Warning!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous.
Forces generated by excessive wheel
speeds may cause tire damage or failure. A
tire could explode and injure someone. Do
not spin your vehicle's wheels faster than
30 mph (48 km/h) for more than
30 seconds continuously when you are
stuck, and do not let anyone near a
spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
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
becomesa1/16ofaninch(1.6mm).
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 replacement.
Distance driven.
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
maintenance 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 manufacturer strongly recommends
that you use tires equivalent to the
originals in size, quality and
performance when replacement is
needed. Refer to the paragraph on
“Tread Wear Indicators” in this section.
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.
GUID-0806104865NATire Tread
1—WornTire
2 — New Tire
231
See the Tire Sizing Chart example
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.
Warning!
Do not use a tire, wheel size, load rating,
or speed rating other than that specified for
your vehicle. Some combinations of
unapproved tires and wheels may change
suspension dimensions and performance
characteristics, resulting in changes to
steering, handling, and braking of your
vehicle. This can cause unpredictable
handling and stress to steering and
suspension 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.
Caution!
Replacing original tires with tires of a
different size may result in false
speedometer and odometer readings.
DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION
UNIFORM TIRE
QUALITY GRADES
The following tire grading categories
were established by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The specific grade rating assigned by
the tire's manufacturer in each category
is shown on the sidewall of the tires on
your vehicle.
All passenger vehicle tires must conform
to Federal safety requirements in addition
to these grades.
Treadwear
The Treadwear grade is a comparative
rating, based on the wear rate of the
tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half times
as well on the government course as a
tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices, and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction Grades
The Traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. These
grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement, as measured
232
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
