2016 Hyundai Equus Owner's Manual

7-44
Maintenance
Checking tire inflation pres-
sure
Check your tires at least once a
month.
Also, check the spare tire pressure.
How to check
Use a good-quality gauge to check
the tire pressure. You cannot proper-
ly measure the tire inflation only with
your eyes. A radial tire may look
properly inflated, even when it is
underinflated.
Check the tire inflation pressure,
when it is cold. - A "cold" means
your vehicle does not drive for the
last 3 hours, or drives shorter than 1
mile (1.6 km).
Open the tire valve cap. Press the
tire gauge firmly onto the valve to
measure the pressure. When the
cold tire is inflated as recommended,
as specified on the tire and loading
information labels, further adjust-
ment is not needed. When a tire is
underinflated, inflate it to the recom-
mended pressure.
When overinflating the tire, release
air by pressing the metal stem on the
tire valve. Re-measure the tire pres-
sure with the gauge. Make sure to
close the valve caps over the valve
stems. This prevents air leakage and
keeps out dirt and moisture. Frequently check your tires,
especially inflation pressure,
abrasion and damage. Always
use a tire pressure gauge.
Overinflated or underinflated tires may unevenly wear out,
causing poor handling, a loss
of vehicle control, and a sud-
den tire failure. This may lead
to an accident, injury, and
even death. The cold tire pres-
sure recommendation of your
vehicle is specified in this
manual and on the tire label,
which is located on the center
pillar on the driver's side.
Tire abrasion may cause an accident. Replace the worn-
out or damaged tires.
Remember to check the spare tire pressure. It is recom-
mended to check the spare
whenever checking the pres-
sures of other tires.
WARNING

7-45
Maintenance07
Tire rotation
To balance worn-out levels of the tire
tread, rotating the tire positions is
required every 7,500 miles (12,000
km), or sooner, when the irregular
abrasion is detected. While rotating
the positions, correctly balance the
tire positions.
When rotating tires, check for any
uneven abrasion and damage.
Abnormal tire abrasion is usually
caused by improper tire pressure,
tilted wheel alignment, unbalanced
wheels, severe braking or hard cor-
nering. Check for any bump or
bulging from the tire side walls. When
finding one of those, replace you tire.
Replace the tire, when a tire cord
fabric is visible. After rotation, make
sure to properly inflate the tires to the
recommended pressure, as speci-
fied, and check the lug-nut tightness.
Disc brake pads should be inspectedfor any abrasion, whenever rotatingtires.
Information
The front tire size is different from the
rear tire size. So when you rotate tires,
check sizes of the tires and wheels.
Wheel alignment and tire bal-
ance
The wheels are finely aligned and
balanced at the manufacturing facto-
ry in order to ensure the longest tire
life and the best driving performance.
In most cases, you do not need to
realign the wheels. However, when
detecting unusual tire abrasion or
vehicle leaning to one side, the
realignment may be needed. When
your vehicle vibrates on an even sur-
face, while driving, your wheels may
need to be rebalanced.
Improperly overweighted wheel
may damage your vehicle's alu-
minum wheels. Carry only the
appropriate wheel weights.
NOTICE
i
OBK079038
Without a spare tire
Do not use the compact spare
tire for tire rotation.
Never mix bias-ply tires and radial-ply tires under any cir-
cumstances. This may cause
abnormal handling, possibly
resulting in a death, severe
injury, or property damage.
WARNING

7-46
Maintenance
Tire replacement
When a tire unevenly wears out, a
tread wear indicator, in a pattern of a
solid band, appears over the tread.
This indicates that there is less than
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread left.
When finding it, replace the tire.
Do not delay the tire replacement,
until all the indicators appear over
the entire tire tread.
OEN076053
Tread wear indicator
- Replacing tires
To reduce the risk of a serious
or fatal injury, caused by a tire
failure or a loss of vehicle con-
trol, follow the below warnings:
Replace tires, which areseverely worn out, unevenly
wear out, or damaged. Worn-
out tires may degrade the
braking effects, steering con-
trol, and traction.
Do not drive your vehicle with overinflated or underinflated
tires. This may cause uneven
abrasion or a tire failure.
(Continued)
(Continued)
When replacing tires of yourvehicle, never mix radial-ply
tires and bias-ply tires. You
must replace all the tires
(including the spare) when
changing from radial-ply tires
to bias-ply tires.
Tires and wheels in the differ- ent sizes may cause abnormal
handling and poor vehicle
control, resulting in a serious
accident.
Wheels, which do not satisfy the HYUNDAI’s specifications,
may be unfit and result in a
vehicle damage, abnormal
handling and poor vehicle
control.
The ABS operates upon com- paring the wheel speeds. A
tire size determines a wheel
speed. When replacing tires,
all the tires must be in the
same size as the original
ones. Installing tires in a dif-
ferent size may cause irregu-
lar operation of the ABS (Anti-
lock Brake System) and ESC
(Electronic Stability Control).
WARNING

7-47
Maintenance07
Compact spare tire replacement
A compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular one. Replace
it, when a tread wear indicator is
found. A compact spare tire should
be replaced with the one in the same
size as the original one, and should
be installed over a tire wheel of the
same compact size. A compact
spare tire is not designed to be
installed over a wheel of the regular
size, and a compact spare wheel is
not designed for a tire of the regular
size.
Wheel replacement
When replacing the metal wheels for
any reason, make sure the new
wheels are equivalent to the original
wheel in terms of diameter, rim width
and offset.
Information
The front tire size is different from the
rear one. While rotating tire positions,
check the size of the tires and wheels.
Information
A wheel in the different size may
adversely affect the wheel bearing,
braking, stopping, handling, ground
clearance, body-to-tire clearance,
snow-chain clearance, speedometer,
odometer, headlamp angle and
bumper height.
Tire traction
Tire traction may decrease when
driving with worn-out or improperly-
inflated tires on a slippery surface.
Tires should be replaced, when a
tread wear indicator appears. Slow
down the driving speed to lower the
risk of losing the vehicle control,
when it rains or snows, or when your
vehicle drives on a icy surface.
i
i
The compact spare tire is for
emergency use only. Do not
operate your vehicle on this
compact spare at a speed over
50 mph (80 km/h). The original
tire should be immediately
repaired or replaced to avoid a
spare-tire failure and a possible
personal injury or death.
WARNING

7-48
Maintenance
Tire maintenance
In addition to the proper inflation
pressure, correct wheel alignment
prevents tire abrasion. When you find
uneven tire abrasion, have the wheel
alignment checked by your EQUUS
dealer.
When replacing your tires, make
sure they are well balanced. This
increases your driving comfort and
tire life. Additionally, a tire should be
rebalanced after being removed from
a wheel.
Tire sidewall labeling
This information identifies and states
the fundamental tire specifications
and also provides the tire identifica-
tion number (TIN) for the safety stan-
dard certification. The TIN is to iden-
tify your tire in case of a recall.
1. Manufacturer or brand name
The manufacturer's or brand name is
shown.
2. Tire size designation
A tire side wall is marked with tire
size specifications. This information
is needed to select the right tire for
replacement. The letters and num-
bers in the tire size designation are
interpreted as below.
Example of the tire size designation:
(The following tire size designation is
provided as an example only; your
tire size designator may vary,
depending on your vehicle model.)
P245/45R19 98V
P - Applicable vehicle type (Tires,marked with the prefix “P,’’ are to
be used for passenger cars or
light trucks. However, this letter is
not shown on all tires).
245 - Tire width in millimeters.
45 - Aspect ratio. The ratio of the tire width to the tire height.
R - Tire construction code (Radial).
19 - Rim diameter in inches.
98 - Load Index, a numerical code associated with the maximum
load capacity.
V - Speed Rating Symbol. See the speed rating chart in this chapter
for further information.
I030B04JM
1
1
23
4
5,6
7

7-49
Maintenance07
Wheel size designation
Wheels are also marked with impor-
tant specifications. The following
example of the wheel size designa-
tion explains how the letters and
numbers are interpreted.
Example wheel size designation:
8.0JX19
8.0 - Rim width in inches.
J - Rim contour designation.
19 - Rim diameter in inches.
Tire speed ratings
The below chart lists up different
speed ratings for a tire of a passen-
ger vehicle. The speed rating is one
part of the tire size designation,
specified on the tire side wall. Each
symbol represents the maximum
driving speed of a tire.
3. Checking tire life (TIN : TireIdentification Number)
Any tires, which are 6 years or older
from the manufacturing date (includ-
ing the spare tire), should be
replaced with a new one. The manu-
facturing date is written on a tire side
wall (possibly inside of a wheel) in
the DOT Code. The DOT Code is a
series of numbers on a tire, which
consist of numbers and English let-
ters. The manufacturing date is writ-
ten in the last four digits (characters)
of the DOT code.
DOT : XXXX XXXX OOOO
The front part of the DOT are the
plant code, tire size and tread pat-
tern. The last four digits indicate the
manufacturing week and the manu-
facturing year.
For example:
DOT XXXX XXXX 1615 represents
that the tire was produced in the 16th
week of 2015.
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
- Tire age
Tires degrade over time, even
when they are not driven.
Regardless of the remaining
tread, it is recommended to
replace tires every 6 years. Heat
under the hot weather or fre-
quent overloading may acceler-
ate the aging process. Failure to
follow this warning may result
in a sudden tire failure, leading
to a loss of control, accident,
serious injury or death.
WARNING

7-50
Maintenance
4. Tire ply composition andmaterial
There are a number of layers or plies
of rubber-coated fabrics in the tire.
Tire manufacturers indicate the
materials on the tire, such as steel,
nylon and polyester. The letter "R"
means radial ply construction; the
letter "D" means diagonal or bias ply
construction; and the letter "B"
means belted-bias ply construction.
5. Maximum permissible infla-tion pressure
This number indicates the air pres-
sure limit of the tire. Do not inflate the
tire over the maximum pressure.
Refer to "Tire and Loading
Information Label" for the recom-
mended inflation pressure.
6. Maximum load rating
This number indicates the maximum
loading capacity in kilograms or in
pounds that a tire can carry. When
replacing the tires, always use the
tire of the same load rating as the
original one.
7. Uniform tire quality grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and maxi-
mum section width.
For example: TREAD wear 200
TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE A
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on a tire wear-out
rating, which is recorded while being
tested under a controlled condition
on a test course specified by a gov-
ernment. For example, a tire, of
which the tread wear grade is 150,
would wear out one-and-a half times
(1½) faster than a tire graded 100.
The actual tread wear rating
depends on the actual driving condi-
tions. In addition, the actual tread
wear rating may significantly vary
from the tread wear grade due to a
lot of variations, such as driving
habits, maintenance conditions, road
characteristics and climates.
These grades are written on the tire
side wall of a passenger vehicle. The
available tires with the standard or
optional equipment may vary with
respect to this grade.
Traction - AA, A, B & C
The traction grades, from the highest
to the lowest, are AA, A, B and C.
Those grades represent the stopping
performance level of a tire measured
on a wet test surface specified by the
government under a controlled con-
dition. A tire marked with the letter, C,
may have poor traction.
The traction grade of a tire is
based on a braking traction test,
while driving straight ahead. The
test does not include accelerat-
ing, cornering, hydroplaning, or
towing situations.
WARNING

7-51
Maintenance07
Temperature -A, B & C
The temperature grades of a tire are
A, B and C, from the highest to the
lowest, representing the heat-resist-
ing and the heat-dissipating capabili-
ty. A tire is tested under a controlled
condition on a specified indoor labo-
ratory test wheel.
Continuous driving at a high temper-
ature may degenerate the tire mate-
rials and reduce the tire life. Also, a
quick temperature increase may
cause a sudden tire failure. A tire
with the grade C just meets the per-
formance level required by the
Federal Vehicle Safety Standard No.
109, which all tires for a passenger
vehicle must meet. Grades A and B
represent a higher performance level
of a tire on the indoor laboratory test
wheel, above the minimum law
requirement.
Low aspect ratio tire
(if equipped)
A low aspect ratio tire, of which the
aspect ratio is lower than 50, is
designed for a sporty-look vehicle.
The low aspect ratio is to optimize
handling and braking. Thus, it may
be uncomfortable to ride and it may
generate noises, in comparison with
a normal tire.
- 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.
WARNING
The side wall of a low aspect
ratio tire is shorter than the nor-
mal one. Thus, the low-aspect
wheel and tire are easily dam-
aged. Follow the below instruc-
tions.
When driving on a rough road or driving off a road, be care-
ful not to damage the tires
and wheels. After driving,
inspect the tires and wheels.
When passing over a pothole, speed bump, manhole, or
curb stone, slowly drive the
vehicle not to damage the
tires and wheels.
When there is an impact on a tire, inspect the tire condition.
Or, contact an authorized
EQUUS dealer.
Inspect the tire condition and pressure every 1,800 miles
(3,000 km) to prevent a tire
damage.
CAUTION