Inflation - Tire PressureTires need the correct amount of air pressure to operateeffectively.Notice: Do not let anyone tell you thatunder-inflation or over-inflation is all right. It is not.If your tires do not have enough air (under-inflation),you can get the following:• Too much flexing• Too much heat• Tire overloading• Premature or irregular wear• Poor handling• Reduced fuel economyIf your tires have too much air (over-inflation), youcan get the following:• Unusual wear• Poor handling• Rough ride• Needless damage from road hazardsA Tire and Loading Information label is attached to thevehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar), below the driver’sdoor lock post (striker). This label lists your vehicle’soriginal equipment tires and their recommended cold tireinflation pressures. The recommended cold tireinflation pressure, shown on the label, is the minimumamount of air pressure needed to support your vehicle’smaximum load carrying capacity.For additional information regarding how much weightyour vehicle can carry, and an example of the tireand loading information label, see Loading Your Vehicleon page 4-47.When to CheckCheck your tires once a month or more. Do not forget tocheck the spare tire. For additional informationregarding the spare tire, see Spare Tire on page 5-98.How to CheckUse a good quality pocket-type gage to check tirepressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly inflatedsimply by looking at them. Radial tires may look properlyinflated even when they’re underinflated. Check the tire’sinflation pressure when the tires are cold. Cold meansyour vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours ordriven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).5-67
