Compact Spare Tire

Your vehicle may be equipped with a compact spare tire. Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check the inflation pressure regularly. It should be 60 psi (420 kPa).

After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you should stop as soon as possible and make sure your spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare is made to perform well at speeds up to 65 mph (105 km/h) for distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you can finish your trip and have your full-size tire repaired or replaced where you want. For heavy payloads or towing, and for low traction or four-wheel-drive conditions, repair or replace the full-size tire, and reinstall for best performance. Of course, it's best to replace your spare with a full-size tire as soon as you can. Your spare will last longer and be in good shape in case you need it again.

Notice: When the compact spare is installed, do not take the vehicle through an automatic car wash with guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on the rails which can damage the tire, wheel and other parts of the vehicle.

Don't use your compact spare on other vehicles.

And don't mix your compact spare tire or wheel with other wheels or tires. They won't fit. Keep your spare tire and its wheel together.

Notice: Tire chains will not fit the compact spare. Using them can damage the vehicle and can damage the chains too. Do not use tire chains on the compact spare.

Full-Size Spare Tire

Your vehicle may be equipped with a full-size spare tire, which, when new, was fully inflated. A spare tire, whether compact-size or full-size, may lose air over time, so check its inflation pressure regularly. See Inflation - Tire Pressure and Loading the Vehicle for information regarding proper tire inflation and loading your vehicle. For instruction on how to remove, install or store a spare tire, see Changing a Flat Tire .

After installing the spare tire on your vehicle, you should stop as soon as possible and make sure the spare is correctly inflated. Have the damaged or flat road tire repaired or replaced as soon as you can and installed back onto your vehicle. This way, a spare tire will be available in case you need it again.

Don't mix tires and wheels of different sizes, because they won't fit. Keep your spare tire and its wheel together.