44IMPORTANT TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION¹
result in tire destruction. When inspecting
your tires, including the spare, check your air
pressures. If your pressure check indicates
that one of your tires has lost pressure of two
pounds or more, look for signs of penetrations,
valve leakage, or wheel damage that may
account for the air loss.
All tires will wear out faster when subjected
to high speeds as well as hard cornering, rapid
starts, sudden stops, frequent driving on roads
which are in poor condition, and off-road use.
Roads with holes and rocks or other objects
can damage tires and cause misalignment of
your vehicle. When you drive on such roads,
drive on them carefully and slowly, and before
driving again at normal or highway speeds,
examine your tires for any damage, such
as cuts, bulges, penetrations, unusual wear
patterns, etc.
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS (WEAR BARS):
Tires contain Tread Wear Indicators (Wear
Bars) in the grooves of the tire tread which
show up when only 2/32nds of an inch
(1.6mm) of tread is remaining. At this stage,
your tires must be replaced. Tires worn beyond
this stage are dangerous.
HAZARDS
Objects in the road that threaten a tire should
be safely avoided. These objects are potholes,
glass, metal, rocks, wood debris and the
like. Unavoidable contact should prompt a
thorough tire inspection. You may not always recall hitting an object
that can damage or injure your tires. If while
driving your vehicle experiences any unusual
vibrations, ride disturbance or noise and/or you
suspect that possible damage to the tires or
vehicle has occurred, DO NOT JAM OR LOCK
YOUR BRAKES! Rather reduce your speed and
drive with caution until you can safely pull off
the road. Stop and inspect the tires. If the tire
is underinflated or damaged, deflate, remove
the tire and rim assembly and replace it with
your spare. If you cannot detect a cause, have
the vehicle towed to the nearest vehicle or tire
retailer to have the vehicle inspected.
REPAIRING, MOUNTING AND
DEMOUNTING OF TIRES
Do not attempt to repair, mount or demount a
tire yourself. Tire changing can be dangerous
and must be done by professionally trained
persons using proper tools and procedures
as specified by the Rubber Manufacturers
Association (RMA). Follow these mounting
recommendations. Your tires should be
mounted on wheels of correct size and type
and which are in good, clean condition. Bent,
chipped or rusted wheels may cause tire
damage. The inside of the tire must be free
from foreign materials. Have your retailer
check the wheels before mounting new tires.
Mismatched tires and rims can explode during
mounting. Also, mismatched tires and rims can
result in dangerous tire failure on the road. If
a tire is mounted by error on the wrong-sized
rim, do not remount it on the proper rim - scrap it. It may be damaged internally (which
is not externally visible) by being dangerously
stretched and could fail on the highway.
Old valves may leak. When new tubeless tires
are mounted, have new valves of the correct
type installed. Tubeless tires must be mounted
only on wheels designed for tubeless tires, i.e.,
wheels which have safety humps or ledges.
Never perform a temporary repair, use an
innertube or inject sealant as a permanent
substitute for a proper repair. Only qualified
persons should repair tires.
Be sure that all your valves have suitable valve
caps. This will keep valve cores clean and clear
and guard against leakage.
REPAIRS - WHENEVER POSSIBLE, SEE
A TIRE RETAILER AT ONCE.
Some tire
manufacturers do not warrant any inspection
or repair process. The repair is entirely the
responsibility of the repairer. Punctures in
the tread of a passenger tire which do not
exceed 1/4 of an inch (6mm) in diameter can
usually be repaired by following the Rubber
Manufacturer’s Association (RMA) Passenger
and Light Truck Repair procedures. Contact
the manufacturer of your tires for its position
and assistance as to the acceptable location
for a proper repair and the repair of speed
rated tires. Do not use plug repairs. They may
cause further damage to the tire. They are not
always air tight and the plug may fail. Do not
exceed posted speed limits on any repaired tire.
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