tires FIAT FREEMONT 2014 1.G User Guide
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Page 234 of 388

(Continued)
Failure to properly follow floor mat installation
or mounting can cause interference with the
brake pedal and accelerator pedal operation
causing loss of control of the vehicle.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make
Outside The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven
wear patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other
objects lodged in the tread or sidewall. Inspect the
tread for cuts and cracks. Inspect sidewalls for cuts,
cracks and bulges. Check the wheel nuts for tightness.
Check the tires (including spare) for proper cold infla-
tion pressure. Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights
and exterior lights while you work the controls. Check
turn signal and high beam indicator lights on the instru-
ment panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for
fuel, engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if
gasoline fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering
fluid (for versions/markets, where provided), or brake
fluid leaks are suspected, the cause should be located
and corrected immediately.
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Page 253 of 388

ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
(for versions/markets, where
provided)
This feature provides on-demand All-Wheel Drive
(AWD). The system is automatic with no driver inputs
or additional driving skills required. Under normal
driving conditions, the front wheels provide most of
the traction. If the front wheels begin to lose traction,
power is shifted automatically to the rear wheels. The
greater the front wheel traction loss, the greater the
power transfer to the rear wheels.
Additionally, on dry pavement under heavy throttle
input (where one may have no wheel spin), torque will
be sent to the rear in a pre-emptive effort to improve
vehicle launch and performance characteristics.
All wheels must have the same size and
type tires. Unequal tire sizes must not be
used. Unequal tire size may cause failure
of the power transfer unit .
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
ACCELERATION
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other
slippery surfaces may cause the driving wheels to pull
erratically to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs
when there is a difference in the surface traction under
the front (driving) wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces
is dangerous .
Unequal traction can
cause sudden pulling of the front wheels. You
could lose control of the vehicle and possibly
have a collision. Accelerate slowly and carefully
whenever there is likely to be poor traction (ice,
snow, wet , mud, loose sand, etc .).
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TRACTION
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for
a wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping ability. To
reduce this possibility, the following precautions should
be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads areslushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when tread wear indicators first become visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in
a sudden stop.DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Driving through water more than a few centimeters
deep will require extra caution to ensure safety and
prevent damage to your vehicle.
FLOWING/RISING WATER
WARNING!
Do not drive on, or cross, a road or a
path w h
ere water is flowing and/or rising
(as in storm run-off ). Flowing water can wear
away the road or path's surface and cause your
vehicle to sink into deeper water. Furthermore,
flowing and/or rising water can carry your vehicle
away swiftly. Failure to follow this warning may
result in injuries that are serious or fatal to you,
your passengers, and others around you.
Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving through
shallow standing water, consider the following Caution
and Warning before doing so.
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TOWING REQUIREMENTS
To promote proper break-in of your new vehicle drive-
train components the following guidelines are recom-
mended:
•Donottowatraileratallduringthe
first 805 km the new vehicle is driven.The
engine, axle or other parts could be dam-
aged.
• Then, during the first 805 km that a trailer is
towed, do not drive over 80 km/h and do not make
starts at full throttle. This helps the engine and
other parts of the vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads.
Perform the maintenance listed in the Maintenance
Schedule. When towing a trailer, never exceed the
GAWR ratings.
WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury
acciden t
. Follow these guidelines to
make your trailer towing as safe as possible:
•Make certain that the load is secured in the
trailer and that it will not shift during travel.
When trailering cargo that is not fully secured,
dynamic load shifts can occur that may be diffi-
cult for the driver to control.You could lose con-
trol of your vehicle and have an accident .
• All trailer hitches should be professionally in-
stalled on your vehicle.
• When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor performance, or
damage to brakes, axle, engine, transmission,
steering, suspension, chassis structure, or tires.
• Safety chains must always be used between
your vehicle and trailer. Always connect the
chains to the frame or hook retainers of the
vehicle hitch. Cross the chains under the trailer
tongue and allow enough slack for turning cor-
ners.
(Continued)
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(Continued)
• Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a
grade.When parking, apply the parking brake on
the tow vehicle. Always, block or "chock" the
trailer wheels.
• GCWR must not be exceeded.
• Total weight must be distributed between the
tow vehicle and the trailer such that the following
four ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch uti- lized.
Towing Requirements – Tires
– Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a compact spare tire.
– Proper tire inflation pressures are essential for the safe and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer
to “Tires – General Information” in “Technical Speci-
fications” for proper tire inflation procedures.
– Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation pres- sures before trailer usage. – Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire damage
before towing a trailer. Refer to “Tires – General
Information” in “Technical Specifications” for the
proper tire inspection procedures.
– When replacing tires, refer to “Tires – General Information” in “Technical Specifications” for proper
tire replacement procedures. Replacing tires with a
higher load carrying capacity will not increase the
vehicle's GVWR and GAWR limits.
Towing Requirements – Trailer Brakes
–Do notinterconnect the hydraulic brake system or
vacuum system of your vehicle with that of the
trailer. This could cause inadequate braking and pos-
sible personal injury.
– When towing a trailer equipped with a hydraulic surge actuated brake system, an electronic brake
controller is not required.
– Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers over 450 kg and required for trailers in excess of 750 kg.
If the trailer weighs more than 450 kg
loaded, it should have its own brakes, and
they should be of adequate capacity. Fail-
ure to do this could lead to accelerated brake
lining wear, higher brake pedal effort , and longer
stopping distances.
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7. Odometer Display / Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC) Display
Odometer
The odometer display shows the total distance the
vehicle has been driven.
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)
Display
The Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) fea-
tures a driver-interactive display that is located in the
instrument cluster. For further information, refer to
“Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)” in
“Knowing Your Vehicle”.
8. Park/Headlight ON IndicatorThis indicator will illuminate when the park
lights or headlights are turned on. (Refer to
“Lights” in “Knowing Your Vehicle” for fur-
ther information). 9. Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label.
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 tell-
tale light illuminates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
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Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s respon-
sibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-
inflation has not reached the level to trigger illumina-
tion of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is
not operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indica-
tor is combined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale
will flash for approximately one minute and then re-
main continuously illuminated. This sequence will con-
tinue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the
malfunction exists. When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be able to detect or
signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons, including the instal-
lation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale
light after replacing one or more tires or wheels on
your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alter-
nate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to
function properly.The TPMS has been optimized for the
original equipment tires and wheels.
TPMS pressures and warning have been
established for the tire size equipped on your
vehicle. Undesirable system operation or sensor
damage may result when using replacement
equipment that is not of the same size, type,
and/or style.Aftermarket wheels can cause sensor
damage. Do not use aftermarket tire sealants or
balance beads if your vehicle is equipped with a
TPMS, as damage to the sensors may result . (Re-
fer to “Tire Inflation Pressures” under “Tires —
General Information” and to “Tire Pressure Moni-
tor System (TPMS)” in “Knowing Your Vehicle” for
further information).
10. Seat Belt Reminder Light When the ignition switch is first turned to
ON/RUN, this light will turn on for four to eight
seconds as a bulb check. During the bulb check,
if the driver's seat belt is unbuckled, a chime will sound.
After the bulb check or when driving, if the driver seat
belt remains unbuckled, the Seat Belt Warning Light
will flash or remain on continuously. Refer to “Occu-
pant Restraints” in “Safety” for further information.
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After 40 km check the lug nut/bolt torque to be sure
that all the lug nuts/bolts are properly seated against
the wheel.
WARNING!
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle
off t h
e jack, do not tighten the lug nuts
fully until the vehicle has been lowered. Failure to
follow this warning may result in personal injury.
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING (for
versions/markets, where provided)
WARNING!
• Do not attempt to change a tire on the
side of
the vehicle close to moving traf-
fic . Pull far enough off the road to avoid the
danger of being hit when operating the jack or
changing the wheel.
• Being under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous.
The vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you.
You could be crushed. Never put any part of your
body under a vehicle that is on a jack. If you need
togetunderaraisedvehicle,takeittoaservice
center where it can be raised on a lift .
• Never start or run the engine while the vehicle
isonajack.
• The jack is designed to be used as a tool for
changing tires only.The jack should not be used to
lift the vehicle for service purposes. The vehicle
should be jacked on a firm level surface only.
Avoid ice or slippery areas.
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JACKING INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing
warnin gs
to help prevent personal injury
or damage to your vehicle:
•Always park on a firm, level surface as far from
the edge of the roadway as possible before rais-
ing the vehicle.
• Turn on the Hazard Warning flashers.
• Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel
to be raised.
• Set the parking brake firmly and set an auto-
matic transmission in PARK; a manual transmis-
sion in REVERSE.
• Never start or run the engine with the vehicle
onajack.
• Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it is on
ajack.
• Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a
jack. If you need to get under a raised vehicle,
take it to a service center where it can be raised
on a lift .
• Only use the jack in the positions indicated and
for lifting this vehicle during a tire change.
(Continued)(Continued)
• If working on or near a roadway, be extremely
careful of motor traffic .
• To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated, are
securely stowed, spares must be stowed with the
valve stem facing the ground.
(fig. 169)
(fig. 169) Jack Warning Label
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WARNING!
To avoid possible personal injury, handle
the w
heel covers with care to avoid con-
tact with any sharp edges.
6. Install the spare tire.
Be sure to mount the spare tire with the
valve stem facing outward. The vehicle
could be damaged if the spare tire is
mounted incorrectly.
(fig. 175) NOTE:
• For vehicles so equipped, do not attempt to install a
center cap or wheel cover on the compact spare.
• Refer to “Compact Spare Tire” and to “Limited-Use Spare” under “Tires — General Information” in
“Technical Specifications” for additional warnings,
cautions, and information about the spare tire, its
use, and operation.
7.
Install the wheel nuts with the cone-shaped end of the
nut toward the wheel. Lightly tighten the wheel nuts.
WARNING!
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off
the jack, do not tighten the wheel nuts
fully until the vehicle has been lowered. Failure to
follow this warning may result in personal injury.
8. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack screw coun- terclockwise with the jack handle.
9. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the wrench while at the end of the handle for increased
leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until
each nut has been tightened twice. Refer to “Torque
Specifications” in this section for proper lug nut
torque. If in doubt about the correct tightness, have
them checked with a torque wrench by your autho-
rized dealer or service station.
(fig. 175)
Mounting Spare Tire
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