TIRE SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE INFORMATION
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
This manual is not intended to provide proper training or service
procedures for tire mounting, dismounting, balancing, rotation, or repair.
Please leave these tasks to qualified tire service professionals.
•Toyo brand tires are designed and built with great care. Any tire, no matter
how well constructed, can fail as a result of punctures, impact damage,
underinflation/overloading or other conditions resulting from use. Tire
failures may create a risk of property damage or personal injury. To obtain
the highest possible performance, tires must be maintained properly.
•Remember, you are ultimately responsible for the tires installed on your
vehicle.
Inflation pressure can decrease by 1 psi for every 10°F temperature drop
Important factors in tire care are:
• Proper inflation pressure
• Proper vehicle loading
• Proper vehicle maintenance
• Regular inspection
• Good driving habits
Refer to your vehicle Owner ’s Manual for additional tire safety and
service advice.
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8 " 3 / * / (
VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEMS (TPMS)
Even if your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system, you should check your tire pres-
sure at least once per month when the tires are cold
(for example, after being parked overnight). Tire pres-
sure warning systems are not a substitute for regular
tire pressure maintenance.
WARNING!
If your vehicle is equipped with TPMS, read the vehicle Owner ’s
Manual regarding its operation. Some TPMS systems do not alert you
until the tires are significantly underinflated, which could result in
permanent tire damage and possible sudden tire failure. In the event
that your TPMS malfunction indicator lamp is displayed, you should
immediately pull over to a safe parking area and check your tires.
IDENTIFYING DAMAGED TIRES
•If your tire strikes a road hazard at any speed, internal tire damage could
result, which may lead to sudden tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
Tire failure may even occur miles after the initial impact. Impact damage
from such hazards may not be visible on the outside of the tire. Have
your Toyo Tires dealer dismount the tire and inspect it for damage. A tire
may not have visible signs of damage on the tire surface or the interior.
•If the impact was sufficient to bend the wheel flange, internal tire
damage may have occurred, compromising the safety and integrity of
the tire. Such impact damage may result in a sudden tire failure many
weeks or months later. Tire replacement is highly recommended as a
safety precaution.
• Indications of impact damage include, but are not limited to, a bubble
or a blister on the outside of the tire.
• Have your dealer inspect your tires if you see anything unusual or if
cuts, cracks, splitting, or bruises in the tread and sidewall areas are
visible. Bumps or bulges may indicate a serious and dangerous
separation within the tire body. Have your tire inspected by a qualified
tire service person. It may be necessary to have the tire removed from
the wheel for a complete inspection.
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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.
m NOTICE!
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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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” (www.rma.org).
(Continued)
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WARNING!(Continued)
Pull over to a safe area as soon as possible and inspect the tires for
signs of bulges, blisters, or separations. Seek roadside assistance or
change the damaged tire with your spare tire.
If you experience a blowout or a sudden tire failure, the following
information should be helpful:
• When the tire failure occurs, you may hear a loud noise, or feel a
vibration, and/or the vehicle may pull toward the side of the failed
tire. Do not abruptly brake or turn.
• Maintain steady pressure on the accelerator pedal.
• Hold the steering wheel firmly and steer to maintain your lane
position.
• Find a safe place to pull off the road and allow the vehicle to gradually
decelerate. Apply light braking as required to stop safely.
• Gradually pull over to the shoulder and come to a stop. Look for a
damaged tire on your vehicle.
• Seek roadside assistance or change the damaged tire with your spare
tire.
• Have all of your tires and the vehicle thoroughly inspected by a tire
professional.
TIRE ROTATION
The purpose for rotating tires is to achieve more uniform wear for all tires
on a vehicle. Your tires should be thoroughly examined on a lift by a tire
dealer for any abnormalities. If tires show uneven treadwear, ask the
service person to check and/or correct any vehicle wheel alignment or
other mechanical problem before rotation.
The following rotation patterns are acceptable. Please refer to your
vehicle Owner ’s Manual for rotation advice.
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The letter symbols and corresponding design speeds are:
Speed-Rated SymbolSpeed Category
M Upto81mph(130km/h)
N Upto87mph(140km/h)
P Upto93mph(150km/h)
Q Upto99mph(160km/h)
R Up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
S Up to 112 mph (180 km/h)
T Up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
U Up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H Up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V Up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
W Up to 168 mph (270 km/h)*
Y Up to 186 mph (300 km/h)*
ZR Over 149 mph (240 km/h)**
(Y) Over 186 mph (300 km/h)**
* Any tire with a speed capability above 149 mph (240 km/h) can, at the
tire manufacturer ’s option, include a “Z” in the size designation (e.g.,
245/40ZR18). If the load index and the speed symbol are not included,
the tire manufacturer must be consulted for the maximum speed capa-
bility (P245/40ZR18 speed capability is greater than 149 mph
[240 km/h]). If a service description is included with the size description,
the speed capability is limited by the speed symbol in the service
description (i.e., 235/45ZR17 97W = maximum speed 168 mph
[270 km/h]).
** Although no upper limit speed is specified, the indicated tires
nonetheless have limited rated speed capability. Call 1-800-442-8696
(Pacific Time) or 1-888-444-8696 (Eastern Time) for a referral for more
technical information.
mNOTICE!
Tire speed symbols do not imply that vehicles can be safely driven at the
maximum speed for which the tire is rated, particularly under adverse road
and weather conditions, or if the vehicle has unusual characteristics. Never
operate a vehicle in an unsafe or unlawful manner.
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WARNING!(Continued)
•LT-metric tires carry their load at higher inflation pressures and do
not always have adequate load capacity to replace P-metric tires of
the same size.
• After reducing a P-metric tire’s load rating by dividing by 1.1 for
fitment on a Light Truck, the P-metric tire may not offer sufficient
load capacity to replace an LT-metric tire of the same size.
• Contact your Toyo Tires dealer or Toyo Tires Technical Service for
help determining how to choose a proper replacement size.
• Driving with underinflated or overloaded tires may result in
immediate tire failure, which can cause an accident and could lead
to serious personal injury or death.
When a P-metric or metric tire is installed on a light truck (SUV, pickup,
minivan), the load rating is reduced by dividing by 1.1. (This load
reduction factor is prescribed by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS) and is based on the expectation that passenger-type tires may
experience more severe loading and usage conditions when applied to
light trucks.) For example, 305/50R20 has a maximum load capacity of
3086 lbs. If this tire is fitted to a light truck, the actual allowable load for
the tire is 2805 lbs. (3086 lbs. divided by 1.1).
Consult the load and inflation charts that can be found at
www.toyotires.com. Contact Toyo Tires Technical Service with any tire
replacement questions: 1-800-442-8696 (Pacific Time) or 1-888-444-8696
(Eastern Time).
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their use and may vary due to driving habits, service practices,
differences in road characteristics, and climate.
• Traction - The traction grades from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
m NOTICE!
The traction grade assigned to tires is based on locked braking (straight
ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering (turning) traction.
• Temperature - 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 conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperatures
can cause the materials of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance that all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 139. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade 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
buildup and possible tire failure. This can cause an accident, which
could lead to serious personal injury or death.
• DOT Quality Grades - All passenger car tires must conform to federal
requirements in addition to these grades.
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