BFGOODRICH® TIRES
29
DRIVING ON ANY TIRE THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE CORRECT
INFLATION PRESSURE IS DANGEROUS
Any underinflated tire builds up excessive heat that may result in
su
dden tire destruction. If tires are supplied as original equipment,
refer to the tire decal on the vehicle (check vehicle and/or vehicle
Owner’s Manual for decal location) for the recommended operating
pressures. For replacement tires, the correct inflation pressure will be
provided by your tire retailer; if not, refer to the vehicle decal.
These inflation pressures must be maintained as a minimum.
Ho
wever, do not exceed the maximum pressure rating indicated on
the tire sidewall.
CHECK THE COLD INFLATION PRESSURES IN ALL YOUR
TI
RES, INCLUDING THE SPARE, AT LEAST ONCE EACH
MONTH
Failure to maintain correct inflation may result in improper vehicle
ha
ndling and may cause rapid and irregular tire wear, sudden tire
destruction, loss of vehicle control and serious personal injury.
Therefore, inflation pressures should be checked at least once each
month and always prior to long distance trips. This applies to all tires,
including sealant types, and Self-Supporting tires which are as
susceptible to losing air pressure as any other type of tire if not
properly maintained.
UNDERINFLATION
It is impossible to determine whether tires are properly inflated by
si
mply looking at them. It is almost impossible to “feel or hear” when
a tire is being run underinflated or nearly flat. Tires must be checked
monthly with a tire pressure gauge.
Pressures should be checked when tires are cold, in other words,
be
fore they have been driven on. Driving, even for a short distance,
causes tires to heat up and air pressure to increase.
Checking pressure when tires are hot:
If pressures are checked after tires have been driven for more than
th
ree minutes or more than 1 mile, (1.6 km) the tires become hot and
th
e pressures will increase by approximately 4 psi. Therefore when the
tire pressure is adjusted under these conditions, it should be increased
to a gauge reading of 4 psi greater than the recommended cold
inflation pressure.
BFGOODRICH® TIRES
30
Check cold pressure as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours.
“Bleeding” air from hot tires could result in under-inflation. Use an
accurate tire gauge to check pressures. Never allow children to
inflate or deflate tires.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring
Sy
stem (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. We recommend that you manually monitor and check tire
pressure inflation with a pressure gauge.
Your tires should have the recommended pressure listed by your
ve
hicle’s manufacturer. This information can be found in the vehicle
Owner’s Manual and often on a placard located in the vehicle’s door
jamb, inside the fuel hatch, or on the glove compartment door. If you
have a plus size fitment that requires a higher inflation pressure, your
TPMS will require re-calibration to the new inflation pressure. Refer
to your tire dealer/installer of plus size tires for proper inflation
pressure.
We recommend checking air pressure once each month, and before a
lo
ng trip. Whether you have a full-sized or mini-spare, make sure that
it is properly inflated as well. If the TPMS generates improper
monitoring or signals we recommend that you consult your Owner’s
Manual provided with your vehicle and follow up with FCA US LLC.
For Example Only:
Gauge reading of hot tire: .............................................. 32 psi (220 kPa)
If recommended cold inflation pressure is: .................... 30 psi (205 kPa)
Desired gauge reading of hot tire 30 + 4 psi = .............. 34 psi (205 + 30 = 235 kPa)
Therefore: add 2 psi ...................................................... (15 kPa)
BFGOODRICH® TIRES
31
TIRE SPINNING
Do not spin wheels in excess of 35 mph (55 km/h) as indicated on the
sp
eedometer. Excessive speed in a free-running, unloaded tire can
cause it to “explode” from centrifugal force. The energy released by
such an explosion is sufficient to cause serious physical injury or
death. Never allow anyone to stand near or behind the spinning tire.
When in mud, sand, snow, ice or other slippery conditions, do not
en
gage in excessive wheel spin. Accelerating the motor excessively,
particularly with automatic transmission vehicles, may cause a drive
tire that has lost traction to spin beyond its speed capability. This is
also true when balancing a drive tire/wheel assembly on the vehicle
using the vehicle engine to spin the tire/wheel assembly.
HIGH SPEED DRIVING CAN BE DANGEROUS
Correct inflation pressure is especially important. H
owever, at high
speeds, even with the correct inflation pressure, a road hazard, for
example is more difficult to avoid and if contact is made, has a greater
chance of causing tire damage than at a lower speed. Moreover,
driving at high speed reduces the reaction time available to avoid
accidents and bring your vehicle to a safe stop.
If you see any damage to a tire or wheel, replace it with the spare at
on
ce and visit a participating BFGoodrich® Tire Retailer.
Exceeding the maximum speeds shown on the following page for each
ty
pe of BFGoodrich® tire will cause the tire to build up excessive heat
which can cause tire damage that could result in sudden tire
destruction and rapid air loss. Failure to control a vehicle when one or
more tires experience a sudden air loss can lead to an accident.
In any case, you should not exceed reasonable speeds as indicated
by
the legal limits and driving conditions.
BFGOODRICH® TIRES
32
SPEED RATINGS
Speed Symbols are shown on the sidewall of some BFGoodrich® tires.
Th
e following table shows the maximum speed corresponding to the
symbol.
*Some V (or VR) rated tires may have a speed capacity greater than
14
9 mph (240 km/h). Consult your participating BFGoodrich® tire
re
tailer for maximum speed rating if your vehicle capability exceeds
this speed.
**Z (or ZR) rated tires are designed to use on cars with maximum
sp
eed capabilities in excess of 149 mph (240 km/h).
W and Y speed ratings are sub-categories of Z.
Consult your BFGoodrich® tire retailer for maximum speed
ca
pabilities.
Although a tire may be speed-rated, we do not endorse the operation
of
any vehicle in an unsafe or unlawful manner. Speed ratings are
based on laboratory tests which relate to performance on the road, but
are not applicable if tires are underinflated, overloaded, worn out,
damaged, altered, improperly repaired, or retreaded. Furthermore, a
tire’s speed rating does not imply that vehicles can be safely driven at
the maximum speed for which the tire is rated, particularly under
adverse road and weather conditions or if the vehicle has unusual
characteristics.
BFGoodrich® highway passenger tires that do not have a speed
s y
mbol on the sidewall have a maximum speed rating of 105 mph
(1
70 km/h). Light truck highway tires that do not have a speed
sy
mbol on the sidewall of the tire have a maximum speed rating of
87 mph (140 km/h).
The speed and other ratings of retreaded tires are assigned by the
re
treader and replace the original manufacturer’s ratings.
NOTE:
In order to maintain the speed capability of the vehicle, replacement
ti
res must have speed ratings equal to or higher than those fitted as
original equipment as indicated on the vehicle tire placard or Owner’s
Manual. If tires with lower speed ratings are fitted, the vehicle’s
handling may be affected and the speed capability of the vehicle will
be lowered to the maximum speed capability of the replacement tires
as indicated in the following table.
BFGOODRICH® TIRES
33
REMEMBER...High speed driving can be dangerous and may
damage your tires. AND...When driving at highway speeds, correct
inflation pressure is especially important.
INSPECT YOUR TIRES, DO NOT DRIVE ON A DAMAGED TIRE OR
WH
EEL
HAZARDS
Objects in the road, such as potholes, glass, metal, rocks, wood, debris
an
d the like, can damage a tire and should be safely avoided.
Unavoidable contact with such objects should prompt a thorough tire
inspection.
BFGOODRICH® TIRES
34
Anytime you see any damage to your tires or wheels, replace with the
spare at once and immediately visit any BFGoodrich® tire retailer.
IMPACT DAMAGE
A tire impacted by a road hazard (curb, pothole, debris) may be
da
maged but not have visible signs of damage on its surface. A tire
damaged by an impact may sustain a sudden failure a day, week, or
even months later. You may not recall hitting an object that damaged
or injured your tires. Air loss, unusual tire wear, localized wear or
vibrations can also be signs of internal tire damage.
If you suspect any damage to your tire or wheel from an impact with
a
curb, pothole, debris on the road or any other road hazard, or if you
feel or hear any unusual vibration, replace with a properly inflated
spare at once and immediately visit any qualified tire technician.
INSPECTION
When inspecting your tires, including the spare, check the air
pr
essures. If the pressure check indicates that one of your tires has lost
pressure of two pounds or more, look for signs of penetration, valve
leakage or wheel damage that may account for the air loss.
Always look for bulges, cracks, cuts, penetrations and abnormal tire
we
ar, particularly on the edges of the tire tread, which may be
caused by misalignment or underinflation. If any such damage is
found, the tire must be inspected by your BFGoodrich® tire retailer
at once. Use of a damaged tire could result in tire failure and an
accident.
All tires will wear out faster when subjected to high speeds as well as
ha
rd 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 driving on such roads, drive 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.
WEAR BARS
BFGoodrich® tires contain “Wear-Bars” in the grooves of the tire tread
wh
ich show up when only 2/32 nds of an inch (1.6 mm) of tread is
re
maining. At this stage, your tires must be replaced. Tires worn
beyond this stage are extremely dangerous.
BFGOODRICH® TIRES
35
DO NOT OVERLOAD - DRIVING ON ANY OVERLOADED TIRE
IS DANGEROUS
The maximum load rating of your tires is molded on the tire sidewall.
Do
not exceed this rating. Follow the loading instructions of FCA US
LLC and this will ensure that your tires are not overloaded. Tires
which are loaded beyond their maximum allowable loads for the
particular application will build up excessive heat that may result in
sudden tire destruction.
Do not exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for any axle on
yo
ur vehicle.
TRAILER TOWING
If you anticipate towing a trailer, you should visit any BFGoodrich®
ti
re retailer for advice concerning the correct size tire and pressures.
Tire size and pressures will depend upon 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 decal and the
Owner’s Manual supplied by FCA US LLC for further
recommendations on trailer towing.
WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND BALANCING ARE IMPORTANT
FO
R SAFETY AND MAXIMUM MILEAGE FROM YOUR TIRES
CHECK HOW YOUR TIRES ARE WEARING AT LEAST ONCE
EA
CH MONTH
If your tires are wearing unevenly, such as the inside shoulder of the
ti
re wearing faster than the rest of the tread, or if you detect excessive
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.
TIRE MIXING
BFGoodrich® tires are radial tires and for best performance it is
r e
commended that the same size and type of tire be used on all four
wheel positions. Before mixing tires of different types in any
configuration on any vehicle, be sure to check the vehicle
manufacturer’s Owner‘s Manual for its recommendations.
BFGOODRICH® TIRES
36
It is especially important to check the vehicle manufacturer’s Owner’s
Manual when mixing, matching or replacing tires on 4 Wheel Drive
(4WD) vehicles, as this may require special precautions.
BFGOODRICH® DOES NOT RECOMMEND MIXING SELF
SU
PPORTING STRUCTURE (SSS) TIRES WITH NON-SSS TIRES
OTHER THAN THE TEMPORARY USE OF THE SPARE TIRE.
WINTER DRIVING
Tires which meet the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA)
de
finition of snow tires are marked M/S, M&S. On such tires, this
designation is molded into the sidewall. Tires without this notation
are not recommended for winter driving.
While All-Season tires are designed to provide reliable
performance in some winter conditions, the use of four
wi
nter tires is recommended for optimum perfor -
mance. Tires designated for use in severe winter condi -
tions are marked on at least one sidewall with the letter
“M
” and “S” plus a pictograph of a mountain with a snowflake on it.
TIRE ROTATION AND REPLACEMENT
To obtain maximum tire wear, it may be necessary to rotate your tires.
Re
fer to your vehicle Owner’s Manual for instructions on tire rotation.
If you do not have an Owner‘s Manual for your vehicle, BFGoodrich®
recommends rotating your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10,000 to
12
,000 km).
Monthly inspection for tire wear is recommended. Your tires should
be
rotated at the first sign of irregular wear, even if it occurs before
6,000 miles (10,000 km). This is true for all vehicles.
When rotating tires with a directional tread pattern, observe the
ar
rows molded on the sidewall which show the direction the tire
should turn. Care must be taken to maintain the proper turning
direction.
Some Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) may not recognize
th
at 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 vehicle Owner’s Manual or your vehicle dealer.
Determine whether rotated tires require tire inflation adjustment as
fr
ont and rear position tire pressure may vary according to the vehicle