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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
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.
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•If an unusual vibration or vehicle handling difficulty arises, stop
driving as soon as safely and reasonably possible. The tire may be
about to suddenly fail. Release the accelerator and gradually reduce
speed. The tire will need to be replaced before proceeding.
• If towing a trailer, stop driving as soon as safely and reasonably
p
ossible. In this condition, it is potentially dangerous to operate a
vehicle/trailer combination. If possible, disconnect the trailer and
proceed as noted above. Do not continue to tow any trailer until
proper tire service or replacement has been performed.
• Do not touch a tire recently run-low or run-flat (it may be very
h
ot). Allow the tire to cool before handling.
DISTANCE — HOW FAR YOU CAN DRIVE
Factors affecting run-flat or low tire pressure operating distance
in
clude vehicle speed, load, and maneuvering; the amount of inflation
pressure loss; the extent of any tire damage; and ambient temperature.
The tire may be marked on the sidewall with run-flat or low tire
pr
essure operating speed and/or distance limitations, which vary by
tire design and vehicle application (consult your vehicle owner’s
manual). By international standard, RFT tires have a baseline
limitation in run-flat mode of the following:
NOTE:
• Maximum distance values are determined under controlled condi -
tions, which may vary in actual use.
• Your mileage capability may be less, or more, depending on your
s
pecific operating conditions.
• If in doubt, do not exceed the 50
mile (80 km) limitation.
• Seek tire service as soon as possible to minimize tire damage.
Maximum Speed: 50 mph (80 km/h)
Maximum Distance: 50 miles (80 km)
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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.
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RFT Tire Damage and Repair
No tire, regardless of its design or quality is indestructible. RFT tires
ca
n be ultimately rendered unusable due to a puncture or other road
hazard as well as from improper run-flat or low tire pressure
operation. Some punctures may be repaired under certain restrictions
and prescribed procedures.
When driven flat or with low pressure, factors affecting reparability
in
clude vehicle speed, load, and maneuvering; the amount of inflation
pressure loss; and ambient temperature. In any situation, the extent
and location of direct damage from a puncturing object or other road
hazard are also critical factors.
RFT tires are not repairable in any of the following situations:
• If the tire was operated with inflation pressure less than 15 psi (100 kPa).
•
Abrasion or other damage is present on the exterior tread, sidewall
o
r bead areas.
• Abrasion, wrinkling, or separation is present on the tire interior.
•
Any condition or damage is present that disqualifies repair of a
c
onventional tire.
Run-Flat Certified Retailers will fully inspect your tire, inside and out,
to
determine if the tire can be repaired. Tire damage is not always
visible from the outside and the tire must be removed from the wheel
for a complete inspection. For more information, see the section “Tire
Repairs” in this manual.
NOTE:
Some vehicle manufacturers do not recommend using repaired tires.
Co
nsult your vehicle Owner’s Manual or contact the vehicle manufac -
turer before operating a repaired tire on your vehicle.
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REFERENCE INFORMATION
TIRE SIDEWALL LABELING
A lot can be learned by reading the tire’s sidewall. The following figures
sh
ow typical information on the sidewall of passenger (Figure 3) and
light truck tires (Figure 4):
Tire Size, Load Range, Load Index, and Speed Symbol:
Example Tire SizeLoad IndexSpeed Symbol Load Range
Figure 3 P215/65R15 95H-
Figure 4 LT235/85R16 114/111 QD
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DOT Symbol and Tire Identification Number: The “DOT” symbol
constitutes a certification that the tire conforms to applicable US
Department of Transportation (DOT) motor vehicle safety standards
(for tires). Following the “DOT” symbol is the tire identification
number, also known as the DOT serial number or code. For example:
* For tires produced from 2000-on. In the example above, the tire was
p r
oduced in the 18th week of 2000. For tires produced prior to 2000,
there is one digit in group (f) which identifies the last digit of the year
of production, i.e. “329” would likely signify the 32nd week of 1999,
but could possibly signify the 32nd week of 1989. If in doubt, consult
a qualified tire service professional.
The DOT symbol and tire identification number can be found on at
le
ast one sidewall near the wheel. The other sidewall may have a
partial serial code that excludes (e) and (f) above.
Maximum Load and Inflation: T
he maximum load and maximum
inflation pressure is marked on each sidewall in metric and English
units. For example:
MAX LOAD 685 kg (1,510 lbs) AT 240 kPa (35 psi) MAX PRESS
NOTE:
The load and inflation values marked on the tire sidewall are
ma
ximum permissible values for the tire only. Never assume that
these values are the actual maximum load capacity or recommended
tire pressure values for your vehicle. See “Tire Inflation Pressure,”
“Tips for Safe Tire Inflation,” and “Tips for Safe Loading” in this
manual.
(a) DOT Symbol (d) Tire Manufacturer’s Code
(b) Manufacture Plant Code (e) Week of Production (01-52)
(c) Tire Size Code
(f) Year of Production (last two digits of year)
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Ply Composition and Materials: The actual number of plies in the
sidewall and tread area and the generic name(s) of their cord
material(s) are marked on at least one sidewall. For example:
• TREAD 2 PLY POLYESTER + 2 STEEL
•
SIDEWALL 2 PLY POLYESTER
R
adial: Radial ply tires will have the word "radial" on at least one
s
idewall. An “R” in the tire size designation also indicates radial ply
construction.
Tubeless or Tube Type: T
ires are marked as either “tubeless” or “tube
type,” whichever is applicable, on at least one sidewall.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (“UTQG”) standards are intended
to
assist you in making an informed choice in your purchase of
passenger car tires by providing information indicating relative
performance of these tires in the areas of tread wear, wet braking
traction (straight-ahead), and temperature resistance. All passenger
car tires must conform to federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
th
e tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a
tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variation in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
gr
ades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
NOTE:
The traction grade assigned to a tire is based on straight-ahead
br
aking traction tests, and does not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
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Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the
ti
re’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds
to a level of performance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade is established for a tire that is properly
in
flated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and a possible tire failure.