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TIRE EQUIPMENT
1. SUMMER tires have a tread designed toprovide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance of
these tires will be substantially reduced in
snowy and icy conditions. If you operate
your vehicle on snowy or icy roads,
INFINITI recommends the use of MUD &
SNOW or ALL SEASON TIRES on all four
wheels. It is recommended that you visit
an INFINITI retailer for the tire type, size,
speed rating and availability information.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, stud- ded tires may be used. However, some
U.S. states and Canadian provinces pro-
hibit their use. Check local, state and pro-
vincial laws before installing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow tires.
3. Tire chains may be used. For additional information, see “Tire chains” (P. 8-38).
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) model
If you install snow tires, they must also be the
same size, brand, construction and tread pat-
ter on all four wheels.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items
be carried in the vehicle during winter:
• A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to re-move ice and snow from the windows and
wiper blades.
• A sturdy, flat board to be placed under the jack to give it firm support.
• A shovel to dig the vehicle out of snowdrifts.
• Extra washer fluid to refill the windshield- washer fluid reservoir.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
• Wet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing rain),
very cold snow or ice can be slick and very
hard to drive on. The vehicle will have
much less traction or “grip” under these
conditions. Try to avoid driving on wet
ice until the road is salted or sanded.
• Whatever the condition, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down with
care. If accelerating or downshifting too
fast, the drive wheels will lose even more
traction. •
Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
• Allow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
• Watch for slippery spots (glare ice).
These may appear on an otherwise clear
road in shaded areas. If a patch of ice is
seen ahead, brake before reaching it. Try
not to brake while on the ice, and avoid
any sudden steering maneuvers.
• Do not use the cruise control on slippery
roads.
• Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases
under your vehicle. Keep snow clear of
the exhaust pipe and from around your
vehicle.
Starting and driving5-185
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Tire and Loading Information label
1Seating capacity: The maximum
number of occupants that can be
seated in the vehicle.
2Original tire size: The size of the
tires originally installed on the ve-
hicle at the factory.
3Cold tire pressure: Inflate the tires
to this pressure when the tires are
cold. Tires are considered COLD
after the vehicle has been parked for 3 or more hours, or driven less
than 1 mile (1.6 km) at moderate
speeds. The recommended cold
tire inflation is set by the manufac-
turer to provide the best balance
of tire wear, vehicle handling,
driveability, tire noise, etc., up to
the vehicle's GVWR.4Tire size - see “Tire labeling”
(P. 8-33).
5Spare tire size.
6Vehicle load limit: see “Vehicle
loading information” (P. 10-15).
LDI2737
8-30Do-it-yourself
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Checking tire pressure
WARNING
• Driving at high speeds, 100 mph
(160 km/h) or higher sustained
where it is legal to do so, can cause
tires to have excessive heat build
up, which may result in a tire fail-
ure causing loss of control, crash,
injuries or even death. Some high-
speed rated tires require inflation
pressure adjustment for high-
speed operation. When speed lim-
its and road conditions allow ve-
hicle driving at high speeds, make
sure tires are rated to support
high speed operation, tires are in
optimal conditions and pressure is
adjusted to correct cold inflation
pressure for high speed operation. •
If your vehicle is equipped with
255/50R20 tire sizes, tires re-
quire adjustment to the inflation
pressure when driving the vehicle
at speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h)
or higher where it is legal to do so.
See recommended tire inflation
chart for correct operating
pressure.
• After vehicle high speed operation
has ended, readjust the tire pres-
sure to the recommended cold in-
flation pressure. For additional in-
formation, see "Checking tire
pressure" (P. 8-31).
1. Remove the valve stem cap from the tire.
LDI0393
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2. Press the pressure gauge squarelyonto the valve stem. Do not press
too hard or force the valve stem
sideways, or air will escape. If the
hissing sound of air escaping from
the tire is heard while checking the
pressure, reposition the gauge to
eliminate this leakage.
3. Remove the gauge.
4. Read the tire pressure on the gauge stem and compare to the
specification shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label. 5. Add air to the tire as needed. If too
much air is added, press the core of
the valve stem briefly with the tip
of the gauge stem to release pres-
sure. Recheck the pressure and add
or release air as needed.
6. Install the valve stem cap.
7. Check the pressure of all other tires, including the spare. 8. Check the pressure when driving
the vehicle at speeds of 100 mph
(160 km/h) or higher where it is
legal to do so.
Size Cold Tire Inflation
Pressure
psi kPa
Front and
Rear Original
Tire:
255/50R20 35 240
Front and
Rear Original
Tire:
255/60R18 33 230
Spare Tire:
T165/90D18 60 420
8-32
Do-it-yourself
Page 553 of 636
Recommended tire inflation pres-
sures at speeds of 100 mph (160
km/h) or higher where it is legal to do
so.
SizeCold Tire Inflation
Pressure
psi kPa
Front and
Rear Original
Tire:
255/50R20 36 250
TIRE LABELING
Federal law requires tire manufactur-
ers to place standardized information
on the sidewall of all tires. This infor-
mation identifies and describes the
fundamental characteristics of the tire
and also provides the Tire Identifica-
tion Number (TIN) for safety standard
certification. The TIN can be used to
identify the tire in case of a recall.
WDI0394
Example
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O1Tire size (example: P215/65R15
95H)
1. P: The “P” indicates the tire is de- signed for passenger vehicles (not
all tires have this information).
2. Three-digit number (215): This number gives the width in millime-
ters of the tire from sidewall edge
to sidewall edge. 3. Two-digit number (65): This num-
ber, known as the aspect ratio,
gives the tire's ratio of height to
width.
4. R: The “R” stands for radial.
5. Two-digit number (15): This num- ber is the wheel or rim diameter in
inches. 6. Two- or three-digit number (95):
This number is the tire's load index.
It is a measurement of how much
weight each tire can support.
7. H: Tire speed rating. You should not drive the vehicle faster than the tire
speed rating.
WDI0395
Example
8-34Do-it-yourself
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O2TIN (Tire Identification Number)
for a new tire (example: DOT XX XX
XXX XXXX)
1. DOT: Abbreviation for the “Depart- ment Of Transportation”. The sym-
bol can be placed above, below or
to the left or right of the Tire Iden-
tification Number.
2. Two-digit code: Manufacturer's identification mark. 3. Two-digit code: Tire size.
4. Three-digit code: Tire type code
(Optional).
5. Four numbers represent the week and year the tire was built. For ex-
ample, the numbers 3103 means
the 31st week of 2003. If these
numbers are missing then look on
the other sidewall of the tire.
LDI2786
Example (Type A) (if so equipped)
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O7The word “radial”
The word “radial” is shown if the tire
has radial structure.
O8Manufacturer or brand name
Manufacturer or brand name is
shown.
Other Tire-related Terminology
In addition to the many terms that are
defined throughout this section, In-
tended Outboard Sidewall is (1) the
sidewall that contains a whitewall,
bears white lettering or bears manu-
facturer, brand, and/or model name
molding that is higher or deeper than
the same molding on the other side-
wall of the tire, or (2) the outward
facing sidewall of an asymmetrical tire
that has a particular side that must
always face outward when mounted
on a vehicle.
TYPES OF TIRES
WARNING
• When changing or replacing tires, be sure
all four tires are of the same type (i.e.,
Summer, All Season or Snow) and con-
struction. An INFINITI retailer may be
able to help you with information about
tire type, size, speed rating and
availability.
• Replacement tires may have a lower
speed rating than the factory equipped
tires, and may not match the potential
maximum vehicle speed. Never exceed
the maximum speed rating of the tire.
• Replacing tires with those not originally
specified by INFINITI could affect the
proper operation of the low tire pressure
warning system.
• Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction and tread pattern on
all four wheels. Failure to do so may re-
sult in a circumference difference be-
tween tires on the front and rear axles
which can cause the Vehicle Dynamic
Control (VDC) system to malfunction re-
sulting in personal injury or death, exces-
sive tire wear and may damage the
transmission, transfer case and differen-
tial gears. •
For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety In-
formation” (US) or “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (Canada) in the Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) models
CAUTION
• Always use tires of the same size, brand,
construction (bias, bias-belted or radial),
and tread pattern on all four wheels.
Failure to do so may result in a circumfer-
ence difference between tires on the
front and rear axles which will cause ex-
cessive tire wear and may damage the
transmission and drivetrain parts.
• ONLY use spare tires specified for the
AWD model.
If excessive tire wear is found, it is recom-
mended that all four tires be replaced with
tires of the same size, brand, construction
and tread pattern. The tire pressure and
wheel alignment should also be checked and
corrected as necessary. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
Do-it-yourself8-37