Maintenance8-44
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 system that
provides consumers with ratings for
a tire’s traction, temperature and
treadwear. Ratings are determined by tire
manufacturers using government testing
procedures. 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.
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 occupant weight and
dividing by 2.
Vehicle Placard
A label permanently attached to a vehicle
showing the original equipment tire size
and recommended inflation pressure.
All Season Tires
HYUNDAI 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
HYUNDAI 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, HYUNDAI 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; otherwise, 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 maximum
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.
08
8-45
Radial-Ply Tires
Radial-ply tires provide improved tread
life, road hazard resistance and smoother
high speed ride. The radial-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 combinations 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 follow
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.
WARNING
Do not mix bias ply and radial ply tires
under any circumstances. This may
cause unusual handling characteristics
that may cause loss of vehicle control
resulting in an accident.
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 consequently have a greater
contact patch with the road surface. In
some instances they may generate more
road noise compared with standard tires.
CAUTION
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 damaged.
• If the tire is subjected to a severe
impact, have the tire and wheel
inspected by an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer.
• 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 driving
on a rough road, off road, pothole,
manhole, or curb stone, it will not be
covered by the warranty.
