2018 DODGE DURANGO SRT traction control

•Inspect your tires for adequate tread depth. When the tire is worn to
the built-in indicators at 2/32” (1.6 mm) or less tread groove depth, the
tire is worn out and must be replaced. Never drive on tires to the point
that the tire cord or the fabric is exposed.
•Inspect your tires for uneven wear. Wear on one side of the tread or flat
spots in the tread may indicate alignment or other problems with the
tires or the vehicle. Consult your authorized Nitto dealer.
WARNING!
Never drive on a tire if there is any evidence of damage. Driving on
a damaged tire is dangerous. A damaged tire could suddenly fail,
which may result in loss of vehicle control and lead to serious
personal injury or death. Do not attempt to dismount, mount, or
repair a tire yourself. See your Nitto dealer immediately if you
detect damage.
IDENTIFYING DAMAGED WHEELS
Periodically check to see if any of the following symptoms exist, in which
case the wheel must be replaced:
•If the flange is bent.
•If welds or rivets are leaking.
•If the stud holes are elongated and not round. (Improper lug nut
tightening could cause this.)
•If there are cracks in the wheel.
WORN OUT TIRES
Tires must be replaced when tread is worn to 2/32” (1.6 mm). Treadwear
indicators on Nitto tire treads show the 2/32” depth (1.6 mm). Most
states require that tires be replaced when the tread depth is worn to 2/32”
(1.6 mm). Tires may lose sufficient wet and snow traction before reaching
2/32” (1.6 mm) of wear. Many wet weather accidents result from
skidding on worn out tires.
Excessively worn tires are more susceptible to penetrations. Consider
replacing your tires earlier if you drive in snow or wet conditions.
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FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) AND ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
VEHICLES
If no instructions for tire mixing appear in the vehicle Owner ’s Manual,
follow these guidelines:
•Do not mix tire sizes. All four tires must be marked with the same tire
size, unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer. This also
applies to winter/snow tires.
•Do not mix tread pattern types such as all-terrain and all- season.
STUDLESS WINTER/SNOW TIRES
•It is always preferable to apply winter/snow tires to all wheel
positions, including dual tires, to maintain vehicle mobility and
control.
•If winter/snow tires are applied to the front axle of any vehicle,
winter/snow tires must also be installed on the rear axle. DO NOT
apply winter/snow tires only to the front axle. This applies to all
passenger and light truck vehicles, including front-wheel- drive, 4WD,
and AWD vehicles.
•If winter/snow tires are installed on the rear axle of any vehicle, it is
recommended (but not required) that they also be installed on the front
axle.
WARNING!
Unless winter/snow tires on the rear axle have comparable traction
qualities to the tires on the front axle, the vehicle may experience
adverse handling characteristics. This may result in loss of vehicle
control, which can lead to serious personal injury or death.
STUDDED WINTER/SNOW TIRES
•Studded winter/snow tires have higher traction qualities under most
winter weather conditions.
•If studded winter/snow tires are installed on the front axle of any
vehicle, studded winter/snow tires must also be installed on the rear
axle. DO NOT apply studded winter/snow tires only to the front axle.
•If studded winter/snow tires are installed on the rear axle of any
vehicle, it is strongly recommended that they should also be installed
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on the front axle. Only if studded winter/snow tires are installed on all
wheel positions of a vehicle will optimum handling characteristics be
achieved.
WARNING!
Installing only two studded winter/snow tires on the front axle of
any vehicle (including front-wheel-drive vehicles) without studded
winter/snow tires on the rear axle can cause adverse vehicle
handling characteristics. This can result in a loss of vehicle control,
which could cause serious personal injury or death.
mNOTICE!
In some cases, the vehicle manufacturer may specifically advise against
replacing fewer than all four tires. Always check and follow the
recommendations in the vehicle Owner’s Manual. For 4WD and AWD
vehicles, even small differences in outside diameter may cause drivetrain
damage or mechanical malfunction.
REPLACING TWO TIRES
•When a pair of replacement tires is selected in the same size and
construction as those on the vehicle, the two newer tires must be
installed on the rear axle and must be of equal or higher speed rating
than the front tires. Generally, new tires with deeper tread will provide
better grip and evacuate water more effectively, which is important as
a driver approaches hydroplaning situations. Placing greater traction
on the rear axle on wet surfaces is necessary to prevent a possible
oversteer condition and loss of vehicle stability.
•When two new tires have been installed onto the rear axle positions,
they are to be kept on the rear but rotated from side to side. This is
recommended after installing two new tires to the rear position, or if
you discover significant tread depth differences between the front and
rear positions during rotation intervals.
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B. Water Depth – The deeper the water, the sooner your tires will lose
traction. Even thin water layers can create sufficient lubrication to
cause traction loss at low speeds, depending on road conditions.
C. Tire Tread Depth – As your tires wear down, their decreased ability
to resist hydroplaning can result in a complete loss of traction and
vehicle control. You should always reduce your speed with con-
sideration for the traffic around you.
•Driving on ice and snow – Your all-season tires were designed to
provide higher levels of snow traction compared to non-all- season
tires. You have all-season tires if you find letters “M&S” are molded
into the sidewall near the bead. These letters mean “Mud and Snow.”
Tires designed for use in severe snow conditions generally have tread
patterns, structure, and materials for giving superior performance.
These tires are marked with the “M&S” designation plus a mountain/
snowflake symbol
. Even the best all-season tires will not provide
acceptable levels of traction if you drive too fast in snow or ice
conditions and if you do not allow more stopping distance on icy roads
compared to dry road surfaces. Your ability to safely maneuver your
vehicle in snow or ice conditions is considerably reduced if your tires
are too worn to provide adequate road grip.
SAFE USE OF TEMPORARY SPARE TIRES
WARNING!
The spare tire your car is equipped with may be of a different size
and construction from the other tires on your vehicle. When using
any temporary type spare tire, be sure to follow the vehicle
manufacturer ’s instructions. Failure to observe recommended
precautions could lead to erratic vehicle behavior and/or tire
damage, possibly resulting in an accident and serious personal
injury or death.
•The temporary spare tire is designed for temporary use only. It must
not be used continuously as a standard tire. The temporary spare tire
should be returned to the trunk as soon as it is convenient to have your
standard tire repaired or replaced.
•The temporary spare tire should not be used for speeds exceeding
50 mph.
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•Treadwear - The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test track. For example, a tire graded 200 would wear
twice as long on the government course as a tire graded 100. It is
wrong to link treadwear grades with your projected tire mileage. The
relative performance of the tires depends upon the actual conditions of
their use and may vary due to driving habits, service practices,
differences in road characteristics, and climate.
•Traction - The traction grades from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
mNOTICE!
The traction grade assigned to tires is based on locked braking (straight
ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering (turning) traction.
•Temperature - The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability
to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperatures
can cause the materials of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance that all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 139. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade is established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading either separately or in combination can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure. This can cause an accident, which
could lead to serious personal injury or death.
•DOT Quality Grades - All passenger car tires must conform to federal
requirements in addition to these grades.
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