Driving your vehicle6-76
The severe weather conditions of winter quickly wear out tires and cause other
problems. To minimize winter driving problems, you should take the following
suggestions:
Snow or icy conditions
You need to keep sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of
you.
Apply the brakes gently. Speeding, rapid acceleration, sudden brake applications, and
sharp turns are potentially very hazardous practices. During deceleration, use engine
braking to the fullest extent. Sudden brake applications on snowy or icy roads may
cause the vehicle to skid.
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may be necessary to use snow tires or to install
tire chains on your tires.
Always carry emergency equipment. Some of the items you may want to carry include
tire chains, tow straps or chains, a flashlight, emergency flares, sand, a shovel, jumper
cables, a window scraper, gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket, etc.
Snow tires
WARNING
Snow tires should be equivalent in size and type to the vehicle’s standard tires.
Otherwise, the safety and handling of your vehicle may be adversely affected.
We recommend that you use snow tires when road temperature is below 45°F (7°C).
If you mount snow tires on your vehicle, make sure to use the same Inflation pressure
as the original tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions. The traction provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your vehicle’s original equipment tires. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommendations.
WINTER DRIVING
08
8-11
Low tire pressure
warning light
Low tire pressure position and
tire pressure telltale
OTM080028L
When the tire pressure monitoring
system warning indicators are
illuminated and a warning message
displayed on the cluster LCD display,
one or more of your tires is significantly
under-inflated. The Low Tire Pressure
Position Telltale will indicate which
tire is significantly underinflated by
illuminating the corresponding position
light.
If either telltale illuminates, immediately
reduce your speed, avoid hard cornering
and anticipate increased stopping
distances. You should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible. Inflate the
tires to the proper pressure as indicated
on the vehicle’s placard or tire inflation
pressure label located on the driver’s
side center pillar outer panel. If you cannot reach a service station or
if the tire cannot hold the newly added
air, replace the low pressure tire with the
spare tire.
The Low Tire Pressure Telltale will remain
on and the TPMS Malfunction Indicator
may blink for one minute and then
remain illuminated (when the vehicle
is driven approximately 10 minutes at
speed above 15.5 mph (25 km/h)) until
you have the low pressure tire repaired
and replaced on the vehicle.
CAUTION
In winter or cold weather, the Low Tire
Pressure Telltale may be illuminated if
the tire pressure was adjusted to the
recommended tire inflation pressure
in warm weather. It does not mean
your TPMS is malfunctioning because
the decreased temperature leads to a
proportional lowering of tire pressure.
When you drive your vehicle from a
warm area to a cold area or from a cold
area to a warm area, or the outside
temperature is greatly higher or lower,
you should check the tire inflation
pressure and adjust the tires to the
recommended tire inflation pressure.
WARNING
Low pressure damage
Significantly low tire pressure makes
the vehicle unstable and can contribute
to loss of vehicle control and increased
braking distances.
Continued driving on low pressure tires
can cause the tires to overheat and fail.
