5.18
TYRES (1/3)
Maintaining the tyres
The tyres must be in good condition
and the tread form must have sufficient
depth; tyres approved by our Technical
Department have tread wear indica-
tors 1 which are indicators moulded
into the tread at several points .
The tyres are the only contact between
the vehicle and the road, so it is essen-
tial to keep them in good condition.
You must make sure that your tyres
conform to local road traffic regulations.
When the tyre tread has been worn to
the level of the wear indicators,
they
become visible 2: it is then necessary
to replace your tyres because the tread
rubber is no more than 1.6 mm deep,
resulting in poor roadholding on wet
roads.
An overloaded vehicle, long journeys
by motorway, particularly in very hot
weather, or continual driving on poorly
surfaced minor roads will lead to more
rapid tyre wear and affect safety.
For your safety, please re-
spect the speed limit.
When they need to be re-
placed, only tyres of the
same make, size, type and profile
should be used on a single axle.
They must: either have a load ca-
pacity and speed rating at least
equal to those of the original
tyres, or conform to those recom-
mended by an authorised dealer.
Failure to heed these instructions
could endanger your safety and
affect your vehicle’s roadworthi-
ness.
Risk of loss of control of the ve-
hicle.
Incidents which occur when
driving, such as striking the
kerb, may damage the tyres
and wheel rims, and could
also lead to misalignment of the
front or rear axle geometry. In this
case, have the condition of these
checked by an approved dealer.
1
2
5.20
TYRES (3/3)
Changing wheels around
This practice is not recommended.
Emergency spare wheel
Refer to the information on the
“Emergency spare wheel” and
“Changing a wheel” in Section 5.
Use in winter
Chains
Chains must not be fitted to tyres
which are larger than those originally
fitted to the vehicle.
Chains may only be fitted
to tyres of the same size
as those originally fitted to
your vehicle.
Only certain chains can be fitted to
tyres. Consult an approved Dealer.
Front wheel drive versions
For safety reasons, fitting snow
chains to the rear axle is strictly for-
bidden.
Rear wheel drive versions
For safety reasons, only fit chains
on the rear axle.
Note: for rear wheel drive, dual wheel
versions, fit chains on the outer rear
wheels.
Snow or winter tyres
We would recommend that these be
fitted to all four wheels to ensure that
your vehicle retains maximum grip.
Note: be aware that these tyres may
sometimes have:
– a direction of travel ;
– a maximum speed index which may be lower than the maximum speed of
your vehicle.
In all cases, we would recommend
that you contact an approved dealer
who will be able to advise you on
the choice of equipment which is
most suitable for your vehicle.
Studded tyres
This type of equipment may only be
used for a limited period and as laid
down by local legislation.
It is necessary to observe the speed
specified by current legislation.
These tyres must, as a minimum, be
fitted to the two wheels on the front
axle for front wheel drive versions and
all the rear wheels for rear wheel drive
versions.
