Checking and replacing tires
Check the tires regularly for damage
such as cuts, splits and cracks. If any
damage is found, consult with a techni-
cian and have the tire repaired or re-
placed.
CAUTION
Tread wear indicator
D Do not mix radial, bias belted, or
bias−ply tires on your vehicle. It
can cause dangerous handling char-
acteristics, resulting in loss of con-
trol.
Even if the damage does not appear seri-
ous, a qualified technician should examine
the damage. Objects which have pene-
trated the tire may have caused internal
damage.
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D Do not use tires or wheels other
than the manufacturer’s recom-
mended size.
Any tires which are over 6 years old
must be checked by a qualified techni-
cian even if damage is not obvious.
NOTICE
Tires deteriorate with age even if they
have never or seldom been used.
CHECKING YOUR TIRES
Do not use tires of different brands,
sizes and constructions. This may
damage the drive system.
Check the tire tread for the tread wear
indicators. If the indicators show, re-
place the tires.
This also applies to the spare tire and
tires stored for future use.
REPLACING YOUR 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.
Toyota recommends all four tires, or at
least both front or rear tires be re-
placed as a set.
When replacing
a
tire, use only the
same size and construction as original-
ly installed and with the same or great-
er load capacity.
See “If you have a flat tire” on page 173
in Section 5 for tire change procedure.
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.
The effectiveness of snow tires is lost
if the tread wears down below 4 mm
(0.16 in.).
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