2005 KIA Sportage tires

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Maintenance
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At least monthly: Check coolant level in the coolant
recovery reservoir.
 Check the operation of all exterior
lights, including the stoplights, turn
signals and hazard warning flash-
ers.
 Check the inflation pressures of all
tires including the spare.
At least twice a year
(i.e., every Spring and Fall) : Check radiator, heater and air con-
ditioning hoses for leaks or da-
mage.
 Check windshield washer spray
and wiper operation. Clean wiper
blades with clean cloth dampened
with washer fluid.
 Check headlight alignment.
 Check muffler, exhaust pipes,
shields and clamps.
 Check the lap/shoulder belts for
wear and function.
 Check for worn tires and loose
wheel lug nuts.
At least once a year : Clean body and door drain holes.
 Lubricate door hinges and checks,
and hood hinges.
 Lubricate door and hood locks and
latches.
 Lubricate door rubber weather-
strips.
 Check the air conditioning system
before the warm weather season.
 Check the power steering fluid
level.
 Inspect and lubricate automatic
transaxle linkage and controls.
 Clean battery and terminals.
 Check the brake fluid level.
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Maintenance34 7
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TIRES AND WHEELSTires care For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.Inflation pressures All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked every day
when the tires are cold. “Cold Tires”
means the vehicle has not been driv-
en for at least three hours or driven
less than 1.6 km (one mile).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, top vehi-
cle handling, and minimum tire wear.All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the front driver’s door sill.
1KMN5045
WARNING
Severe underinflation (70 kPa
(10 psi) or more) can lead to
severe heat build-up, especially
on hot days and when driving at
high speed. This can potentially
cause tread separation and
other tire irregularities to
appear that can result in the
loss of vehicle control leading
to severe injury or death.
WARNING
 Underinflation results in
excessive wear, poor han-
dling, reduced fuel economy,
and the possibility of
blowouts from overheated
tires. Also, low tire pressure
can cause poor sealing of the
tire bead. If the tire pressure is
excessively low, wheel defor-
mation and/or tire separation
is possible. So, keep your tire
pressures at the proper levels.
If a tire frequently needs refill-
ing, have it checked by an
Authorized Kia Dealer.
 Overinflation produces a
harsh ride, handling prob-
lems, excessive wear at the
center of the tire tread, and a
greater possibility of damage
from road hazards.
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Maintenance
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✽ ✽
NOTICE• Warm tires normally exceed rec-
ommended cold tire pressures by
28 to 41 kPa (4 to 6 psi). Do not
release air from warm tires to
adjust the pressure or the tires will
be underinflated.
• Be sure to reinstall the tire infla-
tion valve caps. Without the valve
cap, dirt or moisture could get into
the valve core and cause air leak-
age. If the cap have been lost,
install new one as soon as possible.
Checking tire inflation pres-
sureCheck your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.How to checkUse a good quality gage to check tire
pressure. You can not tell if your tires
are properly inflated simply by look-
ing at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're
underinflated.
Check the tire's inflation pressure
when the tires are cold. - "Cold"
means your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours or driven no
more than 1.6 km (1 mile).
WARNING
- Tire Inflation
Overinflation or underinflation
can reduce tire life, adversely
affect vehicle handling, and lead
to sudden tire failure. This could
result in loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION
Always observe the following:
 Check tire pressure when the
tires are cold. (After vehicle
has been parked for at least
three hours or hasn't been
driven more than 1.6 km (one
mile) since startup.)
 Check the pressure of your
spare tire each time you check
the pressure of other tires.
 Never overload your vehicle.
Be careful not to overload a
vehicle luggage rack if your
vehicle is equipped with one.
 Worn, old tires can cause acci-
dents. If your tread is badly
worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
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Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem. Press the tire gage firm-
ly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire inflation
pressure matches the recommended
pressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjust-
ment is necessary. If the pressure is
low, add air until you reach the rec-
ommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the
center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage. Be
sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and mois-
ture.
Tire rotation To equalize tread wear, it is recom-
mended that the tires be rotated
every 12,000 km (7,500 miles) or
sooner if irregular wear develops.
During rotation, check the tires for
correct balance.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of-balance wheels, severe braking or
severe cornering. Look for bumps or
bulges in the tread or side of tire.
Replace the tire if you find either of
these conditions. Replace the tire
also if you can see fabric or cord.
After rotation, be sure to bring the
front and rear tire pressures to spec-
ification and check lug nut tightness.
Refer to Section 8, Specifications.
CBGQ0707CBGQ0707A
Without a spare tire
Directional tires (if equipped)
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Disc brake pads should be inspected
for wear whenever tires are rotated.✽ ✽
NOTICERotate radial tires that have an
asymmetric tread pattern only from
front to rear and not from right to
left.
Tire replacementIf the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear
indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) of tread
left on the tire. Replace the tire when
this happens.
Do not wait for the band to appear
across the entire tread before replac-
ing the tire.
Compact spare tire replace-
ment (if equipped)A compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular size tire.
Replace it when you can see the
tread wear indicator bars on the tire.
The replacement compact spare tire
should be the same size and design
tire as the one provided with your
new Kia and should be mounted on
the same compact spare tire wheel.
The compact spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
size wheel, and the compact spare
tire wheel is not designed for mount-
ing a regular size tire.
1KMA5026
Tread wear indicator
CAUTION
Do not mix bias-ply and radial-
ply under any circumstances.
This may cause dangerous han-
dling characteristics.
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Wheel alignment and tire
balance The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may need
to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.✽ ✽
NOTICEImproper wheel weights can dam-
age your vehicle's aluminum wheels.
Use only approved wheel weights.
WARNING
 When replacing tires, never
mix radial, bias-belted, and
bias-type tires. All four tires
should be of the same size,
design and construction. Use
only the tire sizes listed on the
Tire Label found below the
door striker on the driver’s
side. Make sure that all tires
and wheels are the same size
and have the same load-carry-
ing capacity. Use only tire and
wheel combinations recom-
mended on the Tire Label or
by an Authorized Kia Dealer.
Failure to follow these precau-
tions can adversely affect the
safety and handling of your
vehicle.
(Continued)
(Continued)
 The use of any other tire size
or type may seriously affect
ride, handling, ground clear-
ance, tire clearance, and
speedometer calibration.
 Driving on worn-out tires is
very hazardous and will
reduce braking effectiveness,
steering accuracy, and trac-
tion.
 It is best to replace all four
tires at the same time. If that is
not possible, or necessary,
then replace the two front or
two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can
seriously affect your vehicle’s
handling.
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Wheel replacement When replacing the metal wheels for
any reason, make sure the new
wheels are equivalent to the original
factory units in diameter, rim width
and offset.
Tire sidewall labelingFederal law requires tire manufactur-
ers to place standardized information
on the sidewall of all tires. This infor-
mation identifies and describes the
fundamental characteristics of the
tire and also provides the tire identifi-
cation number (TIN) for safety stan-
dard certification. The TIN can be
used to identify the tire in case of a
recall.1. Manufacturer or brand nameManufacturer or Brand name is
shown.
2. Tire size designation A tire’s sidewall is marked with a tire
size designation. You will need this
information when selecting replace-
ment tires for your car. The following
explains what the letters and num-
bers in the tire size designation
mean.
WARNING
A wheel that is not the correct
size may adversely affect wheel
and bearing life, braking and
stopping abilities, handling
characteristics, ground clear-
ance, body-to-tire clearance,
snow chain clearance,
speedometer calibration, head-
light aim and bumper height.
I030B04JM
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Example tire size designation:
(These numbers are provided as an
example only; your tire size designa-
tor could vary depending on your
vehicle.)
P215/65R16 96T
P - Applicable vehicle type (tires
marked with the prefix “P’’ are
intended for use on passenger
cars or light trucks; however, not
all tires have this marking).
215 - Tire width in millimeters.
65 - Aspect ratio. The tire’s section
height as a percentage of its
width.
R - Tire construction code (Radial).
16 - Rim diameter in inches.
96 - Load Index, a numerical code
associated with the maximum
load the tire can carry.
T - Speed Rating Symbol. See the
speed rating chart in this section
for additional information.Wheel size designation
Wheels are also marked with impor-
tant information that you need if you
ever have to replace one. The follow-
ing explains what the letters and
numbers in the wheel size designa-
tion mean.
Example wheel size designation:
6.5 J×16
6.5 - Rim width in inches.
J - Rim contour designation.
16 - Rim diameter in inches.Tire speed ratings
The chart below lists many of the dif-
ferent speed ratings currently being
used for passenger cars. The speed
rating is part of the tire size designa-
tion on the sidewall of the tire. This
symbol corresponds to that tire's
designed maximum safe operating
speed.
S 180 km/h (112 mph)
T 190 km/h (118 mph)
H 210 km/h (130 mph)
V 240 km/h (149 mph)
Z Above 240 km/h (149 mph)
Maximum Speed Speed
Rating
Symbol
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