TIRE WEAR—VISUAL CHECK
Check for obvious signs of wear.Place a penny in the tire tread grooves as
shown.If you can see the top of Lincoln’s
head, the tire is worn out and needs to be
replaced.
TIRE MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY
INFORMATION
Any tire, no matter how well constructed,
may fail in use as a result of punctures,
impact damage, improper inflation, over-
loading, or other conditions resulting
from use or misuse. Tire failure may create a risk of property damage,
serious personal injury or death.
WARNING!
Serious personal injury or death may result from a tire failure.
Many tire failures are preceded by vibration, bumps, bulges or
irregular wear. If a vibration occurs while driving your vehicle or
you notice a bump, bulge or irregular wear, have your tires and
vehicle evaluated by a qualified tire service professional.
To reduce the risk of tire failure, Bridgestone Firestone North American
Tire, LLC strongly recommends you read and follow all safety infor-
mation contained in this manual. In addition, we recommend periodic
inspection and maintenance, if necessary, by a qualified tire service
professional.
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TIPS FOR SAFE LOADING
WARNING!
Driving your vehicle in an overloaded condition is dangerous.
Overloading causes excessive tire heat build-up and internal
structural damage. This can cause a tire failure, even at a later date,
which could lead to serious personal injury or death. Consult the
vehicle tire information placard, certification label, and owner ’s
manual for the recommended vehicle load limits and loading
recommendations.
• Always keep the vehicle manufacturer ’s recommended inflation pres-
sure in all your tires, including the spare. Check their pressure monthly
and before long trips or carrying extra weight.
• Never exceed the maximum load rating stamped on the sidewall of
your tire.
• Never exceed the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or front/rear
gross axle weight ratings (GAWR) of your vehicle.
• Consult your vehicle owner ’s manual for load recommendations and
special instructions (such as for trailer/towing and snow plow
installations).
TIRE DAMAGE, INSPECTION AND SERVICE LIFE
Evaluation and maintenance of your tires is important to their perfor-
mance and the service they provide to you. Over time and/or through
use, the condition of a tire can change from exposure to everyday road
conditions, the environment, damaging events such as punctures, and
other external factors.
WARNING!
Driving on damaged tires is dangerous. A damaged tire can
suddenly fail causing serious personal injury or death. Have your
tires regularly inspected by a qualified tire service professional.
You should visually inspect your tires on a regular basis throughout their
life, and you should have your tires periodically evaluated by a qualified
tire service professional when your vehicle is serviced such as routine
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maintenance intervals, oil changes, and tire rotations. In particular, note
the following tips for spotting tire damage:
•After striking anything unusual in the roadway, have a qualified tire
service professional demount the tire and inspect it for damage. A tire
may not have visible signs of damage on the tire surface. Yet, the tire
may suddenly fail without warning, a day, a week, or even months
later.
• Inspect your tires for cuts, cracks, splits or bruises in the tread and
sidewall areas. Bumps or bulges may indicate a separation within the
tire body. Have your tire inspected by a qualified tire service profes-
sional. It may be necessary to have it removed from the wheel for a
complete inspection.
• Inspect your tires for adequate tread depth. When the tire is worn to
the built-in indicators at 2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or less tread groove depth,
or the tire cord or fabric is exposed, the tire is dangerously worn and
must be replaced immediately.
• Inspect your tires for uneven wear. Wear on one side of the tread or flat
spots in the tread may indicate a problem with the tire or vehicle.
Consult a qualified tire service professional.
• Inspect your wheels also. If you have a bent or cracked wheel, it must
be replaced.
• Don’t forget to check the spare tire.
Make sure your tires, including the spare tire, continue to be regularly
inspected after 5 years of service to determine if they can continue in
service. Even when your tires appear to be usable from their external
appearance or the tread depth may have not reached the minimum wear
out depth, it is recommended that all tires (including spare tires and
“temporary use” spares) more than 10 years old be replaced with new
tires.
The 10 year period after the date of production is not an indicator of
actual service life for any individual tire. Some tires will need to be
replaced before 10 years due to conditions such as punctures, impact
damage, improper inflation, overloading, tread wear or other conditions
involving use or misuse of the tire. If a tire is worn out or otherwise
unserviceable from damage or conditions of use, it should be replaced
regardless of when it was produced or placed in service.
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WARNING!
Improper storage can damage your tires in ways that may not be
visible and can lead to a failure resulting in serious personal injury
or death.
The spare tire in your vehicle is intended to be used as a spare when
needed. The spare tire carrier is not intended to be used for long term
storage, except for “temporary use” tires. For more information, see
“Your Spare Tire” and “Radial Tire Rotation” in this manual.
TIRE SERVICE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Normal tire maintenance and Limited Warranty services are available at
locations across the U.S.A. and Canada. For more information, visit us on
the internet at
www.bridgestonetire.com, or please call the Technical
Service Department:
U.S.A.: 800-356-4644 or Canada: 800-267-1318 .
Additional information on the care and service of automobile and light
truck tires is available from the following organizations:
Rubber Manufacturers Association 1400 K Street, N.W. Washington, DC
20005-2403
www.rma.org
Rubber Association of Canada 2000 Argentia Road, Plaza 4, Suite 250
Mississauga, Ontario L5N 1W1
www.rubberassociation.ca
TIRE REGISTRATION
Registration of your tires is an important safety precaution since it
enables the manufacturer to notify you in the event of a recall. When you
purchase replacement tires, the retailer will provide a registration card on
which the tire identification numbers have been recorded; fill in your
name and address on the card and mail it promptly. Some retailers may
submit the registration for you. You do not need to register tires which
come as original equipment on new vehicles—the vehicle and tire
manufacturers handle that for you.
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RFT TIRES WITH RUN-FLAT TECHNOLOGY
If your vehicle is equipped with
Bridgestone or Firestone brand RFT
tires, this chapter presents specific
maintenance and safety issues asso-
ciated with these tires that are in addition to those covered elsewhere in
this manual.
What is RFT? Run-Flat Technology tires are extraordinary tires that
utilize specially designed components to temporarily support your
vehicle in the event of inflation pressure loss, such as from a puncture.
This gives you the ability to drive to a convenient and safe location to
change your tire (if equipped with a spare) or have it inspected for
possible repair or replacement.
Naturally, certain run-flat and low pressure operating limitations apply,
which varies according to the specific self-supporting tire design. Like all
tires, during normal operation, they must be properly inflated and
maintained. Regardless of the design or quality, no tire is indestructible.
RFT—How to Identify: Bridgestone and Firestone brand tires are
marked on the sidewalls, near the wheel, with the RFT logo (shown
above).
RFT INFLATION PRESSURE
Like other tires, RFT tires need proper inflation pressure maintenance for
safe operation and to achieve the maximum tire life and performance.
Check inflation pressures monthly and before long trips or carrying extra
weight. Use an accurate tire gauge and check pressures when the tires are
cold. Follow the vehicle manufacturer ’s recommendation for inflation
pressure settings as indicated on the vehicle tire information placard
and/or in the vehicle owner ’s manual. Do not forget the spare, if
applicable. See “Tire Inflation Pressure” in this manual.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)
A functioning tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) must be used with
your RFT tires. Because these tires ride so well even without inflation
pressure, the TPMS may be necessary to alert you of an inflation pressure
loss condition. When alerted, follow the instructions in your vehicle
owner ’s manual and see “Run-Flat or Low Tire Pressure Operation,” the
following section in this manual.
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The vehicle or TPMS manufacturer may advise checking the TPMS
regularly to confirm it is in working order. In addition, a new pressure
sensor, certain components, or reprogramming may be necessary when a
tire is serviced. Consult your vehicle owner ’s manual, vehicle manufac-
turer, or a Bridgestone Firestone Run-Flat Certified Retailer for questions
regarding TPMS operation and service.
RUN-FLAT OR LOW TIRE PRESSURE OPERATION
WARNING!
Serious personal injury or death may result from a tire failure or
accident due to improper run-flat or low tire pressure operation.
Read and follow the instructions below, and the other maintenance
and safety recommendations elsewhere in this manual.
General Instructions
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) required in your vehicle
may have different methods of alerting you when your tire has lost
inflation pressure. The international standard for the definition of run-flat
operation is pressure at or below 10 psi (70 kPa); however, some vehicle
manufacturers may have established a different pressure limit. Consult
your vehicle owner ’s manual for the details of your TPMS. Once the
TPMS has indicated that a tire has reduced inflation pressure, the run-flat
mode of operation has commenced. During this phase of operation,
please follow these instructions:
• Reduce speed as much as safely and reasonably possible; do not
exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).The greater the speed, the less distance the
tire can travel.
• Avoid abrupt or aggressive acceleration, braking, or cornering ma-
neuvers as much as safely and reasonably possible. Pot holes and
other road hazards should be avoided. Careful driving limits potential
damage to the tire, wheel, and vehicle.
• Proceed to a safe and convenient location for tire service as soon as
possible. Take note of your mileage; your operation distance is limited.
See Distance—How Far You Can Drive,” the next section in this
manual.
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SPECIAL SERVICE AND REPAIR ISSUES
Run-Flat Certified Retailers
Because of the advanced technology and design of RFT tires and the
required tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), Bridgestone Firestone
Run-Flat Certified Retailers are specially trained to sell and service RFT
tires.
Run-Flat Certified Retailers have the necessary equipment and are
specially trained to properly mount and demount RFT tires and to handle
TPMS devices.Conventional mounting equipment may irreparably
damage RFT tires and an improper repair is unsafe and will void the
Limited Warranty. Accordingly, it is important to go to a Bridgestone
Firestone Run-Flat Certified Retailer for tire maintenance and replace-
ment.
Call toll-free 1-877-BFS-4RFT or, 877-237-4738 or visit
www.bridgestonetire.comto locate the nearest Bridgestone Firestone
Run-Flat Certified Retailer.
Inspection after Run-Flat or Low Pressure Operation
Following run-flat or low tire pressure operation, or in the event of any
other tire damage or unusual condition, it is very important to obtain a
proper and complete tire evaluation as soon as possible.
Rotation
Follow the vehicle manufacturer ’s recommendations, or rotate every
5,000 miles per the recommendations in this manual (see “Radial Tire
Rotation”). In some cases, TPMS devices require reprogramming with
each tire rotation.
RFT Tire Replacement
Do not replace or mix RFT tires with conventional tires, unless on an
emergency/temporary basis. Conventional tires do not have run-flat
capability and the handling characteristics of the vehicle with these tires
may be different. If a conventional tire is used on an emergency/
temporary basis, verify that its size, load capacity, inflation pressure, and
speed rating specifications meet the requirements of the vehicle. Replace
any conventional tire with the proper RFT tire as soon as possible.
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B.Improper use or operation, including, without limitation: Im-
proper inflation pressure, overloading, tire/wheel spinning, use of
an improper wheel, tire chain damage, misuse, misapplication,
negligence, tire alteration, or for racing or competition purposes.
C. Insufficient or improper maintenance, including, without limita-
tion: Failure to rotate tires as recommended in this manual, wheel
misalignment, worn suspension components, improper tire mount-
ing or demounting, tire/wheel assembly imbalance, or other
vehicle conditions, defects, or characteristics.
D. Contamination or degradation by petroleum products or other
chemicals, fire or other externally generated heat, or water or other
material trapped inside the tire during mounting or inflation.
E. Improper repair. Improper repair voids this Limited Warranty
F. For RFT tires only, improper run-flat or low tire pressure opera-
tion, including, without limitation: Exceeding speed, distance, or
other run-flat/lowpressure operation limitations.
2. Rapid tread wear or wear-out. Original equipment tires have no mileage warranty.
3. Weather/ozone cracking after 4 years from date of tire manufacture.
4. Ride disturbance or vibration after 1/32 inch (0.8mm) of tread wear use.
5. Tires with sealant, balance, or other filler material that was not originally applied or inserted by the tire manufacturer.
6. Tires used in commercial service.
7. Tires purchased and normally used outside the United States and Canada.
8. The cost of applicable federal, state, and local taxes.
9. Failure to follow any of the safety and maintenance recommendations or warnings contained in this manual.
This Limited Warranty is in addition to and/or may be limited by any
other applicable written warranty you may have received concerning
special tires or situations.
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