Checking And Replacing Tires - Toyota 2003 Rav4 Owner's Manual

Checking and replacing tires

Tread wear indicator
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
adjacent grooves, the tire should be re-
placed. 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.).
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'03 Rav4_U (L/O 0208)
If you have tire damage such as cuts,
splits, cracks deep enough to expose
the fabric, or bulges indicating internal
damage, the tire should be replaced.
If a tire often goes flat or cannot be prop-
erly repaired due to the size or location
of a cut or other damage, it should be
replaced. If you are not sure, consult with
your Toyota dealer.
If an air loss occurs while driving, do not
continue driving with a deflated tire. Driv-
ing even a short distance can damage a
tire beyond repair.
Any tires which are over 6 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
Two–wheel drive models—When replac-
ing a tire, use only the same size and
construction as originally installed and
with the same or greater load capacity.
Four–wheel drive models—When replac-
ing tires, make sure all the tires are the
same brand. Only use the same size
and construction as
installed tires, with the same or greater
load capacity.
Using any other size or type of tire may
seriously affect handling, ride, speedome-
ter/odometer calibration, ground clearance,
and clearance between the body and tires
or snow chains.
CAUTION
Observe the following
Otherwise, an accident may occur re-
sulting in death or serious injuries.
D
Do not mix radial, bias belted, or
bias–ply tires on your vehicle, as
this may cause dangerous handling
characteristics resulting in loss of
control.
2003 RAV4 from Aug. '02 Prod. (OM42517U)
the originally
instructions.