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Tell-
tale 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. The vehicle may need to be
driven for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h)
in order for the TPMS to receive this information.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 519
Premium System — If Equipped
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) uses wireless
technology with wheel rim-mounted electronic sensors to
monitor tire pressure levels. Sensors, mounted to each
wheel as part of the valve stem, transmit tire pressure
readings to the Receiver Module.
NOTE:It is particularly important, for you to regularly
check the tire pressure in all of your tires and to maintain
the proper pressure.
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) consists of the
following components:
•Receiver Module
•Four Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors
•Various Tire Pressure Monitoring System Messages,
which display in the Electronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC), and a graphic displaying tire pressures
•Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light
A tire pressure monitoring sensor is located in the spare
wheel, if the vehicle is equipped with a matching full-size
spare wheel and tire assembly. The matching full-size
spare tire can be used in place of any of the four road
tires.Tire Pressure Monitor Display
520 STARTING AND OPERATING
The EVIC will also display a#SERVICE TPM SYSTEM#
message for a minimum of five seconds when a system
fault is detected possibly related to an incorrect sensor
location fault. In this case, the#SERVICE TPM SYSTEM#
message is then followed by a graphic display, with
pressure values still shown. This indicates the pressure
values are still being received from the TPM Sensors but
they may not be located in the correct vehicle position.
However, the system still needs to be serviced as long as
the#SERVICE TPM SYSTEM#message exists.
NOTE:
•If your vehicle is equipped with a matching full-size
spare wheel and tire assembly, it has a tire pressure
monitoring sensor, and can be monitored by the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). In the event that
the matching full-size spare tire is swapped with a low
pressure road tire, the next ignition switch cycle will
still show the “Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light”
to be ON, a chime to sound, a “LOW TIRE” message to
appear in the EVIC, and the graphic display will still
show the#Inflate to XX#message and the low tire
pressure value “flashing.” Driving the vehicle for up to
20 minutes above 15 mph (24 km/h) will turn OFF the
“Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light” as long as
none of road tires are below the low pressure warning
threshold.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 523