User's Manual

133
TIRE CARE
TIRE PRESSURES
WARNING: Tire pressures should be
checked using an accurate pressure
gauge when cold. Under-inflation is the
most common cause of tire failures and
may result in severe tire cracking, tread
separation or blowout, with unexpected
loss of vehicle control and increased risk of
injury.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.)
FMVSS 138 (§571.138 Standard No. 138;
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems) S4.5
Written Instructions.
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale
when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale
illuminates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. See “Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS)” on page 136.
Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces
battery range and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance, and
it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressure, even if under-
inflation has not reached the level to
trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
CHECKING TIRE PRESSURES
WARNING: Pressure checks should
only be carried out when the tires are
cold and the vehicle has been stationary
for more than three hours. A hot tire at or
below recommended cold inflation
pressure is dangerously under-inflated.
WARNING: If the vehicle has been
parked in strong sunlight or used in
high ambient temperatures, do not reduce
the tire pressures. Move the vehicle into the
shade and allow the tires to cool before
checking.
WARNING: Do not exceed the
maximum pressure stated on the
sidewall of the tire. Over-inflation could
cause the tire to fail suddenly.
Check the pressures when the tires are
cold. Air pressure increases in warm tires
and it only takes 1 mile of driving to warm
the tires sufficiently to affect the tire
pressures. If it is necessary to check the
tires when they are warm, you should
expect the pressures to have increased. Do
not let air out of warm tires in an attempt
to match the recommended cold tire
pressures.
Always inflate your tires to the pressures
recommended by Karma Automotive even
if it differs from the maximum inflation
pressure information found on the tires.
For the correct tire pressures, refer to the
“Tire and loading information label / vehicle
placard” on page 145.
The following procedure should be used to
check and adjust tire pressures:
1. Remove the cap from the valve, then
firmly press the tire gauge onto the
valve and measure the pressure.
2. If required, add air to reach the required
pressure.
3. Check the pressure by removing the tire
gauge and then re-attaching it. Failure
to remove and re-attach the gauge to
the valve could cause the gauge to
show an incorrect reading.