2012 Hyundai Sonata wheel

Maintenance40
7Disc 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.
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.
OBH078040
Without a spare tire
WARNING
 Do not use the compact spare
tire for tire rotation.
 Do not mix bias ply and radial ply tires under any circum-
stances. This may cause
unusual handling characteris-
tics that could result in death,
severe injury, or property
damage.
CAUTION
Improper wheel weights candamage your vehicle's alu-minum wheels. Use onlyapproved wheel weights.

741
Maintenance
Tire replacement
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear
indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) 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.
OEN076053
Tread wear indicator
WARNING
- Replacingtires
To reduce the chance or serious
or fatal injuries from an acci-
dent caused by tire failure or
loss of vehicle control:
 Replace tires that are worn, show uneven wear, or are
damaged. Worn tires can
cause loss of braking effec-
tiveness, steering control, and
traction.
 Do not drive your vehicle with too little or too much pressure
in your tires. This can lead to
uneven wear and tire failure.
 When replacing tires, never mix radial and bias-ply tires
on the same car. You must
replace all tires (including the
spare) if moving from radial to
bias-ply tires.
(Continued)
(Continued)
 Using tires and wheel otherthan the recommended sizes
could cause unusual handling
characteristics and poor vehi-
cle control, resulting in a seri-
ous accident.
 Wheels that do not meet HYUNDAI’s specifications
may fit poorly and result in
damage to the vehicle or
unusual handling and poor
vehicle control.
 The ABS works by comparing the speed of the wheels. Tire
size can affect wheel speed.
When replacing tires, all 4
tires must use the same size
originally supplied with the
vehicle. Using tires of a differ-
ent size can cause the ABS
(Anti-lock Brake System) and
ESC (Electronic Stability
Control) to work irregularly.

Maintenance42
7Compact spare tire replacement 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 vehicle 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. 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 traction
Tire traction can be reduced if you
drive on worn tires, tires that are
improperly inflated or on slippery
road surfaces. Tires should be
replaced when tread wear indicators
appear. To reduce the possibility of
losing control, slow down whenever
there is rain, snow or ice on the road.
Tire maintenance
In addition to proper inflation, correct
wheel alignment helps to decrease
tire wear. If you find a tire is worn
unevenly, have your dealer check the
wheel alignment.
When you have new tires installed,
make sure they are balanced. This
will increase vehicle ride comfort and
tire life. Additionally, a tire should
always be rebalanced if it is removed
from the wheel.
WARNING
A wheel that is not the correct
size may adversely affect wheel
and bearing life, braking and
stopping abilities, handling char-
acteristics, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, snow
chain clearance, speedometer
and odometer calibration, head-
light aim and bumper height.

743
Maintenance
Tire sidewall labeling
This information identifies and
describes the fundamental charac-
teristics of the tire and also provides
the tire identification number (TIN)
for safety standard 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.
Example tire size designation:
(These numbers are provided as an
example only; your tire size designa-
tor could vary depending on your
vehicle.)
P205/65R16 94H
P - Applicable vehicle type (tiresmarked with the prefix “P’’ are
intended for use on passenger
cars or light trucks; however, not
all tires have this marking).
205 - 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. 94 - Load Index, a numerical code
associated with the maximum
load the tire can carry.
H - 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:
6.5JX16
6.5 - Rim width in inches.
J - Rim contour designation.
16 - Rim diameter in inches.
I030B04JM
1
1
2
34
5,6
7

Maintenance44
7Tire speed ratings The chart below lists many of the dif-
ferent speed ratings currently being
used for passenger car tires. The
speed rating is part of the tire size
designation on the sidewall of the
tire. This symbol corresponds to that
tire's designed maximum safe oper-
ating speed.
3. Checking tire life (TIN : Tire
Identification Number) Any tires that are over 6 years old,
based on the manufacturing date,
(including the spare tire) should be
replaced by new ones. You can find
the manufacturing date on the tire
sidewall (possibly on the inside of the
wheel), displaying the DOT Code.
The DOT Code is a series of num-
bers on a tire consisting of numbers
and English letters. The manufactur-
ing date is designated by the last four
digits (characters) of the DOT code.
DOT : XXXX XXXX OOOO
The front part of the DOT means a
plant code number, tire size and
tread pattern and the last four num-
bers indicate week and year manu-
factured.
For example:
DOT XXXX XXXX 1611 represents
that the tire was produced in the 16th
week of 2011.
4. Tire ply composition and materialThe number of layers or plies of rub-
ber-coated fabric in the tire. Tire
manufacturers also must indicate the
materials in the tire, which include
steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
The letter "R" means radial ply con-
struction; the letter "D" means diago-
nal or bias ply construction; and the
letter "B" means belted-bias ply con-
struction.
S 112 mph (180 km/h)
T 118 mph (190 km/h)
H 130 mph (210 km/h) V 149 mph (240 km/h)Z Above 149 mph (240 km/h)
Maximum Speed
Speed
Rating
Symbol
WARNING - Tire age
Tires degrade over time, even
when they are not being used.
Regardless of the remaining
tread, it is recommended that
tires generally be replaced after
six (6) years of normal service.
Heat caused by hot climates or
frequent high loading condi-
tions can accelerate the aging
process. Failure to follow this
warning can result in sudden
tire failure, which could lead to
a loss of control and an acci-
dent involving serious injury or
death.

Maintenance46
7Temperature -A, B & C The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions 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 cor-
responds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the labora-
tory test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Tire terminology and definitions
Air Pressure: The amount of air
inside the tire pressing outward on
the tire. Air pressure is expressed in
pounds per square inch (psi) or kilo-
pascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight
: This means the
combined weight of optional acces-
sories. Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic
transaxle, power seats, and air con-
ditioning.
Aspect Ratio: The relationship of a
tire's height to its width.
Belt: A rubber coated layer of cords
that is located between the plies and
the tread. Cords may be made from
steel or other reinforcing materials.
Bead: The tire bead contains steel
wires wrapped by steel cords that
hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire : A pneumatic tire in
which the plies are laid at alternate
angles less than 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
WARNING - Tire temperature
The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
build-up and possible sudden
tire failure. This can cause loss
of vehicle control and serious
injury or death.

Maintenance48
7Speed Rating: An alphanumeric
code assigned to a tire indicating the
maximum speed at which a tire can
operate.
Traction: The friction between the
tire and the road surface. The
amount of grip provided.
Tread: The portion of a tire that
comes into contact with the road.
Treadwear Indicators: Narrow
bands, sometimes called "wear
bars," that show across the tread of a
tire when only 2/32 inch of tread
remains.
UTQGS: Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards, a tire information
system that provides consumers with
ratings for a tire's traction, tempera-
ture and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers
using government testing proce-
dures. The ratings are molded into
the sidewall of the tire.
Vehicle Capacity Weight : The num-
ber of designated seating positions
multiplied by 150 lbs. (68 kg) plus the
rated cargo and luggage load. Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire: Load on an individual tire due to
curb and accessory weight plus
maximum occupant and cargo
weight.
Vehicle Normal Load on the Tire
:
Load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each
axle its share of the curb weight,
accessory weight, and normal occu-
pant weight and dviding by 2.
Vehicle Placard: A label permanent-
ly attached to a vehicle showing the
original equipment tire size and rec-
ommended inflation pressure.
All season tires
HYUNDAI specifies all season tires
on some models to provide good
performance for use all year round,
including snowy and icy road condi-
tions. All season tires are identified
by ALL SEASON and/or M+S (Mud
and Snow) on the tire sidewall. Snow
tires have better snow traction than
all season tires and may be more
appropriate in some areas. Summer tires
HYUNDAI specifies summer tires on
some models to provide superior
performance on dry roads. Summer
tire performance is substantially
reduced in snow and ice. Summer
tires do not have the tire traction rat-
ing M+S (Mud and Snow) on the tire
side wall. if you plan to operate your
vehicle in snowy or icy conditions.
HYUNDAI recommends the use of
snow tires or all season tires on all
four wheels.
Snow tires
If you equip your car with snow tires,
they should be the same size and
have the same load capacity as the
original tires. Snow tires should be
installed on all four wheels; other-
wise, poor handling may result.
Snow tires should carry 4 psi (28
kPa) more air pressure than the
pressure recommended for the stan-
dard tires on the tire label on the dri-
ver's side of the center pillar, or up to
the maximum pressure shown on the
tire sidewall, whichever is less.

749
Maintenance
Do not drive faster than 75 mph (120
km/h) when your car is equipped with
snow tires.
Tire chains
Tire chains, if necessary, should be
installed on the front wheels.
Be sure that the chains are installed
in accordance with the manufactur-
er's instructions.
To minimize tire and chain wear, do
not continue to use tire chains when
they are no longer needed.
Radial-ply tiresRadial-ply tires provide improved
tread life, road hazard resistance and
smoother high speed ride. The radi-
al-ply tires used on this vehicle are of
belted construction, and are selected
to complement the ride and handling
characteristics of your vehicle.
Radial-ply tires have the same load
carrying capacity, as bias-ply or bias
belted tires of the same size, and use
the same recommended inflation
pressure. Mixing of radial-ply tires
with bias-ply or bias belted tires is
not recommended. Any combina-
tions of radial-ply and bias-ply or bias
belted tires when used on the same
vehicle will seriously deteriorate
vehicle handling. The best rule to fol-
low is: Identical radial-ply tires should
always be used as a set of four.
Longer wearing tires can be more
susceptible to irregular tread wear. It
is very important to follow the tire
rotation interval shown in this section
to achieve the tread life potential of
these tires. Cuts and punctures in
radial-ply tires are repairable only in
the tread area, because of sidewall
flexing. Consult your tire dealer for
radial-ply tire repairs.
WARNING
- Snow or ice
 When driving on roads cov- ered with snow or ice, drive at
less than 20 mph (30 km/h).
 Use the SAE “S” class or wire chains.
 If you hear noise caused by chains contacting the body,
retighten the chain to avoid
contact with the vehicle body.
 To prevent body damage, retighten the chains after driv-
ing 0.3~0.6 miles (0.5~1.0 km).
 Do not use tire chains on vehicles equipped with alu-
minum wheels. In unavoid-
able circumstance, use a wire
type chain.
 Use wire chains less than 0.47 inches (12 mm) to prevent
damage to the chain’s con-
nection.