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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 (1.6 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.
Tire Tread
1—WornTire
2—NewTire 586 MAINTAINING AND CARING FOR YOUR VEHICLE
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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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MAINTAINING AND CARING FOR YOUR VEHICLE 587
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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 only
•Due to limited clearance, the following traction de-
vices are recommended:
All Models:
•The use of 7mm tire chains is permitted with the use of
215/60R16 only. Front tires ONLY.•Original Equipment 215/60R17, 215/65R17 and 225/
55R18 tire sizes are NOT chainable.
CAUTION!
•Use on front tires ONLY.
•Damage may result if tire chains or traction devices
are used with original equipment size tires.
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.
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CAUTION!
To avoid damage to your vehicle or tires, observe the
following precautions:
•Because of restricted traction device clearance be-
tween tires and other suspension components, it is
important that only traction devices in good condi-
tion are used. Broken devices can cause serious
damage. Stop the vehicle immediately if noise
occurs that could indicate device breakage. Remove
the damaged parts of the device before further use.
•Install device as tightly as possible and then re-
tighten after driving about ½ mile (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 a prolonged period on dry pave-
ment.
(Continued)
CAUTION!(Continued)
•Observe the traction device manufacturer ’s instruc-
tions on the method of installation, operating
speed, and conditions for use. Always use the
suggested operating speed of the device manufac-
turer ’s if it is less than 30 mph (48 km/h).
•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, handling,
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 On/Off Road
590 MAINTAINING AND CARING FOR YOUR VEHICLE
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type tires. Rotation will increase tread life, help to main-
tain 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.
The suggested Front Wheel Drive (FWD) rotation
method is the “rearward cross” shown in the following
diagram. This rotation pattern does not apply to some
directional tires that must not be reversed.
Front Wheel Drive (FWD) Tire Rotation
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The suggested Four Wheel Drive (4WD) Tire rotation
method is the “forward-cross” shown in the following
diagram.CAUTION!
Proper operation of four-wheel drive vehicles de-
pends on tires of equal size, type and circumference
on each wheel. Any difference in tire size can cause
damage to the power transfer unit. Tire rotation
schedule should be followed to balance tire wear.
STORING THE VEHICLE
If the vehicle should remain stationary for more than a
month, observe the following precautions:
•Park your vehicle in a covered, dry and possibly airy
location the windows open slightly;
•Check that the Electric Park Brake is not engaged.
•Disconnect the negative (-) terminal from the battery
post and be sure that the battery is fully charged.
During storage check battery charge quarterly.
Four Wheel Drive (4WD) Tire Rotation
592 MAINTAINING AND CARING FOR YOUR VEHICLE
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•If you do not disconnect the battery from the electrical
system, check the battery charge every thirty days.
•Clean and protect the painted parts by applying pro-
tective waxes.
•Clean and protect polished metal parts by applying
protective waxes.
•Apply talcum powder to the front and rear wiper
blades and leave raised from the glass.
•Cover the vehicle with an appropriate cover taking
care not to damage the painted surface by dragging
across dirty surfaces. Do not use plastic sheeting which
will not allow the evaporation of moisture present on
the surface of the vehicle.
•Inflate the tires at a pressure of +7.25 psi (+0.5 bar) is
higher than recommended on the tire placard and
check it periodically.•Do not drain the engine cooling system.
•Whenever you leave the vehicle is stationary for two
weeks or more, run the at engine idling and for
approximately five minutes, with the air conditioning
system on and high fan speed. This will ensure a
proper lubrication of the system, thus minimizing the
possibility of damage to the compressor when the
vehicle is put back into operation.
CAUTION!
Before removal of the positive and negative terminals
to the battery, wait at least a minute with ignition
switch in the OFF position and close the drivers door.
When reconnecting the positive and negative terminals
to the battery be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF
position and the drivers door is closed.
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