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For Self-Supporting Zero Pressure (ZP) Tires, Check
Inflation Pressures as Soon as Possible Following a
Low Pressure Warning
Be certain to ensure that your vehicle’s Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) is functioning and is correctly calibrated. Refer to your
vehicle owner’s manual or your vehicle dealer. Low pressure warning
systems are designed to alert the driver to a low inflation situation
in at least one tire on the vehicle. While your ZP tires are designed
to provide continued mobility in the event of an air loss, the sooner
you respond to a warning and take corrective action, the greater the
likelihood that the tire can be returned to service. Always visually
inspect your Self-Supporting tires and use a pressure gauge to check
the inflation in all 4 tires following any low pressure warning (unless
advised to do otherwise by the manufacturer of your low pressure
warning system). If the tire pressure is at or below 18 PSI, proceed to\
the Michelin tire retailer for ZP tires (or a representative of your vehicle
manufacturer if advised to do so in your vehicle owner’s manual) and
have the tire demounted and thoroughly inspected for possible internal
damage. If you are unable to see any damage to the tire, and the tire
pressure is more than 18 PSI, reinflate your tire to the proper inflation.
When tires have cooled, check inflation again. If any tire has lost more
than 5 PSI from the previous pressure check, have the tire inspected
at once by a Michelin tire retailer (or representative of your vehicle
manufacturer if your vehicle owner’s manual so advises.) Failure to do
so may cause irreparable damage to the tire and result in sudden tire
failure and an accident.
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)
Your vehicle is likely equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that is designed to monitor the pressure of tires mounted on
your vehicle and sends a signal to the driver if a tire pressure falls
below a predetermined level. A TPMS should not replace monthly
manual pressure checks for all four tires and the spare. You should
manually monitor and check tire pressure inflation with a pressure
gauge. Your tires should have the recommended pressure listed by
your vehicle’s manufacturer. This information can be found in the
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vehicle owner’s manual and is on a placard located in the vehicle’s
door jamb, inside the fuel hatch, or on the glove compartment door. If
you have plus-size tires that require a higher inflation pressure, your
tire pressure monitoring system will require re-calibration to the new
proper inflation pressure. Refer to your tire dealer/installer of plus-size
tires for proper inflation pressure. You should check air pressure in all
your tires, including the spare, once each month and before every long
trip. Regardless whether your spare is a full-size spare or a mini-spare,
make sure that it is properly inflated. If the TPMS generates improper
monitoring or signals, you should consult your vehicle owner’s manual
and follow up with your vehicle’s manufacturer.
TIRE SPINNING
Do not spin wheels at more than 35 mph (55 km/hr) as indicated
on your vehicle’s speedometer. Excessive speed in a free-running,
unloaded tire can cause it to “explode” from centrifugal force. The
energy released by such an explosion may cause serious physical
injury or death. Never allow anyone to stand near or behind a spinning
tire. When in mud, sand, snow, ice, or another slippery condition,
do not engage in excessive wheel spin. Accelerating the motor
excessively, particularly with automatic transmission vehicles, may
cause a drive tire that has lost traction to spin beyond its speed-
enduring capability. This is also true when balancing a drive tire/wheel
assembly on the vehicle using the vehicle engine to spin the
tire/wheel assembly.
High Speed Driving Is Dangerous
Correct inflation pressure is especially important. However, at high
speeds, even with the correct inflation pressure, a road hazard is more
difficult to avoid, and if tire contact is made with it, there is a greater
chance of causing tire damage than at a lower speed. Moreover,
driving at high speed reduces the reaction time available to avoid
accidents and bring your vehicle to a safe stop.
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Exceeding the maximum speeds shown on the following page for each
type of MICHELIN® tire will cause the tire to build up excessive heat,
which can cause tire damage that could result in sudden tire failure
and rapid air loss. Failure to control a vehicle when one or more tires \
experience a rapid air loss can lead to an accident.
In any case, you should not exceed reasonable speeds as indicated by
the legal limits and driving conditions.
Speed Rating System
The speed rating of a tire indicates the
speed category (or range of v speeds)
at which the tire can carry a load under
specified service conditions. The speed
rating system used today was developed
in Europe in response to the need to
categorize tires into standardized speeds.
A letter from A to Z symbolizes a tire’s
certified speed rating, ranging from 5 km/
hr (3 mph) to above 300 km/ hr (186
mph). This rating system (see chart on
this page) describes the top speed for
which a tire is certified.
When this speed rating system was originally developed, the
Unlimited V category of over 210 km/hr (130 mph) was the top speed
rating a tire could achieve. As manufacturers made more tires that fit
into this category, it was necessary to better regulate performance at
standardized speeds to help ensure safety. The Limited V category of
240 km/hr (149 mph) was then created, and the Z or (Y) speed rating
was added as the top speed rating that a tire could achieve. W and Y
limited speed symbols have been added as higher speed categories.
Always consult the tire manufacturer for the maximum speed of
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Consult your Michelin tire retailer for maximum speed capabilities.
Although a tire may be speed-rated, no vehicle should be operated in
an unsafe or unlawful manner. Speed ratings are based on laboratory
tests that relate to performance on the road, but are not applicable
if tires are underinflated, overloaded, worn out, damaged, altered,
improperly repaired, or retreaded. Furthermore, a tire’s speed rating
does 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.
Michelin highway passenger tires that do not have a speed symbol on
the sidewall have a maximum speed rating of 105 mph (170 kph). Light
truck highway tires that do not have a speed symbol on the sidewall of
the tire have a maximum speed rating of 87 mph (140 kph). Michelin
winter tires that do not have a speed symbol on the sidewall or tires
with Q symbols have a speed rating of 100 mph (160 km/hr). Winter
tires with a speed symbol have a maximum speed rating in accordance
with the symbol. The speed and other ratings of retreaded tires are
assigned by the retreader and replace the original manufacturer’s
ratings. IMPORTANT: The replacement tire speed rating should be
equal to or higher than the OEM tire speed rating. If a lower speed
rated tire is selected, then the vehicle top speed becomes limited
to that of the lower speed rating selected. The customer must be
informed of the new speed restriction and that the vehicle’s handling
may be adversely impacted. REMEMBER…High speed driving can
be dangerous and may damage your tires. AND…When driving at
highway speeds, correct inflation pressure is especially important.
Inspect Your Tires, And Do Not Drive On A Damaged
Tire Or Wheel
Road hazards and objects in the road, such as potholes, curbs, glass,
metal, rocks, wood, and debris, can damage a tire and should be
safely avoided. If your vehicle hits any such hazard or object, however,
you should promptly inspect your tires. If you see any damage to any
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Check How Your Tires Are Wearing at Least
Once Each Month
If your tires are wearing unevenly, such as the inside shoulder of the
tire wearing faster than the rest of the tread, or if you detect excessi\
ve
vibration, your vehicle may be out of alignment or balance. These
conditions not only shorten the life of your tires but adversely affect the
handling characteristics of your vehicle, which could be dangerous. If
you detect irregular wear or vibration, have your alignment and balance
checked immediately. Tires which have been run underinflated will
show more wear on the shoulders than in the center of the tread. Read
and follow the instructions on tire rotation and replacement below.
Tire Mixing
MICHELIN® tires are radial tires. For best, safe performance, the same
size and type of tire should be used on all four wheel positions, and th\
e
full size spare should be the same size and type. Before mixing tires
of different types in any configuration on any vehicle, be sure to check
the vehicle manufacturer’s owner‘s manual for its recommendations.
It is especially important to check the vehicle manufacturer’s owner’s
manual when mixing, matching, or replacing tires on 4-wheel drive
vehicles, as this may require special precautions.
SELF-SUPPORTING ZERO PRESSURE™ (ZP) TIRES SHOULD NOT
BE MIXED WITH NON-ZP TIRES OTHER THAN THE TEMPORARY
USE OF THE PROPERLY INFLATED SPARE IF THE VEHICLE IS
SO EQUIPPED.
Winter Driving
Tires that meet the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA)
definition of snow tires are marked M/S, M+S, or M&S. On such tires,
normally referred to as “All-Season” tires, the “M+S” designation
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from the tires by raising the vehicle or by removing the tires from the \
vehicle. Failure to store tires in accordance with these instructions
could result in damage to your tires or premature aging of the tires
and sudden tire failure. When tires are stored, be sure they are placed \
away from sources of heat and ozone such as hot pipes and electric
generators. Be sure that surfaces on which tires are stored are clean
and free from grease, gasoline or other substances which could
deteriorate the rubber. Tires exposed to these materials during storage
or driving could be subject to sudden failure.
One reason why your spare tire should be included in the tire rotation
schedule is that temperatures in a vehicle’s closed trunk, especially
in sunny geographical areas, can become high enough so that, over
a sustained period, they can cause small cracks or other changes to
the properties of a tire stored in the trunk. An accumulation of such
changes can weaken the tire and, especially if the tire is not kept
properly inflated, make it unsafe to use when it is needed.
Proper Tire Mounting
Tire mounting can be dangerous and must be done by professionally
trained persons using proper tools and procedures as specified by the
US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA).
Your tires should be mounted on wheels that are the correct size
and type and are in good, clean condition. Wheels that are bent,
chipped, rusted (steel wheels) or corroded (alloy wheels) may cause
tire damage. The inside of the tire must be free from foreign material.
Have your tire retailer check the wheels before mounting new tires.
Mismatched tires and rims can explode during mounting. Also,
mismatched tires and rims can result in dangerous tire failure on
the road. If a tire is mounted by error on the wrong-sized rim, do not
remount it on the proper rim – scrap it. It may have been damaged
internally (which is not externally visible) by having been dangerously
stretched and could fail on the highway, resulting in an accident.
Old valves may leak. When new tubeless tires are mounted, have
new valves of the correct type installed. Tubeless tires must be
mounted only on wheels designed for tubeless tires, i.e., wheels that
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Failure to meet conditions of this Limited Warranty, not limited to:•
Any tire that is not an Eligible Tire.
•
Any tire for which mileage and tire rotation records are not
available or verifiable.
•
Any tire not presented and available for Nitto’s inspection.
•
Any tire worn beyond the treadwear indicators (less than 2/32” of
remaining tread).
•
Uniformity issues after the first 25% of treadwear.
Nothing in this Limited Warranty is intended to be a representation that
tire failures cannot occur.
WHAT NITTO WILL DO
For every Eligible Tire, Nitto will do the following:
Regular OE Tires 1.
If less than 25% Worn: Nitto will replace, free of charge, any
Eligible Tire when the original usable tread is worn by 25% or
less, and within 5 years from the date you purchased the vehicle
new. If you cannot provide a copy of the new vehicle registration
or vehicle purchase receipt, the manufacture date of the tire, as
indicated by the tire DOT code, will be used instead to determine
if a tire is within the warranty period. Tire mounting and balancing
costs are covered by Nitto. You are responsible for taxes and
all other costs, fees and expenses.
2.
If more than 25% Worn: Nitto will replace any Eligible Tire when
the original usable tread is worn by more than 25%, and within 5
years from the date you purchased the vehicle new. If you cannot
provide a copy of the new vehicle registration or vehicle purchase
receipt, the manufacture date of the tire, as indicated by the tire
DOT code, will be used instead to determine if a tire is within the
warranty period. You are responsible for the pro-rated cost of
a replacement tire, mounting and balancing costs, taxes and
all other costs, fees and expenses.
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The letter symbols and corresponding design speeds are:
* 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 manufactu\
rer must
be consulted for the maximum speed capability (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 (888) 529-8200 Pacific Time for a referral for more
technical information.