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 name
Manufacturer 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.)
P195/50R16 84H
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).
195 - Tire width in millimeters.
50 - Aspect ratio. The tire’s section height as a percentage of its
width.
R - Tire construction code (Radial).
16 - Rim diameter in inches. 84 - 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:
6.0JX16
6.0 - Rim width in inches.
J - Rim contour designation.
16 - Rim diameter in inches.
I030B04JM
1
1
2
34
5,6
7
Maintenance
50
7
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 tires
Radial-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 0.59 inches (15 mm) to prevent
damage to the chain’s con-
nection.
CAUTION
Since the sidewalls of radialtires are thinner, they can bedamaged by mounting sometypes of snow chains on them.
Therefore, the use of snow tiresis recommended instead ofsnow chains.
87
Specifications, Consumer information, Reporting safety defeccts
TIRE SPECIFICATION AND
PRESSURE LABEL
The tires supplied on your new vehicle
are chosen to provide the best perform-
ance for normal driving.
The tire label located on the driver's side
center pillar gives the tire pressures rec-
ommended for your car.
ENGINE NUMBER
The engine number is stamped on the
engine block as shown in the drawing.
REFRIGERANT LABEL
(IF EQUIPPED)
The refrigerant label is located on the
underside of the hood.
The label contains the following informa-
tion:
Type of refrigerant/oil
Amount of refrigerant/oil
ORB071070NORB070017ORB080005