2016 Ram ProMaster flat tire

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 bolts 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 proper 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.
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Tire Pressure Monitoring Indicator Light
Yellow TelltaleLight What It Means
Tire Pressure Monitoring Indicator Light
The warning light switches on and a message is displayed to indicate that the tire pressure
is lower than the recommended value and/or that slow pressure loss is occurring. In these
cases, optimal tire duration and fuel consumption may not be guaranteed.
Should one or more tires be in the condition mentioned above, the display will show the
indications corresponding to each tire in sequence.
In any situation in which the message on the display is
See manual, it is ESSENTIAL to
refer to the contents of the Wheelsparagraph in the Technical datachapter, strictly com-
plying with the indications that you find there.
IMPORTANT: Do not continue driving with one or more
flat tires as handling may be compromised. Stop the
vehicle, avoiding sharp braking and steering. Repair
immediately using the dedicated tire repair kit and
contact your authorized dealership as soon as possible. Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be
checked monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the size indicated
148 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for
those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS
low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not
operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the sys-
tem may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of replacement or
alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 149

PARKING BRAKE ..................... .239
 BRAKE SYSTEM ...................... .241
 ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . .241
▫ Four-Wheel Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) . . .241
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ............243
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) ...............244
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ..........244
▫ Trailer Sway Control (TSC) ..............248
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) .................249
 TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION .............251
▫ Tire Markings ....................... .251
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ...........254
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ..........256▫
Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........257
 TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION ........262
▫ Tire Pressure ....................... .262
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures .................263
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . .265
▫ Radial Ply Tires ..................... .265
▫ Tire Types .......................... .266
▫ Run Flat Tires — If Equipped .............268
▫ Spare Tires — If Equipped ...............268
▫ Tire Spinning ....................... .271
▫ Tread Wear Indicators ..................271
▫ Life Of Tire ........................ .272
▫ Replacement Tires .....................273
218 STARTING AND OPERATING

Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping ability. To
reduce this possibility, the following precautions should
be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads areslushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when tread wear indicators first become visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a
sudden stop.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Driving through water more than a few inches/
centimeters deep will require extra caution to ensure
safety and prevent damage to your vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water
WARNING!
Do not drive on or across a road or path where water
is flowing and/or rising (as in storm run-off). Flow-
ing water can wear away the road or path’s surface
and cause your vehicle to sink into deeper water.
Furthermore, flowing and/or rising water can carry
your vehicle away swiftly. Failure to follow this
warning may result in injuries that are serious or
fatal to you, your passengers, and others around you.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 235

EXAMPLE:
Load Identification:
Absence of the following load identification symbols on the sidewall of the tire indicates a Standard Load (SL)
tire:
•XL = Extra load (or reinforced) tire, or
•LL= Light load tire or
•C, D, E, F, G = Load range associated with the maximum load a tire can carry at a specified pressure
Maximum Load – Maximum load indicates the maximum load this tire is designed to carry
Maximum Pressure – Maximum pressure indicates the maximum permissible cold tire inflation pressure for this
tire
Tire Identification Number (TIN)
The TIN may be found on one or both sides of the tire,
however, the date code may only be on one side. Tires
with white sidewalls will have the full TIN, including the
date code, located on the white sidewall side of the tire. Look for the TIN on the outboard side of black sidewall
tires as mounted on the vehicle. If the TIN is not found on
the outboard side, then you will find it on the inboard
side of the tire.
254 STARTING AND OPERATING

Tire Terminology And Definitions
TermDefinition
B-Pillar The vehicle B-Pillar is the structural member of the body located
behind the front door.
Cold Tire Inflation Pressure Cold tire inflation pressure 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 sitting for a minimum of three
hours. Inflation pressure is measured in units of PSI (pounds per
square inch) or kPa (kilopascals).
Maximum Inflation Pressure The maximum inflation pressure is the maximum permissible
cold tire inflation pressure for this tire. The maximum inflation
pressure is molded into the sidewall.
Recommended Cold Tire Inflation Pressure Vehicle manufacturer’s recommended cold tire inflation pressure
as shown on the tire placard.
Tire Placard A label permanently attached to the vehicle describing the vehi-
cle’s loading capacity, the original equipment tire sizes and the
recommended cold tire inflation pressures.
256 STARTING AND OPERATING

Tire Loading And Tire Pressure
Tire And Loading Information Placard Location
NOTE:The proper cold tire inflation pressure is listed on
the driver ’s side B-Pillar or the rear edge of the driver’s
side door.
Example Tire Placard Location (Door)
Example Tire Placard Location (B-Pillar)
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