Tire Care and Maintenance Replacing Tires and Wheels Tires degrade over time due to the effects of ultraviolet light, extreme temperatures, high loads, and environmental conditions. It is recommended that tires are replaced every six years, or sooner if required. Wheel and tires are matched to suit the Warning: Road holding is seriously handling characteristics of the vehicle. impaired if the tires are incorrectly Replacement tires must comply with the installed on the wheels. original specification. If tires other than those specified are used, ensure that the load and speed ratings marked on the tire (see Removing and Installing Hub Caps Understanding Tire Markings on page 139) If your Model 3 is equipped with hub caps, you equal or exceed those of the original must remove them to access the lug nuts. To specification. remove a hub cap, grasp it firmly and pull it Ideally, you should replace all four tires at the toward you. same time. If this is not possible, replace the tires in pairs, placing the new tires on the rear. When replacing tires, always re-balance and check the alignment of wheels. If you replace a wheel, the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) sensors need to be reset to ensure they provide accurate warnings when tires are under- or over-inflated (see Automatic Resetting of TPMS Sensors on page 117). For the specification of the original wheels and tires installed on Model 3, see Wheels and Tires on page 138. Warning: For your safety, use only tires To install a hub cap, align it into position and and wheels that match the original push firmly around its perimeter until it fully specification. Tires that do not match the snaps into place. original specification can affect the operation of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Warning: Never exceed the speed rating of your vehicle's tires. The speed rating is shown on the sidewall of your tires (see Understanding Tire Markings on page 139). Asymmetric Tires Model 3 tires are asymmetric and must be mounted on the wheel with the correct sidewall facing outward. The sidewall of the tire is marked with the word OUTSIDE. When new tires are installed, make sure that the tires are correctly mounted on the wheels. Maintenance 115