BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
51
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
h
ead, the tire is worn out and needs to be
replaced.
TIRE MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY
IN
FORMATION
Any tire, no matter how well constructed,
ma
y 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.
To reduce the risk of tire failure, Bridgestone® Firestone® North
A m
erican Tire, 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.
WARNING!
Serious personal injury or death may result from a tire failure.
Ma
ny 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.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
56
TIPS FOR SAFE LOADING
• Always keep the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended inflation
p
ressure 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
y
our tire.
• Never exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or front/ r
ear Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) of your vehicle.
• Consult your vehicle Owner’s Manual for load recommendations
a
nd 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
pe
rformance 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 your vehicle in an overloaded condition is dangerous.
Ov
erloading 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.
WARNING!
Driving on damaged tires is dangerous. A damaged tire can
su
ddenly fail causing serious personal injury or death. Have your
tires regularly inspected by a qualified tire service professional.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
57
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
s
ervice 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
s
idewall 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
t
he built-in indicators at 2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or less tread groove
de
pth, 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
f
lat 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
m
ust be replaced.
• Don’t forget to check the spare tire.
M
ake sure your tires, including the spare tire, continue to be regularly
in
spected 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
ac
tual 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.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
70
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 US and Canada. For more information, visit us
on the internet at
www.bridgestonetire.com
, or please call the
Technical Service Department:
US: 800-356-4644 or Canada: 800-267-1318
A
dditional information on the care and service of automobile and
li
ght truck tires is available from the following organizations:
U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association 1400 K Street, N.W. Washington,
DC
20005-2403
https://www.ustires.org
Rubber Association of Canada 2000 Argentia Road, Plaza 4, Suite 250
Mi
ssissauga, Ontario L5N 1W1
https://www.tracanada.ca
TIRE REGISTRATION
Registration of your tires is an important safety precaution since it
en
ables 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.
WARNING!
Improper storage can damage your tires in ways that may not be
vi
sible and can lead to a failure resulting in serious personal
injury or death.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
71
RFT TIRES WITH RUN-FLAT TECHNOLOGY
If your vehicle is equipped with
Bridgestone® or Firestone® brand
RF
T tires, this chapter presents
specific maintenance and safety issues
associated 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
ut
ilize 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
ap
ply, 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: B
ridgestone® 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
fo
r 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
wi
th your Run Flat tires. 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.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
72
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
manufacturer, or a Bridgestone® Firestone® Run-Flat Certified
Retailer for questions regarding TPMS operation and service.
RUN-FLAT OR LOW TIRE PRESSURE OPERATION
General Instructions
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) required in your vehicle
m a
y 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
e
xceed 50 mph (80 km/h).The greater the speed, the less distance
t
he tire can travel.
• Avoid abrupt or aggressive acceleration, braking, or cornering
m
aneuvers 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
a
s possible. Take note of your mileage; your operation distance is
limited. See "Distance — How Far You Can Drive,” the next section
in this manual.
WARNING!
Serious personal injury or death may result from a tire failure or
ac
cident 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.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
74
SPECIAL SERVICE AND REPAIR ISSUES
Run-Flat Certified Retailers
Because of the advanced technology and design of Run-Flat tires and
th
e 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
sp
ecially 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 replacement.
Call toll-free 1-877-BFS-4RFT or, 87
7-237-4738 or visit
www.bridgestonetire.com
to 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
an
y 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
Ro
tation”). 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
em
ergency/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.
BRIDGESTONE® - FIRESTONE®
81
•Improper use or operation, including, without limitation:
Improper inflation pressure, overloading, tire/wheel spinning,
use of an improper wheel, tire chain damage, misuse, misappli -
cation, negligence, tire alteration, or for racing or competition
pu
rposes.
• Insufficient or improper maintenance,
including, without
limitation: Failure to rotate tires as recommended in this manual,
wheel misalignment, worn suspension components, improper
tire mounting or demounting, tire/wheel assembly imbalance,
or other vehicle conditions, defects, or characteristics.
• 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 infla -
tion.
• Improper repair.
Improper repair voids this Limited Warranty
• For RFT tires only, improper run-flat or low tire pressure oper -
a
tion, including, without limitation: Exceeding speed, distance,
o
r other run-flat/lowpressure operation limitations.
2. Rapid tread wear or wear-out. Original equipment tires have no
m
ileage warranty.
3. Weather/ozone cracking after 4 years from date of tire manufac -
t
ure.
4. Ride disturbance or vibration after 1/32 inch (0.8mm) of tread
we
ar use.
5. Tires with sealant, balance, or other filler material that was not
o
riginally applied or inserted by the tire manufacturer.
6. Tires used in commercial service.
7
. Tires purchased and normally used outside the United States and
C
anada.
8. The cost of applicable federal, state, and local taxes.
9
. Failure to follow any of the safety and maintenance recommenda -
t
ions or warnings contained in this manual.
This Limited Warranty is in addition to and/or may be limited by any
ot
her applicable written warranty you may have received concerning
special tires or situations.