2012 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN Owner's Manual (in English)

280
Maintenance
Checking and Maintaining Tires
Checking Tires
To safely operate your vehicle, your tires must be of the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread, and properly inflated.
■Inflation guidelines
Properly inflated tires provide the best combination of handling, tread life, and comfort.
Refer to the driver’s doorjamb label or spec ification’s page for the specified pressure.
Underinflated tires wear unevenly, adversely affect handling and fuel economy, and
are more likely to fail from overheating.
Overinflated tires make your vehicle ride harshly, are more prone to road hazards,
and wear unevenly.
Every day before you drive, look at each of the tires. If one looks lower than the
others, check the pressure with a tire gauge.
At least once a month or before long trips, use a gauge to measure the pressure in
all tires, including the spare. Even tires in good condition can lose 1 to 2 psi (10 to
20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2 kgf/cm
2) per month.
■Inspection guidelines
Every time you check inflation, also examine the tires and valve stems.
Look for:
• Bumps or bulges on the side or in the tread. Replace the tire if you find any cuts,
splits, or cracks in the si de of the tire. Replace it if you see fabric or cord.
• Remove any foreign objects and inspect for air leaks.
• Uneven tread wear. Have a deal er check the wheel alignment.
• Excessive tread wear.
2 Wear Indicators P. 285
•Cracks or other damage around valve stem.
1Checking Tires
Measure the air pressure when tires are cold. This
means the vehicle has been parked for at least three
hours, or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km). If
necessary, add or releas e air until the specified
pressure is reached.
If checked when hot, tire pressure can be as much as
4–6 psi (30–40 kPa, 0.3–0.4 kgf/cm
2) higher than if
checked when cold.
Have a dealer check the tires if you feel a consistent
vibration while driving. Ne w tires and any that have
been removed and reinst alled should be properly
balanced.
3WARNING
Using tires that are excessively worn or
improperly inflated can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instruction s in this owner’s
manual regarding ti re inflation and
maintenance.
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281
uuChecking and Maintaining Tires uTire and Loading Information Label
Continued
Maintenance
Tire and Loading Information Label
The label attached to the driver’s doorj amb provides necessary tire and loading
information.
Tire Labeling
The tires that came on your vehicle have a
number of markings. Those you should be
aware of are described below.
Whenever tires are replaced, they should be replaced with tires of the same size.
1Tire and Loading Information Label
The tire and loading informat ion label attached to the
driver’s doorjamb contains:
aThe number of people your vehicle can carry.
bThe total weight your vehicle can carry. Do not
exceed this weight.
cThe original tire sizes for front, rear, and spare.
dThe proper cold tire pressure for front, rear, and
spare.
Label
Example
Example Tire Size
Tire
Identification
Number (TIN)
Maximum
Tire Load
Maximum
Tire Pressure
Tire Size
■Tire Sizes
1 Tire Size
Following is an example of tire size with an
explanation of what each component means.
P205/55 R16 89H
P: Vehicle type (P indi cates passenger vehicle).
205: Tire width in millimeters.
55: Aspect ratio (the tire’s section height as a percentage of its width).
R: Tire construction code (R indicates radial).
16: Rim diameter in inches.
89: Load index (a numerical code associated with
H: Spe ed symb ol ( an alphabeti cal co de indicati ng
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the maximum speed ra. ting). the maximum load the tire can carry).

uuChecking and Maintaining Tires uTire Labeling
282
Maintenance
The tire identification number (TIN) is a gr oup of numbers and letters that look like
the example in the side co lumn. TIN is located on the sidewall of the tire.
Cold Tire Pressure – The tire air pressure when the vehicle has been parked for at
least three hours or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Load Rating – Means the maximum load that a ti re is rated to carry for a given
inflation pressure.
Maximum Inflation Pressure – The maximum tire air pressure that the tire
Maximum Load Rating – Means the load rating for a tire at the maximum
permissible inflation pr essure for that tire.
Recommended Inflation Pressure – The cold tire inflation pressure recommended
by the manufacturer.
Treadwear Indicators (TWI) – Means the projections within the principal grooves
designed to give a visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread.
■Tire Identification Number (TIN)
■Glossary of Tire Terminology
1 Tire Identification Number (TIN)
DOT B97R FW6X 2209
DOT: This indicates that the tire meets all
requirements of the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
B97R: Manufacturer's identification mark.
FW6X: Tire type code.
22 09: Date of manufacture.
Year
Week
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can hold .

283
uuChecking and Maintaining Tires uDOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
Continued
Maintenance
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
The tires on your vehicle m eet all U.S. Federal Safety Requirements. All tires
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width.
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested un der controlled conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times as well
depends upon the actual co nditions of their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and climate.
■Uniform Tire Quality Grading
■Treadwear
1Uniform Tire Quality Grading
For example:
Treadwear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A
All passenger car tires must conform to
Federal Safety Requirements in addition to
these grades.
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are also graded for treadwear, traction, and temperature performance according
to Departm en t o f Transportation (DOT) standards. The following explains these
gradings.
o n t he gove rnment course as a tire graded 100. T he r ela tive per formance of tires

uuChecking and Maintaining Tires uDOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
284
Maintenance
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades
represent the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the tire
resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce\
tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance which all passenger care tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B a\
nd A
represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
■Traction
■Temperature
1Traction
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
1 Temperature
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is propertly inflated
and not overloaded. Escessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.
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's

285
uuChecking and Maintaining Tires uWear Indicators
Maintenance
Wear Indicators
The groove where the wear indicator is
located is 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) shallower than
elsewhere on the tire. If the tread has worn so
that the indicator is ex posed, replace the tire.
Worn out tires have po or traction on wet
roads.
Tire Service Life
The life of your tires is dependent on many factors, including driving habits, road
conditions, vehicle loading, inflation pressure, maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even wh en the tires are not in use).
In addition to regular inspections and in flation pressure maintenance, it is
recommended that you have annual inspections performed once the tires reach five
years old. All tires, including the spare, should be removed from service after 10
years from the date of manufacture, regardle ss of their condition or state of wear.
1Checking Tires
High speed driving
We recommend that you do not drive faster than the
posted speed limits and condi tions allow. If you drive
at sustained high speeds (over 118 mph or 190
km/h), adjust the cold tire pressures as shown below
to avoid excessive heat build up and sudden tire
failure.
*1: Optional for U.S. models (summer tires)
Tire SizeP215/45R17 87V
215/45ZR17 91W*1
Pressure 35 psi (240 kPa, 2.4 kgf/cm2)
2.4 ℓ engine modelsExample of a Wear
Indicator mark
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286
uuChecking and Maintaining Tires uTire and Wheel Replacement
Maintenance
Tire and Wheel Replacement
Replace your tires with radials of the sa me size, load range, speed rating, and
maximum cold tire pressure ra ting (as shown on the tire’s sidewall). Using tires of a
different size or construction can cause the ABS and VSA
® (vehicle stability assist)
system to work incorrectly.
It is best to replace all four tires at the same time. If that isn’t possible, replace the
front or rear tires in pairs.
Make sure that the wheel’s specifications match those of the original wheels.
If you replace a wheel, only use TPMS sp ecified wheels approved for your vehicle.
1Tire and Wheel Replacement
3WARNING
Installing improper tires on your vehicle can
affect handling and stability. This can cause
a crash in which you can be seriously hurt or
killed.
Always use the size and type of tires
recommended in this owner’s manual.
U.S. models only
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287
uuChecking and Maintaining Tires uTire Rotation
Maintenance
Tire Rotation
Rotating tires according to the maintena nce messages on the information display*/
multi-information display* helps to distribute wear more evenly and increase tire life.
■Tires without rotation marks
Rotate the tires as shown here.
■Tires with rotation marksRotate the tires as shown here.
1Tire Rotation
Tires with directional trea d patterns should only be
rotated front to back (not fr om one side to the other).
Directional tires should be mounted with the rotation
indication mark facing forward, as shown below.
FRONT
Direction MarkFront
Front
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* Not av ailable on all mo dels