2018 Hyundai Elantra tires

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Driving your vehicle
5
Vehicle Stability Management
(VSM)
The Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
is a function of the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system. It helps ensure
the vehicle stays stable when accelerat-
ing or braking suddenly on wet, slippery
and rough roads where traction over the
four tires can suddenly become
uneven.
VSM operation
VSM ON condition
The VSM operates when:
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC)is on.
Vehicle speed is approximately above 9 mph (15 km/h) on curve roads.
Vehicle speed is approximately above 12 mph (20 km/h) when the vehicle is
braking on rough roads.
When operating
When you apply your brakes under con-
ditions which may activate the ESC, you
may hear sounds from the brakes, or feel
a corresponding sensation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and it means your
VSM is active.
The VSM does not operate when:
Driving on a banked road such asgradient or incline.
Driving rearward.
ESC OFF indicator light is on.
EPS (Electric Power Steering) warn- ing light ( ) is on or blinks.
VSM OFF condition
To cancel VSM operation, press the ESC
OFF button. ESC OFF indicator light ( )
will illuminate.
To turn on VSM, press the ESC OFF but-
ton again. The ESC OFF indicator light
will go out.
Driving with wheels and tires with differ-
ent sizes may cause the ESC system to
malfunction. Before replacing tires, make
sure all four tires and wheels are the
same size. Never drive the vehicle with
different sized tires and wheels installed.
NOTICE
Take the following precautions
when using the Vehicle Stability
Management (VSM):
ALWAYS check the speed and the
distance to the vehicle ahead. The
VSM is not a substitute for safe
driving practices.
Never drive too fast for the road
conditions. The VSM system will
not prevent accidents. Excessive
speed in bad weather, slippery
and uneven roads can result in
severe accidents.
WARNING If ESC indicator light ( ) or EPS
warning light ( )
stays on or blinks, your vehicle may
have a malfunction with the VSM
system. When the warning light illu-
minates, have your vehicle checked
by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer
as soon as possible.
WARNING

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Driving your vehicle
The Smart Cruise Control System may
not operate temporarily due to:
Electrical interference
Modifying the suspension
Differences of tire abrasion or tirepressure
Installing different type of tires
Information
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC rules.
Operation is subject to the following three
conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and
2. This device must accept any interfer- ence received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
3. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user’s
authority to operate the device.
Information
Radio frequency radiation exposure infor-
mation:
This equipment complies with FCC radia-
tion exposure limits set forth for an uncon-
trolled environment.
This equipment should be installed and
operated with minimum distance of 8 in.
(20 cm) between the radiator (antenna)
and your body.
This transmitter must not be co-located or
operating in conjunction with any other
antenna or transmitter.
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NOTICE
When using the Smart Cruise
Control take the following precau-
tions:
If an emergency stop is neces-
sary, you must apply the brakes.
The vehicle cannot be stopped by
using the Smart Cruise Control
System.
Keep a safe distance according
to road conditions and vehicle
speed. If the vehicle to vehicle
distance is too close during a
high-speed driving, a serious col-
lision may result.
Always maintain sufficient brak-
ing distance and decelerate your
vehicle by applying the brakes if
necessary.
The Smart Cruise Control System
cannot recognize a stopped vehi-
cle, pedestrians or an oncoming
vehicle. Always look ahead cau-
tiously to prevent unexpected
and sudden situations from
occurring.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Vehicles moving in front of you
with a frequent lane change may
cause a delay in the system's
reaction or may cause the system
to react to a vehicle actually in an
adjacent lane. Always drive cau-
tiously to prevent unexpected
and sudden situations from
occurring.
Always be aware of the selected
speed and vehicle to vehicle dis-
tance.
The Smart Cruise Control System
may not recognize complex driv-
ing situations so always pay
attention to driving conditions
and control your vehicle speed.

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Driving your vehicle
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Hazardous Driving Conditions
When hazardous driving elements are
encountered such as water, snow, ice,
mud and sand, take the below sugges-
tions:
Drive cautiously and keep a longerbraking distance.
Avoid abrupt braking or steering.
When your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, or sand, use second gear.
Accelerate slowly to avoid unneces-
sary wheel spin.
Put sand, rock salt, tire chains or other non-slip materials under the wheels to
provide additional traction while the
vehicle becomes stuck in ice, snow, or
mud.
Rocking the Vehicle
If it is necessary to rock the vehicle to
free it from snow, sand, or mud, first turn
the steering wheel right and left to clear
the area around your front wheels. Then,
shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and a forward gear.
Try to avoid spinning the wheels, and do
not race the engine.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until
the wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator pedal
while shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal while the transmission
is in gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
forward and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that may free the vehicle.
Information
The ESC system must be turned OFF
before rocking the vehicle.
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Downshifting with an automatic
transmission/dual clutch transmis-
sion while driving on slippery sur-
faces can cause an accident. The
sudden change in tire speed could
cause the tires to skid. Be careful
when downshifting on slippery sur-
faces.
WARNING
If the vehicle is stuck and excessive
wheel spin occurs, the temperature
in the tires can increase very quick-
ly. If the tires become damaged, a
tire blow out or tire explosion can
occur. This condition is dangerous -
you and others may be injured. Do
not attempt this procedure if people
or objects are anywhere near the
vehicle.
If you attempt to free the vehicle,
the vehicle can overheat quickly,
possibly causing an engine com-
partment fire or other damage. Try
to avoid spinning the wheels as
much as possible to prevent over-
heating of either the tires or the
engine. DO NOT allow the vehicle to
spin the wheels above 35 mph (56
km/h).
WARNING

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Driving your vehicle
If you are still stuck after rocking the
vehicle a few times, have the vehicle
pulled out by a tow vehicle to avoid
engine overheating, possible damage
to the transmission, and tire damage.
See "Towing" in chapter 6.
Smooth Cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in cor-
ners, especially when roads are wet.
Ideally, corners should always be taken
under gentle acceleration.
Driving at Night
Night driving presents more hazards
than driving in the daylight. Here are
some important tips to remember:
Slow down and keep more distancebetween you and other vehicles, as it
may be more difficult to see at night,
especially in areas where there may
not be any street lights.
Adjust your mirrors to reduce the glare from other driver's headlamps.
Keep your headlamps clean and prop- erly aimed. Dirty or improperly aimed
headlamps will make it much more dif-
ficult to see at night.
Avoid staring directly at the headlamps of oncoming vehicles. You could be
temporarily blinded, and it will take
several seconds for your eyes to read-
just to the darkness.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving
dangerous. Here are a few things to con-
sider when driving in the rain or on slick
pavement:
Slow down and allow extra followingdistance. A heavy rainfall makes it
harder to see and increases the dis-
tance needed to stop your vehicle.
Turn OFF your Cruise Control.
Replace your windshield wiper blades when they show signs of streaking or
missing areas on the windshield.
Tires should be properly maintained with at least 2/32nds of an inch of tread
depth. If your tires do not have enough
tread, making a quick stop on wet
pavement can cause a skid and possi-
bly lead to an accident. See "Tire
Tread" in chapter 7.
Turn on your headlamps to make it easier for others to see you.
Driving too fast through large puddles can affect your brakes. If you must go
through puddles, try to drive through
them slowly.
If you believe your brakes may be wet, apply them lightly while driving until
normal braking operation returns.
NOTICE

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Hydroplaning
If the road is wet enough and you are
going fast enough, your vehicle may have
little or no contact with the road surface
and actually ride on the water. The best
advice is SLOW DOWN when the road is
wet.
The risk of hydroplaning increases as
the depth of tire tread decreases, refer
to "Tire Tread" in chapter 7.
Driving in Flooded Areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas
unless you are sure the water is no high-
er than the bottom of the wheel hub.
Drive through any water slowly. Allow
adequate stopping distance because
brake performance may be reduced.
After driving through water, dry the
brakes by gently applying them several
times while the vehicle is moving slowly.
Highway Driving
Tires
Adjust the tire inflation, as specified.
Under-inflation may overheat or damage
the tires.
Do not install worn-out or damaged tires,
which may reduce traction or adversely
affect vehicle handling. This could lead to
sudden tire failure that may cause loss of
vehicle control resulting in an accident.
Information
Never over-inflate your tires above the
maximum inflation pressure, as specified
on your tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engineoil
Driving at higher speeds on the highway
consumes more fuel and is less efficient
than driving at a slower, more moderate
speed. Maintain a moderate speed in
order to conserve fuel when driving on
the highway.
Be sure to check both the engine coolant
level and the engine oil before driving.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may over-
heat the engine.
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In a rollover crash, an unbelted per-
son is significantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a seat
belt. Make sure all passengers are
wearing their seat belts.
WARNING

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The severe weather conditions of winter
quickly wear out tires and cause other
problems. To minimize winter driving
problems, you should take the following
suggestions:
Snow or Icy Conditions
You need to keep sufficient distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle in
front of you.
Apply the brakes gently. Speeding, rapid
acceleration, sudden brake applications,
and sharp turns are potentially very haz-
ardous practices. During deceleration,
use engine braking to the fullest extent.
Sudden brake applications on snowy or
icy roads may cause the vehicle to skid.
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it may
be necessary to use snow tires or to
install tire chains on your tires.
Always carry emergency equipment.
Some of the items you may want to carry
include tire chains, tow straps or chains,
a flashlight, emergency flares, sand, a
shovel, jumper cables, a window scraper,
gloves, ground cloth, coveralls, a blanket,
etc.
Snow tires
If you mount snow tires on your vehicle,
make sure to use radial tires of the same
size and load range as the original tires.
Mount snow tires on all four wheels to
balance your vehicle’s handling in all
weather conditions. The traction provided
by snow tires on dry roads may not be as
high as your vehicle's original equipment
tires. Check with the tire dealer for maxi-
mum speed recommendations.
Information
Do not install studded tires without first
checking local, state and municipal regula-
tions for possible restrictions against their
use.
Tire chains
Since the sidewalls of radial tires are
thinner than other types of tires, they may
be damaged by mounting some types of
tire chains on them. Therefore, the use of
snow tires is recommended instead of
tire chains. Do not mount tire chains on
vehicles equipped with aluminum
wheels; if unavoidable use a wire type
chain. If tire chains must be used, use
genuine HYUNDAI parts and install the
tire chain after reviewing the instructions
provided with the tire chains. Damage to
your vehicle caused by improper tire
chain use is not covered by your vehicle
manufacturer’s warranty.
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Snow tires should be equivalent in
size and type to the vehicle’s stan-
dard tires. Otherwise, the safety
and handling of your vehicle may
be adversely affected.
WARNING
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Information
• Install tire chains on the front tires. Itshould be noted that installing tire
chains on the tires will provide a greater
driving force, but will not prevent side
skids.
• Do not install studded tires without first checking local, state and municipal reg-
ulations for possible restrictions against
their use.
Chain installation
When installing tire chains, follow the
manufacturer’s instructions and mount
them as tightly possible. Drive slowly
(less than 20 mph (30 km/h)) with chains
installed. If you hear the chains contact-
ing the body or chassis, stop and tighten
them. If they still make contact, slow
down until the noise stops. Remove the
tire chains as soon as you begin driving
on cleared roads.
When mounting snow chains, park the
vehicle on level ground away from traffic.
Turn on the vehicle Hazard Warning
Flasher and place a triangular emer-
gency warning device behind the vehicle
(if available). Always place the vehicle in
P (Park), apply the parking brake and
turn off the engine before installing snow
chains. - When using tire chains:
Wrong size chains or improperly
installed chains can damage your
vehicle's brake lines, suspension,
body and wheels.
Use SAE "S" class or wire chains.
If you hear noise caused by chains contacting the body, retighten the
chain to prevent contact with the
vehicle body.
To prevent body damage, retighten the chains after driving 0.3~0.6
miles (0.5~1.0 km).
Do not use tire chains on vehicles equipped with aluminum wheels. If
unavoidable, use a wire type chain.
Use wire chains less than 0.59 inch (15 mm) wide to prevent damage to
the chain’s connection.
NOTICEi
The use of tire chains may adverse-
ly affect vehicle handling:
Drive less than 20 mph
(30 km/h) or the chain manufac-
turer's recommended speed limit,
whichever is lower.
Drive carefully and avoid bumps,
holes, sharp turns, and other
road hazards, which may cause
the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked
wheel braking.
WARNING
If your vehicle has 225/40R18 size
tires, do not use tire chain; they can
damage your vehicle (wheel, sus-
pension and body).
CAUTION

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Certification label
The certification label is located on
the driver’s door sill at the center pil-
lar and shows the maximum allow-
able weight of the fully loaded vehi-
cle. This is called the GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR
includes the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel and cargo.
This label also tells you the maxi-
mum weight that can be supported
by the front and rear axles, called
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).The total weight of the vehicle,
including all occupants, accessories,
cargo, and trailer tongue load must
not exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) or the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). To find out
the actual loads on your front and
rear axles, you need to go to a weigh
station and weigh your vehicle. Be
sure to spread out your load equally
on both sides of the centerline.
Overloading your vehicle may
cause damage. Repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do
not overload your vehicle.
NOTICE
If you carry items inside your
vehicle (e.g., suitcases, tools,
packages, or anything else),
they are moving as fast as the
vehicle. If you have to stop or
turn quickly, or if there is a
crash, the items will keep going
and can cause an injury if they
strike the driver or a passenger.

Put items in the cargo area of
your vehicle. Try to spread the
weight evenly.
Do not stack items, like suit-
cases, inside the vehicle
above the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured
child restraint in your vehicle.
When you carry something
inside the vehicle, secure it.
WARNING
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Overloading
Never exceed the GVWR for
your vehicle, the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle
and vehicle capacity weight.
Exceeding these ratings can
affect your vehicle's handling
and braking ability, and cause
an accident.
Do not overload your vehicle.
Overloading your vehicle can
cause heat buildup in your
vehicle's tires and possible
tire failure, increased stop-
ping distances and poor vehi-
cle handling-all of which may
result in a crash.
WARNING