Maintenance
387
Checking tire inflation pressure
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.
How to check
Use a good quality gage to check tire
pressure. You can not tell if your tires
are properly inflated simply by look-
ing at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're
underinflated.
Check the tire's inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. - "Cold"
means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no
more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
WARNING - Tire Inflation
Overinflation or underinflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and
lead to sudden tire failure. This
could result in loss of vehicle
control and potential injury.
CAUTION - Tire pressure
Always observe the following:
• Check tire pressure when the
tires are cold. (After vehicle
has been parked for at least
three hours or hasn't been
driven more than one mile (1.6
km) since startup.)
• Check the pressure of your
spare tire each time you check
the pressure of other tires.
• Never overload your vehicle.
Be careful not to overload a
vehicle luggage rack if your
vehicle is equipped with one.
• Worn, old tires can cause acci-
dents. If your tread is badly
worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
CAUTION
• Warm tires normally exceed
recommended cold tire pres-
sures by 4 to 6 psi (28 to 41
kPa). Do not release air from
warm tires to adjust the pres-
sure or the tires will be under-
inflated.
• Be sure to reinstall the tire
inflation valve caps. Without
the valve cap, dirt or moisture
could get into the valve core
and cause air leakage. If a
valve cap is missing, install a
new one as soon as possible.