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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.
T
herefore, follow these important recommendations for tire and
ve
hicle safety, mileage, and economy:
• 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 e
xtra weight.
Your vehicle’s tire information placard and/or Owner’s Manual will
te
ll 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 different and have different tire and loading
information than that shown in either of the figures. You must check
the driver 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
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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 vehicle
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.
Different Tire Pressures for the Front and Rear Tires: F
or 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: T
ires 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.
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TIPS FOR SAFE TIRE INFLATION
• Check your tire pressures, including your spare tire, monthly and
b
efore long trips or carrying extra weight. Be sure to use an accurate
pressure gauge.
• Check inflation pressure when the tires are “cold.” Tires are consid -
e
red “cold” when the vehicle has been parked for three hours or
mo
re, 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 recom -
m
ended cold tire pressure. Normal driving causes tires to run hotter
an
d 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
v
alve, or wheel may be damaged. Consult a qualified tire service
professional for an inspection.
• Use valve caps to keep the valves clear of debris and to help guard
a
gainst inflation pressure loss.
WARNING!
Inflating an unsecured tire is dangerous. If it bursts, it could be
hu
rled 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.
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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.
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TIRE REPAIRS
A complete inspection and repair of your tire in accordance with
Ru
bber Manufacturers Association (RMA) 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,
i
nside 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
th
e 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
i
s 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.
WARNING!
Driving on an improperly repaired tire is dangerous. An improper
re
pair can be unreliable or permit further damage to the tire. The
tire may suddenly fail, causing serious personal injury or death.
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• 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
i
mproper repair.
• Tubes, like tires, should only be repaired by a qualified tire service
p
rofessional.
• Some vehicle manufacturers do not recommend using repaired
t
ires. 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
re
pair.
Emergency/Temporary Sealant or Filler Repairs: A
n 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.
Speed Rating: T
he tire’s speed rating is void if the tire is repaired,
retreaded, damaged, abused, or otherwise altered from its original
condition. Thereafter, it should be treated as a non-speed rated tire.
See “Tire Speed Ratings” in this manual.
Improper repair voids the tire Limited Warranty. S
ee “Limited
Warranty” in this manual.
RFT (Run-Flat Technology) Tires: I
n addition to the above, there are
recommendations specific to the repair of RFT tires; see “RFT Tires
with Run-Flat Technology” in this manual.
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.
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TIRE MOUNTING AND OTHER SERVICING
This manual is not intended to provide proper training or service
pr
ocedures for tire mounting, demounting, balancing, rotation, or
repair. Please leave these tasks to qualified tire service
professionals. For your safety and that of others:
• Always stand well clear of any tire mounting operation. This is espe -
c
ially important when the service operator inflates the tire. If the tire
ha
s been improperly mounted, it may burst with explosive force
causing serious personal injury or death.
• Tires must match the width and diameter requirements of the
w
heels. For example, 16 inch diameter tires must only be mounted
to
16 inch diameter wheels. Radial tires must only be mounted to
wh
eels approved for radial tires.
• Wheels must be free of cracks, dents, chips, and rust. Tires must be
f
ree of bead damage, cuts, and punctures.
• Never inflate a tire beyond 40 psi (275 kPa) to seat the beads. Be
a
bsolutely certain beads are fully seated before adjusting inflation
pressure to the level recommended for vehicle operation.
• Never put flammable substances in tire/wheel assemblies at any
t
ime. Never put any flammable substance into a tire/wheel
assembly and attempt to ignite to seat the beads.
• Always stand well away from the work area when tires are being
s
pin balanced either on or off the vehicle.
WARNING!
Removing and replacing tires on wheels can be dangerous.
At
tempting to mount tires with improper tools or procedures may
result in a tire explosion causing serious personal injury or death.
This is only a job for a qualified tire service professional. Never
perform tire service procedures without proper training, tools,
and equipment.
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HIGH PERFORMANCE, LOW ASPECT RATIO TIRES
Many new vehicles come equipped from the factory with high
pe
rformance and/or low aspect ratio tires. Generally, these tires
provide increased vehicle handling capability, but may also have
numerous engineering performance trade-offs associated with their
designs.
• Low aspect ratio tires, with reduced sidewall height, may be more
s
usceptible to damage from potholes, road hazards, and other
objects such as curbs. This is true for the wheels as well. Therefore,
as with all other tires, it is important to drive with care and maintain
proper inflation pressure and load conditions. See “Tire Inflation
Pressure” and “Tire Damage, Inspection and Service Life” in this
manual.
• Some sports cars and other handling performance enhanced vehi -
c
les, including sedans and light trucks/SUVs, may be originally
eq
uipped with high performance tires that are more optimized for
warmer weather use. Colder, winter weather traction may be
reduced for these types of tires. Winter tires may be recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer for colder weather application. See
“Winter Tires,” the next section in this manual.
• High performance tires may also wear more quickly, ride more
f
irmly, and produce more noise during operation.
Consult your vehicle Owner’s Manual and tire information placard, or
a
qualified tire service professional, for more information and
specifics regarding these types of tires.
WINTER TIRES
In Winter driving conditions, vehicle control and safe operation under
b r
aking and cornering is especially dependent upon the rear tires. For
this reason, Winter tires are best applied to all wheel positions. Some
WARNING!
Winter driving presents special challenges for vehicle mobility.
Th
e use of winter tires (including studs and chains)—while
improving traction performance in snow and ice—requires special
care with regard to acceleration, braking, cornering, and speed. It
is important to drive with care, not only on snow and ice, but on
dry and wet roads as well.