Page 81 of 260

FALKEN
79
like curbs. Your vehicle’s wheels are susceptible to these same
dangers as well. Some vehicles may be originally equipped with high
performance tires that are designed for warmer weather use reducing
traction in colder, winter weather conditions. High performance tires
also pose the possibility of wearing more quickly, giving a stiffer ride,
and producing louder noise than standard all-season tires during
operation. Refer to your vehicle owner’s manual, tire information
placard, or qualified tire service professional for more information about
these kinds of tires.
Winter Tires
Falken recommends all four tires be replaced when replacing your
original equipment tires and installing winter tires for the winter mont\
hs.
SAFETY WARNING
Never use just two winter tires. It could lead to adverse handling, loss
of control, which could cause serious injury or death.
Storing Your Tires
When storing your tires for any extended period of time, be sure to
thoroughly clean your tires with a tire brush, soap, and water to remove\
any dirt, salt, and brake dust from the tires. If you are storing your
tires still mounted on the wheels, use a wheel brush and approved
wheel cleaner to clean your wheels. Then dry the wheels and tires
with a towel and allow them to fully dry. DO NOT apply any tire
dressings while storing your tires. Tire compounds are made to resist
weather cracking and ozone damage. Place each clean and dry tire
in an airtight plastic bag and seal the bag with tape to help reduce oil\
evaporation. Store your tires out of direct sunlight and somewhere that \
is well shielded from the elements, like a climate-controlled room or
dry basement. Storing the tires in a garage or shed usually exposes
the tires to a wide range of temperatures as well as precipitation and
humidity. Keep the tires away from sources that emit ozone like electric
motors that use contact brushes, furnaces, sump pumps, etc. Although
tires will still age regardless of how they are stored, these precaution\
s
will help slow the aging process and reduce the damage to your tires.
Page 82 of 260

FALKEN
80
Speed Limits
SAFETY WARNING
Operating your vehicle in excess of the posted speed limit or the
maximum speed allotted by driving conditions has the potential to be
dangerous. Higher driving speeds create excessive heat buildup in a
tire, leading to a possible tire failure.
Tire Spinning
SAFETY WARNING
Spinning a tire to get a stuck vehicle out of mud, ice, snow, sand,
or wet grass can be potentially dangerous. A spinning tire at a
speedometer reading above 55 km/h (35 mph) can be capable of
disintegrating a tire with explosive force. In some circumstances, a tir\
e
may be spinning at twice the speed displayed on the speedometer.
This can cause serious injury or death to you, a passenger, or
bystander. Never spin a tire above 55 km/h (35 mph).
Limited Warranty
This limited warranty applies to Falken brand Original Equipment
Passenger Car, Temporary Spare, and Light Truck steel belted radial
tires bearing the complete description and serial number required by
the Department of Transportation (DOT). This warranty is effective only
to tires for which claims are made within 6 (six) years of the date of
production, based on the tire DOT serial number.
What Is Covered and for How Long
Falken tires that are originally equipped on this vehicle are warranted \
against any defects in the materials and workmanship for the usable
life of the original tread. The limited warranty terminates at the flush
appearance of the tread wear indicators at 1.6mm (2/32 of an inch)
remaining tread depth.
a.
Free Replacement
If a tire becomes unserviceable due to such defect within the first
1.6mm (2/32 of an inch) of tread wear, the tire will be replaced
Page 83 of 260

FALKEN
81
free of charge with the same or comparable Falken tire (mounting
and balancing labor covered).
b.
Prorated Replacement
After the first 1.6mm (2/32 of an inch) of wear, a prorated
adjustment credit will be given based on the percentage of
remaining usable tread depth, down to the remaining 1.6mm (2/32
of an inch) tread wear bar indicator (mounting and balancing labor
covered). No credit is given if the tire is worn beyond the flush
appearance of the tread wear bar indicator (less than 1.6mm
(2/32 of an inch) tread depth remaining).
c.
Out-of-Round / Out-of-Balance Replacement
Tires that are deemed to be out-of-round or out-of-balance will be
accepted for adjustment during the first 0.8mm (1/32 of an inch)
of the original tread depth and will be replaced free of charge with
the same or similar Falken tires (mounting and balancing labor
covered). A set of four (4) tires from the same vehicle will not be
accepted for out-of-round or out-of-balance claims.
What Is Not Covered by the Warranty 1.
a. Tires that become unserviceable due to road hazard
damages (cuts, snags, punctures, bruises, impact breaks,
etc.) improper repair technique or materials, improper
inflation, overload, irregular wear, wheel imbalance, defective
mechanical vehicle components (brakes, suspension,
wheels, etc.) improper suspension alignment, accident, fire,
chemical damage, damage from chain use, racing, off-road
use, run flat, improper installation, vandalism, or abuse.
b.
Tires branded “NA” or a tire in which the DOT numbering has
been removed.
c.
Tires that were transferred to another vehicle from the
vehicle in which the tires were originally installed.
d.
Tires having a failure or failures caused by a previous
damages or repairs.
e.
The cost of tire repair or retreading is not covered by this
warranty and will be the sole responsibility of the tire owner.
Page 84 of 260

FALKEN
82
2. Possible NON Covered Reasons/Conditions due to:
Owner’s Obligations
At least monthly, the vehicle owner(s) should check the tires’ air
pressure with a gauge and inflate to the recommended cold air
pressure level listed on the driver’s door placard. Do not rely on car
servicers to perform the checks. The tires should be rotated at least
every 8,000km (5,000 miles) or earlier if uneven wear is occurring, and
proof of maintenance records should be kept. The owner(s) should
have the tires rebalanced if vibration is experienced, and the vehicle’s
alignment should be checked if uneven or rapid wear is occurring, or
when suggested by the vehicle’s manufacturer.
All warranty claims must be presented to an authorized Falken
dealer or participating car dealership. The owner(s) must present any
supporting maintenance records and documentation necessary to help
determine if the tire(s) in question are deemed covered by the limited
warranty or not.
Legal Rights
All implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability and
fitness for a particular purpose shall be limited in duration to the
above period. To the extent permitted by law, Falken Tires shall not
be responsible for incidental or consequential damages, such as loss
of use of the tire or the vehicle on which it is used, inconvenience, or\
Page 85 of 260

FALKEN
83
commercial loss, some states do not allow limitations on how long an
implied warranty lasts, or the exclusion or limitation of incidental or \
consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not
apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may
also have other rights, which vary from state to state. This is the only
express warranty applicable to Falken brand tires and supersedes the
terms of any previous warranty. Falken neither assumes nor authorizes
anyone to make or assume for it any other warranty.
Understanding Your Tires
Tire Speed Symbols
Tires that are speed-rated are identified by the following letter symbols:
Q, S, T, U, H, V, W, Y, (Y), or (ZR). The Speed Rating’s Symbol can
be found as a part of the tire size designation (ex: 215/65HR16) or
after the load index immediately following the tire size designation (ex:
215/65R16 97H). The Speed Rating’s Symbol indicates the maximum
speed that a tire can handle when properly inflated and loaded.
**For tires with speed symbols W and Y, ZR may or may not also
appear within the size designation. For tires with a maximum speed
above 186 MPH a ZR must appear in the size designation.
Page 86 of 260

FALKEN
84
Date of Tire Manufacture
The date that a tire was manufactured can be determined by
examining the last 4 digits of the 12 digit DOT serial code, which is
found on at least one sidewall of a tire. For tires that were produced
after the year 2000, the last 4 digits of the serial code will identify the
week and the year that the tire was manufactured. If the last 4 digits
in the DOT serial code were to read “0517” it would mean that the tire
was manufactured the 5th week of 2017. If you are uncertain, check
with a qualified tire service professional to be sure.
DOT Symbol and DOT Serial Code
The “DOT” symbol claims that the tire conforms to all applicable US
Department of Transportation motor vehicle safety standards for tires.
The identification/serial number follows the “DOT” symbol. Here is an
example of a DOT serial code:
DOT R8 20 4M4R 05 17
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
A) DOT Symbol
B) Manufacturer Plant Code
C) Tire Size Code
D) Tire Manufacturer’s Code
E) Week of Production (01-52)
F) Year of Production (the last two digits of the year)
Page 87 of 260
FALKEN
85
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Max Load and Inflation
The maximum load and inflation pressure is marked on the tire sidewall
in English and metric units.
Ply Composition and Materials
The number of plies and their generic composition of cord materials
in the sidewall and tread areas can be found on at least one sidewall
of a tire.
Radial Marking
A radial ply tire will have the word “radial” marked on at least on\
e
sidewall. An “R” found in the tire size marking also refers to the tire
being a radial ply tire.
Page 88 of 260

FALKEN
86
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQG)
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards (UTQG) were created to
help you make an informed decision when purchasing passenger car
tires by providing relative information about a tire’s tread wear, traction,
and temperature characteristics. Here is a breakdown of the different
categories that the UTQG grades:
Tread Wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate
of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and a half (1½) times as well on the government 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.
Traction
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 specific government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. WARNING: The traction grades assigned to
this tire is based on straight ahead braking traction tests, and does
not include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
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 or on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce in tire life, and excessiv\
e
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds
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 laboratory test
wheel than minimum required by law. WARNING: The temperature