Checking And Replacing Tires - Toyota 2003 HIGHLANDER User Manual

CAUTION
Keep your tire pressure properly.
Otherwise, the following conditions
may occur and cause an accident re-
sulting in death or serious injuries.
Low tire pressure (underinflation)—
D
Excessive wear
D
Uneven wear
D
Poor handling
D
Possibility of blowouts from over-
heated tire
D
Poor sealing of the tire bead
D
Wheel deformation and/or tire sepa-
ration
High tire pressure (overinflation)—
D
Poor handling
D
Excessive wear at the center of the
tire tread
D
A greater possibility of tire damage
from road hazards
268
'03 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0208)
The following instructions for checking
tire pressure should be observed:
D
The pressure should be checked only
when the tires are cold. If your ve-
hicle has been parked for at least 3
hours and has not been driven for
more than 1.5 km or 1 mile since, you
will get an accurate cold tire pressure
reading.
D
Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of a tire can be mis-
leading. Besides, tire pressures that
are even just a few pounds off can
degrade ride and handling.
D
Do not bleed or reduce tire pressure
after driving. It is normal for the tire
pressure to be higher after driving.
D
Never exceed the vehicle capacity
weight. The passenger and luggage
weight should be located so that the
vehicle is balanced.
D
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation
valve caps. Without the valve caps,
dirt or moisture could get into the valve
core and cause air leakage. If the caps
have been lost, have new ones put on
as soon as possible.
2003 HIGHLANDER from Aug. '02 Prod. (OM48441U)

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.).