
7-46
Maintenance
Tire rotation
To equalize tread wear, Genesis
Branded Vehicle recommends that
the tires be rotated every 7,500 miles
(12,000 km) or sooner if irregular
wear develops.
During rotation, check the tires for
correct balance.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out-
of-balance wheels, severe braking or
severe cornering. Look for bumps or
bulges in the tread or side of tire.
Replace the tire if you find either of
these conditions. Replace the tire if
fabric or cord is visible. After rotation,
be sure to bring the front and rear tire
pressures to specification and check
lug nut tightness (proper torque is
79-94 lbf·ft [11-13 kgf·m]).
Disc brake pads should be inspected
for wear whenever tires are rotated.
✽ ✽
NOTICE
If your tire is unsymmetrical tire,
check the outside and inside marked
in tire.
If the inside tire is installed on out-
side, the vehicle driving and wear
performance may be damaged.
Do not use the compact spare
tire for tire rotation.
Do not mix bias ply and radial
ply tires under any circum-
stances. This may cause
unusual handling characteris-
tics that may cause loss of
vehicle control resulting in an
accident.
WARNING ODH073802
ODH073803 ■18 inch tire
■19 inch tire

7-47
7
Maintenance
Wheel alignment and tire bal-
ance
The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may need
to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
Tire replacement
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear
indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread
left on the tire. Replace the tire when
this happens.
Do not wait for the band to appear
across the entire tread before replac-
ing the tire.
OLMB073027
Tread wear indicator
Improper wheel weights can
damage your vehicle's alu-
minum wheels. Use only
approved wheel weights.
CAUTION
To reduce the risk of DEATH or
SERIOUS INJURY:
Replace tires that are worn,
show uneven wear, or are
damaged. Worn tires can
cause loss of braking effec-
tiveness, steering control, and
traction.
Always replace tires with the
same size as each tire that
was originally supplied with
this vehicle. Using tires and
wheels other than the recom-
mended sizes could cause
unusual handling characteris-
tics or poor vehicle control, or
could negatively affect your
vehicle's Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) resulting in a
serious accident.
(Continued)
WARNING

7-48
Maintenance
Compact spare tire replacement
A compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular size tire.
Replace it when you can see the
tread wear indicator bars on the tire.
The replacement compact spare tire
should be the same size and design
tire as the one provided with your
new vehicle and should be mounted
on the same compact spare tire
wheel. The compact spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
size wheel, and the compact spare
tire wheel is not designed for mount-
ing a regular size tire.
Wheel replacement
When replacing the metal wheels for
any reason, make sure the new
wheels are equivalent to the original
factory units in diameter, rim width
and offset.
Tire traction
Tire traction can be reduced if you
drive on worn tires, tires that are
improperly inflated or on slippery
road surfaces. Tires should be
replaced when tread wear indicators
appear. To reduce the possibility of
losing control, slow down whenever
there is rain, snow or ice on the road. (Continued)
Tires degrade over time, even
when they are not being used.
Regardless of the remaining
tread, Genesis Branded
Vehicle recommends that
tires be replaced after six (6)
years of normal service.
It is best to replace all four
tires at the same time. If that
is not possible, or necessary,
then replace the two front or
two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can
seriously affect your vehicle's
handling.
Heat caused by hot climates
or frequent high loading con-
ditions can accelerate the
aging process. Failure to fol-
low this warning may cause
sudden tire failure, which
could lead to a loss of vehicle
control resulting in an acci-
dent.
The original tire should be
repaired or replaced as soon as
possible to avoid failure of the
spare and loss of vehicle con-
trol resulting in an accident. The
compact spare tire is for emer-
gency use only. Do not operate
your vehicle over 50 mph (80
km/h) when using the compact
spare tire.
WARNING

7-51
7
Maintenance
4. Tire ply composition and
material
The number of layers or plies of rub-
ber-coated fabric in the tire. Tire
manufacturers also must indicate the
materials in the tire, which include
steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
The letter "R" means radial ply con-
struction; the letter "D" means diago-
nal or bias ply construction; and the
letter "B" means belted-bias ply con-
struction.
5. Maximum permissible infla-
tion pressure
This number is the greatest amount
of air pressure that should be put in
the tire. Do not exceed the maximum
permissible inflation pressure. Refer
to the Tire and Loading Information
label for recommended inflation
pressure.
6. Maximum load rating
This number indicates the maximum
load in kilograms and pounds that
can be carried by the tire. When
replacing the tires on the vehicle,
always use a tire that has the same
load rating as the factory installed
tire.
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:
TREADWEAR 200
TRACTION AA
TEMPERATURE A
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified govern-
ment test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one-and-a-
half times (1½) as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
These grades are molded on the
sidewalls of passenger vehicle tires.
The tires available as standard or
optional equipment on your vehicle
may vary with respect to grade.

7-55
7
Maintenance
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.
Production 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 brakes, ride levelers,
roof rack, heavy duty battery, and
special trim.
Recommended Inflation
Pressure
Vehicle manufacturer's recommend-
ed tire inflation pressure as shown
on the tire placard.
Radial Ply Tire
A pneumatic tire in which the ply
cords that extend to the beads are
laid at 90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Rim
A metal support for a tire and upon
which the tire beads are seated.
Sidewall
The portion of a tire between the
tread and the bead.
Speed Rating
An alphanumeric code assigned to a
tire indicating the maximum speed at
which a tire can operate.
Traction
The friction between the tire and the
road surface. The amount of grip pro-
vided.
Tread
The portion of a tire that comes into
contact with the road.
Treadwear Indicators
Narrow bands, sometimes called
"wear bars", that show across the
tread of a tire when only 1/16 inch of
tread remains.
UTQGS
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards is a tire information sys-
tem that provides consumers with
ratings for a tire's traction, tempera-
ture and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers
using government testing proce-
dures. The ratings are molded into
the sidewall of the tire.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
The number of designated seating
positions multiplied by 150 lbs. (68
kg) plus the rated cargo and luggage
load.

7-56
Maintenance
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
Load on an individual tire due to curb
and accessory weight plus maximum
occupant and cargo weight.
Vehicle Normal Load on the Tire
Load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each
axle its share of the curb weight,
accessory weight, and normal occu-
pant weight and dividing by 2.
Vehicle Placard
A label permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the original equip-
ment tire size and recommended
inflation pressure.
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.

7-57
7
Maintenance
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.
Low aspect ratio tires
Low aspect ratio tires, the aspect
ratio is lower than 50, are provided
for sporty looks.
Because low aspect ratio tires are
optimized for handling and braking, it
may be more uncomfortable to ride
in and there is more noise compare
with normal tires.
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
Because the sidewall of the low
aspect ratio tire is shorter than
the normal, the wheel and tire of
the low aspect ratio tire is easi-
er to be damaged. So, follow the
instructions below.
- 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 impacted, we rec-
ommend that you inspect the
tire condition or contact an
authorized retailer of Genesis
Branded products.
- To prevent damage to the tire,
inspect the tire condition and
pressure every 1,800 miles
(3,000km).
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