8. Tire Replacement
The tires fitted to your vehicle as original equipment were tested and
approved by the vehicle manufacturer and the tire manufacturer and take
into account all aspects of the vehicle’s operation. Changes in the tire size,
type or construction should not be made without seeking advice from the
vehicle or tire manufacturer or an authorized Pirelli dealer since unap-
proved tires on your vehicle could adversely affect steering, handling,
braking and traction. The tire information (tire size, load index and speed
symbol) as found on the vehicle placard or in the owner ’s manual should
always be followed when replacing tires.
It is strongly recommended that Pirelli tires be mounted in sets of four
with the same tread type. Pirelli tires should not be mixed with other tire
brands. It is necessary to follow this procedure because different tire
constructions have different handling characteristics. Tires on the same
axle must be the same manufacturer, brand, tire size, load index, speed
rating and Pirelli part number.
When changing only two tires on a vehicle which is homogeneously
fitted (four tires of the same tire size), fit the new tires on the rear axle.
This applies to all vehicles regardless of their drive axle. (Front or Rear
Drive).
On all wheel drive or four wheel drive vehicles the tires must always be
replaced in sets of four.
When replacing tires on light truck vehicles, you should always follow
the vehicle manufacturer ’s recommendations. Passenger and light truck
tires are not interchangeable, due to differences in their pressures and
load carrying capacity.
P-Metric and Euro-metric Interchangeability: Euro-metric (Example: 225/
45R17) tires have a load index which is equal to or greater than that of the
same size P-metric (Example: P225/45R17) tire. Therefore, they have the
same or higher load carrying capacity at the maximum rated inflation
pressure. Always check with your tire dealer or Pirelli Tire Consumer
Affairs to be sure of the exact interchangeability to maintain proper
vehicle dynamics.
Please be aware that it is important that, before fitting the suggested tires,
the fitment is allowed by the technical specifications of the vehicle, the
vehicle manufacturer and the relevant homologations. Pirelli Tire does
not express any view as to the compatibility of the wheel/tire combina-
tion with the technical specifications for the chassis and vehicle.
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TO MAINTAIN PROPER VEHICLE DYNAMICS AND LOAD CARRY-
ING CAPACITY, REPLACEMENT TIRES MUST ALWAYS HAVE A
LOAD INDEX AND SPEED SYMBOL EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN
THOSE FITTED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT.
When making plus size fitments, you should consult with the dealer
regarding any suspension or braking system modifications which may be
recommended for the vehicle.
9. Tire Inspection
As a minimum, tires (including the spare tire) should be examined and air
pressure checked monthly and always prior to long trips. They should also
be examined if you strike any unusual object on the road. Tires showing
bulges, cracks, cuts, penetrations or uneven wear must be dismounted and
examined by an authorized Pirelli tire dealer and replaced if necessary.
Pirelli tires have treadwear indicators in the tread grooves, which show up
when the tread has worn to 2/32” remaining. At this point, your tires must
be replaced because they are illegal and dangerous.
The mere passage of time (age) does not cause tires to deteriorate, but
rather exposure to outside forces. Such outside forces can include, but are
not limited to: road hazards, punctures, improper repairs, misalignment,
under inflated operation, over inflated operation, excessive heat caused
by over deflected operation, excessive exposure to ozone, improper
storage conditions, etc. Tire companies can only have an impact on a few
of these exposures. Tire companies add antiozinants and anti-oxidants
(anti-degradation compounds) to minimize degradation. Pirelli believes
that since there is no way to accurately predict what outside forces a tire
will be exposed to there is no scientifically supportable age limit that can
be set for tires.
To avoid cosmetic damage, use a mild soap solution to clean sidewalls
and rinse off with low-pressure tap water. Never apply cleaners or
dressings to enhance sidewall appearance to avoid removal of antioxi-
dants, which are intended to prevent ozone degradation. The removal of
anti-oxidants may degrade the rubber and can lead to sidewall cracking.
Use of high-pressure sprayers may cause sidewall damage.
WARNING!
Driving on a damaged tire is dangerous, as the tire can suddenly fail,
which can lead to an accident and serious personal injury or death.
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WHAT IS NOT COVERED?
This Limited Warranty does not cover the following categories of claims:
Rapid Treadwear: Original equipment tires are not guaranteed to last a
specified number of miles.
Damage from road hazards (not limited to cuts, snags, bruises, impact
breaks, bulges, punctures, stone drills, chips, and scales), fire, theft, or
collision.
Conditions arising from improper tire/vehicle maintenance or use, not
limited to:
•Irregular or excessive treadwear due to: Incorrect inflation; overload-
ing; vehicle misalignment; failure to rotate tires; and poor or defective
mechanical condition of brakes, shocks, and wheels; or other factors
attributable to the vehicle or wheel.
•Any tire which has been run with low air pressure or while flat.
•Damage due to abuse; vandalism; tire alteration; tire spinning; racing;
or other competitive activities.
•Damage, corrosion, or deterioration from using oil-based chemicals,
water-based sealers, balancing substances, or flammable gases.
•Damage from improper use of tire chains.
Tires with the DOT identification number removed or rendered illegible.
Improper mounting, balancing or repair, not limited to:
•Improper tire mounting, or tire/wheel assembly imbalance.
•Damage from incorrect mounting or dismounting of the tire, incorrect
wheel size, water or other material trapped inside the tire during
mounting, or failure to keep the tires balanced.
•Damage resulting from improper repair materials or procedures.
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Toyo Tires speed-rated passenger car tires may be repaired and
returned to service under the following conditions:
•Proper repair materials and procedures have been used.
•The damage or puncture is not larger than 1/4” (6.4 mm) in diameter.
•The repair will be the first repair performed on that tire. (Only one
repair per tire is permitted in order to maintain a limited speed rating.)
•The tire must have more than 2/32” (1.6 mm) of tread remaining.
Toyo Tires speed-rated passenger tires that have been properly re-
paired qualify for reduced speed ratings as follows:
ORIGINAL SPEED RATING AFTER PUNCTURE REPAIR
(Y), Y, W, Z, V, VR, H H (maximum speed 130 mph)
TT
SS
The maximum speed of a vehicle is limited by the lowest-speed- rated
tire on the car.
mNOTICE!
A tire’s speed rating is void if the tire has been retreaded, damaged, abused, or
otherwise altered from its original condition. Thereafter, it should be treated
as a non-speed-rated tire. In addition, retreaded passenger and light truck
tires are not warranted by Toyo Tires for any reason. Toyo Tires speed ratings
are voided for retreaded tires.
PROPER SELECTION OF TIRES
When tires need to be replaced, don’t guess what tire is right for your
vehicle. First look at the vehicle Owner ’s Manual or the Tire Information
Placard. They tell you the size of the tires that were on the vehicle as
original equipment.
Replacement tires for any vehicle must be of a size, load range, and load
capacity (by inflation) that is capable of supporting the same load as the
vehicle’s originally installed (OE) tires. Avoid installing used tires on a
vehicle. There is no way to determine what road hazards or abuse a
previously owned tire may have incurred.
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WARNING!
•Failure to install tires with adequate load capacity will result in tire
fatigue and sudden tire failure. This could lead to loss of vehicle
control, possibly resulting in personal injury or death.
•Certain vehicle performance parameters, including ride comfort
and handling, may be affected by substitute tire sizes. In some
cases, particularly for SUVs and light trucks, a failure to follow the
vehicle manufacturer ’s recommendations for tire replacement
could adversely affect the safe handling of the vehicle, possibly
resulting in a loss of vehicle control leading to personal injury or
death.
The following procedures concerning replacement tires must be fol-
lowed:
•Confirm that the load-carrying capacity is greater than or equal to the
loadcarrying capacity of the OE tire size at the pressure indicated on
the vehicle Tire Information Placard.
•Carefully note any differences between recommendations for front and
rear axle positions regarding the tire size and/ or inflation pressure.
•The speed rating must be equal to or greater than what is specified by
the vehicle manufacturer if the speed capability of the vehicle is to be
maintained.
•Tires should be mounted on approved wheel widths. If changing tire
sizes, check to make sure the wheel has adequate load and inflation
pressure capacity.
•Body and chassis clearance must be checked on the vehicle’s front and
rear axles.
In addition to the above, light truck tire replacements should take into
consideration the following:
•Proper spacing between dual tires is necessary for optimum tire
performance. If chains are used, particular care must be taken to assure
adequate clearance between loaded tires to avoid damage from the
chains. The allowable outside diameter difference between a tire and
its dual mate is 1/4” (6.4 mm) for light truck tires.
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CONSIDERATIONS IN PLUS SIZING
Always refer to and follow the vehicle manufacturer ’s replacement tire
recommendations. In some cases, a vehicle manufacturer may specifically
advise against the application of replacement tires that are not of the
original size or type.
TIRE AND WHEEL MATCHING AND MOUNTING
WARNING!
Any attempt to mount a tire on a wheel with a different diameter
will result in an explosion of the tire/wheel assembly that could
cause severe personal injury or death.
Prior to mounting any tire, always check the wheel identification
stamp to verify the correct wheel diameter. Always check the tire
size molded onto the sidewall.
Never exceed 40 psi when seating the tire beads onto the wheel.
Always stand well clear of any tire mounting operation. This is
especially important when the service operator inflates the tire. If
the tire has been improperly mounted, it could burst with explosive
force causing serious personal injury or death.
A new valve stem must be installed on the wheel each time a worn
out passenger or light truck tire is replaced.
Removing and replacing tires on wheels can be dangerous.
Attempting to mount tires with improper tools or procedures could
result in a tire explosion, causing serious personal injury or death.
This is a job for your authorized Toyo Tires dealer or other qualified
tire service location only.
Serious personal injury or death can result from:
•Failure to select the proper tire and wheel. The tire must match the
width and diameter requirements of the wheel. When mounting
truck type radial tires use only wheels approved for radial tires.
•Failure to inspect both the tire and wheel. The wheel must be free
of cracks, dents, chips, and rust. The tire must be free of bead
damage, cuts, and punctures.
•Failure to follow proper procedures. For proper mounting proce-
dures, consult the Rubber Manufacturers Association’s publication
“Care and Service of Automobile and Light Truck Tires” (ref.:
www.rma.org).
(Continued)
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235
WARNING!(Continued)
•Exceeding the maximum bead seating pressure of 40 psi. Be
absolutely certain beads are fully seated before adjusting the
inflation pressure to the level recommended for vehicle operation.
Never put flammable substances in the tire/wheel assemblies at any
time. Never put any flammable substance into a tire/wheel assembly
and attempt to ignite it in order to seat the beads.
TIRE MIXING
CAUTION!
Driving your vehicle with an improper mix of tire sizes,
constructions, and speed ratings can be dangerous. Your car ’s
handling characteristics can be adversely affected. You could have
an accident resulting in serious personal injury or death. Consult
your vehicle Owner ’s Manual or an authorized Toyo Tires dealer for
proper tire replacement.
•Toyo Tires recommends that all four tires be of the same size, speed
rating, and construction (radial or non-radial). In some cases the
vehicle manufacturer may require different sized tires for the front or
rear axles. Never mix P-metric or European Metric passenger tires with
LT-metric tires on the same vehicle.
•Match tire size designations in pairs on an axle, except during the
temporary use of a spare tire.
•If two radial tires and two non-radial tires are used on a vehicle, put
the radials on the rear axle. If radial and non-radial tires are used on a
vehicle equipped with dual rear tires, the radial tires may be used on
either axle.
SPEED-RATED TIRE
•If the vehicle Tire Information Placard and/or the vehicle Owner ’s
Manual specifies speed-rated tires, the replacement tires must have the
same or higher speed rating to maintain vehicle speed capability.
•If a replacement tire has a lower speed capability than that specified by
the vehicle manufacturer, the vehicle’s speed must be restricted to that
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236
of the replacement tire. Vehicle handling could also be affected.
Consult the vehicle Owner ’s Manual or tire manufacturer for
recommendations.
•If tires with different speed ratings are used, it is recommended that
the lowerspeed- rated tires always be placed on the front axle. This is
to prevent a potential oversteer condition.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) AND ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
VEHICLES
If no instructions for tire mixing appear in the vehicle Owner ’s Manual,
follow these guidelines:
•Do not mix tire sizes. All four tires must be marked with the same tire
size, unless otherwise specified by the vehicle manufacturer. This also
applies to winter/snow tires.
•Do not mix tread pattern types such as all-terrain and all- season.
STUDLESS WINTER/SNOW TIRES
•It is always preferable to apply winter/snow tires to all wheel
positions, including dual tires, to maintain vehicle mobility and
control.
•If winter/snow tires are applied to the front axle of any vehicle,
winter/snow tires must also be installed on the rear axle. DO NOT
apply winter/snow tires only to the front axle. This applies to all
passenger and light truck vehicles, including front-wheel- drive, 4WD,
and AWD vehicles.
•If winter/snow tires are installed on the rear axle of any vehicle, it is
recommended (but not required) that they also be installed on the front
axle.
WARNING!
Unless winter/snow tires on the rear axle have comparable traction
qualities to the tires on the front axle, the vehicle may experience
adverse handling characteristics. This may result in loss of vehicle
control, which can lead to serious personal injury or death.
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