2020 TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID flat tire

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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, overloading, or other
conditions resulting from use or misuse. Tire failure may create a risk
of property damage, serious personal injury or death.SAFETY 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 Americas Tire
Operations, LLC strongly recommends you read and follow
all safety information contained in this manual. In addition, we
recommend periodic inspection and maintenance, if necessary,
by a qualified tire service professional.
Tire Failure While Driving
SAFETY WARNING
It is not often that a properly maintained tire will “blow out” wh\
ile you
are driving. More commonly, if inflation pressure is lost, it will be
gradual. If you do experience a blowout or sudden tire
failure, the
following information should be helpful:
• When the failure occurs, you may hear a loud noise, feel a
vibration, and/or the vehicle may pull toward the side of the
failed tire.
•
DO NOT abruptly brake or turn.
•
Slowly remove your foot from the accelerator, hold the steering
wheel firmly, and steer to maintain your lane position.
•
Once the vehicle has slowed, apply the brakes gently.
•
Gradually pull over to the shoulder and come to a stop, as far off
the road as possible.

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Tire Inflation Pressure
Tires need proper inflation pressure to operate effectively and perform
as intended. Tires carry the vehicle, passenger, and cargo loads and
transmit the braking, acceleration, and turning forces. The vehicle
manufacturer recommends the inflation pressures for the tires mounted
on your vehicle.SAFETY WARNING
Driving on tires with improper inflation pressure is dangerous. •
Under-inflation causes excessive tire heat build-up and internal
structural damage.
•
Over-inflation makes it more likely for tires tobe cut, punctured, or
broken by sudden impact.
These situations 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 and/or owner’s manual for the recommended
inflation pressures.
In addition to tire damage, improper inflation pressure may also: •
Adversely affect vehicle ride and handling.
•
Reduce tire tread wear.
•
Affect fuel economy.
Therefore, follow these important recommendations for tire and vehicle
safety, mileage, and economy: •
Always keep the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended
inflation pressure in all your tires, including the spare.
•
Check their pressure monthly and before long trips or
carrying extra weight.
Your vehicle’s tire information placard and/or owner’s manual will
tell you the recommended cold inflation pressure for all your tires,
including the spare. Examples of placards are shown in Figures 1
and 2. Your placard may look differently and have dif- ferent tire and
loading information than that shown in either of the figures. You must

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check the driver’s-side door edge or door jamb area for the actual
placard that applies to your vehicle. For questions about locating
or understanding the tire information placard, consult your vehicle
owner’s manual or ask a qualified tire service professional.
Figure 1: EXAMPLE —Tire and Loading Information Placard
Figure 2: EXAMPLE—Tire Information Placard
Maximum Pressure Indicated on the Tire Sidewall : This is the
maximum permissible inflation pressure for the tire only. The vehicle
manufacturer’s recommended tire pressures may be lower than, or
the same as, the maximum pressure indicated on the tire sidewall.
The vehicle manufacturer’s specification of tire pressure is limited to
your particular vehicle and takes into account your vehicle’s load, ride,
and handling characteristics, among other criteria. Since there may
be several possible vehicle applications for a given tire size, a vehicl\
e
manufacturer may choose a different inflation pressure specification for
that same size tire on a different vehicle. Therefore, always refer to the
inflation pressure specifications on the vehicle tire information placard
and/or in your vehicle owner’s manual.

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Different Tire Pressures for the Front and Rear Tires: For some
vehicles, the recommended front and rear inflation pressures may
be different (such as in the example shown in Figure 2). Make sure
you take this into account during inflation pressure checks and when
rotating tires.
Pressure Loss: Tires can lose 1 psi (7 kPa) per month under normal
conditions and can lose 1 psi (7 kPa) for every 10˚F (5.6˚C temperature
drop. A puncture, leaking valve, or other damage could also cause
inflation pressure loss. If a tire loses more than 2 psi (14 kPa) per
month, have it checked by a qualified tire service professional.
Tips For Safe Tire Inflation
SAFETY WARNING
Inflating an unsecured tire is dangerous. If it bursts, it could be hurled
into the air with explosive force resulting in serious personal injury or
death. Never inflate a tire unless it is
secured to the vehicle or a tire
mounting machine.
• Check your tire pressures, including your spare tire, monthly
and before long trips or carrying extra weight. Be sure to use an
accurate pressure gauge.
•
Check inflation pressure when the tires are “cold.” Tires are
considered “cold” when the vehicle has been parked for three
hours or more, or if the vehicle has been driven less than a mile at
moderate speed.
•
Never release pressure from a hot tire in order to reach the
recommended cold tire pressure. Normal driving causes tires
to run hotter and inflation pressure to increase. If you reduce
inflation pressure when your tires are hot, you may dangerously
underinflate your tires.
•
If it is necessary to adjust inflation pressure when your tires are
“hot,” set their pressure to 4 psi (28 kPa) above the recommended
cold inflation pressure. Recheck the inflation pressure when the
tires are cold.
•
If your tires lose more than 2 psi (14 kPa) per month, the tire, the
valve, or wheel may be damaged. Consult a qualified tire service
professional for an inspection.

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• Use valve caps to keep the valves clear of debris and to help
guard against inflation pressure loss.
Tips For Safe Loading SAFETY 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
pressure 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
performance 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.
SAFETY 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.

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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 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
professional. 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 wi\
th
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

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Tire Repairs
SAFETY WARNING
Driving on an improperly repaired tire is dangerous. An improper repair
can be unreliable or permit further damage to the tire. The tire may
suddenly fail, causing serious personal injury or death. A complete
inspection and repair of
your tire in accordance with U.S. Tire
Manufactur
ers Association procedures should be conducted by a
qualified tire service professional.
While the comprehensive procedures and recommendations for
tire repair are beyond the scope of this manual, a proper tire repair
includes the following:
•
The tire is demounted from the wheel for a complete
inspection, inside and out. Some damage to the tire may only be
evident on the interior of the tire.
•
The puncture injury is 1/4 inch (6 mm)
or less and must be within the tread
area as shown in the graphic. This helps
ensure long-term tire and repair durability.
•
A patch is applied to the interior of the
tire and the puncture hole is filled with
a suitable plug/stem filler. This helps
ensure that the interior of the tire is
adequately sealed to prevent inflation pressure loss and prevents
contamination of the steel belts and other plies from the elements
(such as water) in the outside world.
PATCH + PLUG/STEM PATCH ONLY PLUG/STEM ONLY
Additional notes about tire repairs :
•
Not all punctured or damaged tires can be properly repaired;
consequently, they must be replaced. NEVER repair a tire with any
of the following conditions:
- Wear to the tire’s built-in treadwear indicators or to 2/32 inch (1.6 mm) remaining tread depth in any area of the tread.

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- With a puncture larger than 1/4 inch (6 mm).
-With a puncture or other damage outside the repairable tread
area (as shown in the graphic).
- With a pre-existing, improper repair.
•
Any tire repair done without removing the tire from the wheel is
improper. The tire must be demounted from the wheel and the
interior inspected for damage that may not be evident on the
exterior of the tire.
•
Using only a plug/stem, or using only a patch, is not a safe or
proper repair. A patch must be applied to the interior of the tire and
the puncture hole must be filled with a suitable plug/stem filler to
prevent inflation pressure loss and contamination of the steel belts
and other plies.
•
NEVER substitute a tube for a proper repair or to remedy an
improper repair.
•
Tubes, like tires, should only be repaired by a qualified tire service
professional.
•
Some vehicle manufacturers do not recommend using repaired
tires. Consult your vehicle owner’s manual or contact the vehicle
manufacturer before operating a repaired tire on your vehicle.
ASK how your tire will be repaired.
ALWAYS insist on a proper tire repair.
Emergency/Temporary Sealant or Filler Repairs: An emergency/
temporary sealant or filler injected into the tire, such as by aerosol
can or injection/squeeze-tube, is not a proper repair and voids the
tire Limited Warranty. A tire injected with such sealant/filler must be
replaced by a qualified tire service professional as soon as possible.
SAFETY WARNING
Tell the tire service professional if you have used an aerosol fixer
to inflate/seal the tire. Aerosol fixers could contain a highly volatile
gas. Always remove the valve core outdoors, away from sources of
excessive heat, flame, or sparks and completely deflate the tire before
removing it from the wheel.