2014 Hyundai Sonata tires

7-47
7
Maintenance
•Underinflation also results in
excessive wear, poor handling
and reduced fuel economy.
Wheel deformation also is
possible. Keep your tire pres-
sures at the proper levels. If a
tire frequently needs refilling,
we recommend that the sys-
tem be checked by an author-
ized HYUNDAI dealer.
•Overinflation produces a
harsh ride, excessive wear at
the center of the tire tread,
and a greater possibility of
damage from road hazards.
CAUTION
•Warm tires normally exceed
recommended cold tire pres-
sures by 28 to 41 kPa (4 to 6
psi). Do not release air from
warm tires to adjust the pres-
sure or the tires will be under-
inflated.
•Be sure to reinstall the tire
inflation valve caps. Without
the valve cap, dirt or moisture
could get into the valve core
and cause air leakage. If a
valve cap is missing, install a
new one as soon as possible.
CAUTION
Tire pressure
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 driv-
en more than 1.6 km (1 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.
•Wo r n , o l d t i r e s c a n c a u s e
accidents. If your tread is
badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged, replace
them.
CAUTION
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 and potential injury.
WARNING

7-48
Maintenance
Checking tire inflation pres-
sure
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the
spare tire.
How to check
Use 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).
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.
•Inspect your tires frequently
for proper inflation as well as
wear and damage. Always use
a tire pressure gauge.
•Tires with too much or too little
pressure wear unevenly caus-
ing poor handling, loss of vehi-
cle control, and sudden tire
failure leading to accidents,
injuries, and even death. The
recommended cold tire pres-
sure for your vehicle can be
found in this manual and on
the tire label located on the dri-
ver's side center pillar.
•Wo r n t i r e s c a n c a u s e a c c i -
dents. Replace tires that are
worn, show uneven wear, or
are damaged.
•Remember to check the pres-
sure of your spare tire.
HYUNDAI recommends that
you check the spare every
time you check the pressure
of the other tires on your vehi-
cle.
WARNING

7-49
7
Maintenance
Tire rotation
To equalize tread wear, it is recom-
mended that the tires be rotated
ever y 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 if
fabric or cord is visible. After rotation,
be sure to bring the front and rear tire
pressures to specification and check
lug nut tightness.
Refer to “Tire and wheels” in section
8.
Disc brake pads should be inspected
for wear whenever tires are rotated.
Information
The outside and inside of the
unsymmetrical tire is distinguish-
able. When installing an unsym-
metrical tire, be sure to install the
side marked "outside" face the
outside. If the side marked
"inside" is installed on the out-
side, it will have a bad effect on
vehicle performance.
i
•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 unusu-
al handling characteristics that
could result in death, severe
injury, or property damage.
WARNING ODH073802
■without a spare tire

7-50
Maintenance
Wheel alignment and tire bal-
ance
The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factor y 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.
Improper wheel weights can
damage your vehicle's aluminum
wheels. Use only approved wheel
weights.
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 1.6 mm (1/16 in.) 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.
NOTICE
OLMB073027
Tread wear indicatorWhen replacing the tires,
recheck and tighten the wheel
nuts after driving about 1,000
km (620 miles). If the steering
wheel shakes or the vehicle
vibrates while driving, the tire is
out of balance. Align the tire
balance. If the problem is not
solved, we recommend that you
contact an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer.
WARNING

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7
Maintenance
Compact spare tire replacement
(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 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.
(Continued)
•The use of any other tire size
or type may seriously affect
ride, handling, ground clear-
ance, stopping distance, body
to tire clearance, snow tire
clearance, and speedometer
reliability.
•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.
•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) (if equipped) to work
irregularly.
•Driving on worn-out tires is
very hazardous and will
reduce braking effectiveness,
steering accuracy, and trac-
tion.
•Yo u r v e h i c l e i s e q u i p p e d w i t h
tires designed to provide for
safe ride and handling capa-
bility. Do not use a size and
type of tire and wheel that is
different from the one that is
originally installed on your
vehicle. It can affect the safety
and performance of your vehi-
cle, which could lead to han-
dling failure or rollover and
serious injury. When replacing
the tires, be sure to equip all
four tires with the tire and
wheel of the same size, type,
tread, brand and load-carrying
capacity.
(Continued)
WARNING

7-52
Maintenance
Wheel replacement
When replacing the metal wheels for
any reason, make sure the new
wheels are equivalent to the original
factor y 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.
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 cer tification. The
TIN can be used to identify the tire in
case of a recall.
1. Manufacturer or brand name
Manufacturer or Brand name is
shown.
OLMB073028
1
1
23
4
5,6
7
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 and odometer cal-
ibration, headlamp aim and
bumper height.
WARNING

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7
Maintenance
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.)
205/65R16 95H
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.
95 - 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 infor mation.
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.

7-54
Maintenance
Tire 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,
tire strength and performance,
decline with age naturally (even
unused spare tires). Therefore, the
tires (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
numbers on a tire consisting of num-
bers and English letters. The manu-
facturing 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 1614 represents
that the tire was produced in the 16th
week of 2014.
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.
WARNING
Speed
Rating
Symbol
Maximum Speed
S 180 km/h (112 mph)
T190 km/h (118 mph)
H210 km/h (130 mph)
V 240 km/h (149 mph)
ZAbove 240 km/h (149 mph)