flat tire TOYOTA COROLLA 1996 User Guide

160
CHECKING YOUR TIRES
Check the tire tread for the tread wear
indicators. If the indicators show, re-
place the tires.
The tires on your Toyota have built-in
tread wear indicators to help you know
when the tires need replacement. When
the tread depth wears to 1.6 mm (0.06 in.)
or less, the indicators will appear. If you
can see the indicators in two or more adja-
cent grooves, the tire should be replaced.
The lower the tread, the higher the risk of
skidding.
The effectiveness of snow tires is lost
if the tread wears down below 4 mm
(0.16 in.).Check the tires regularly for damage
such as cuts, splits and cracks. If any
damage is found, consult with a tech-
nician and have the tire repaired or re-
placed.
Even if the damage does not appear seri-
ous, a qualified technician should ex-
amine the damage. Objects which have
penetrated the tire may have caused in-
ternal damage.
Any tires which are over six years old
must be checked by a qualified techni-
cian even if damage is not obvious.
Tires deteriorate with age even if they
have never or seldom been used.
This also applies to the spare tire and tires
stored for future use.
REPLACING YOUR TIRES
When replacing a tire, use only the
same size and construction as origi-
nally installed and with the same or
greater load capacity.
Using any other size or type of tire may se-
riously affect handling, ride, speedome-
ter/odometer calibration, ground clear-
ance, and clearance between the body
and tires or snow chains.
CAUTION!
Do not mix radial, bias belted, or
bias-ply tires on your vehicle. It
can cause dangerous handling
characteristics, resulting in loss of
control.
Do not use tires or wheels other
than the manufacturer's recom-
mended size.
Toyota recommends all four tires, or at
least both of the front or rear tires be
replaced at a time as a set.
See If you have a flat tireº in Part 4 for tire
change procedure.
When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect vehicle
handling and tire life. Wheels can get out
of balance with regular use and should
therefore be balanced occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the air
valve should also be replaced with a
new one.
Checking and replacing tires
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161
To equalize the wear and help extend
tire life, Toyota recommends that you
rotate your tires every 12000 km (7500
miles). However, the most appropriate
timing for tire rotation may vary ac-
cording to your driving habits and
road surface conditions.
See If you have a flat tireº in Part 4 for tire
change procedure.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is usu-
ally caused by incorrect tire pressure, im-
proper wheel alignment, out-of-balance
wheels, or severe braking.
CAUTION!
Do not include a compact spare tire
when rotating the tires. It is designed
for temporary use only.WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR
CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recom-
mended when driving on snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional tires
provide better traction than snow tires.
SNOW TIRE SELECTION
If you need snow tires, select the same
size, construction and load capacity
as the original tires on your Toyota.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possible restrictions.
SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on all
wheels.
Installing snow tires on the front wheels
only can lead to an excessive difference
in road grip capability between the front
and rear tires which would cause loss of
vehicle control.
When storing removed tires, you should
store them in a cool dry place.
Mark the direction of rotation and be sure
to install them in the same direction when
replacing.
Installing snow tires and chains Rotating tires
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162
CAUTION!
Do not drive with the snow tires in-
correctly inflated.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.
TIRE CHAIN SELECTION
Use the tire chains of correct size and
type.
Use SAE Class Sº type radial tire chains
except radial cable chains or V-bar type
chains.
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary according to location or
type of road, so always check them be-
fore installing chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the front tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the rear tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5'1.0 km
(1/4'1/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires, care-
fully follow the instructions of the chain
manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so remove
the covers before putting on the chains.
CAUTION!
Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) or
the chain manufacturer's recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which may
cause the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked-wheel
braking, as use of chains may ad-
versely affect vehicle handling.
Do not attempt to use a tire chain on
the compact spare tire, as it may
result in damage to the vehicle as
well as the tire.
NOTICE
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion,
the wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels, the
tire may slip off the wheel or they may
cause loss of handling control.
WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should
be taken to ensure that the wheels are
replaced by ones with the same load
capacity, diameter, rim width, and off-
set.
This must be observed on compact spare
tires, too.
Correct replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may ad-
versely affect handling, wheel and bearing
life, brake cooling, speedometer/odometer
calibration, stopping ability, headlight aim,
bumper height, vehicle ground clearance,
and tire or snow chain clearance to the
body and chassis.
Replacing wheels
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190Traction A, B, CÐThe traction grades,
from highest to lowest, are A, B, and C,
and they represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specified govern-
ment test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor trac-
tion performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on braking (straight
ahead) traction tests and does not include
cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature A, B, CÐThe temperature
grades are A (the highest), B, and C, rep-
resenting the tire's resistance to the gen-
eration of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degener-
ate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure. The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires
must meet under the Federal Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.Warning: The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive load-
ing, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire
failure.ProCarManuals.com