WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND BALANCING
Wheel alignment and balancing are important for safety
and maximum mileage from your tires. Check how your tires
are wearing at least once a month. If your tires are wearing
unevenly, such as the inside shoulder of the tire wearing
faster than the rest of the tread, or if you detect excessive
vibration, your vehicle may be out of alignment or balance.
These conditions not only shorten the life of your tires, but
adversely affect the handling characteristics of your vehicle
which could be dangerous. If you detect irregular wear or
vibration, have your alignment and balance checked imme-
diately. Tires which have been run underinflated will show
more wear on the shoulders than in the center of the tread.
HARD BRAKING
You must inspect your tires after any hard braking cir-
cumstances or after tires have slid on the pavement.
This can cause a flat spot in a section of the tire tread.
TIRE SPINNING
Never spin your tires above a speedometer reading of
35 mph (55 km/h) if your vehicle becomes stuck. The
centrifugal force generated by the free spinning
tire/wheel assembly may cause a sudden tire explosion,
resulting in vehicle damage and/or serious personal
injury or death. Never allow anyone to stand near or
behind a tire spinning at high speed while attempting to
push a vehicle that is stuck. When in mud, sand, snow,
ice or other slippery conditions, do not indulge in exces-
sive wheel spin. In such conditions, with automatic
transmission vehicles, by accelerating the engine ex-
cessively, it is possible to spin one of the drive tires
beyond its speed capability. This is also true when
balancing a drive tire/wheel assembly using the engine
of the vehicle to spin the wheel.
TIRE TREAD
Tires must be replaced when the depth of the tread
reaches 2/32 inch (1.6 mm) . Tires are manufactured
with tread wear indicators molded into the tire grooves
which indicate tread wearout. As tires approximate
2/32 inch (1.6 mm) wearout, the tread gauge becomes
thinner and more vulnerable to the effects of road haz-
ards. Also, worn tires are more subject to hydroplaning,
which can cause loss of control. Therefore, visual tire
inspection becomes more crucial as the tires wear out.
WORN TIRES
Never drive on worn tires. Tires should be replaced by
trained personnel when 2/32nds of an inch tread depth
remains, as indicated by the tread wear indicators
molded into the tread grooves. In most states, it is illegal
to drive with less than 2/32nds of an inch of tread
remaining.
TIRE MIXING
For best performance select tires similar in size and load
rating to the original equipment tires. It is recommended
that the same size and type of tire be used on all four
wheel positions. In certain tires, casing ply material and
ply construction may vary as indicated on the sidewall of
the tire. When changing or replacing tires, it is preferred
that all four tires are the same construction type (i.e.,
High Performance, All Season, Mud & Snow) and con-
struction (Radial or Bias Ply) . Before mixing tires of
different types on a vehicle in any configuration, be sure
to check the vehicle Owner’s Manual for its recommen-
dations.
Tires which meet the Rubber Manufacturer’s Associa-
tion (RMA) definition of mud and snow tires are markedM/S, M+S, M&S. On such tires, this designation is
molded into the sidewall. Tires without this notation are
not recommended for mud and/or snow driving.
If snow tires are needed, it is necessary to select tires
equivalent in size and load rating to the original equip-
ment tires. Always fit performance snow tires in sets of
four (4) for optimum mud & snow traction and mainte-
nance of vehicle handling characteristics. If you do not,
it may adversely affect the safety and handling of your
vehicle. It is also important to check the vehicle Owner’s
Manual before mixing or matching tires on 4-wheel drive
vehicles as this may require special precautions.
Please refer to your Owner’s Manual for more informa-
tion on tire replacement precautions.
TIRE ROTATION
Tires on your Nissan vehicle should be rotated every
7,500 miles or as irregular wear develops. If irregular wear
becomes apparent or if the wear rate on the tires is
perceptibly uneven, the tires should be rotated in such a
way to alleviate the problem. Check your vehicle for any
mechanical problems and correct if necessary. Any rota-
tion pattern or procedure may be followed including those
indicated in the Owner’s Manual. Some tires have arrows
on the sidewall showing the direction in which the tire
should turn. When rotating this type of tire, care must be
taken to maintain the proper turning direction as indicated
by the arrows. Some vehicles have different tire sizes
specified for front and rear axles. Tires on these vehicles
should not be rotated side to side (unless they are non-
directional) . Where a temporary type spare tire is avail-
able, it should not be included in the tire rotation schedule.
Such tires are intended for temporary use only.
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IMPORTANT TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION161
