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AINTENANCE
Changing Wiper Blades
If the wiper blades leave streaks across the windshield, try cleaning th\
em first with a
paper towel or soft cloth and wiper fluid. If the wiper blade rubber h\
as deteriorated, you
should change the wiper blades.
n
Changing the Front Wiper Blade Rubber
1.
Lift the driver side wiper arm first, then the
passenger side.
2. Place a cloth on the edge of the lock tab. Push the
lock tab up using a flat-tip screwdriver.Lock tab
3. Slide the blade from the wiper arm.
4.
Slide the wiper blade out from its holder by pulling
the tabbed end out.
Blade
5. Remove the retainers from the rubber blade that
has been removed, and mount to a new rubber
blade. Correctly align the rubber protrusion and the
retainer grooves.
Retainer
Blade
6. Slide the new wiper blade onto the holder from the
bottom end. The tab on the holder should fit in the
indent of the wiper blade. Slide the wiper blade
onto the wiper arm until it locks
7. Slide the wiper blade onto the wiper arm, then
push down the lock tab.
8.
Lower the passenger side wiper arm first, then the driver side.
Avoid dropping the wiper arm, as it may damage the windshield.
NOTICE
Tire Information
To safely operate your vehicle, your tires must be of the proper type and\
size, in good
condition with adequate tread, and properly inflated.
n
Inflation Guidelines •
Properly inflated tires provide the best combination of handling, trea\
d life, and
comfort. Refer to the driver’s doorjamb label or the specifications (see page 154)
for the specified pressure.
•
Underinflated tires wear unevenly, adversely affect handling and fuel economy,
and are more likely to fail from overheating.
•
Overinflated tires make your vehicle ride harshly, are more prone to road
hazards, and wear unevenly.
•
Every day before you drive, look at each of the tires. If one looks lowe\
r than the
others, check the pressure with a tire gauge.
•
Measure the air pressure when tires are cold. This means the vehicle has been
parked for at least 3 hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km). If n\
ecessary, add
or release air until the specified pressure is reached. If checked whe\
n hot, tire
pressure can be as much as 4-6 psi (30-40 kPa, 0.3-0.5 kgf/cm2) higher\
than
checked when cold.
•
At least once a month or before long trips, use a gauge to measure the p\
ressure
in all tires, including the spare. Even tires in good condition can lose\
1-2 psi
(10-20 kPa, 0.1-0.2 kgf/cm2) per month.
n
Inspection Guidelines
Every time you inflate the tires, check for the following: •
Any damage to tires, including bumps, bulges, cuts, splits, or cracks in\
the side
or tread. Remove any foreign objects and inspect for air leaks. Replace \
tires if
you see fabric or cord.
•
Uneven or excessive tread wear. Have a dealer check the wheel alignment.
•
Cracks or other damage around the valve stems.
n
Wear Indicators
The groove where the wear indicator is located is
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) shallower than elsewhere on the
tire. If the tread has worn so low that the indicator is
exposed, replace the tire. Worn out tires have poor
traction on wet roads.Example of a wear
indicator mark
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AINTENANCE
Using tires that are excessively worn or improperly inflated can cause\
a
crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this owner’s manual regarding tire inflation and
maintenance
.
WARNING
n Tire and Loading Information Label
The label attached to the driver’s doorjamb provides necessary tire and
loading information.
Original
tire sizes
Number of people your
vehicle can carry
Proper cold tire pressure Total weight your
vehicle can carry
(do not exceed)
n Tire and Wheel Replacement
Replace your tires with radials of the same size, load range, speed rati\
ng, and
maximum cold tire pressure rating (as shown on the tire’s sidewall). Using tires of a
different size or construction can cause certain vehicle systems to work\
incorrectly
.
It is best to replace all four tires at the same time. If that isn’t possible, replace the
front or rear tires in pairs.
If you change or replace a wheel, make sure that the wheel’s specifications match
those of the original wheels. Only use TPMS-specified wheels approved \
for your
vehicle.
Installing improper tires on your vehicle can affect handling and stabil\
ity.
This can cause a crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of tires recommended in the Owner’s
Manual.
WARNING
n Tire Service Life
The life of your tires is dependent on many factors, including driving h\
abits, road
conditions, vehicle loading, inflation pressure, maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even when the tires are not in use).
In addition to regular inspections and inflation pressure maintenance,\
it is
recommended that you have annual inspections performed once the tires re\
ach five
years old. All tires, including the spare, should be removed from servic\
e after
10 years from the date of manufacture, regardless of their condition or \
state of wear
.
n
Winter Tires
If driving on snowy or frozen roads, mount all season tires marked “M\
+S”, snow tires, or tire chains; reduce speed; and maintain sufficient distance \
between
vehicles when driving. For winter tires, select the size and load ranges\
that are the same as the original tires, and mount them to all four wheels.
n
Tire Chains
Install tire chains on the front tires only. Because your vehicle has limited tire
clearance, we strongly recommend using the following chains:
Cable type: SCC Super Z LT-ZT735
Mount chains as tightly as you can, and make sure that they do not touch\
the brake
lines or suspension.
Traction devices that are the wrong size or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle’s brake lines, suspension, body, and wheels. Stop
driving if they are hitting any part of the vehicle.
NOTICE
Using the wrong chains, or not properly installing chains, can damage th\
e
brake lines and cause a crash in which you can be seriously injured or
killed.
Follow all instructions in this guide regarding the selection and use of\
tire
chains.
WARNING
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Tire Labeling
The tires that came on your vehicle have a number of markings. Those you\
should be aware of are described below.
Here is an example of what each marking means:
P235/60R18 102V
•
P: vehicle type (P indicates passenger vehicle)
•
235: tire width in millimeters
•
60: aspect ratio (tire section height as a
percentage of its width)
•
R: tire construction code (radial)
•
18: rim diameter in inches
•
102: load index (code indicating maximum load
tire can carry)
•
V: speed symbol (code indicating maximum
speed rating)
Tire size
Tire
identi cation
number (TIN)
Maximum
tire load
Maximum
tire pressure
Tire size
n Tire Identification Number (TIN)
The tire identification number
(TIN) is a group of numbers and
letters that look like the example
below. TIN is located on the
sidewall of the tire.DOT B97R FW6X 2209
DOT: This indicates that the tire meets all
requirements of the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
B97R: Manufacturer’s identi cation mark
FW6X: Tire type code
22 09: Date of Transportation
Year
Week
n Glossary of Tire Terminology
Cold Tire Pressure – The tire air pressure when the vehicle has been parked
for at least three hours or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Load Rating –
The maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure.
Maximum Inflation Pressure – The maximum tire air pressure that the tire
can hold.
Maximum Load Rating – The load rating for a tire at the maximum
permissible inflation pressure for that tire.
Recommended Inflation Pressure – The cold tire inflation pressure
recommended by the manufacturer.
Treadwear Indicators (TWI) – The projections within the principal grooves
designed to give a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread\
.
DOT Tire Quality Grading
The tires on your vehicle meet all U.S. Federal Safety Requirements. All\
tires are also
graded for treadwear, traction, and temperature performance according to Department
of Transportation (DOT) standards. The following explains these gradings.
n
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire sidewall betwee\
n tread
shoulder and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal Safety Requirements in a\
ddit
ion to
these grades.
n
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of th\
e tire
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified government test\
course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times a\
s well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tire\
s 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 dif\
ferences
in
road characteristics and climate.
n
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those \
grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concre\
te. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance.
W
ARNING: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not include acceleration, cornering, hy\
droplaning,
or peak traction characteristics.