7-40
Maintenance
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:
8.0J x 18
8.0 - Rim width in inches.
J - Rim contour designation.
18 - Rim diameter in inches.
Tire speed ratings
The chart below lists many of the dif-
ferent speed ratings currently being
used for passenger vehicle 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 : TireIdentification Number)
Any tires that are over six years old,
based on the manufacturing date,
(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 num-
bers on a tire consisting of numbers
and English letters. The manufactur-
ing date is designated by the last four
digits (characters) of the DOT code.
DOT : XXXX XXXX OOOO
The front part of the DOT shows 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 1418 represents
that the tire was produced in the 14th
week of 2018.
Speed
Rating
Symbol Maximum Speed
S 112 mph (180 km/h) T 118 mph (190 km/h)
H 130 mph (210 km/h) V 149 mph (240 km/h)
W 168 mph (270 km/h)
Y186 mph (300 km/h)
ZAbove 149 mph (240 km/h)
7-42
Maintenance
Traction - AA, A, B & C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on spec-
ified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction perform-
ance.
Temperature - A, B & C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. Grade C
responds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the labora-
tory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
under-inflation, over-inflation,
or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination,
can cause heat build-up and
possible sudden tire failure.
This may cause loss of vehicle
control resulting in an accident.WARNING
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include accelera-
tion, cornering, hydroplaning,
or peak traction characteristics.
WARNING
7-44
Maintenance
Kilopascal (kPa)
The metric unit for air pressure.
Light truck(LT) tire
A tire designated by its manufacturer
as primarily intended for use on light-
weight trucks or multipurpose pas-
senger vehicles.
Load ratings
The maximum load that a tire is rated
to carry for a given inflation pressure.
Load Index
An assigned number ranging from 1
to 279 that corresponds to the load
carrying capacity of a tire.
Maximum Inflation Pressure
The maximum air pressure to which
a cold tire may be inflated. The max-
imum air pressure is molded onto the
sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating
The load rating for a tire at the maxi-
mum permissible inflation pressure
for that tire.
Maximum Loaded VehicleWeight
The sum of curb weight; accessory
weight; vehicle capacity weight; and
production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight
The number of occupants a vehicle
is designed to seat multiplied by 150
pounds (68 kg).
Occupant Distribution
Designated seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall
An asymmetrical tire has a particular
side that faces outward when mount-
ed on a vehicle. The outward facing
sidewall bears white lettering or
bears manufacturer, brand, and/or
model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same moldings on
the inner facing sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric) tire
A tire used on passenger cars and
some light duty trucks and multipur-
pose vehicles.
Ply
A layer of rubber-coated parallel
cords.
Pneumatic tire
A mechanical device made of rubber,
chemicals, fabric and steel or other
materials, that, when mounted on an
automotive wheel provides the trac-
tion and contains the gas or fluid that
sustains the load.
Pneumatic options weight
The combined weight of installed
regular production options weighing
over 5 lb. (2.3 kg) in excess of the
standard items which they replace,
not previously considered in curb
weight or accessory weight, includ-
ing heavy duty breaks, ride levelers,
roof rack, heavy duty battery, and
special trim.
7-46
Maintenance
All Season Tires
Genesis Branded Vehicle specifies
all season tires on some models to
provide good performance for use all
year round, including snowy and icy
road conditions. All season tires are
identified by ALL SEASON and/or
M+S (Mud and Snow) on the tire
sidewall. Snow tires have better
snow traction than all season tires
and may be more appropriate in
some areas.
Summer Tires
Genesis Branded Vehicle specifies
summer tires on some models to
provide superior performance on dry
roads. Summer tire performance is
substantially reduced in snow and
ice. Summer tires do not have the tire
traction rating M+S (Mud and Snow)
on the tire side wall. If you plan to
operate your vehicle in snowy or icy
conditions, Genesis Branded Vehicle
recommends the use of snow tires or
all season tires on all four wheels.
Snow Tires
If you equip your car with snow tires,
they should be the same size and
have the same load capacity as the
original tires. Snow tires should be
installed on all four wheels; other-
wise, poor handling may result. Snow
tires should carry 4 psi (28 kPa)
more air pressure than the pressure
recommended for the standard tires
on the tire label on the driver’s side of
the center pillar, or up to the maxi-
mum pressure shown on the tire
sidewall, whichever is less. Do not
drive faster than 75 mph (120 km/h)
when your vehicle is equipped with
snow tires.
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 pairs of radial-ply
tires should always be used as a set
for the front tires and a set for the
rear tires.
Longer wearing tires can be more
susceptible to irregular tread wear. It
is very important to follow the tire
rotation interval in this chapter 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.
7-47
7
Maintenance
Low Aspect Ratio Tires
The aspect ratio is lower than 50 on
low aspect ratio tires.
Because low aspect ratio tires are
optimized for handling and braking,
their sidewall is a little stiffer than a
standard tire. Also low aspect ratio
tires tend to be wider and conse-
quently have a greater contact patch
with the road surface. In some
instances they may generate more
road noise compared with standard
tires.Because the sidewall of a low
aspect ratio tire is shorter than
a standard tire, the rim of the
wheel and the tire itself is more
easily susceptible to damage.
Use caution when driving and
follow the guidelines below to
help minimize damage to the
wheel and tire:
- When driving on a rough road
or off road, drive cautiously
because tires and wheels may
be damaged. And after driving,
inspect tires and wheels.
- When passing over a pothole, speed bump, manhole, or curb
stone, drive slowly so that the
tires and wheels are not dam-
aged.
- If the tire is subjected to a severe impact, have the tire
and wheel inspected by an
authorized retailer of Genesis
Branded products.
- Inspect the tire condition and pressure every 1,800 miles
(3,000 km).
CAUTION
It is not easy to recognize tire
damage with your own eyes.
But if there is the slightest
hint of tire damage, have the
tire checked or replaced
because the tire damage may
cause air leakage from the
tire.
If the tire is damaged by driv-
ing on a rough road, off road,
pothole, manhole, or curb
stone, it will not be covered by
the warranty.
CAUTION
Do not mix bias ply and radial
ply tires under any circum-
stances. This may cause unusu-
al handling characteristics that
may cause loss of vehicle con-
trol resulting in an accident.
WARNING
7-58
Maintenance
Headlamp (High)
1. Open the hood.
2. Disconnect the negative batterycable.
3. Remove the headlamp bulb cover by turning it counterclockwise.
4. Disconnect the headlamp bulb socket-connector.
5. Remove the bulb-socket from the headlamp assembly by turning the
bulb-socket counterclockwise until
the tabs on the bulb-socket align
with the slots on the headlamp
assembly.
6. Install a new headlamp bulb into the bulb-socket. 7. Push the bulb-socket into the
headlamp assembly and turn the
bulb-socket clockwise.
8. Connect the headlamp bulb sock- et-connector.
9. Install the headlamp bulb cover by turning it clockwise.
Headlamp (Low)
1. Disconnect the negative batterycable.
2. Remove the service cover (1) under the wheel housing by push-
ing out the retainer clip with a slim
tool. If it is difficult to remove the
service cover because of the tire,
steer the tire inward.
OIK077062N
OIK077073N
7-68
Maintenance
Wiping dust or dirt off the body with a dry cloth will scratch the
finish.
Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong detergents
containing highly alkaline or
caustic agents on chrome-plat-
ed or anodized aluminum parts.
This may result in damage to the
protective coating and cause
discoloration or paint deteriora-
tion.
Repairing your vehicle's finish
Deep scratches or stone chips in the
painted surface must be repaired
promptly. Exposed metal will quickly
rust and may develop into a major
repair expense.
If your vehicle is damaged and
requires any metal repair or
replacement, be sure the body
shop applies anti-corrosion mate-
rials to the parts repaired or
replaced.
Bright-metal maintenance
To remove road tar and insects,use a tar remover, not a scraper or
other sharp object.
To protect the surfaces of bright- metal parts from corrosion, apply a
coating of wax or chrome preser-
vative and rub to a high luster.
During winter weather or in coastal areas, cover the bright metal parts
with a heavier coating of wax or
preservative. If necessary, coat the
parts with non-corrosive petroleum
jelly or other protective compound.
Underbody maintenance
Corrosive materials used for ice and
snow removal and dust control may
collect on the underbody. If these
materials are not removed, acceler-
ated rusting can occur on underbody
parts such as the fuel lines, frame,
floor pan and exhaust system, even
though they have been treated with
rust protection. Thoroughly flush the vehicle under-
body and wheel openings with luke-
warm or cold water once a month,
after off-road driving and at the end
of each winter. Pay special attention
to these areas because it is difficult
to see all the mud and dirt. It will do
more harm than good to wet down
the road grime without removing it.
The lower edges of doors, rocker
panels, and frame members have
drain holes that should not be
allowed to clog with dirt; trapped
water in these areas can cause rust-
ing.
NOTICE
NOTICE
After washing the vehicle, test
the brakes while driving slowly
to see if they have been affected
by water. If braking performance
is impaired, dry the brakes by
applying them lightly while
maintaining a slow forward
speed.
WARNING
7-69
7
Maintenance
Aluminum wheel maintenance
The aluminum wheels are coated
with a clear protective finish.
Do not use abrasive cleaner, pol-ishing compound, solvent, or
wire brushes on aluminum
wheels.
Clean the wheel when it has cooled.
Use only a mild soap or neutral detergent, and rinse thoroughly
with water. Also, clean the
wheels after driving on salted
roads.
Do not wash the wheels with high-speed car wash brushes.
Do not use any cleaners con- taining acid or alkaline deter-
gents.
Corrosion protection
Protecting your vehicle from corro-
sion
By using the most advanced design
and construction practices to combat
corrosion, Genesis Branded Vehicle
produces vehicles of the highest
quality. However, this is only part of
the job. To achieve the long-term cor-
rosion resistance your vehicle can
deliver, the owner’s cooperation and
assistance is also required.
Common causes of corrosion
The most common causes of corro-
sion on your vehicle are:
Road salt, dirt and moisture that isallowed to accumulate underneath
the vehicle.
Removal of paint or protective coatings by stones, gravel, abra-
sion or minor scrapes and dents
which leave unprotected metal
exposed to corrosion.
High-corrosion areas
If you live in an area where your vehi-
cle is regularly exposed to corrosive
materials, corrosion protection is
particularly important. Some of the
common causes of accelerated cor-
rosion are road salts, dust control
chemicals, ocean air and industrial
pollution.
Moisture breeds corrosion
Moisture creates the conditions in
which corrosion is most likely to
occur. For example, corrosion is
accelerated by high humidity, partic-
ularly when temperatures are just
above freezing. In such conditions,
the corrosive material is kept in con-
tact with the car surfaces by moisture
that is slow to evaporate.
Mud is particularly corrosive
because it is slow to dry and holds
moisture in contact with the vehicle.
Although the mud appears to be dry,
it can still retain the moisture and
promote corrosion.
NOTICE