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BFGOODRICH TIRE
Check the Cold Inflation Pressure in All Your Tires,
Including the Spare, at Least Once Each Month
Failure to maintain correct inflation may result in improper vehicle
handling and may cause rapid and irregular tire wear, sudden tire
failure, loss of vehicle control, and an accident. Therefore, inflation
pressures should be checked at least once each month and before
every long-distance trip. This applies to all tires, including sealant types
and self-supporting tires, which are as susceptible to losing inflation as
any other type of tire if not properly maintained. Pressures should be
checked before the tires have been driven on or after they have been
allowed to cool down to the ambient air temperature. Driving for even
a short distance causes tires to heat up and their inflation to increase,
and recommended tire pressures are for tires that have not been
heated by recent driving on them.
Underinflation and Overinflation Must Be Checked
with a Tire Pressure Gauge
Tires must be checked monthly with a tire pressure gauge. It is
impossible to determine whether tires are properly inflated by simply
looking at them. It is almost impossible to feel or hear when a tire is \
being run underinflated or overinflated. Use an accurate tire pressure
gauge to check tire pressure each month. Small and inexpensive tire
pressure gauges are available. You should keep one in your vehicle’s
glove box or trunk and use it monthly and as otherwise needed.
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)
Your vehicle is likely equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that is designed to monitor the pressure of tires mounted on
your vehicle and sends a signal to the driver if a tire pressure falls
below a predetermined level. A TPMS should not replace monthly
manual pressure checks for all four tires and the spare. You should
manually monitor and check tire pressure inflation with a pressure
gauge. Your tires should have the recommended pressure listed by
your vehicle’s manufacturer. This information can be found in the
vehicle owner’s manual and is on a placard located in the vehicle’s
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BFGOODRICH TIRE
Exceeding the maximum speeds shown on the following page for each
type of BFGOODRICH
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BFGOODRICH TIRE
Trailer Towing
If you anticipate towing a trailer, you should visit your BFGoodrich tire
retailer for advice about the correct tire size and pressures. Tire size
and pressures will depend on the type and size of trailer and hitch
utilized, but in no case must the maximum cold inflation pressure
or tire load rating be exceeded. Check the tire information placard
that came on your vehicle, (located in the vehicle’s door jamb, inside
the fuel hatch, or on the glove compartment door) and the owner’s
manual supplied by the manufacturer of your vehicle for further
recommendations on trailer towing.
Wheel Alignment and Balancing Are Important for
Safety and Maximum Mileage from Your Tires.
Check How Your Tires Are Wearing at Least
Once Each 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 excessi\
ve
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 immediately. Tires which have been run underinflated will
show more wear on the shoulders than in the center of the tread. Read
and follow the instructions on tire rotation and replacement below.
Tire Mixing
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BFGOODRICH TIRE
pattern, observe the arrows molded on the sidewall that show the
direction in which the tire should rotate.
Care must be taken to maintain the proper rotation direction. Some
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) may not recognize that
a tire has been moved to a different position on your vehicle. Make
certain that your TPMS system is reset, if necessary, so as to correctly
identify the location of each tire on your vehicle. Refer to your vehicl\
e
owner’s manual or your vehicle dealer for this information. Determine
whether rotated tires require tire inflation adjustment, because front
and rear position tire pressure may vary according to the vehicle
manufacturer’s specification due to the actual load on that wheel
position. Some vehicles may have tires of different size mounted on
the front versus the rear axles, and these different tires have rotation
restrictions. Always check the vehicle owner’s manual for the proper
rotation recommendations.
Full-Size Spare
Full-size spare tires (not temporary spares) of the same size and
construction should be used in a five-tire rotation and should be
inspected by a tire professional during routine tire inspection. Always
have spare tires inspected before installation. Tires are composed
of various types of rubber compounds and other materials having
performance properties essential to the proper functioning of the tire. \
These component properties change over time. Always check the
inflation pressure of the full-size spare and look for any indication of
cracking or other damage immediately before incorporating the spare
into rotation. If you see any damage, or if the tire is underinflated, do
not resume driving with that tire unless you have no other option, in
which case you should drive only as slowly as is safely possible in the \
traffic conditions until you can both get the spare tire properly inflated
and have it checked by a tire professional to ensure that it is safe
to use. Follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pattern for
rotation. If such a recommendation is unavailable, see a qualified
tire professional.
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BFGOODRICH TIRE
Replacement of Two Tires
All four tires should be replaced at the same time. However, if only
two tires are replaced, the new ones should be put on the rear.
Deeper tread tires on the rear axle provide better handling, wet grip
and evacuate water, thereby helping to avoid oversteer and loss of
vehicle stability on wet surfaces. Deeper tread tires on the front axle \
can improve wet straight line braking and stopping distance. If only two\
tires are being replaced, BFGoodrich generally recommends they be
installed on the rear axle in the absence of a tire service professional’s
recommendation or consumer’s preference to the contrary.
Customization of Tires, Wheels, or Suspension on
SUVs and Light Trucks
Due to their size, weight and higher center of gravity, vehicles such as
SUVs and light trucks do not have the same handling characteristics
as automobiles. Because of these different characteristics, failure to
operate your SUV or truck in a proper and safe manner can increase
the likelihood of vehicle rollover. Modifications to your SUV or truck
tire size, tire type, wheels or suspension can change your vehicle’ s
handling characteristics and further increase the likelihood of vehicle \
rollover. Whether your SUV or truck has the original equipment
configuration for tires, wheels and suspension or whether any of these
items have been modified, always drive safely, avoid sudden, sharp
turns or lane changes and obey all traffic laws. Failure to do so may
result in loss of vehicle control leading to an accident and serious injury
or death.
Tire Alterations
Do not make or allow to be made any alterations on your tires.
Alterations may prevent proper performance, leading to tire damage
that can result in an accident. Tires that become unserviceable due
to alterations such as truing, whitewall inlays, addition of balancing
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BFGOODRICH TIRE
or sealant liquids, or the use of tire dressing containing petroleum
distillates, are excluded from warranty coverage.
Tire Repairs
Whenever a Repair Is Needed, Immediately See Your
BFGOODRICH
® Tire Retailer or, If One Is Not Readily
Available, Another Qualified Tire Professional
If any BFGOODRICH® tire sustains a puncture, have the tire
demounted and thoroughly inspected by a qualified tire professional
for possible damage that may have occurred. A tread area puncture
in any BFGOODRICH
® passenger or light truck tire can be repaired
if the puncture hole is not more than 1/4” in diameter, not more than
one radial cable per casing ply is damaged, and the tire has not been
damaged further by the puncturing object or by running underinflated.
Tire punctures consistent with these guidelines can be repaired by
following the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association’s recommended
repair procedures.
Repairs of all tires must be of the combined-plug-and-inside-patch
type. Your BFGOODRICH tires must be removed from the wheel for
inspection prior to repair. Plug-type repairs made on a tire that remains
mounted on a wheel are improper and can result in an accident. A tire
should be removed from the rim and inspected prior to repair. Any tire
repair done without removing the tire from the rim is improper and can
result in an accident. An improperly repaired tire may cause further
damage to the tire by either leaking air or allowing air, moisture, and
contaminants to enter the structure of the tire. An improperly repaired
tire can fail suddenly at a later date and result in an accident. Never \
repair a tire with less than 2/32nds of an inch of tread remaining. At this
tread depth, the tire is worn out and must be replaced.
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BFGOODRICH TIRE
Storage
Tires contain materials to protect their outer surfaces from ozone
and weather checking. As the tire rolls and flexes, those materials
continually migrate to the surface, replenishing this protection
throughout the normal use of the tire. Consequently, when tires sit
outdoors, unused for long periods of time (a month or more), their
surfaces become dry and more susceptible to ozone and weather
checking, and the casing becomes susceptible to flat spotting. For
this reason, tires should always be stored in a cool, dry, clean, indoor
environment. If storage is for one month or more, eliminate the weight
from the tires by raising the vehicle or by removing the tires from the \
vehicle. Failure to store tires in accordance with these instructions
could result in damage to your tires or premature aging of the tires
and sudden tire failure. When tires are stored, be sure they are placed \
away from sources of heat and ozone such as hot pipes and electric
generators. Be sure that surfaces on which tires are stored are clean
and free from grease, gasoline or other substances which could
deteriorate the rubber. Tires exposed to these materials during storage
or driving could be subject to sudden failure.
One reason why your spare tire should be included in the tire rotation
schedule is that temperatures in a vehicle’s closed trunk, especially
in sunny geographical areas, can become high enough so that, over
a sustained period, they can cause small cracks or other changes to
the properties of a tire stored in the trunk. An accumulation of such
changes can weaken the tire and, especially if the tire is not kept
properly inflated, make it unsafe to use when it is needed.
Proper Tire Mounting
Tire mounting can be dangerous and must be done by professionally
trained persons using proper tools and procedures as specified by the
U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association.
Your tires should be mounted on wheels that are the correct size
and type and are in good, clean condition. Wheels that are bent,
chipped, rusted (steel wheels) or corroded (alloy wheels) may cause
tire damage. The inside of the tire must be free from foreign material.
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BFGOODRICH TIRE
Have your tire 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 have been damaged
internally (which is not externally visible) by having been dangerously
stretched and could fail on the highway, resulting in an accident.
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 that
have safety humps or ledges. Always utilize valve caps capable of
containing the tire’s inflation, should the valve core leak. The valve
cap is the primary seal against air loss. Each tire and wheel assembly
should be balanced to ensure proper tire and vehicle performance and
to maintain tire warranty coverage. Tires and wheel assemblies that
are not balanced may cause steering difficulties, a bumpy ride, and
irregular tire wear.
Temporary Type Spare Tires
When using any temporary type spare tire, be sure to follow the vehicle \
manufacturer’s instructions.
Reading the Dot
DOT XXXX XXXX XXX (prior to August 2000)
DOT XXXX XXXX XXXX (after July 2000)
The Dot
The “DOT” symbol certifies tire manufacturer’s compliance with
U.S. Department of Transportation tire safety standards. Next to
the symbol is the tire identification or “serial number.” The first two
characters identify the plant where the tire was manufactured. The
next two characters reflect the tire size. The following one to four
digits may be used at the tire manufacturer’s option as a descriptive
code. The last three characters are numbers identifying the week and
year of manufacture. (Example: “O25” means second week of the