book.book Page 3 Friday, July 19, 2013 12:53 PM Tire Care and Maintenance Tire Care and Maintenance Checking and Adjusting Tire Pressures Maintaining Tire Pressures Keep tires inflated to the pressures shown on Follow these steps when tires are cold and the Tire and Loading Information label located Model S has been stationary for over three on the driver’s door pillar (even if it differs from hours: the pressure printed on the tire itself). 1. Remove the valve cap. 2. Firmly press an accurate tire pressure gauge onto the valve to measure pressure. 3. If required, add air to reach the recommended pressure. 4. Re-check pressure by removing and re-attaching the tire gauge. 5. If you added too much air, release air by pressing the metal stem in the center of the valve. 6. Recheck the pressure with the tire gauge and adjust if necessary. 7. Replace the valve cap to prevent dirt from entering. Periodically check the valve for damage and leaks. WARNING: Under-inflation is the most common cause of tire failures. It can cause a tire to overheat, resulting in severe tire cracking, tread separation, or blowout, which The Tire Pressure indicator light on the causes unexpected loss of vehicle control and instrument panel alerts you if one or increased risk of injury. Under-inflation also more tires is under- or over-inflated. reduces Battery range and tire tread life. The Tire Pressure indicator light does not WARNING: Check tire pressures using an immediately turn off when you adjust tire accurate pressure gauge when tires are pressure. After inflating the tire to the cold. It takes only one mile of driving to warm recommended pressure, you must drive over up the tires sufficiently to affect tire pressures. 40 km/h for more than 10 minutes to activate Parking the vehicle in direct sunlight or in hot the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), weather can also affect tire pressures. If you which turns off the Tire Pressure indicator light. must check warm tires, expect increased If the indicator light flashes for one minute pressures. Do not let air out of warm tires in an whenever you power on Model S, a fault with attempt to match recommended cold tire the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is pressures. A hot tire at or below the detected (see page 7.6). recommended cold tire inflation pressure is dangerously under-inflated. WARNING: Do not use any tire sealant other than the type provided in a Tesla tire repair kit. Other types can cause tire pressure sensors to malfunction. If your ModelS did not include a tire repair kit, you can purchase one from Tesla Motors. MAINTENANCE 7.3